Do it yourself history …………….. the Old Man & Scythe

Never let it be said that the blog always has all the answers.

In the interests of promoting research and offering ownership up to a topic today in Bolton the story of the Old Man & Scythe is up for investigation.

Andy Robertson passed it yesterday, recorded it and sending it over with the comment,

“In Churchgate, Bolton.  Possibly one of the ten oldest pubs in the UK.  Mentioned in 1251 Charter, rebuilt in 1636. One source says it pulled its first pint in the eleventh century?”

It stands on that street that runs down to the parish church, has as its neigbour the Swan pub and faces the Churchgate.  Moreover its other neigbour is the upstart bar called the Venue which only dates back to around 2012, was formally the Kiss and occupies what I suspect was once a show room.

But without wanting to seem biased, the Old Man & Scythe does stand out from the rest.

It has its own Wikipedia entry* and appears as a picture in another Wiki story devoted to Bolton.**

So that is it.  

Feel free to fill in the historic spaces adding memories of happy nights with friends, along with your own Instamatic snaps, but leave out any reference to ghosts.  

From my experience if the pub is old, someone will have a ghost story, whether it’s the headless figure of a previous landlord murdered for selling bad beer or the tragic tale of the jilted bride whose wedding reception went on without her. 

Almost a decade ago during the writing of a book on the 94 most iconic Manchester City centre pubs, a fair share it was claimed had their own ghostly occupant.

That said if any one also wants to demonstrate their skills of imaginative writing Andy has thrown in his picture of the passageway which I guess allowed access to coaches.

But that is your story to write.

And Mark Fletcher has replied with,  "A lot of unsubstantiated myth about this pub. 

It wasn't mentioned in 1251, it doesn't have a medieval cellar, and there is no firm evidence that James Stanley had a drink here before his beheading...it has generated a 'cottage industry' of it's own, central to which are a chair and a cup, both claimed as having been used by Stanley. 

The landlord arranges a mock execution outside every year, himself playing the 'headless man'...the Pack Horse at Affetside contains a skull, claimed to be that of Stanley's executioner (which I also doubt)...all most confusing, the sort of stuff which bedevils any serious 'local history'!"

And concluded ruefully, "I've spent time in both pubs, and the stories don't seem to add up!"

Location; Bolton

Pictures; The Old Man & Scythe, 2023, from the collection of Andy Robertson

* The Old Man & Scythe, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ye_Olde_Man_%26_Scythe

**Bolton, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolton