Historic pubs · North West England
Ye Olde Man & Scythe
In or near Holcombe.
Ye Olde Man & Scythe — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Nearest railway station
- Bolton · 0.7 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
Ye Olde Man & Scythe is located in Bolton, North West England, with the postcode BL1 1HL. The nearest railway station is Bolton, which is 0.7 km away. Entry to the pub is free.
About
Ye Olde Man & Scythe is a historic pub in the United Kingdom, listed in OpenStreetMap with a heritage tag. Address: 6-8, Churchgate, Bolton, BL1 1HL. Wikidata describes it as: "Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.". Coordinates: 53.5796°, -2.4263°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2025
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
From the Wikipedia article
Ye Olde Man & Scythe is a Grade II listed public house on Churchgate in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. The earliest recorded mention of its name appears in a charter from 1251, making it one of the ten oldest public houses in Britain and the oldest in Bolton. The current form of the name, prefixed with "Ye Olde", is a pseudo-archaism derived from the original Man and Scythe Inn. The name itself originates from the crest of the Pilkington family, which features a reaper using a scythe, alluding to a tradition associated with one of the family's early members.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
It is not known exactly when Ye Olde Man & Scythe was originally built, but a charter from 1251 permitting the market mentions it by name. The pub has been rebuilt at least once (1636 according to the datestone inside), and only the vaulted cellar remains from the original structure, although some internal beams date back to 1636. The building's frontage is an early 20th-century remodelling. It is a Grade II listed building. In 1651 the Earl of Derby was executed outside the Man & Scythe—owned at the time by his family—for his role in the Bolton Massacre. A cross now stands on the site, accompanied by a plaque that recounts the story of Bolton through the ages. Inside the pub is a chair…
Architecture
The inn has a timber frame and a slate roof. The building, which houses both a public house and a shop, features a four-window range with gables at each end. The two-storey public house occupies the central range and the right-hand gable, which includes canted bay windows on both floors. A round-arched doorway leads into the public house, with a three-light window to its left. On the first floor are two casement windows. The ground floor window frames and leaded windows date from the early 20th century, while the doorway is older. An entry to the yard separates the pub from the shop. The shop front in the left-hand gable has a doorway beside a canted oriel window, with a two-light mullioned…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 53.5796, -2.4263
- District
- Bolton
- Parish
- Bolton, unparished area
- Postcode
- BL1 1HL
- Parliamentary constituency
- Bolton South and Walkden
- Nearest railway station
- Bolton — 0.7 km
- Official site
- thegreatbritainguide.com
Sources
- osm: n705885656 (ODbL)
- wikipedia: Ye Olde Man & Scythe (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Man & Scythe.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby

ABC Bolton
Theatres · 0.1 km

Embassy Cinema
Theatres · 0.2 km

Samuel Crompton
Memorials & monuments · 0.2 km

War Memorial, Nelson Square
Memorials & monuments · 0.2 km

St Peter's Church, Bolton
Historic churches · 0.2 km

Bolton Market Place
Historic houses · 0.2 km

Bolton Cenotaph
Memorials & monuments · 0.3 km

Light Cinemas Bolton
Theatres · 0.3 km

Fred Dibnah
Memorials & monuments · 0.3 km

The Light
Cinemas · 0.3 km

Cannon Bolton
Theatres · 0.3 km

The Albert Halls
Theatres · 0.3 km
Nearby
Memorials & monuments · North West England
Samuel Crompton
Samuel Crompton — a memorial in england-north-west, United Kingdom.
Memorials & monuments · North West England
War Memorial, Nelson Square
War Memorial, Nelson Square — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-north-west, United Kingdom.
📷 4Historic churches · North West England
St Peter's Church, Bolton
St Peter's Church, Bolton — church in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, UK.
Historic houses · North West England
Bolton Market Place
Bolton Market Place — a Grade II-listed historic house in england-north-west, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Ye Olde Man & Scythe
Places to stay
Caravan parks · North West England
Crompton Lodge Caravan Park
Crompton Lodge Caravan Park — a caravan park in england north west.
📷 5Caravan parks · North West England
Brookdale Park
Brookdale Park — a caravan park in england north west.
Campsites · North West England
Giants Seat Scout and Community Campsite
Giants Seat Scout and Community Campsite — a campsite in england north west.
Caravan parks · North West England
Fairview Caravan Park
Fairview Caravan Park — a caravan park in england north west.
Caravan parks · North West England
Ella View Lodge
Ella View Lodge — a caravan park in england north west.
Caravan parks · North West England
Walleach Caravan Park
Walleach Caravan Park — a caravan park in england north west.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · North West England
The Shakespeare
The Shakespeare in England North West, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · North West England
Blundell Arms
Blundell Arms in England North West, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · North West England
Worsley Old Hall
Worsley Old Hall in England North West, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · North West England
Old White Lion
Old White Lion in England North West, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · North West England
Shoulder of Mutton
Shoulder of Mutton in England North West, United Kingdom.
More historic pubs in this region
Historic pubs · North West England
Olde Kings Arms
Olde Kings Arms — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
📷 5Historic pubs · North West England
The Old Wellington Inn
The Old Wellington Inn — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
Historic pubs · North West England
Volunteer Hotel
Volunteer Hotel — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
Historic pubs · North West England
George & Dragon
George & Dragon — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Ye Olde Man & Scythe?
- Ye Olde Man & Scythe is in North-West England, United Kingdom (postcode BL1 1HL), in the parish of Bolton, unparished area.
- What is Ye Olde Man & Scythe?
- Ye Olde Man & Scythe — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
- How do I get to Ye Olde Man & Scythe?
- The nearest railway station is Bolton, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode BL1 1HL.
- Is Ye Olde Man & Scythe free to visit?
- Yes, Ye Olde Man & Scythe is free to enter.
- How do I get to Ye Olde Man & Scythe?
- The nearest railway station is Bolton, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode BL1 1HL.