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Detail Pages
The Three Mariners, Lancaster
Lancaster
LA1 1EE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Three Mariners
This is a nice gastro pub stood in the shadow of Lancaster Castle, with a wide but shallow interior that offers some good drinker/diner separation. The servery is on the rear wall, slightly to the left on entry, and has a tongue and groove panelled counter front and matching bar back with three barrel ends to one side, to which the keg taps are attached. There is some excellent button backed banquette seating opposite, formed into shared booths with loads of scatter cushions and some low stools in support. A tidy fireplace dominates the end wall, but it must not get any use, as it remained stubbonly unlit on a bitterly cold, snowy winter's evening. Lots of old wooden beams and pillars give the pub an authentic, traditional feel, with old paintings and maps lining the walls only adding to this effect. To the right is a nice space with a long L-shaped banquette next to a smart stone fireplace, beyond which is a pleasant dining area with formally arranged tables and chairs and some banquette booths along the end wall. One notable drawback was the truly crappy selection of old-school pop tunes playing relentlesly in the background throughout the course of my visit.
On the bar, there was a healthy selection of cask ales comprised of Robinson Dizzy Blonde and Unicorn, Oakham Citra, 4T's IPA, Hawkshead Bitter, Titanic Plum Porter and Thornbridge Katsura, alongside three real ciders. A very personable barmaid had some good chat and dealt admirably with a lively pint of the Citra, which turned out to be in good condition once it had been tamed into the glass. There weren't too many others in the pub on this Monday evening, but the weather was shocking and it wasn't that much quieter than the other pubs I visited that night.
This place immediately struck me as a food-led enterprise, so I was surprised, having settled down with my pint, to find that I found it quite a pleasant, pubby environment in which I'd quite happily have spent much longer had time permitted. The friendly service and quality ale made this an enjoyable visit and I'd be keen to repeat it when there was more of a crowd in attendance.
Date of visit - 15th January 2024
On 12th May 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3126 recommendations about 3126 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Three Mariners
Although this pub is apparently now owned by Robinsons, there was only one beer from that brewery at the time of my visit earlier this year. This was a rebadged house beer, and other beers were from Oakham (JHB and Citra), Timothy Taylor Landlord and Hawkshead Dry Stone Stout. I went for the latter, which is not as good as their own Brodie's Prime (or their local rival Barngates with their Goodhew's Dry Stout), but it was in good condition. Compared with my visit 10 years ago I would say this pub had definitely improved, with some good music on the sound system, improved furnishings and I think the layout of the interior has also changed for the better. Service was good too. (I still prefer the Sun though.)
Date of visit: 4th March 2022
On 26th August 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3775 recommendations about 3507 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Three Mariners
Claims to be city's oldest pub, and its appearance and position between the castle and quayside lend some credence. However, in the coronavirus era, most customers were sat outside on wooden tables at the front. Six real ales and a draft cider were advertised on a chalkboard beside the entrance, and I opted for the Hartley's inspired Cumbria Way (£3.95).
On 1st October 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8149 recommendations about 8149 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Three Mariners
this is an excellent pub that should be high on the agenda for anyone visiting Lancaster. it's a bit foodie but fine in the bar area - very olde-worlde and a huge range of cask ales across 10 or so handpumps. not as far up itself as some in the city either.
On 13th August 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1060 recommendations about 1025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Three Mariners
In the centre of Lancaster, built into the side of Castle Hill, is The Three Mariners, which proudly promotes itself as “Lancaster’s original pub”.
Externally, it’s an attractive looking old stone built 3 storey building with criss cross leaded windows and something of a country house look to it.
Apparently, there has been an inn here since the 15th Century and it is rumoured that a passage leads to the pub from the castle dungeons, through which prisoners were brought for a final drink. There’s the inevitable ghost stories on the pub’s own website, should you feel the urge to find out more.
