Six Yorkshire Classics....

I recently re-visited a local historic pub for the first time for a while, and it got me thinking about some of the other historic pubs that we are lucky to have here in Yorkshire. Here's a small selection of some classics....

I recently paid a visit to the Big Six, which is situated about a mile and a half from Halifax town centre, close to the distinctive landmark of Wainhouse Tower and the wide open spaces of Savile Park. One of the best-known pubs in Halifax, it is unusual in that it is situated in the middle of a narrow terraced street, Thomas Street, and whilst it is not a listed pub, behind its unassuming outer walls lies an attractive interior of historic importance. It was built in 1857 as a beer house in the middle of a row of back-to-back cottages and was known back in those days as the Bowling Green Inn. However, from the early1900s it was often called the 'Big Six' by locals due to the brand name of the mineral water and hop ale company which operated on the premises around the turn of the century. The pub was bought by local brewers Ramsdens in the 1920s, and much of the layout and look of the pub dates back to their stewardship, by then having expanded into and incorporated several of the neighbouring cottages. Tetleys subsequently acquired Ramsdens and they added further touches to the pub; it became a Heritage Inn and it was finally officially named the Big Six in 1982, which is still reflects today on the Tetley-branded sign above the door.

Its layout today consists of a central corridor off which lie two partly opened out rooms, and a bar-lounge, off which there is a snug, and beyond that a more recently-added games room so that it is somewhat Tardis-like based on its outside appearance. Wood and glazed panelling occur in abundance, and other features include real fires, bench seating, old bell-pushes, and plenty of brewery mirrors and memorabilia. There are 5 hand pumps on the small, historic bar, and when I called in a few weeks ago I enjoyed a pint of Citra, from Old Mill, whose Bitter is frequently available. It was very busy when I called in; it was a cold, miserable Saturday afternoon and most of the seats were taken, so I was relegated to one of the tables in the corridor where I watched a succession of people -families, guys on their own, and couples - some with dogs, coming and going as I drunk my pint. The Big Six has the feel of a real local's pub, and based on this visit, there's lots of them! Finally, out the back for warmer times, across an unmade road, lies an attractive beer garden. The unmade road is Horsfall Street, and whilst the main entrance to the pub is from the Thomas Street side, the pub's address is actually listed as 10, Horsfall Street. 

Around a mile and half away is another historic Halifax pub, the Three Pigeons, which like the Big Six is a Good Beer Guide regular. Close to both the railway station and the Shay Stadium, this Grade ll-listed pub is a big draw for both football and rugby supporters, as well as lovers of fine pubs and good beer. The Three Pigeons is renowned for its Grade 2-listed Art Deco interior. The pub was opened by Samuel Webster  in 1932, becoming a free house as Websters disintegrated, and then, in 2005, was bought by Ossett Brewery. Work on the pub when they took over revealed a classic beige and green terrazzo floor in the unusual octagonal lobby beside the bar as you walk in to the pub. From this a number of rooms fan off. A snug is off to the left, a lounge to the right, a taproom also off the lobby. Down a corridor there is a further small tastefully decorated snug with seating and a more spartan games room with a dartboard. Wood panelling runs throughout the pub, and above the lobby is a mural featuring three pigeons which was added during the 1980's.

Drinking lobby at the Three Pigeons

The pub features 8 hand pumps of predominantly Ossett beers, with White Rat, Silver King, Yorkshire Blonde, and Butterly Bitter always available, and there is always a dark beer on as well. I have lost count of the times I have been here over the years after visiting the Shay to see Halifax Town, the Pigs playing the role as a constant witness to the fluctuating ups and downs of the team's fortunes. No visit to the football is complete without a visit to this splendid historic pub, but whether you like football or not, it is an essential place to visit when in Halifax.

