This is an old pub. Not a bit old, but really old. So old that Bob Trollop, who designed it, built the Guild Hall at the same time Oliver Cromwell was reforming England. And it's near the Pons Aelius, built by Roman Emperor Hadrian (he of the wall) in AD 122. That is old.

The Venue
Bob Trollop dates back to 1600, and it's an old, higgledy-piggledy hostelry with a gold and black exterior. If you look at it from the side you'll see the building is leaning towards the street, as if its weary from age. The front bar is dark and has a rough, old plank floor and a low, beamed ceiling.

It's suffused with orange lights which illuminate your path as you pick your way though this maze-like inn. There’s a lovely shiny old copper-hearthed fireplace with a wooden surround, the walls are red and the furniture is made of chunky dark wood.

There is no door through to the back bar, so you have to go outside into the alleyway, which has white-washed, tiled and exposed stone walls. Once inside the back bar, which is quite small, you'll find wooden struts supporting the beamed ceiling. It's dark here too, and you fear you might trip over an old barrel keg someone left here in the 17th century.

The People
This is the perfect place to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon, and the afternoons are often its busiest time (in contrast to most of the other bars around here). It attracts an older bunch and it's popular with vegetarians because, yes, its menu is vegetarian.

The Food and Drink
Strongbow, Warsteiner, Kronenbourg, Woodpecker, Old Speckled Hen, Foster's, John Smith's and Guinness are all on tap and in bottles there's Bulmers, Corona, Miller, Newcastle Broon, Budweiser and Beck’s.

There are burgers, light bites, sandwiches and jacket potatoes — all without meat. A bean and cashew nut burger is £3.50, a tortilla wrap with brie and cranberry sauce is £3.95 and a vegetarian hot pot costs £4.75.

It's £3.50 each for cocktails, which include classic, shaken and, rather classily, Red Bull varieties. Jugs go for £12.95. Shooters are £2.25 each and there is a selection of red, rose and white bottles of wine for £10.95 each.

The Last Word
Close your eyes for a few seconds to accustom your eyes before you enter the dark recesses of this quaint, historic little inn.

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