The claim
In Canterbury's St Radigund's quarter, with a fragment of old wall in front, the Parrot fills a timber Wealden hall house known as St Radigund's Hall. Its date is disputed: a regional heritage account gives about 1370, the city's own archaeological society the fifteenth century. It has only been a pub since 1987, and it is one of the oldest buildings in the city in which you can buy a pint.
What the records show
The c.1370 is a local heritage blog's dating of the building, a Wealden hall known as St Radigund's Hall, said to have been built on Roman foundations and restored after narrowly escaping demolition in the 1930s; CAMRA calls it a 14th-century gem and the oldest building in Canterbury but names no year, and the pub's own site gives no date at all. CAMRA records that it only became a pub in 1987, so there is no medieval drinking-house history here.
| Year | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1370 | Claimed founding | Local history |
| 1987 | First record of a drinking house here | CAMRA |
What to look for inside
- 14th-century Wealden hall house saved from 1930s demolition
- Became a pub in 1987 (formerly Simple Simon's)
- Remains of an ancient wall visible at the front
Visiting
The Parrot is in Canterbury, England, at 1-9 Church Lane, St Radigunds, Canterbury CT1 2AG. 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/parrot-canterbury-132697
- kent.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=287044
- unknownkentandsussex.co.uk/ten-of-the-oldest-pubs-in-kent/
- www.canterbury-archaeology.org.uk/parrott-inn
- ratings.food.gov.uk/business/1103370
Know something we don’t?Suggest a correctionLast checked Sept 2026
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