Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem: The fascinating story behind the name of Nottingham’s oldest inn
The pub is more than 800 years old and has an intriguing back story
It’s thought that Nottingham as a settlement dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period, when it was called Snotta-inga-ham.
Given Nottingham’s links back to the 6th century, it’s unsurprising that the city is a historian’s dream.
From Nottingham Castle and its connections to kings and queens to the gruesome backstory of the National Justice Museum, all parts of the city are stooped in history.
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It would be unfair to speak about historic places in Nottingham without mentioning the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem in the same breath.
It’s thought that the famous watering hole, found nestled against the cliff beneath Nottingham Castle, is England’s oldest inn.
Up until around 1799, the inn had a far more conventional name - The Pilgrim.
But over the past 225 years, the inn’s unusual name has attracted plenty of attention. And opened up a lot of questions. Such as:
- Did a former landlord go on holiday to Jerusalem?
- Was there once a popular ale that came from Jerusalem?
- Is it a random name meant to confuse punters?
All is revealed below.
How did the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem earn its name?
To understand the origin of the inn’s peculiar name we need to go back more than 800 years to 1189.
King Richard the Lionheart, in his first year on the throne, was about to head east alongside Christian forces to recapture Jerusalem from the sultan Saladin.
At this time, the Holy City was under Muslim rule.
It’s believed that King Richard and his crusaders stopped at the Nottingham inn on their way to Jerusalem.
For the six centuries after the crusades, the inn was simply known as The Pilgrim.
The earliest-known reference to the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem name was in 1799, but it continues to intrigue visitors to this day.
A clear nod to the inn’s role in world history (or, at least providing crusaders with a few drinks before their long journey east), the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem has a firm place in Nottingham folklore.