The Olde Bell, Hurley

The Olde Bell is a hotel and public house in Hurley, Berkshire, England, located on the bank of the River Thames. It is claimed to be the oldest hotel in the UK, and one of the oldest hotels in the world.

For other establishments with this name, see Old Bell.

The Olde Bell
The Olde Bell, Hurley is located in Berkshire
The Olde Bell, Hurley
Location within Berkshire
General information
TypeHotel, pub
Architectural styleElizabethan
AddressHigh Street
Town or cityHurley, Berkshire
CountryEngland
Coordinates51°32′46″N 0°48′36″W
Renovated17th, 19th and 20th century
LandlordEmina Estates Ltd
Technical details
MaterialTimber frame, painted brick infill, old tile gabled roof
Floor count2
Other information
Number of rooms48
Website
www.theoldebell.co.uk

History

The Olde Bell was founded in 1135 as the hostelry of Hurley Priory, making it one of the oldest hotels in the world.[1][2][3] The coaching inn expanded in the 12th century to include a tithe barn and dovecote.[4] The hotel is said to contain a secret tunnel leading to the village priory[1] which was used by John Lovelace, who was involved in the Glorious Revolution to overthrow King James II in the 17th century.[4] The hotel was also used as a meeting point for Winston Churchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II.[4] Due to its proximity to Pinewood Studios, the inn has seen a number of movie-star guests, including Mae West, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Errol Flynn, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.[1][3]

Description

The Olde Bell buildings are Grade II* listed.[5] The hotel has interiors designed by Ilse Crawford.[3][6]

References
  1. Gerrie, Anthea (5 March 2012). "10 hotel rooms where history was made". CNN. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. Gould, Kevin (13 June 2009). "The Olde Bell". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  3. O'Connor, Joanne (11 November 2011). "The inn crowd". The Financial Times. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  4. Fisher, Stuart (24 October 2013). British River Navigations: Inland Cuts, Fens, Dikes, Channels and Non-tidal Rivers. A&C Black. p. 222. ISBN 978-1-4729-0668-7. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  5. Historic England. "Ye Olde Bell Hotel (Grade II*) (1156153)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  6. Williams, Zoe (20 August 2013). "The Olde Bell, Hurley, restaurant review". Telegraph. Retrieved 22 April 2015.


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