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The Robin Hood -
Baslow CAMRA's campaign for people to support their local pub goes to Baslow where we have a popular pub, the Robin Hood Inn, and at this time topical, as I write, a Mansfield Brewery owned pub. It is believed that an Inn has been sighted on Birchen Edge since the 1700's. The land and buildings belonged to the Duke of Rutland until 1920 when it was sold to the Chesterfield brewery. In 1935 Mansfield Brewery took over the Chesterfield Brewery and as a result the Robin Hood at Baslow. There has been a succession of tenants including the Ollivant family who still retain an interest and visit the pub. In the 1960's the property was rebuilt and a first floor added from the original cottage style building. Over the years the pub has gradually become a centre for walkers and climbers. So much so that the present landlord Peter Fairey refurbished the hikers den where walkers, hikers boots and dogs are given a warm welcome throughout the year. Not content with that the pub now has a 6-hole golf course at the rear of the premises, which was opened in 1976 by the Duchess of Devonshire. The present tenants are Peter and Sylvia Fairey who have been at the Robin Hood Inn now for 8 years. Before entering the trade Peter was an aircraft engineer in the Royal Navy for 33 years. He served in the Falklands where Argentinean missiles sank the Atlantic Conveyer the ship on which he was serving and 12 lives were lost. He was also honoured with a BEM in the Gulf War. Peter and Sylvia are proud of the fact that the Robin Hood Inn is listed in the Campaign for Real Ale's Good Beer Guide and this is testament to the quality of real ale on offer. Available on cask in oversized glasses are the Mansfield range of Bitter, Riding, Old Bailey and Mild. This is one of the few places in our area where Mild is available. Each delivered from an orderly, clean and efficient cellar where Peter is responsible for training some of the new tenants to the Mansfield fold. This is an excellent pub and well worth a visit. Unaccredited A History of The Yellow
Lion - Apperknowle Although the Yellow Lion at Apperknowle was not built until the 1860’s, its history begins in 1839 when an Act of Parliament appointed George Unwin of Whitwell to act on behalf of the Government in “setting out, dividing, allotting and inclosing commons and waste grounds in the Manor of Unstone.” Ownership documents reveal that, in 1842, Unwin allotted one parcel of land on Apperknowle Common to a William Ward, who immediately sold it to a George Ward. Among ownership documents is a declaration of William Gill, a local man, which states that “In or about 1864 the said George Ward sold to Godfrey Ward of Apperknowle, Inn-keeper, the said property...”. George and Godfrey Ward were probably brothers. In another declaration, Gill stated that soon after the purchase of this land, Godfrey Ward built a dwelling house on it and converted the property into a public house known as the Yellow Lion Inn. Other evidence available can be interpreted as giving a slightly earlier date for the building of the Yellow Lion. This is in the form of the 1861 Census which shows that Godfrey Ward (then aged 44), who stated his occupations as Scale Presser and Innkeeper, lived at “The Yellow Lion Inn” with his wife, Frances, and their five sons. In White’s 1862 Directory of Sheffield, Godfrey Ward was listed as running an unnamed beerhouse in Apperknowle. As the name implies, a beerhouse was only allowed to sell ale and porter, not spirits and could be run by anyone from their own home, as a means of supplementing income from their main occupation. The 1864 edition of the same directory names the Yellow Lion as an inn. The conclusion is that it is difficult to be precise over the date that the current premises were built. Godfrey Ward appears to have been selling beer in Apperknowle from 1861, and possibly ran a beerhouse from his own home for three or four years (calling the business the ‘Yellow Lion’ ?) until the current pub was erected in 1864/5. The size and layout of the pub has altered significantly over the years and the inside of the pub was originally much smaller. An extension to the lounge on the east (Hundall) side, together with the present car park, stands on what would have been the adjoining plot of land when the pub was first built. The original entrance was on the west side, facing the Post Office, and the pub was entered via the doorway that now stands between the bar and the dining area (itself a further extension). It is most likely that the entrance was moved to the front in the early 1900’s when Gilmour & Co. became owners (see later). Finally there were some small dwelling houses on the same land, which stood where the garages now are behind the pub. Traces of these existed until the 1960’s. Godfrey Ward sold the Yellow Lion in 1876 for £1300, plus fixtures, to William Harrison and George Howe. In 1901 the pub was bought by Sheffield brewers Whitmarsh, Watson & Co., whose brewery and pubs were bought by Duncan Gilmour and Co. in 1906. Gilmour’s name still appears on the step at the front entrance, suggesting they were responsible for the change of entrance mentioned above. Gilmours themselves fell to Tetley's in 1954. The current licensees, Michael (Mick) and Joyce Emmens, took over the tenancy in June 1969 when the pub was still tied to Tetley's, buying the freehold in 1986. Under Mick and Joyce’s guidance, the Yellow Lion has developed a reputation for both excellent beer quality and tasty home-cooked food. Sheffield CAMRA have long recognised the former and the pub has appeared in the Good Beer Guide continuously since 1977. The pub has also won a number of CAMRA awards over the years, the most notable being runner-up East Midlands Pub of the Year in 1997. Mick and Joyce are celebrating 30 years at the Yellow Lion this year and, on behalf of all real ale drinkers who have enjoyed a glass or two in the pub over that time, just one word is necessary - ‘THANKYOU !’ Jim McIntosh The Arkwright Arms -
Sutton-Cum-Duckmanton The Arkwright Arms is an imposing black and white timber fronted building situated on the A632 Chesterfield-Bolsover Road, about 1/2 mile west of Arkwright Town. The pub is named after Sir Richard Arkwright, the inventor of the cotton-spinning frame and pioneer of the factory system. The inside of the pub is a classic bar/lounge combination, served by a central bar. To the back there is also a separate restaurant area where children are allowed. All rooms have real coal fires, and overall the pub has an old-fashioned welcoming feel. A free house, it has been run by Paul and Judy Chadwick since August 1989. In the last 12 months, their son John has expanded the number of guest ales available, and at least 100 different beers were served in 1998. These have ranged from locally brewed Whim, to a couple of beers from the Orkney Isles. The regular beer is Marston’s Pedigree with three guest ales on offer at anytime. A regular beer festival is held each Easter, and there are also occasional summer festivals. Food is available at lunchtimes. Chesterfield-Bolsover buses run past the pub and it is well worth a visit to enjoy an ever-changing selection of well-kept real ales in a traditional pub. Jim McIntosh This webpage was last updated on Sunday, 07 October 2007 |
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