Newbury’s oldest pub The Monument on Northbrook Street accurately dated to 1675

Newbury’s oldest pub has been definitively dated, revealing that it is nearly 350 years old.

It has now been officially confirmed that The Monument, located at 57 Northbrook Street, was built in 1675.

Newbury Town Council’s heritage working group—which is responsible for the installation of Newbury’s numerous blue plaques—was behind the dating project which took place last June.

Town council leader and heritage working group member Gary Norman said: “We are very pleased at this confirmation of a 17th Century building as part of Newbury’s rich heritage.”

Tree-ring dating, or dendrochronology, was used to determine the age of the building.

It is a highly accurate dating methodology based on the unique pattern of tree-ring growth which can be compared to dated third-party samples.

Four cores were taken from the oak roof beams of the inn, each covering at least 50 years of growth, by Dr Andy Moir, of Tree-Ring Services in Mitcheldean, and the 17th century date confirms previous estimates.

Newbury’s oldest pub may also have its youngest landlords.

Jamie Sullivan-Webb, 25, and his partner Tasha Gee, 22, took over as publicans at The Monument at the end of last October.

Mr Sullivan-Webb said: “We are really proud to be running the oldest pub in Newbury.

“It has been great so far. Everyone has been really welcoming.

“It’s a locals pub and we’ve been accepted very quickly which is nice. We feel like part of the community.”

Mr Sullivan-Webb, who’s from Abingdon, and Miss Gee, a native Newburian, met on the dating app Tinder.

The name of The Monument dates back to the Great Fire of London in 1666 when the people of Newbury carried out fundraising to help victims of the event.

It is believed that the people of London sent a monument as a thank you to the town that was situated where the clock house—better known as the clock tower—currently is at the top of Northbrook Street.

This monument, which was supposedly melted down for ammunition during the Second World War, gave the pub its name.

The London Monument to the Great Fire of London was erected in the period 1671 to 1677, meaning this could have influenced the pub’s title as well.

The Monument hasn’t always been the popular town centre tavern’s name though.

In 1988, pub landlord Peter Saunders planned to rename it the Rose and Crown, much to the ire of his regular customers.

They banded together and produced a petition with over 400 signatures, and after a five-month struggle, Mr Saunders begrudgingly agreed that The Monument’s name would remain the same.

However, in 1995, the pub was re-named the Tap and Spile three years after it was purchased by Pubmaster Ltd, and it was refurbished to have a more traditional image.

Four years later, the Tap and Spile returned to its original name after new publican Simon Owens wanted to connect with the pub’s historic past.

He told the Newbury Weekly News in 1999: “This is part of the town’s history and has to be protected.

“I think it is wrong that companies should change names. It is taking away from the personality of the town centre.”

The pub has remained as The Monument ever since, establishing itself as a firm favourite for Newbury’s beer drinkers.