Ye Olde Man & Scythe

It seems to be a recurring theme that when I got for a drink with a certain friend of mine he takes me to the oldest pub he knows, first it was Whitelocks in Leed and then to Ye Olde Man & Scythe — which I’m rather reliably informed was his local when he was a teenager.
We popped in here on bank holiday Sunday for a drink before catching the train to Parbold for dinner. I loved it inside, super old and quirky and from what I can gather a bit of a cider drinkers heaven. It was super busy, and I’d love to go back again some time when its a little bit quieter and enjoy it a bit more.

A good old pub what’s treated like a monument. Going back to the older days, bands perform here. It’s set in a nice secluded area where most people find. I personally have heard stories of hauntings but the old beverage will knock that out.

One of the oldest Inns /​Pubs in the world, originally established in 1251 and rebuilt in 1636.
Being exiled from Manchester at the moment & now living in Scotland, I was travelling back last week on a beautiful sunny, spring evening and decided to make a stop at a local hostelry.
Having a penchant for older pubs, I searched for the oldest in Lancashire and came up with one of the oldest in the world.
As you can see from the pictures on the listing, it is a beautiful pub.
I met a very friendly local outside who told me that the Inn had a long association with cider and recommended I tried the Thatchers Cloudy on draught.
I’m not a cider drinker, but I do value tradition and ordered myself a pint.
It was actually very tasty and I felt more of a part of the history of the place knowing that hundreds, maybe thousands of others had drunk a similar brew before me.
Being a mere stop on my journey onward, my time here was limited and I really felt so comfortable I could’ve stayed much longer.
If you happen to be in this part of the world, I highly recommend that you pay a visit!

When I used to go out in Bolton this place was always going to be on the cards for a ‘Thatch’ as we called it (Thatchers Cider AKA Rocket Fuel!)
If you go at the Weekend you will definately struggle to find a seat but there is usually a live band on playing so I didn’t mind standing up to watch. The place could probably do with a bit of TLC but it sort of adds to the charm of it. It is said to be one of the oldest pubs in Britain — not quite sure how accurate that is but it definately looks it! There is plenty of period features to be found throughout if you look. Prices are pretty average but when you consider there is live music it makes it somewhat better value. I will definately be heading back here when I next visit Bolton.

Si pasas por Bolton, no te puedes ir sin visitar el pub más auténtico de toda la cuidad. Situado en el centro, es el sitio ideal para parar a tomar una cervecita y degustar del ambiente local. pásame una pinta! :)

Boltons oldest pub and one of the oldest in the country. The main reason people go in here is to have a catch up with their mates and to drinks lots of thatchers. Good old scrumpy juice. it looks like orange juice but dont be mistaken the stuff is like rocket fuel have sank alot and its a different colour everytime lol im told its due to where abouts in the barrel you are but im not too sure about this one :). the place is laid out with about 4 rooms creating a nice living room type feel and there is abit of historcal stuff in there as well if you interested in theat sort of thing. I like this place because you always have lots of characters about some of which are weird as hell but never the less interesting.

The first recorded mention of it by name was in 1251 making it one of the ten oldest public houses in Britain and oldest in Bolton.
Its a great little pub, with a lot of atmosphere.
Inside are lots of side benches. and you really feel like you are back in time.
James Stanley, 7^th Earl of Derby met his end there.
The execution took place outside the Man and Scythe Inn (owned at the time by the Earl of Derby’s family). Outside, there is a cross on the site that bears a plaque which relates the stories of Bolton through the ages. However, within the pub itself, there is a chair that the Earl of Derby supposedly sat in before being taken outside to be beheaded, the inscription of which reads «15^th October 1651 In this chair James 7^th Earl of Derby sat at the Man and Scythe Inn, Churchgate, Bolton immediately prior to his execution». He was buried in Ormskirk church.
I really want to visit again.
Reported to be Haunted

great ciders. good prices. very run down place. friendly service from rock + tattoo lovers. virtually zero seating. desperate for some DiY + TLC. good live rock bands late at night.

For the record, Ye Olde Man and Scythe is one of the oldest surviving pubs in Britain: it dates back to 1251 (and it was partially rebuilt in 1636). The fact that it is located in a fair distance from the City of Manchester, in Bolton, in a cosy Churchgate, close to St Peter’s Bolton-​le-​Moors church and The Bolton News building, makes the visit to this historic place all the more necessary. Inside you will find original woodwork, a fine collection of bottles on shelves, and a good selection of beverages. Don’t forget to pop into a back street that preserves age-​old cobbles and where you will be able to imagine what life could be like in Bolton in those bygone days! A «charm» shop next door only adds to the mysterious feel of the street and the pub, and makes for a good add-​on to the visit.

If you like sophisticated wine bars don’t go there. However if you like old fashioned pubs you will be at home here.

This is my favourite pub in Bolton. Hotly contested as the oldest pub in England, it has bags of charachter. There are 2 rooms as well as the extended bar area. The staff are soo friendly, much like the customers. A fantastic, warm, welcoming atmosphere. We have their cider which they usually sell in halves as it is so potent! Absolute diamond of a place!

Ye olde man and scythe is lovely local oldy worldy pub with an atmosphere to match. There is two main rooms, one of which looks over church gate through a massive bay window.
There is also a very small drinking area out the back during the summer but it is very small so you may not get a seat.
On some nights, they hold an open mike night where all the locals get up with their spendlid voice and guitars.
The ale is cheap and i can thouroughly recomend a pint of thatchers to all those cider drinkers out there!

The man and sythe is a really old and small pub. the walkways are crooked, theres very little room to stand and drink but this is all part of its charm. The pub oozes character. It has a good selection of drinks and the landlord is a really nice guy. Once a year they dress up in olde worlde costumes to mark the anniversary of someones execution (cant remember whos though)

Oldest pub in Bolton and one of the oldest in england. Really is a unique building, very small and crooked but full of character! Friendly landlord, lovely drink, top class!