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Ye Olde Man & Scythe, Bolton
Bolton
BL1 1HL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe
Whether or not Ye Olde Man & Scythe is the 4th oldest pub in the land is debatable, but it certainly feels like it has some age and stories to tell. The entrance opens into the front stone floored bar area where there is a dartboard with an oche that runs across the front lead lined windows. A couple of table lead to a short bar counter that supports five hand pumps that were drawing Marston’s 61 Deep, Bank Top’s Flat Cap, Wye Valley’s HPA, Oakham’s Citra and Thatcher’s Stan’s Trad cider. The barman was a bit lethargic so a couple of locals who’d been in a while decided to summon him from the rear bar to serve me. He wasn’t very impressed, but the HPA was on good form. The stone floor continues into the rear bar area where standard and premium keg is available alongside four more hand pumps that were drawing ciders, this being a famed cider pub. In the right side of the pub are steps up to a couple of wood floored seating areas and at the rear is an area where the advertised live music is held. There is also a very small enclosed outside space which probably gets very smoky when busy. This historic pub is certainly worth a visit, but I would take the 4th oldest pub claim with a pinch of salt.
On 28th August 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe
this is indeed an authentic old pub - if you only have time to visit one in Bolton make it this one. Several rooms, lovely old weathered decor and local real ales - I had a decent bitter from Bank Top. Friendly locals for downtown Bolton, almost a little too friendly!
On 4th May 2019
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn
A fine authentic olde worlde pub and apparently the 4th oldest in Britain. Inside there are a few rooms to sit and low beams to avoid. 4 handpumps on one part of the bar and 4 on the other. Loads of ciders available. For a more exhaustive description Mr Bonsers review will inform more than I'm going to.
On 7th September 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn
On the historic cobbled street of Churchgate in the heart of Bolton is Ye Olde Man and Scythe, an attractive looking black and white Tudor style pub with gables and leaded bay windows.
A sandwich board outside tells us that its “officially the 4th oldest pub in Britain”. High up on the frontage, we learn that “ in this ancient hostelry, James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, passed his last few hours of his life previous to his execution on 15 October 1651”. We also learn that the pub dates back to 1251 AD, but was rebuilt in 1636. It is believed that only the vaulted cellar remains from 1251, but that some of the internal timbered beams date back to 1636
Inside, a staple shaped bar counter on the left serves a flagstoned front area, a narrow drinking corridor and a further area at the rear accessed along the corridor. The front area has a dartboard and juke box. At the rear, we see an old ceiling beam which is annotated in old style lettering as being the end wall of the original building 1251. Reminding us that we’re in the north, we’re also told that this is the way “to t’yard “ – a small outside seating area effectively in the middle of the building.
On the right hand side of the corridor are two rooms, the front one of which looks out on to the market place. The rear room is much larger and is traditionally furnished with padded seating around the perimeter of the room. There’s a fine decorative ceiling, despite beams which clearly aren’t original, and walls which are decorated with interesting framed prints relating to The Civil War, and, in particular the Bolton battles of 1643 and 1644. We learn that an annual re-enactment takes place outside the pub every 15 October, which, as it just so happened, had been in the week before my visit. The highlight of this room is undoubtedly a glass cabinet which contains the chair on which James Stanley apparently sat whilst awaiting execution on the scaffold outside for his part as a Royalist sympathiser and his involvement in the Bolton battles. Here also is a rather gruesome effigy of his bloodstained severed head after the act had been done. In this room is also a piano and some old Victorian bell pushes. Even to non – historians such as myself, it’s an interesting room, although it does feel rather dark and gloomy and the seating does look rather worn, which, in my view, does lessen the overall experience.
Ye Olde Man and Scythe claims to have been “leading Bolton’s music scene for 20 years” and there’s regular jam sessions and live music of the loud rock variety. A loud juke box seems to keep the clientele happy when there’s no live music on, as do several electronic games machines.
Cider is clearly the favoured drink here – not without good reason is the pub better known as T’Cider House – and, on my visit, virtually every customer ( a predominantly male clientele) was drinking one of the Thatchers flavoured summer ciders – orange and apricots, blackcurrant and apple, strawberry and pear, passion fruit etc. These are advertised on a sandwich board prominently situated outside on the pavement at the front, as is the fact that these are sold at a price of £ 2.20p per pint between 12 – 4pm on Mondays through to Fridays. We are warned to be careful as the ABV of these drinks is 7.5%, but, on my recent Friday mid-afternoon visit, a good few customers, were already clearly starting to get rather boisterous. This is evidently not a pub for the faint-hearted.
4 real ales were on – Bank Top Flat Cap, Hobgoblin, Robinsons Dizzy Blonde and Moorhouses Pendle Witch. Quality was reasonable and, although this is clearly a cider pub, pleasingly the local CAMRA branch magazine is prominently displayed.
This was a memorable visit. Despite a number of reservations, on balance, I would revisit when next in Bolton
On 6th December 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn
Had a good clean behind the bar since it reopened looks a lot better always worth a visit if its just for the Thatchers cider
On 5th December 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Anonymous User left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn
Due to be re-opened on Thursday this coming week!
On 11th November 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 0 recommendations about 0 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Anonymous User left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn
Amazingly this pub - fourth oldest pub in England was closed the other week. The staff was made redundant by text message. Apparently owners Enterprise Inns are reopening soon with new staff. Real ale has always let it down, but the cider more than made up in what its is affectionately known locally as the 'Cider House'.
On 1st November 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 0 recommendations about 0 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn
Old (circa 1636) pub with sloping flag floors and multiple rooms. There's a front bar, a drinking corridor and a further room to the rear. Up steps to the right are another 2 rooms. Low beams, fireplaces, stained glass windows, loads of old pictures, it's all very atmospheric and may even be original. There's also a tiny yard up a few steps at the rear of the pub. 4 handpumps on the bar selling Holts Bitter, Hobgoblin, Deuchars IPa and Flowers IPA. So not a stunningly original choice of beer, but the Hobgoblin I had was a well kept pint. Efficient staff and a large crowd of friendly locals out for a post work Friday drink, made for a pleasant atmosphere. I like it in here and will certainly call in again when next in Bolton.
On 3rd August 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Andrew Evans left this review about Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn
Venue for The Who in 1965!
On 11th June 2008
- rating: 10
[User has posted 151 recommendations about 149 pubs]