The Blue Ball, Grantchester

A small independent Grantchester local with an eighteenth-century lineage, an intact two-bar plan and one of the Cambridge area's most important traditional pub interiors.

Plan this experience

Explore the story

CostFree to visit

Time to allow45–90 minutes

PaceEasy

PlaceBroadway, Grantchester

Best timeYear round

01 / The experience

The Blue Ball, Grantchester

This is the chain-free historic pub to pair with Grantchester Meadows: small, architecturally legible and still organised around traditional drinking rooms.

The Blue Ball is the most convincing pub ending to the walk across Grantchester Meadows. The present building dates from 1893, raised over the cellar of a 1767 pub lost to fire. Its compact two-bar arrangement, pre-war counter and bar back, panelled seating and Ringing the Bull game preserve the scale of a village local rather than a destination restaurant. Ownership changed in 2026, so practical details should be checked before making a special journey.

02 / The essentials

The Blue Ball, Grantchester: visit essentials

01
The original Blue Ball dated from 1767.
02
The earlier pub was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1893 over its cellar.
03
CAMRA places the interior on its National Inventory.
04
The two-bar arrangement remains substantially intact.
05
The interior retains a pre-war counter, bar back and panelled seating.
06
The pub preserves the traditional game Ringing the Bull.

03 / The place

The building in context.

A story written in stone since 1893.

Built: 1893, over the cellar of the 1767 pub
Style: Traditional two-bar village public house
Listing: CAMRA National Inventory historic interior

04 / Before you go

Plan your visit

Prices & admission

No admission charge; drinks and food are individually priced.

Opening hours

CAMRA currently records Wednesday–Saturday 12:00–22:00 and Sunday 12:00–19:00, with Monday and Tuesday closed. Reconfirm following the 2026 ownership change.

Plan your experience

Check current opening and food arrangements before travelling, particularly early in the week.

Visit the official site

Accessibility

The historic two-bar interior includes level changes and does not provide a straightforward modern access layout. Contact the pub for current details.

Participation requirements

Easy once at the pub; the meadow walk from Cambridge is roughly two miles each way.

Not normally required for drinks, but confirm opening before travelling.

Continue exploring / Cambridge

Explore Cambridge activities, sights and places to eat. Compare the time to allow, costs and booking details, then save your favourites to your itinerary.

01Culture & history