The Oldest Buildings in Leeds
Lamberts Yard - 1600
Lamberts Yard in Leeds is now a trendy, contemporary location, offering a consistent calendar of the events which range from brand launches to wedding receptions. With a stylish interior, it would be easy to overlook the buildings long and intriguing history, although the exterior certainly gives this away.
Widely regarded as the oldest building in Leeds city centre, Lambert's Yard dates back over 400 years. Easily missed by passers-by, it is found on Lower Briggate in the city centre and is relatively non-descript.
The building was built when Leeds was still a small, riverside village, before growing into the significant and influential city that it is today, which in was in part due to the large-scale industry which became the pillar of the region's economy.
Originally built around 1600, the building is the last surviving triple-storey house in Leeds city centre, and was built by the Lambert family, who were wealthy grocers and teal dealers. Over the years, Lamberts Yard has housed a variety of businesses and is now occupied by a creative company who opened the four-hundred-year-old doors again in 2013.
The Bingley Arms - 905
Originally known as The Priests Inn, The Bingley Arms claims to be the oldest pub in Britain, with a history which dates back to between AD 905 and AD 953, having its routes as a safe house for persecuted Catholic priests.
Found in Bardsey, the building predates even the Palace of Westminster itself and has been a pub for over a millennium.
Stank Hall Barn - 1420
Just a stone’s throw from the White Rose centre is Stank Hall Barn, which is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the region. Dating back to 1420, the barn was in part built using spare timber from Christopher Columbus’ ship, The Santa Maria. Although the building is listed, it is no longer in use and lays abandoned.
