Few pubs rival the character and history of Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, which dates back to 1189. Even the name is a history lesson: It comes from pilgrims who made a stop there, back when it was also an inn, during the Kings’ Crusade in the late 1100s. (Trip, in this sense, means a stop on your travels, not the actual journey.)
Today, “The Trip,” as it’s known to insiders, offers cellar tours and features sandstone cave rooms to explore (best discovered with a pint in hand, of course). It also has lovely garden and courtyard areas offering views of Nottingham Castle.
Thanks to a renovation this year — the first since 1996 — the restaurant now brings greater comfort to pub-goers, with some new seating and a fresh outdoor bar. Part of the renovation included adding tables with etched maps and phrases, along with other historical displays to offer an easy way for diners to learn the pub’s history.
One crucial part of the pub’s story is an old model ship covered in years of dust. Legend has it that the galleon brought a sudden and unexplained death to anyone that cleaned it, so the cursed model ship remains encased in glass, forbidden to touch. Wisely, this historical piece is staying put despite the pub’s renovations.