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Ye Olde Mustard Pot, Midhopestones
(Inn-Keeping with tradition)
| Past Innkeepers
of the Public House in Midhopestones |
| 1780 |
to |
1814 |
Ann Kay |
|
| 1814 |
to |
1824 |
Joseph Kay |
| 1824 |
to |
1840 |
William Kay |
| 1840 |
to |
1854 |
Joseph Kay |
| 1854 |
to |
1855 |
John Kay |
| 1855 |
to |
1860 |
Mrs Ann Kay |
| 1860 |
to |
1883 |
Joseph Siddons |
| 1883 |
to |
1888 |
Mrs Ann Kay Siddons |
| 1889 |
to |
1898 |
Herbert Woodhouse |
| 1899 |
to |
1905 |
Isaac Waterhouse |
| 1906 |
to |
1912 |
Schofield Sykes |
| 1912 |
to |
1926 |
Mrs Jane Wood |
| 1926 |
to |
1931 |
Miss Nellie Wood |
| 1931 |
to |
1955 |
Aaron Elliot |
| 1955 |
to |
1970 |
John Genn |
| 1970 |
to |
1992 |
Robert Genn |
| 1992 |
to |
1999 |
Barbara Elizabeth Lee |
| 2001 |
to |
2007 |
Andrew David Hodgkiss |
| 2007 |
to |
2008 |
Carina Porte & Alex McLean-Smith |
| 2008 |
to |
present |
Christopher Jessop |
Welcome to Ye Olde Mustard Pot country inn,
here in the delightful hamlet of Midhopestones, in the parish
of Bradfield. The name is believed to mean, 'a sheltered place
between hills. The earliest known records of Midhope, stretch
back to the time of the King Henry III and Richard the I.
In a charter dated 1227 between John de Midhope and Hylienus
Waldershelf. Midhope mill is mentioned as being operational
at this time, so the village was thriving long before this
date.
Upon the death of Elias de Midhope the grandson
of John in 1337, the Manor was passed to Thomas de Barnby
who was rector of Kirk Heaton. In 1632 the Barnbys sold the
Manor of Midhope to Anthony Moorwood, of Bradfield. In 1690,
Henry Hall, the son of Robert Hall, of Fulwood, sold the Manor
of Midhope-in-Waldershelf to Godfrey Bosville of Gunthwaite,
for £2256, in whose family it remained until of recent.
Today we speak of Upper Midhope and Midhopestones, the latter
having reference to the stepping or leaping-stones by which
the people crossed the river at the ford near Dike-Side Farm,
a site now submerged in the Underbank Reservoir, completed
in 1907. Originally known as Over Midhope and Nether Midhope
respectively.
Nearby to the inn can be found the chapel
of St. James the Less, Midhope, or the Chapel of the village
community of Midhope-in-Waldershelf. The lowly potters met
here to worship therein. This Chapel (the second) was built
in the 14th century by one of the Barnbys, the Lords of the
Manor. The fabric is of great age, and the restoration effected
in 1705, by the third Godfrey Bosville, not only rescued it
from absolute ruin, but happily, conserved much of its ancient
character.
There were only a small number of cottages
& farms in Midhopestones at this period. However it was
in 1720 that George Walker & Robert Blackburn leased a
parcel of land known as Nether-Mill-Green, containing 70 yards
by 40 yards on which to build a Pot-House. In
1727 William Gough built the ovens and sheds which were required,
and some dwelling houses, all this became known as "Pot
House Fold". The type of earthenware made at Midhope
Potteries was called slip ware and consisted of meeas-pots,
or porringers, bottles of all kinds, jars large and small,
dishes basins, pancheons, cups and saucers plates, stew-pots,
butter-pots, water pots, bread-pots, chimney-pots etc. Some
of the more classical pieces were decorated with marbled patterns,
stripes and floral, some bore grotesque figures of birds &
animals, initials of persons and dates when they were made.
One of the artists was a man by the name of Greaves. We know
the Midhope Potteries were in existence between 1720 and 1828,
and our little hamlet is proud of the fact.
Mortimer Road on which Ye Olde Mustard Pot
sits was named after Hans Winthrop Mortimer, Lord of the Manor
of Bamford who died in 1807. Turnpiked in the mid 1770's and
used by carriers as the route from Penistone to Grindleford.
The Inn was built in 1760 by the Kay family as a farm. It
became known as the Barrel Inn by 1780, when Ann Kay was the
Innkeeper. Prior to this another building nearby had been
an alehouse.
On hunting days the Barrel Inn, in Midhope,
then better known as `The Club' and kept by William Kay, was
a favourite rendezvous of the old huntsman, and many a day's
hunting did he contrive to finish in that locality.
Kay had a great objection, and often refused at hunt meetings
to admit amongst the hunters any one who could not sing a
hunting song, and this may account in a great measure why
amongst those who began to follow the hounds in his time so
many came to know and to be
able to sing the songs of the old hunt. This became a principle
meeting place for the Penistone Harriers, he also kept a hound
here called 'Blueman': alas.. Kay died here in January 1840
aged 58. Succeeded by his brother Joseph, he continued the
tradition, and kept 2 hounds here called; 'Diana' and 'Virgin'
and later one called Butler.
In 1841, Joseph Kay lived here with his wife Sarah and three
children; `William, Ann, and John. Joseph was a tailor by
trade as well as the innkeeper at what was then known as the
'Barrel Inn'. He died here in August 1854. His son John then
came to live here with his wife Ann (nee) Taylor, and their
two daughters Grace and Emma. He renamed the inn 'The Ship'
alas; 12 months later John died here aged only 31. So his
widow continued as the innkeeper the name reverting back to
the 'Barrel'.
In the Late 1850's the first ever cricket match took place
In the village between the Penistone and Stocksbridge Clubs.
Amongst the company present were the leading families of the
district. An excellent dinner was provided at the inn by Mrs.
Kay, to which ample justice was done by the players, and a
most convivial meeting was spent under the presidency of Mr.
Siddons, whom she would marry by 1861.
`These were the days of hard drinking and practical joking,
and "Mischief Neet" was more than duly observed
by farm hands and pit-lads here. They would take a new plough
and place it in a tree. In the village they were heard to
say "It'll be them young uns aat o' Yewden, my arn't
they strong". The following evening November 1st was
known as "Caking Night" when the poor folk virtually
said to their richer neighbours, "Give us cakes that
we may feast today and fast tomorrow, and pray for the repose
of your souls of your forefathers and ours. One of the most
enjoyable days held on nearby Midhope Moors that one old sportsman
christened the "Duffers Day" where shooting took
place. At the close of the day a substantial dinner was provided
here at the Inn, at which tenants of Mr. Bosvilles estate
joined the party. Afterwards in relating the events of the
day- some of them often amusing- and with songs anecdotes
etc, the evenings were cheerfully passed and often afterwards
recalled to mind.
The Inn for many years was a farm of 5 acres. It was in April
2001, it opened as the "Ye Olde Mustard Pot" after
a major refurbishment with much thought and consideration.
`We hope very much you enjoyed your visit and hope to see
you soon... Cheers.
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