The interior features low black beams, some exposed stonework, and padded comfortable seats in bays close to the smallish bar area, and a further larger area away on the right principally aimed at diners. There’s some framed shipping prints – hardly surprising given the pub’s name – and an old inglenook fireplace, but there’s no real feeling at all that this is an old pub with a long history. An old Mitchells Brewery mirror is still in evidence.
An unusual feature is the cellar, which is at first floor level and is apparently kept cool by a natural spring flowing down from the castle rock behind.
Somewhat unusually, the pub is set back from the road in an avenue of trees and there’s a grassy shady outside seating area at the front under these trees.
On my recent mid – September visit, the 6 pumps were serving Black Sheep, 2 Hawkshead beers ( Lakeland Gold and Windermere Pale Ale ), , Kirkby Lonsdale Monumental plus York Guzzler, the latter reflecting presumably its ownership by Mitchells. A 6th beer was noted as “settling upstairs in the cellar”. There’s a 10p per pint CAMRA discount.
Beer was in good form.
Not a must visit pub by any stretch of the imagination, but I’d be happy to call in again
UPDATE - September 2016
This pub has now been acquired by Robinsons
On 25th September 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Three Mariners
Reputedly the oldest pub in Lancaster, it sort of looks the part with flagstones, beams and stuff and there are tales of ghosts and hidden passages. It's tucked away under the castle hill set back from the road. There are two rooms in similar oldish but modernised style and a dining room at one end. Six hand pumps but I only remember the lovely Titanic Cappuccino
On 6th March 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3282 recommendations about 2988 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tony Nicholson left this review about The Three Mariners
We visited the Pub in June '14. We were on holiday from Canada and I was showing my wife my old haunts in Lancaster. She had never been to the City.
The pub was basically as I remembered it and retains its old world looks.
The real ale was good after many years of lager type beers.
We did, however, have one peculiar incident. We were sat near the open end of the bar and my wife wanted a snack. I pointed out the rack of crisps at the end of the bar and mentioned that they even had Doritos. She said that she didn't want American crap so I pointed out the English crisps to her. At that moment, a packet [her favourite kind] stretched from one corner to another, came out of the rack, and seemed to be flung to the ground. It definitely did not fall normally. My wife looked at me and said, "did you see what happened". My wife decided she wasn't hungry. It was only later we found out that the pub is supposed to be haunted!!!
On 29th September 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Three Mariners
A fine looking pub from the road with coloured lamps in each window. The interior was interesting with the exposed low beams and a good choice of beers. The downside for us was the awful repetitive piped music, from a band I couldn't name, which was whining and would send anyone mad. Next was the chap behind the bar dressed in his kitchen attire, who wiped his nose along his forearm. We tried the Hawkshead Pale, then legged it.
On 23rd February 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Three Mariners
Old stone building set back from the road and close to the river. Split into two areas, all modern and comfortable and there is the odd beam here and there still. Has the feel of a family middle of the road kind of place but the 5 real ales are kept well.
On 19th August 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Three Mariners
When I lived in Lancaster this was called the Carpenters Arms and it stood next to a very ugly granary, now replaced by some smart modern apartments. In those days the outside of the building was nothing special - after all, who was looking when that monstrous grain warehouse was standing right by? Inside was a fine old pub, and I mean genuinely old, and verging on tatty. But full of character.
Some things have changed, and from the outside it's now a pretty stone building in a grove of trees, but inside there's no sense of history at all. It all seems to be standard pub fittings and the Three Mariners could be any old pub in any old town. It's still worth a visit, of course - don't let me put you off - just not what it used to be (the price of getting old).
Six hand pumps on the bar were serving five northern beers, two from local breweries (Cross Bay Nightfall and Bowland Hen Harrier) plus three from what I used to think of as the wrong side of the Pennines (Rudgate Ruby Mild, Black Sheep Bitter and York Guzzler).
On 3rd February 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3775 recommendations about 3507 pubs]