The original 14th century building on the site was largely destroyed in The Great Fire in 1507. It was rebuilt, though some of the medieval walls still remain today, and were rediscovered in 2017 when repair work was undertaken at the pub.

According to local historians, the building had many uses before being registered as an Ale House by Thomas Holland and his wife Mary in 1743, when it was first named ‘The Ribs of Beef’.

It was then owned by Youngs and Crawshay brewery, and renamed the Fye Bridge Tavern in 1929 to celebrate the new bridge that was planned to be built over the River Wensum. In 1958 everything changed again, when Bullards brewery took over and delicensed the pub after the company that ran it went into liquidation.

The building was relicensed as the Ribs of Beef pub and reopened in 1985, by Roger and Anthea Cawdron – the current owners. This was the first example of a new liquor license being granted in Norwich since World War II.

Sympathetically refurbished, the Ribs boasts a beautiful French pewter bar. The recently uncovered medieval wall can also been seen on proud display, a nod to the fact that the Ribs is one of the oldest pubs in Norwich.

With more of a ‘local pub’ feel than many of the bars or pubs in Norwich, you’ll be able to see at once how much care and warmth the Cawdrons have put into the Ribs. Supported by Manager Jonathan Power, today the Ribs of Beef is one of the city’s best-loved real ale pubs.

We regularly host events and pub quizzes (1st and 3rd Monday of each month), and have live music every Sunday evening.