The history of Edinburgh as a settlement can be traced back to the early Middle Ages, and, in the hundreds of years since, many of the city’s finest pubs have come and gone.
Others have stayed the distance, and have stood in Edinburgh for centuries. The question is, which boozer can truly claim to be the oldest?
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 oldest pub - depending on your criteria.
Golf Tavern
Established in 1456, Ye Olde Golf Tavern sits on the edge of the Bruntsfield Links. The pubs website describes the venue as: “A much loved Edinburgh public house and one of Scotland’s oldest and finest places to eat and drink.”
Renovations to the building and the interior have been seen over the years, with a 2011 refurbishment bringing the spot back to its ‘former glory’.
Whether or not it's Edinburgh’s oldest pub is undecided, but they do claim the title of the oldest golf pub in the world.
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Beehive Inn
For over 400 years, the Beehive Inn has sat beneath Edinburgh Castle and quenched the thirst of the city’s notables.
Inside the venue you can spot a door, which was once access to a cell of the Calton Jail - which was demolished in 1935. The cell once held men such as William Burke and Eugene Chantrelle.
Just a stone's throw away from the White Hart Inn, the pub joins several Grassmarket spots battling for the title of oldest pub.
King’s Wark
Sitting on the Shore area of Leith, the King’s Wark dates back to the 1400s.
During the English invasions of 1544 and 1547, the building was practically destroyed before being rebuilt by Mary Queen of Scots in 1564. It later served as a plague hospital for some years.
It was destroyed again in 1960 by fire, subsequently replaced by another with the same name.
While the spot has been known as the King’s Wark for almost 600 years, its several iterations and different purposes muddy the waters when considering its position as Edinburgh’s oldest pub.
The Oxford Bar
This venue reportedly became a public house in 1811, and retains its original form - which many others listed have lost.
Today, the Oxford Bar is a Category B listed building and is chiefly known for having features in Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus series of novels.
