What is the oldest pub in Ponteland?

The Blackbird on North Road is the oldest, with parts dating back over 500 years and incorporating the remains of Ponteland's medieval castle and pele tower, a fortified stone tower house that guarded the crossing of the River Pont.

Which historic pubs are there in Ponteland?

Besides The Blackbird, the Diamond Inn on Bell Villas dates from the early 1700s as a coaching inn, the Seven Stars on Main Street has 17th-century roots, and The Badger at Street Houses occupies an 18th-century building.

Can you drink inside Ponteland's old castle?

In effect, yes. The Blackbird is built into the surviving remains of Ponteland's medieval castle and pele tower, so its stone walls and fireplaces let you sit and drink within genuinely medieval fabric.

Heritage

The Oldest Pubs in Ponteland

One of them is built into the remains of a medieval castle. A guide to Ponteland's oldest and most historic pubs, from a 13th-century tower to Georgian coaching inns.

Ponteland.live·10 September 2026

Ponteland wears its history lightly, but nowhere is it more tangible than in the village's oldest pubs, where you can quite literally drink within medieval walls. From a 13th-century tower house to Georgian coaching inns, these are the places where centuries of village life have played out. Here is our guide to the oldest and most historic pubs in and around Ponteland.

The Blackbird

The Blackbird on North Road is the oldest of them all, and one of the most historic pubs in the North East. Parts of the building date back over 500 years and incorporate the remains of Ponteland's medieval castle and pele tower, a fortified stone tower house built to guard the crossing of the River Pont. Beautifully refurbished, it keeps its original stone walls and open fires while serving real ales, an enormous range of gins and a full food menu.

Best for: Best for: history you can sit inside, plus a serious drinks range.

The Diamond Inn

The Diamond Inn on Bell Villas traces its origins to the early 1700s as a coaching inn on the route through the village, and features on Ponteland Civic Society's local list of buildings of interest. A traditional pub at heart, it serves proper pub grub and well-kept real ale, and has been sympathetically refurbished while keeping its period character.

Best for: Best for: a traditional pint in a Georgian coaching inn.

The Seven Stars

The Seven Stars on Main Street is another of Ponteland's genuinely old inns, with roots in the 17th century. It is an unpretentious community local that pours a rotating range of real ales, ciders and perries, and remains a fixture of everyday village life on the main street.

Best for: Best for: a proper community local with real ale and long history.

The Badger

Just outside the village at Street Houses, The Badger occupies an 18th-century building that began life as a gentleman's residence before becoming a farm and then a pub. Now a country pub and restaurant with real fires and well-kept gardens, it pairs its history with a full food menu, making it a favourite for a leisurely lunch or Sunday roast.

Best for: Best for: an historic country pub with a garden, a short drive out.

More to explore

Ponteland's pubs are as much about the present as the past. For where to sit out in the sun, see our guide to the best beer gardens in Ponteland, and for a weekly night out, our guide to quiz nights in Ponteland.

Know some Ponteland pub history we should add? Get in touch.