Edinburgh's oldest pub - the argument it seems no-one can settle
| Published date | 23 June 2022 |
| Author | Lee Dalgetty |
| Publication title | EdinburghLive (Scotland) |
Depending on your criteria, the answer may not be as easy as hoped. We've looked into some of the contenders and their history, so check them out below and see what you think.
READ MORE -The lost Edinburgh pubs that served us our first drinks but have since vanished
The White Hart Inn
Ask an Edinburgh local what the oldest pub in the city is, and they're likely to answer with the White Hart Inn.
Nestled in the Grassmarket, the building is not only thought to be one of the oldest pubs still standing - but also the most haunted. Established in 1516, the pub has always kept the same name.
The building that stands today is more recent, dating back to 1740. This begs the question, if the pub has been rebuilt - is it still up for the title of the oldest?
Said to be home to many spirits (not the ones behind the bar), the watering hole is also rumoured to have been the spot where Robbie Burns wrote his famous song Ae Fond Kiss in 1791. Famous grave robbers, Burke and Hare, are also said to have enjoyed a pint or two in the pub and even picked up one of their victims here.
The Sheep Heid Inn
This public house sits in Duddingston, where there has reportedly been an inn on the site since 1360.
The current building appears to date from the 18th century, with later additions and alterations. If the 1360 foundation date is correct, it could make the Sheep Heid Inn perhaps the oldest surviving licensed premises in Edinburgh - if not Scotland.
With renovations and rebuilds thought to have taken place in the 18th century, it's consideration for the oldest pub is undecided.
The Sheep Heid Inn does hold another title, possessing the only old fashioned bowling alley in Scotland which was built in 1880.
Deacon Brodie's
Taking its name from William Brodie, an 18th century cabinet maker and deacon of the guild trades of Edinburgh, this Royal Mile pub has stood since 1806.
Brodie was known as a good citizen by locals, though maintained a secret life of gambling and mistresses. His dark side saw him taking to burglary to pay his debts, until he was eventually caught and hanged in 1788.
His story was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. As for the pub the building hasn't changed since its creation in the early 19th century, putting it in for the running of the city's...
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