The Maypole

A family-run free house hidden off Bridge Street, combining a nineteenth-century pub lineage with one of central Cambridge's strongest independent beer selections.

Plan this experience

Explore the story

CostFree to visit

Time to allow45–90 minutes

PaceEasy

PlacePortugal Place, central Cambridge

Best timeYear round

01 / The experience

The Maypole

Choose the Maypole for a genuinely independent central pub whose family ownership, broad beer range and layered site history survive behind an easily missed lane.

The Maypole occupies a tucked-away position on Portugal Place, but its history is substantial. Licensing records trace the site through the Paul Pry and Maypole names in the nineteenth century, while the present premises also absorbed the former Plume of Feathers. The Castiglione family have run the pub since 1982 and bought its freehold in 2009. It remains recognisably a pub rather than a restaurant-led venue: multiple drinking areas, a covered terrace, an extensive changing beer range and Italian-influenced food give it a character distinct from Cambridge's managed city-centre houses.

02 / The essentials

The Maypole: visit essentials

01
Pub records on the site extend into the nineteenth century.
02
The present premises combine the former Maypole and Plume of Feathers.
03
The Castiglione family have run the pub since 1982.
04
The family bought the freehold in 2009.
05
CAMRA named it Cambridge city Pub of the Year in 2026.
06
The pub remains independently operated rather than part of a national estate.

03 / The place

The building in context.

Built: Pub use documented from the nineteenth century
Style: Historic city-centre public house

04 / Before you go

Plan your visit

Prices & admission

No admission charge; drinks and food are individually priced.

Opening hours

The pub currently uses split daytime and evening hours on most weekdays and Sunday, with continuous opening on Saturday. Check the official website before travelling.

Plan your experience

Walk-ins suit most visits; contact the pub directly for groups or dining at busy times.

Visit the official site

Accessibility

Access conditions vary between the historic interior and terrace. Contact the pub for current step-free entrance and accessible-toilet information.

Participation requirements

Short city-centre walk; some historic thresholds may be present.

Not normally required for drinks.

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01Culture & history