Fanny Grey

[kre]

Hi, haven't been on here for so long that I've lost my username and password!

Anyway, just wondering if anyone knew what was happening with Fanny Grey pub? Drive past it twice daily and there's clearly some major development going on - is it going to be a pub again? I hope so, we seem to be losing our local pubs far too frequently..

thanks in advance!
KRE

[Big Kev]

My understanding is it's being converted to a private house.

[Bodger]

Mis uderstood, 50 years married !!

[kre]

Crikey.. And just like that, another historically and culturally important pub is swallowed up. What a shame (not for the new owners though - awesome views).

[Stanley]

The only good news pub story in Barlick at the moment is the Dog. It has been taken over by a syndicate who brew their own beer and seems to be doing well.

[Big Kev]

The Barlick is due to re-open soon as a Bistro and B&B. We need a few more B&B's if BTC are encouraging tourism.

Coffee Corner, currently hidden away in Newtown, will be moving to The Railway once the refurbishment work is complete.

[Tardis]

I think there are some 5 dwellings going in around the Fanny Grey as they are also converting some of the other buildings too. The plans will be on the Pendle planning website if you can find them,

[PanBiker]

The Barlick is due to re-open soon as a Bistro and B&B. We need a few more B&B's if BTC are encouraging tourism.

According to the BET article this morning it will be opening on Wednesday with a new name as the "Fountain" to commemorate the Queens Jubilee fountain that used to be adjacent and now in the Town Square afte its sojourn up in Letcliffe. No mention of Bistro or B&B which I would have thought would feature and is what I hade heard also. We will no doubt see on Wednesday. A lot of work being done on the place anyway. I wish them well.

[Big Kev]

Pie shop opening on Newtown too, next door to Lollipops. Rumour has it that it's someone who worked at Stanforths in Skipton.

[PanBiker]

Bring it on, Yummy.

[Chrissyp]

The Fanny Grey (soon to be called The Lane Head again) Will be two dwellings and the barn one dwelling.

[Stanley]

I saw the report about the Commercial.... Good. I thought it was going to be residential.

[Stanley]

I was digging into Salterforth history yesterday and was reminded of this: (I was talking about the workers on the new canal in about 1790)

"It wouldn't surprise me if some of the gangers and senior men lodged at the local pubs or with villagers. I think that Lane Head pub was built by then because a notice I have offering it to let seems to refer to an established business. Here's the wording of the 1813 broadsheet: “To be let by ticket for a term of years, to commence at the usual time of entry in Spring 1814 and possession to be delivered immediately. (Letting) at the Moor Cock Inn on the 1st day of October at six in the evening subject to conditions. A public house and inn in Salterforth called Salterforth Lane Head on the road between Barrowford and Barnoldswick consisting of a house with brew-house, stable, shippon and a wheelwright's shop.” The earliest record I have of the Anchor Inn is in Baines' Directory for 1822 which records John Crawshaw as the licensed victualler. However I have at the back of my mind that I was once told that when the canal was built and the road level altered the pub had to be raised by adding another storey. If this is true then it was there in 1790. In 'A way of Life Gone By', page 107, Dorothy Carthy reports that there used to be a farm called Broadstones where the mill car park is now. She says that the building was, at various times, a church (a chapel of ease for Gill?), a chapel and a public house and a graveyard was revealed when excavating for Kelbrook New Road in the late 1920s. Who knows, when the site is redeveloped for housing there may be more surprises under the car park, I hope the county archaeologists are keeping an eye on things. I have seen an obscure reference to a pub called 'The Holy Lamb' in Salterforth and wonder whether it was this one. One thing seems certain, the publicans would have a good trade for perhaps two years!"

I've also come across a reference to a pub at Salterforth called the Bay Horse but I don't know which this was. Anyone any ideas?

[elise]

This history of the inn was inserted within the menu at The Fanny Grey along with a photograph of the original building. The present day building was built in 1914

FANNY GREY HOTEL

"...ye bruing vessell with other wood gear, £2-10-00."

Christopher Varley of Salterforth Lane Head died in 1679 and was interned in the graveyard of St Mary-le-Gill at Barnoldswick. Shortly afterwards on 2nd May an inventory was taken of all his belongings. The extract above shows that beer has been brewed/sold on this site for at least 330 years.

The original building, shown above, was a farmhouse, the farmer, having the raw materials to hand, would brew his own beer, and in times of plenty would brew enough to supply his friends and neighbours.

This was the origin of many of our countryside pubs, which, in time, was more profitable than farming.

The Fanny Grey stands on the old packhorse route from Colne, along which would come many trains of packhorses, carry wool to Barnoldswick for the "piece-worker" cottage weavers, or salt from the Cheshire mines, which they would take down the steep hill, "The Drag", through Salterforth(the salters ford) and on into Yorkshire. Thus a steady trade from thirsty packhorse drivers would be assured.

