The Man and Scythe

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One of Britain's top ten oldest public houses and the oldest in Bolton (1251 first recorded mention of it by name), the Ye Olde Man and Scythe, located on Churchgate, is the most well known and a part of Bolton's heritage.

[edit] History

It is not the known the original date the Ye Olde Man and Scythe was built, but a charter of 1251 permitting the market mentions it by name. Due to the age of the building though, it has been rebuilt at least once (1636 according to the datestone inside), and only the vaulted cellar remains of the original building, though some of the internal beams remain from 1636 rebuild.

In 1651 the Earl of Derby was executed outside the Man and Scythe (owned at the time by the Earl of Derby's family). Outside, there is a cross on the site that bears a plaque which relates stories of Bolton through the ages. And within the pub, there is a chair that the Earl of Derby sat in just before being taken outside to be beheaded; an inscription on the chair reads: "15th October 1651 In this chair James 7th Earl of Derby sat at the Man and Scythe Inn, Churchgate, Bolton immediately prior to his execution". Due to this beheading of a Royal, Bolton was excluded from being given city status (being involved in any promotional votes) up until recent date, and is yet to claim that status.