Destined as it was to be the property of kings and the home of governors, this fascinating pub is steeped in history going back hundreds of years, with the present building having been constructed in 1660.
The pub is said to have hosted the 1688 meeting to plan the overthrow of James II’s Catholic governor, a pivotal moment later celebrated as ‘Town Taking Day’, marking Hull’s tradition of independence.
The tale links to Beverley Gate and has been kept alive by the pub sign, which states that the decision to refuse King Charles I entry to the city was made here and triggered the conflict.
The 1881 remodelling created a romantic, idealised 17th‑century inn with impressive fireplaces. Remarkably, the building survived and continues to house the mysterious skull linked to its legends.
