Goodbye Christies Long Live the King James
Pub highlights royal links following renovation
The refurbished and renamed The King James A popular Perth pub has given a nod to its medieval past as part of a recently-completed makeover.
The former Christies Bar on Kinnoull Street in the heart of the city centre officially re-opens tonight under a brand new name The King James.
The bar is built on top of what was the Blackfriars monastery, a Dominican priory dating back to medieval times, and is said to be the place where King James I of Scotland (14061437) was murdered by political opponents.
Now, in an effort to highlight the bar’s legacy and place in Scottish history, it has had a complete renovation, including a see-through section of the floor to allow punters to see into the depths of the cellars, where foundation stonework dating back to 1231 can be seen.
A spokesperson for brewers Greene King, which owns the premises, said: “The historical significance of the discovery at Christies, now renamed The King James, is extremely exciting and we’re delighted our pub is part of this important piece of Perth’s history. We hope that the pub’s customers enjoy the new see-through panel in the floor alongside the extensive refurbishment.
“We’re proud of the work carried out at the pub and hope it continues to draw visitors from far and wide, who can now see a fascinating piece of Perth’s history and also learn more about its significance to the wider area.”
This comes as archaeologists from both Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and Scotland’s Urban Past, along with a team of intrepid volunteers, excavated and mapped the cellars of the pub earlier this year to find out more about the deaths of one of the earliest Stewart kings in a bid to find out more about the fateful night of King James I’s untimely death.
Gavin Lindsay from Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust said: “It’s great to see people getting excited about Perth’s urban archaeology and taking a pride in their city’s rich medieval heritage.
“We never imagined such a significant outcome when we were planning the building recording workshops with Scotland’s Urban Past, but we’re delighted to have sparked imaginations and increased awareness in the relatively unknown story of the Blackfriars monastery and its connections to the murder of King James I of Scotland.”
Representatives from the two archaeology groups, Perth Museum and Art Gallery, and some loyal patrons are to take part in a re-opening ceremony this evening.
We’re pround of the work carried out