The Porch House. This is claimed to be the oldest pub in England with timbers carbon dated to the 10th century. It was built on the orders of Aethelmar, a Cornish Saxon Duke as a hospice to accommodate pigrims, and was subsequently run by the Knights Hospitallers. Inside look for the witch marks etched into a 16th century fireplace in the dining room. They are there to ward off evil spirits. The building was redesigned in 1615 with a porch added by Thomas Shellard. In the 1850s it was three buildings, Holmlea, Porch House and the Eagle and Child Inn. It became a hotel in the 1970s. It is thought that, in medieval times, this area of the town would have been renowned for popular blood sports such as dog fighting, badger baiting and cock fighting.
