Bear Inn, Oxford

The Bear Inn
View of The Bear from Bear Lane.
Location within Central Oxford
General information
Address	6 Alfred Street, Oxford, United Kingdom
Coordinates	51°45′05″N 1°15′21″W / 51.7515°N 1.2557°W / 51.7515; -1.2557Coordinates: 51°45′05″N 1°15′21″W / 51.7515°N 1.2557°W / 51.7515; -1.2557
Opened	1242
Website
bearoxford.co.uk

The Bear Inn (or just "The Bear") is one of the oldest pubs in Oxford, England, dating back to 1242. Its circa-17th century incarnation stands on the corner of Alfred Street and Blue Boar Street, opposite Bear Lane in the centre of Oxford, just north of Christ Church.

The earliest mention of the lands and buildings subsequently occupied by The Bear Inn are found in the Cartularies of St Frideswide. Christina Pady, who was part of the ruling group of burgess families in Oxford at this time, is recorded as having inherited these properties from her late husband, Laurence Kepeharme, the first Mayor of Oxford (died circa 1209) and from her uncle, John Pady. She bequeathed in frankalmoin the land comprising two properties Parn Hall (Pirnehalle) at the western corner of High Street and Alfred Street and another to the south, on the corner of Alfred Street and Blue Boar Street, to the Priory of St Frideswide, which stood on the current site of Christ Church Cathedral. This bequeathal was made around 1220 to 1230, and was completed on 28 April 1241. A lease dating from 1523 states that the Bear was bounded on the south by the cemetery of St Edward's Church, which lay beyond St Edward's Street (now Blue Boar Lane). It is thought that the two properties bequeathed by Christina Pady were joined and formed the yard of what became the Inn.

The next mention is in the tenancy agreement of Thomas Pope in 1277, who with his wife and son were assured tenancy for the rest of their lives for a sum of two marks per year, with a deposit of 30 marks. The original building burnt down in 1421. In 1432, the inn was leased to John and Joan Berford, at which time it was known as Le Tabard. It was known as The Bear Inn by 1457, and a transfer of tenancy from Robert Mychegood to Henry Stanley took place in 1522.