The New Inn, Salisbury

The New Inn is a historic public house whose building dates from the late medieval period, probably the 14th or 15th century. Despite its name, it did not begin as an inn. It was originally a row of small cottages, believed to have housed craftsmen and labourers connected with the nearby cathedral, before becoming a public house in 1809.

The building retains many traditional features, including timber framing, dark beams, open fireplaces, plastered walls, and a steep tiled roof. Its medieval cruck truss roof and jettied upper floor show early construction methods, while a later Venetian window reflects 18th-century alterations. Inside, visitors can see unusual details such as a section of sheep knuckle-bone flooring and a glass panel revealing the medieval foundations below the main bar.

Today, The New Inn operates as a pub and restaurant run by Hall & Woodhouse. Its Grade II listed status helps protect its historic fabric, while its long record of adaptation continues into modern times. In 1989, it became the first pub in Salisbury to ban indoor smoking, well before the national law introduced in 2007.