Oxford. Located down a narrow medieval passageway, the building began as a private home in the 13th century. In the 15th century the house was used by a money lender (the checquerboard was commonly used to advertise money lending businesses) and in the early 16th century it was rebuilt as a tavern and was known as Kent's Hall. In the mid 1700s the pub had a zoo with exotic animals, and until the 1980s it was a main meeting place for Morris Dancers. Legend has it that there was a secret underground tunnel that ran to The Mitre pub to allow Catholics to escape during the Reformation when the agents of Henry VIII came calling. When they were tipped off about the tunnel they sealed off both ends and the monks were left starve to death. It is said the chanting of the entombed monks can still be heard. There are several rooms around the downstairs bar, a large room and bar upstairs, and a beer garden out back. A Nicholson's pub, my beer of choice was their pale ale.