The claim
A whitewashed, thatched cruck-framed inn on the road to Southport that calls itself the oldest pub in historic Lancashire. The 1320 date is tradition, but the timbers are 16th century and the three simple rooms are of national importance. Legend says a wounded Highland piper of 1745 stayed, married the landlord's daughter and renamed the place.
What the records show
Historic England says 'said to date from 1320, probably 16th century'. CAMRA cites dendrochronology suggesting mid-16th-century timbers. The thatched cruck house is genuinely early, but no medieval licence or alehouse record has been found; the name change to Scotch Piper is traditionally dated 1745.
What to look for inside
- CAMRA three-star historic interior
- Thatch destroyed by fire in December 2016; reopened April 2017
- Wednesday biker night running for more than 40 years
- Built around an oak tree, remnants said to survive inside
Visiting
Scotch Piper Inn is in Lydiate, England, at Southport Road, Lydiate, Liverpool L31 4HD. We do not list opening times, because they change; the pub’s own site is the place to check before you set out.
Sources
- camra.org.uk/pubs/scotch-piper-liverpool-165785
- www.scotchpiper.com/
- historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1343315
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_Piper_Inn
- ratings.food.gov.uk/business/569530
- www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp200-208
Know something we don’t?Suggest a correctionLast checked Sept 2026
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