The Oldest Pubs in Tynemouth

Tynemouth's pubs have been serving sailors, soldiers, monks, and visitors for centuries. The village grew up around its Priory and Castle — one of the most important religious and military sites on the North East coast — and where there were garrisons and pilgrims, there were inns. Front Street, the main thoroughfare running from the Priory gates down to the village centre, still has a remarkable concentration of historic pubs, several of which have been pulling pints since long before Queen Victoria came to the throne.

Here are the oldest pubs still serving in Tynemouth.

Tynemouth Lodge Hotel

The Tynemouth Lodge Hotel on Tynemouth Road is a Georgian Grade II listed free house that has held its licence continuously since 1799 — the same year William Pitt the Younger introduced income tax to fund the French Revolutionary Wars. The building has a fascinating footnote: its cellar kitchens once prepared meals for prisoners in the adjacent Tynemouth House of Correction, carried through an underground tunnel to the inmates next door.

The Lodge is the only pub in the area to appear in every edition of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide since 1983, and in 2026 it celebrates forty consecutive years in the Guide. The unspoilt one-room public bar has genuine character, and the pub boasts the highest sales of Draught Bass on Tyneside alongside traditional ales from Hadrian Border and Black Sheep. It is a rare thing: a pub that has barely changed in over two centuries, and is all the better for it.

Best for: Licensed since 1799. In every CAMRA Good Beer Guide since 1983 — forty consecutive years.

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The Salutation

The Salutation at 63 Front Street dates back to the eighteenth century, making it one of the oldest pubs on this historic street. The name itself has even deeper roots — it is thought to be connected to the Benedictine monks of Tynemouth Priory, who used the Salutation as a greeting. The pub has reinvented itself over the years and now operates as a lively bar offering craft beers, cocktails, and food, but the bones of the building are centuries old. Its position on the bustling Front Street, between the Priory and the village centre, places it at the heart of Tynemouth life.

Best for: An eighteenth-century pub with a name linked to the Benedictine monks of Tynemouth Priory.

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The Dolphin Inn

Widely regarded as the oldest inn in Tynemouth, The Dolphin Inn on King Edward Road has been a fixture of the village for generations. Set slightly back from the main Front Street bustle, it has the feel of a proper locals' pub — home-cooked food, real ales, live sport on the screens, and a bar that regulars have been propping up for as long as anyone can remember. The pub hosts monthly live entertainment and serves as a meeting point for various local clubs and community groups. It may lack the grand architectural statements of some Front Street rivals, but it has something harder to fake: genuine warmth and deep roots in the community.

Best for: Widely regarded as the oldest inn in Tynemouth. A proper community local.

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The Turks Head

The Turks Head at 41 Front Street dates from 1869 and sits just a stone's throw from Tynemouth Priory and Castle, with King Edward's Bay beach a short walk beyond. The pub is known locally as the Stuffed Dog, after its famous taxidermy resident, Willie — a dog who has occupied a glass case in the pub for decades and become something of a local celebrity. Behind the quirky nickname is a traditional, well-run Greene King pub with cask ales, hearty food, and a loyal following. The proximity to the Priory means it catches plenty of visitors, but it has never lost its identity as a proper local.

Best for: Dating from 1869, known locally as the Stuffed Dog after its famous taxidermy resident Willie.

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The Cumberland Arms

The Cumberland Arms at 17 Front Street is the youngest pub on this list, but its building is one of the most striking. Built in 1898 in a bold Victorian gothic style, it is on North Tyneside's Local List of buildings of special architectural and historic interest. The pub is split across three levels — an entrance bar, an upper deck, and an intimate restaurant — and the detailing rewards a closer look: carved stonework, arched windows, and the kind of confidence that late Victorian architects brought to even a village pub. It anchors the lower end of Front Street with real presence.

Best for: A striking Victorian gothic pub from 1898, locally listed for its architectural interest.