Courtesy of http://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/disp ... ersary.php
Pub marks 400th anniversary
By Chris Kearney
Four centuries of drinking and merry making will be commemorated next week, when an Oxford pub celebrates its 400th birthday.
The doors of the King's Arms, in Hollywell Street, were first opened to customers in 1607, by Thomas Franklin, on the site of a former Augustinian Priory.
All this time later, the pub is still a firm favourite for local residents, students and tourists, and will be celebrating its birthday on Tuesday.
Current landlord, Alister Dunn, said: "I feel very privileged to be the landlord of the pub at this very special time.
"It is hard to say why it has survived for so long, other than it has a very special place in the heart of Oxford."
Young's Brewery, who run the pub and have a 99-year lease from Wadham College for the site, have traced the first licence back to September 18, 1607.
The pub will be holding a special invitation-only birthday party for regulars who have been coming to the pub over the years, with casino roulette, a tarot card reader and a magician for entertainment.
Jeremy Spencer, area manager for the brewery, said: "We are delighted to be celebrating its 400th birthday and we are looking forward to taking that tradition forward under the Young's banner.
"We've had 850 cases of special centenary ale made that we will be selling on the night of the party, as well as a special cask ale for this special celebration."
The pub was founded at about the same time as the construction of Wadham - possibly to cash in on the drinking habits of the builders and masons involved in building the college.
The King to which the name of the pub refers was James I, whose picture can still be seen on the wall next to the back bar.
Over the years it has become a popular drinking hole for Oxford students, but Mr Dunn believes it is just as popular among local residents today.
He said: "In the past it has been predominantly students that have drunk in the pub, but now it's well used by local residents as well as tourists visiting the city.
"It's just as busy here in the summer time, when the students are out, as it is in the term time.
"I think it's down to the fact that we don't have loud music blaring out, so people can come here and chat and there's always an excellent atmosphere."
Mr Dunn said the best thing about his two year tenure as landlord has been meeting such a wide variety of people and the one particular Oxford tradition.
He said: "The one thing that has taken me back in my time here at the King's Arms is May Morning.
"My first year I remember thinking, 'no one is going to come here at 6am' but by 6.10am it was packed - it was like a Saturday night."