The earliest record I am able to find of the building as an inn is an entry in the 1822 Baines' Trade Directory, when it was called The Bay Horse and the landlord was Michael Pickles.

Some more records of the inn:

1841 Census, Lane Head, Hannah Simpson, 72, Innkeeper

1851 Census, Bowling Green House, James Barrett, Innkeeper and clogger

The large flat car park at the rear of the pub is obviously the site of bowling green.

1853 the first edition Ordnance Survey named the pub Lane Head or Fanny Grey Inn. This is the first and only record of the name Fanny Grey.

1861 Census, Lane Head, James Barrett, farmer of 14 acres and Innkeeper.

1871 Census, Lane Head Inn, James Barrett, licensed victualler.

1881 Census, Lane Head, Anne Barrett, Farmer of 16 acres.
Ann was the widow of James Barrett, there is no mention of the inn.

1901 Census, Lane Head Inn

Kelly's Directory, Salterforth 1908, Lane Head, Robert Barrett, Inn and farmer.
Robert was the son of James and Ann.

Kelly's Directory, Salterforth 1911, Robert Barrett, farmer Lane Head.
There is no mention of the pub. Perhaps the building was now in a state of disrepair?

The new building was erected in 1914 and named The Lane Head Inn.

Kelly's Directory, Salterforth 1920, Lane Head Inn, Hugh Ellison

The Lane Head Inn reverted to the Fanny Grey in 1974 after some renovations had been done.

As for the elusive Fanny Grey, I don't think we will ever find out who or what she was. There is no record of a family called Grey. It has been suggested it was the name of a famous race horse of the times and Michael Town, landlord of The Fanny Grey for many years, relates the story that a Mr Uttley, a manufacturer from Trawden, was riding by one day on his "grey" horse when he told the landlady, Mrs Sowerbutts, that he would whitewash the building if she called it The Fanny Grey.

Researched and compiled by:
Ken Ranson
February 2008.

[Wendyf]

Just searched the Earby History Soc. archive index and found that we have a copy of a 1758 probate for a John Jackson of Salterforth Lane Head. I will look it out on Friday morning.

[elise]

THE WILL OF CHRISTOPHER VARLEY (1678)

Let it be remembered this nynth day of februarii Anno Dni 1678 that I
Christopher Vareley of Salterforth Lane Head in the p'rish of
Barnoldswick in the County of Yorke alehouskeeper beinge sick in body
but of good & perfect memory praised be God Consideringe the certainty of
death to all men & the tyme uncertaine doe constitute ordaine & make this my
last will & testament in manner & form followinge Vid: first as concerninge
my worldly goods wch god hath blest me wth I give & bequeath unto my
sonn Richard one paire of bedstocks now standing in the parlour at back
of the fire wth two blankets & one chaffe bed. Itm I give to my sonn John the
sume of twelue pence Itm I give to my sonn in law James Hayworth & Ann
his wife being my doughter to either of them the sume of twelue pence
& it is my will & mynd that these severall legacies shall be accounted as full
satisfaccon & in liew of their childs porcons & all the rest & residue of my
goods whatsoever moveable & & (sic) Imoveable of what kind soever I
give unto Elizabeth my wife & doe make her the said Elizabeth my sole
executrix of this my last will & testament hopeing shee will get the same
p'formed as my speciall trust is in her reposed In witnesse whereof I haue
hereunto put my hand seale the day & yeare first aboue written.
Christopher Varley LS

Wtn: Lawrence x Ryley Isabell Ryley John Jackson.

Hoc velle et testamentu fuit pbatu Cur' Bar' tent' apud Barnoldswicke octavo
Die Maii Ao R R Car scd: (Dei gra) Angl' &c Aoq dni MDCLXXIX0 p'jurament
Lauc et Isabellae Ryley

Cor' Heno Wiglesworth Senl Cur.


Notes:

Copied from a transcript of the original in Yorkshire Archaeological Society
Record Series vol cxviii.
The originals are in the District Probate Registry, York.

[Stanley]

Fascinating stuff. Thanks for all that and I'll incorporate it in the articles I'm writing at the moment on Salterforth and credit it to Ken. Oneguy working at its best! I always tell my readers that they shouldn't take anything I write as the final word, the research constantly alters the conclusions and in the end it's a joint effort. Wonderful!

[DeborahJRushworth]

My great grandmother Mary Sharp Bird with her husband George Bird was the landlady at the Lane Head for about 23 years I think until she was about 76 which would be until about 1959. She was Salterforth's oldest resident when she died aged 87 at Burdock Cottages where she lived as a widow with her brother Joshua Rushworth after they both retired. I wonder if anyone remembers her?

[Stanley]

Burdock Cottages around 1900.

[Chrissyp]

My Mum remembers Mrs Bird she said she was a small lady who was always busy.

[DeborahJRushworth]

That's nice. Yes, my Dad said the same.

George & Mary Bird & Margaret Craven Laithe.jpg

[Stanley]

Nice pic Debs.