About Sykes House

We moved from Barnsley to Sykes House in the summer of 2006 buying the property from an original Sykes descendent and since then have been trying to discover the history of the tearoom and the building.  We find it so interesting we thought we would share a little of this history with you. 

We knew that around 1888 a plaque was erected on the front of the building by the Cycling Touring Club, this told club members that they would be welcome to stop during their journey and have refreshments at Sykes House. The building was a Temperance Hotel at this time, so consequently only tea, coffee and soft drinks would be served ! The plaque still remains on the front of the building above the shop window.

But the plot thickens !! In the summer I got talking to a couple (nothing new there) who were visiting the tearoom, they were revisiting Askrigg & particularly Sykes House as they had spent a holiday here 27 years ago.  The Country Store wasn’t open then and that room used to be the Tearoom and dining room for the B&B. In this room high up in the wall (now behind our bread shelf) is a hatch that would have opened to the outside of the building. 

This caused a big talking point and the story goes that there would have been stone steps up to this hatch on the inside and people would approach outside whilst remaining on their horse and would be served refreshments through this hatch, mainly ale I would think at this time,  therefore meaning they didn’t have to dismount.  The cottage next door was built in the late 1700’s thus covering the hatch, so this dates the ale hatch pre 1760’s.  So in reality we’ve been serving refreshments from this building for well over 300 years on and off (not me or Keith personally by the way, of course).

We find this all very fascinating and as we continue to restore the building more and more history becomes apparent, if you’d like to know more, have a look around the tearoom for signs of a Georgian extension and ask us what we know about it !!!

Lisa & Keith (proprietors)