Plymouth, UK. Dating back to 1540, the Minerva is Plymouth's oldest pub. Before that is was a sea captain's house and later a seaman's rest. It is named after the goddess Minerva, the virgin goddess of warriors, poetry, medicine, commerce, wisdom, crafts, and the invention of music (she had a lot on her plate!) The interior has a tiny back room and a large front room, separated by a small bar. Lots of old stone and brick, and the timber frames include lots of wood from the Spanish Armada Fleet. In the 17th century is was the home of the Press Gang and there were secret tunnels and doorways within the timber walls. The gang would look for perspective sailors and drop a shilling into their beer. If the unsuspecting patron drank the beer it was deemed that they had accepted the King's shilling and were taken off to join the navy - sometimes by force with a blow to the head. There is also the story about a famous bench ("Benny's Bench") that was stolen from out in front of the pub back in the 16th century. Sir Francis Drake lived right down the street and most likely was a patron of the pub. And of course like many of these old pubs there are stories of several ghosts who haunt the pub.

My beer of choice was a Jennings Cumberland Ale brewed by Marston's Brewery (obviously from the tap handle this was a new addition). It was nice to sit out front on Benny's Bench and hear lots of stories from the locals. A great hang!