Thrillist Presents: 15 Of The World's Oldest Bars

Ye Olde Man & Scythe - est. 1251

Bolton, England: This pub’s name derives from the crest of the Pilkington family that owned it; legend has it that an ancestor, being persecuted after Norman Conquest, disguised himself as a mower and escaped. Fun fact: James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, had his last meal here before stepping outside to be beheaded for his involvement in the Bolton Massacre (when royal-led forces stormed the town and killed over 1,600 people). We hope the food was good. [Photo via]