Just ten miles outside of Leeds in the village of Bardsey sits an extraordinary pub dating back to a time when Vikings were conquering the country and England was yet to see its first monarch.
Called The Bingley Arms, today it's home to a popular family pub and award-winning restaurant - but it's also got quite the fascinating history.
Said to be home to not one but three ghosts (including the ghost of a dog) guests here have told multiple stories of spooky sightings.
One, known to locals as ‘The Cavalier’, is considered a bit of a practical joker. Appearing in the form of a young girl who was apparently murdered here and now haunts the taproom, she allegedly causes a lot of strange activity to happen at the pub.
It's said that 'The Cavalier' was murdered at the pub and now haunts its taproom / Image: The Bingley Arms
Objects are frequently seen to be moving around and there have been reports of both candles lighting themselves and pans of water boiling on hobs that aren’t switched on.
There are various claims as to how old the pub actually is, ranging between 905 and 953AD.
What we do know is that the hostelry is mentioned in the Domesday Book, which gives it a recorded history up to 953AD, although it's thought it could be even older.
It's named as the UK's oldest pub in the Guinness book of world records and it's also said that there was a man called Samson Ellis first brewing beer on the site in the 900's. Its first record as a public house can be traced back to him.
Although today the pub is known as The Bingley Arms, in its early days it was originally known as the Priest's inn in tribute to the patronage of traveling monks that often frequented the pub.
An old tapestry that can be found inside the pub / Image: The Bingley Arms
It sat on a popular route of pilgrimage from Kirkstall Abbey to York for years, and later played an important roles in hiding Catholics during the 16th century.
The pub served as a place of refuge for those fleeing Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries, and today it still has two "priest holes" remaining in its chimneys. Both still accessible today, the larger one is reportedly used by Santa Claus during the pub's Christmas parties to give him an authentic entrance.
Later, the building also served as a courthouse - holding offenders before they were taken to the pillory across the road.
Inside The Bingley Arms, which claims to be the oldest pub in the UK / Image: The Bingley Arms
More fascinating still, underneath the pub lie the remains of an underground passageway that once ran between the inn and the village's church All Hallows, itself dating back to roughly 950AD.
Today, it still retains many of its original features - with the entrance to the secret passageway still visible in the walls of a storeroom, once used as a snug for drinkers but currently out of bounds to the public.
The old inglenook fireplace was only discovered in the 17th century when new owner Lord Bingley was doing some work on the building / Image: The Bingley Arms
Some historice artefacts - like a portcullis and some medieval timepieces - were removed by the previous owner, but many other pieces remain including original stained glass windows, a real dutch oven and an inglenook fireplace.
Guests come from all over the world to visit, and the pub even has some famous fans - once acting as a favourite drinking haunt of star players during Leeds United's Champions League era.
On the bar, you'll find three regular cask ales including Black Sheep bitter, and two rotating guests as well as a good mix of spirits and wines.
Whilst in the pub's dining room and restaurant, dishes range from pub grill classics like gammon and chips to pan-seared sea bass, minted lamb kofta and sweet chilli noodles.
The beer garden at The Bingley Arms / Image: The Bingley Arms
Out the back is a charming beer garden that's home to a Yew tree that even predates the pub.
The perfect place for sitting and enjoying a few cold ones in the sunshine with the family and soaking up some weird and wonderful West Yorkshire history.
To see the pub's menus and book a table for yourself, visit their website here.
News
Number 10 North is officially ‘open for business’ and here’s why it’s so important for Yorkshire
Number 10 North has officially 'opened for business' this week, and Andy Burnham has now explained his key reasons for launching it.
You may remember that earlier last month, Andy Burnham revealed he had intentions to create a Number 10 North if he was to become Prime Minister, with the new base expected to be a 'dominant driver of the UK's economy' once it was officially up and running... and now, fast forward to today, Number 10 North is officially 'open for business'.
Operating from Heron House in Manchester city centre, as previously reported on by The Manc, Number 10 North will be the Government’s new 'situation room for growth'.
It also brings the 'levers' of local economic growth and devolution together under one roof for the first time ever.
With the Prime Minister expected to work from Number 10 North each week, so that decisions about the country’s economic future will no longer exclusively be made in Westminster, and with other ministers also working from there on a regular basis, the Government says the move underlines its determination to 'do things differently'.
Number 10 North has officially 'opened for business' / Credit: gov.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)
Now that Number 10 North has officially opened, Andy Burnham has explained why this move is so important for Yorkshire and the north as a whole.
"For 40 years, power and resources have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten, without the attention and investment they deserve," explained Andy Burnham.
"Number 10 North will change that by putting more power into every postcode across the entire country. It will be the situation room for making Britain better, the place we use to get power out of Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can turn things around.
"The days of Whitehall resisting devolution are over, for good."
Featured Image - The Manc Group
News
Pints of Knowledge, Callum Campbell’s fastest-growing event, is coming to Leeds city centre this summer
Clementine Hall
The pub night that's packing out venues across the UK is coming to Leeds.
Let us introduce you to Pints of Knowledge, a phenomenon founded by Callum Campbell that has built a social media following of more than 160,000 people.
This is different to your average night out, it's a chance to meet new people and spark interesting conversation all in the relaxing surroundings of a pub.
The event has attracted thousands to its unique mix of expert talks, conversation and community in pubs across the UK.
Image: Supplied
And if you're looking to get in on the action then you're in luck, because Pints of Knowledge is arriving at The Wardrobe on Sunday 9 August.
So, what can you expect? From landmark legal history and the hidden pressures behind big systems to the evolving language of gaslighting and radical cinema, Sunday's Leeds programme will demonstrate exactly why Pints of Knowledge has struck such a chord with audiences across the UK.
Founder Callum Campbell, who has spent more than a decade producing live events across Britain, said bringing the concept to Leeds was the natural next step - and we're so happy he thought so.
Image: Supplied
He said: "I've always wanted to bring Pints of Knowledge to more cities across England, and Leeds has such a strong appetite for ideas and conversation. Watching this grow has been amazing, and I can't wait to bring it here.
"As more people look for experiences beyond a traditional night out, Pints of Knowledge offers something different: expert speakers, thought-provoking conversations and the chance to meet new people, all in the relaxed surroundings of a pub.
"People still love going to the pub, but they're looking for more from the experience. Pints of Knowledge is about hearing incredible stories, asking questions, meeting interesting people and leaving having learned something new."
Image: Supplied
The Pints of Knowledge programme at The Wardrobe will look like this:
12pm - Human rights lawyer Mahnoor Omer presents '10 Legal Cases that Changed History'.
2pm - Georgina Shute asks 'Why billion-pound systems are built by people who can't finish their to-do lists'.
4pm - Isobel Logan explores 'Gaslighting: The Evolution of a Concept Across Art, Relationships and Politics'.
6pm - Angelos Koutsourakis will examine 'Third Cinema, The Global South & Climate Change'.
Campbell added: "One hour you can be unpacking landmark legal cases, the next you're hearing about the psychology behind gaslighting, before finishing the day exploring cinema and climate change. That's what makes Pints of Knowledge different.
"This is just the beginning. We've seen an incredible response across the UK, and we're excited to build on that by bringing Pints of Knowledge to more cities across the country.”
Pints of Knowledge takes place at The Wardrobe in Leeds on Sunday 9 August, and you can get your tickets here.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd June 2021 
