| Ye Olde Salutation Inn - Interior |
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Article by Richard Studeny, Notts CAMRA supremo
Originally called the ‘Salutation’ – but known in my
apprentice drinking days (circa mid / late 70’s) as ‘the
SalÂ’.
Brewed its own ales in its early days –
long ago these names were painted on the wall outside.
‘1240 AD’ is displayed on the apex
wall but apparently the first building on the site then belonged to
a ‘tanner’ (someone who made animal skins into leather).
Their workshops were on the ground floor, with living accommodation
above for both the ‘tanner’ and his workers – a true
‘cottage’ style industry – few and far between today!
1440 – borough records recorded this date
as having a private dwelling on the site, belonging to a man named
John Alastre.
1649-1659 – Puritans came to power and
formed the Commonwealth Government and were not very happy with the
religious implications suggested by the ‘then’ pub sign
– the Archangel Gabriel saluting the Virgin Mary – so the
landlord was ordered to take it down or re-paint it! Not wishing to
totally change the sign, nor wanting to lose his license, the then
landlord renamed the pub: ‘Soldier and Citizen’.
1660 – Restoration of the Monarchy – the
old innkeeper brought back the old name ‘Salutation’, but
let the pub-sign of the ‘Soldier and Citizen’ remain until
it fell apart then the ‘greeting graphic’ was replaced by
picture of a handshake.
1937 – Following an investigation by the
Thoroton Excavation Society, it was thought that the 9th century caves
beneath the pub were lived in by the local Saxon folk - the ghost
of a young four year old girl is rumoured to haunt the caves. Five
yearÂ’s ago, the landlord, who now has a pub in Chesterfield Market
Place, told me some weird goings on re hauntings of the pub –
one was concerning his keys disappearing from the bar and then just
reappearing – after he’d been upstairs to check if he’d
left them up thereÂ…and no one else was in the building at the
timeÂ…and heÂ’d not had a drink either! His wife would not
go down the deep cellarÂ…sheÂ’d only been down there once
and refused to go down there again following ‘an experience’,
but she became upset when I asked her to tell me more!
1966 – Extensions to the pub led to a
wrought iron hand being put up outside, but this was unfortunately
stolen on the same night it was put up! (no CCTV in them there dayÂ’s
and I havenÂ’t got itÂ… honest!).
1992 – Nottingham University’s Department
of ArchaeologyÂ’s tree dating labs put a date of the oldest timber
(the inner ring) in the pub as being circa 1360 – apparently
in those days timber was not left to season so that date is probably
an accurate estimate as to when the pub we know today was actually
built, and not 1240 as is stated on the apex wall (that was probably
the date of the first building on the site!).
1976-1981 – regularly frequented by bikers and
the heavy-rock fraternity.
There have been two major refits since the early 70’s –
The latter being the introduction of a second public staircase allowing
access to the upstairs bar – it’s a shame the windows on
Houndsgate have been blocked out by the upstairs barÂ… but there
again who wants to relax and enjoy a pint whist at the same time having
to stare at the ‘city loop’ buses travelling down Maid Marian
Way at a snails pace during the rush-hour!
Within the last two yearÂ’s Tony Robinson and the Channel Four
Time Team programme tried to date all three pubs (the Bell, the Trip,
and the Sal) – can’t remember the outcome… but I think
the Bell was declared the oldest!)
Plaque near the Maid Marian Way entrances
states:
“The present house was built c. 1240 on the site of the 13th
century Ale House known as ‘The Archangel Gabriel Salutes the
Virgin Mary.Â’ During the first Civil War 1642-1646 part of the
house was used as Recruiting Rooms for both Factions. The original
still existing Cave Systems was probably Saxon Farm, latter used for
Servants Accommodation and Brewing”. |
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