The claim
A low, timber-framed inn on a side street of Niagara-on-the-Lake, rebuilt in 1815 after American forces burned the town. John Ross named it the Angel after his wife. Hand-hewn beams and 1815 plank floors frame an English-style pub with ales, hearty food and rooms, plus the tale of Captain Swayze's ghost in the cellar.
What the records show
The inn says it is 'believed to have been founded' as the Harmonious Coach House about 1789, and offers nothing to support the year. What is documented is the rebuilding by John Ross in 1815, after American forces burned Newark in 1813, and the hand-hewn beams and plank floors of that rebuilding are what a drinker sits among. No heritage designation for the property has been traced, although the town's old core is a heritage district. The inn keeps a public events calendar and takes bookings for rooms, cottages and live music.
| Year | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | Claimed founding | The pub |
| c.1815 | Present building | Hand-hewn beams and plank floors of the 1815 rebuilding |
| 1815 | First record of a drinking house here | John Ross's rebuilding of 1815, as the inn tells it |
What to look for inside
- Rebuilt 1815 after the War of 1812
- Ghost story of militia Captain Colin Swayze
- Live entertainment Thursday to Sunday
Visiting
The Olde Angel Inn is in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, at 224 Regent Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0. We do not list opening times, because they change; the pub’s own site is the place to check before you set out.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Olde_Angel_Inn
- oldeangelinn.com/about/
- www.ontariopubs.ca/PDF/pubMagazine/pubmagazine_2014_13_web.pdf
- oldeangelinn.com/
- archive.org/details/historyofniagara00carn
Know something we don’t?Suggest a correctionLast checked Sept 2026
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