When my best friend turned 40 recently she decided that she wanted to take a few of her best friends, myself included, to a place that she described as one of the most beautiful places she had ever been to. Since the place involved had a Public House as its focal point then the choice of location was fine by me, and so off we all set, on a sunny Sunday afternoon in April to Beck Hole, or more precisely to the Birch Hall Inn.
The Birch Hall Inn is one of the smallest Public Houses in Britain. It is situated in the tiny Hamlet of Beck Hole in North Yorkshire, 9 miles to the South of Whitby and a couple of miles from Goathland, which is now famous as the place where the TV Series Heartbeat is filmed.
When first describing the Birch Hall Inn to me my friend said, "This is one of the most bizarre places that I have ever been." Now that I am acquainted with the place I must say that I know exactly what she means.
Today the Birch Hall Inn is pretty much the focal point of Beck Hole and occupies a location directly at the bottom of a very steep 1 in 3 hill just as you arrive at Beck Hole, if approaching from the A170 Pickering to Whitby Road.
THE HISTORY
The Birch Hall Inn occupies two separate dwellings which were joined together during the early 1800's, with a General Stores sandwiched between what is colloquially known as the "Big Bar" and the "Little Bar." The Stone built dwelling dates from the early 1600's, whilst the adjoining dwelling which is painted white was built during the early 1800's. It was at this time that the building as we see it today underwent a major renovation. This involved the addition of a three storey extension to house the General Store to provide provisions for the influx of labourers who had descended on Beck Hole following the birth of the Industrial Revolution and the building of the Pickering to Whitby Railway line. Above the Shop there were two tenements and above this a Cobbler's Workshop.
In 1860 this building was granted a license to sell 'Ale Porter, Cider and Perry' and in 1869 this license was extended from 6 to 7 days a week. However it was not until as recently as 1960 that the Inn was granted a full license to enable it to sell Spirits.
Over the years there have been many Tenants of the Birch Hall Inn but in the early 1960's the Landlady at the time, Mrs Schofield bought the premises. She had previously been a Tenanted Landlord since 1927 and remained there until her retirement in 1981 when the present owners bought it.
The origin of the name of the Pub is unclear but there are a few theories. The Birch may obviously simply refer to Birch Trees which were around the building when the license was granted or it may have its traditions in an old local custom of hanging a Birch Bloom on the door of a building to signify that it was an Ale House.
The Hall part of the name is less obvious since the building is clearly of two Cottages joined together and has never been anything like what would usually be termed as a Hall i.e. a meeting place with large rooms and reception areas. One theory however is that the term "Hall" was sometimes used during medieval times to signify that a building formerly made from timber and thatch had been rebuilt in stone.
THE EXTERIOR
From the outside the Birch Hall Inn looks pretty much like your standard quaint country Pub, although this one has a General Store attached to it. There is a small passage or alleyway at the side of the Shop entrance and above this it says Public Bar, it is through this tunnel that you get access to the main Bar via a wooden doorway about halfway down this passage on the right hand side. The Toilets are located outside at the bottom of this same passageway.
To the front of the building there are a few wooden tables with benches on the pavement and these always prove popular with the clients, especially if the weather is good.
The enamel sign that hangs outside the Pub is quite an unusual one and has baffled many people over the years. It is the original sign dating from 1860 when the license for the building was obtained. The words "Birch Hall Inn" are written in old style fancy medieval English script and the owners often joke that these words have been confused for anything ranging from "Brick Bat" to "Birch Hat."
To the right of building as you stand facing it there is a small but very well kept Beer Garden which is accessed via a set of steep steps with a white wooden Gate at the top. This beer garden is set out on three different levels and enjoys a superb elevated view across the Valley. It is also very close to the Railway Line which although this is not visible through the trees you can hear the Steam Trains going by. Children are welcome in the Beer Garden and there is a small Aviary with Budgerigars and Zebra Finches should they need to be kept amused.
THE BIG BAR
Walking into the Big Bar is a bit of a surprise to say the least as the door leads into a single tiny room measuring just 10 foot by 10 foot.
There are a few wooden tables with benches around the edge of the room which are part of the original fittings and in keeping with the general decor of the room and on the back wall there is a large open fire which wasn't lit when we visited but I can imagine that if you visit during the Winter this will add to the ambience.
There are lots of old photographs on the wall and in the corner of the room there is a small cabinet that houses the trophies that have been won by the Beck Hole Quoits team.
The strangest thing of all however is that there is no Bar. Instead there is just a small wooden hatch where the customers form a long orderly queue.
THE LITTLE BAR
Having visited the Big Bar and discovered it to be one the smallest Pubs that I have ever seen I was rather curious to visit the Little Bar which is accessed via a doorway at the front of the building besides the entrance to the Shop.
The Landlady of the Birch Hall Inn claims that the record number of people inside this room with the door closed was 27 people and a Dog in November 2000, although when we visited there was less than 20 people inside and barely enough Oxygen to breathe.
This Bar was originally part of the Shop and the original wooden shelves are still on the walls filled with various old fashioned curiosities.
Children are welcome inside the Little Bar and the walls are covered in word puzzles to keep them occupied. There is also direct access from the Little Bar onto the Beer Garden and Terraces making it very popular during fine weather.
THE SHOP
The Shop opened in 1860 and I imagine that the way it looks today is pretty much as it must have been back then. There is a good selection of old fashioned Sweets sold here but they also sell other things too including Ice Creams & soft drinks, Camera films, postcards, plasters, stamps, tissue, toothbrushes, plus local Books and Maps. It is well worth a visit for its curiosity value.
THE BEER & FOOD
Despite the apparent obstacle of the lack of space and a tiny Cellar the Birch Hall Inn has prided itself on selling Real Ales since 1989. Many of the guest Beers come from the local North Yorkshire Breweries like the nearby Copton Brewery or the Hambleton Brewery near Thirsk. Regular Real Ales which are always on sale include Theakstons Black Bull and Black Sheep Ale.
The regular Lager is Fosters which at just over a couple of quid a Pint is fairly reasonable value, and there are also a selection of soft drinks, Tea, Coffee and Hot Chocolate, plus Wines and Spirits available.
There are no hot meals served and therefore the Food sold consists of Sandwiches and Pies . The Pies cost £1.50 each and are made by a local Butcher. There are two varieties available, Pork pies and Turkey and Ham Pies.
The other Food available are Beck Hole Butties which cost £2.20 each. There are four varieties available: Homemade Roast Ham, Cheddar Cheese, Corned Beef or Pate. They are served on flat triangular cakes of Bread known locally as Stotties. All are served with a pot of Pickle. I had a Cheddar Cheese Butty and thoroughly enjoyed it.
OPENING TIMES & OTHER INFORMATION
The Birch Hall Inn does not open all day, especially during the Wintertime. The current opening hours for this Summer are as below:
Monday: 11 am. - 3 pm Tuesday to Saturday: 11 am .- 3 pm and 7.30 pm to 11pm Sunday 12 pm - 3 pm and 7.30 pm to 10.30pm
Food is not served during the evenings and the Beer Garden opens from Easter through to September. Children are allowed in the Little Bar and in the Beer Garden and Dogs are allowed throughout.
The address is as below:
The Birch hall Inn Beckhole Goathland North Yorkshire YO22 5LE
Tel: 01947 896245
Thank you for reading.
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