Portsmouth's 2 Oldest Pubs?

We only visited 2 pubs when I recently visited Portsmouth as I was a wee bit limited by my company, so unsurprisingly, I chose the 2 that claim to be the oldest pubs in 'Old Portsmouth.' The best on the day was The Dolphin Pub, 41 High Street PO1 2LU (website), opposite the Cathedral, and one of the few buildings in the High Street to have survived bombing during World War II (the town hall next door was flattened!). Apparently built in and certainly licensed from 1716, this Grade II Listed public house has beams made from repurposed wood of ships, and stone flags on the floor. So yes, a very old construction, but in recent times opened out, and more modern decoration, which gives it a kind of 'postmodern' feel inside.

We ate here, which was fine (it was the second of these pubs we visited), and we drank a few pints of Fuller's London Pride (4.1%), which was in reasonable form, indeed, Pride does need to be sold quickly as it doesn't last too long in opened casks (cellar experience there folks!). Brewed with English hops Target (hopslist), Northdown (hopslist), Challenger (hopslist) and East Kent Golding (hopslist), it is a slightly malty and bitter traditional session bitter. CAMRA (website) describe it thus: "Aromas of malt and citrus. The malty sweetness is balanced by spicy bitter hops with orange, apricot, sultanas and toffee." They can have up to 4 ales on, and they did have one other, but I didn't take a note of it as it wasn't something interesting, sorry folks. 😔

We had first visited, a short walk away, The Wellington, 62 High Street PO1 2LY (website), which also claims to be the oldest pub in Portsmouth, built in 1710, but with the frontage reconstructed during the 20th century. The interior had no historical feel about it, but the structure is pretty much as it was built over 300 years ago!

There can be up to 2 ales here, but on the day only 1 was available, St Austell Tribute, a 4.2% pale slightly bitter ale (website), brewed with Fuggle (hopslist), Celeia (hopslist), and Willamette (hopslist) hops; by the by, Willamette is a hop I used to be very familiar brewing with in my days working at the old Kelham Island Brewery. Tribute was first brewed after the solar eclipse of 1999 and was then called 'Daylight Robbery' and has since been renamed. Because of the English and U.S. hop mix, it's not a 'traditional' English bitter as such, but a slightly darker version of many modern pale ales, gentle citrus, and usually very easy to drink. Not on this day sadly, as it was knackered, hence our only staying for the 1 pint each, oh well! 👎

If you go to Portsmouth, there are many other pubs too, good luck and cheers! ✌