Snug with empty glass at the Three Pigeons

And now a couple of Leeds classics. Another former Tetleys pub but unlike the Big Six acquired when they took over Melbourne's brewery in 1960, the Cardigan Arms has gained a new lease of life since being acquired by Kirkstall Brewery. I have visited the Cardigan Arms many times over the years, but it never fails to impress. This Grade ll-listed pub, which is often referred to as simply The Cardy, was originally a Melbourne pub which was built in 1896, having been designed by local architect Thomas Winn along with its near neighbour the Rising Sun and the Adelphi across the town, which were all built in the style of Victorian drinking palaces. The pub takes its name from the 7th Earl of Cardigan who led the Charge of the Light Brigade and whose family owned land locally. The pub is simply a stunner, with a beautiful curved central bar with a brass rail which serves a tap room immediately to the left as you go in and a large drinking lobby if you go straight on through a pair of heavy wooden doors with glazed windows. A further three rooms lead off from here, all of which continue the theme with dark woodwork, etched glass, ornamental ceilings, and decorative tiling, with a number of large brewery mirrors, breweriana, and period furnishings. There is also a function room upstairs. The pub had been closed for a time when it was re-opened in 2017 by Kirkstall Brewery after a major refurbishment which brought out the best of what it had been originally blessed with. Today the pub sells a range of Kirkstall beers along with the odd guest, and is popular with locals, students, and visitors.

The magnificent bar at the Cardigan Arms

Now the next pub is not these days a destination for its real ale but it does need to be visited for its stunning interior. The Garden Gate is one of Leeds' most historic pubs, with a spectacular Grade II-listed interior which is up there with the finest not just in the city but in the country as a whole. Situated in the area of Hunslet about two miles out of the city centre in the middle of an unassuming low-rise housing estate, it stands alone on a quiet pedestrianised street in what was once one of the city's main industrial areas. It had been closed for a while when it re-opened last February, and I revisited last spring for the first time in 30 years. I'd got a taxi and walked in to a long and impressive corridor passing a room from which loud cheering came in response to a Leeds United goal. A friendly lady's head popped out from what was the entry to behind the bar, and I was directed back to the main entrance where I should have turned first left. 

The corridor, with its tiling, etched windows, and rich mahogany is impressive enough, but I walked into the vault which was a stunning room with many remarkable features (opening image). An amazing ceramic bar counter with an elaborate mahogany bar back lay at the end of the room, which also featured an attractive mosaic floor. In the middle of the room there was a fireplace with a faience surround, with a moulded plasterwork ceiling above. The pub had been developed in Edwardian times, with the interior pretty much untouched since 1902 when it was rebuilt for its owner, a Mr Edward Wilson by architect W.Mason Coggill from nearby Stourton, with much of the work on the pub done by the local companies Burmantofts and J. Claughton. As I alluded to earlier, the pint of Kirkstall Bitter I had in this lager-favouring former Tetleys pub was nothing special when I called in that day last year but the Garden Gate is an important place to call for anyone interested in the rich heritage of the history of our pubs, and is one of the only survivors left in a part of the city that used to be home to some absolute crackers.

Meanwhile over in York there is much to get excited about, with a host of classic, historic pubs located throughout the city. One of the best is the Swan on Clementhorpe, just outside the city walls. This is another former Tetleys Heritage pub, and another one that is Grade ll listed. It originally opened as a street corner beerhouse in 1861 and was acquired by Tetleys in 1899. Much of the interior dates from a refurbishment in the 1930's and features a large drinking lobby as you enter with a few tables and chairs opposite the central bar servery. There is a room off to either side of the bar for more seating options. This is a great place for beer, and with 8 hand pumps on the bar the Swan offers a constantly changing selections from all over the country. Last time I was in, en route to see the excellent English Teacher who were on at the Crescent, I was drinking Hop Back Summer Lightning, the first time I had seen this Salisbury-brewed beer for several years. And very good it was too. The multi-award winning Swan is a definite place you should visit if you are spending any time in the city.

In the centre of York is the Blue Bell, with its remarkably unaltered Edwardian interior. Located on Fossgate with its distinctive  it is one of the smallest in the city, with two small rooms to the front and rear of the bar leading off from a long drinking corridor. It feels intimate, there is a charming, timeless clutter about the place which apparently hasn't been decorated since 1903! It is recognised as having an interior of national importance and is another of York's Grade II listed pubs, with wooden bench seating, wood panelling, and glazed windows all adding to the traditional feel. CAMRA citations cover the walls as befits a serial award winner. There are 7 beers on hand pump which are generally from within Yorkshire, with a house ale from Brass Castle. It is a place for quiet and civilised conversation; the tightly-packed tables and lack of piped music encourage you to strike up conversation with your neighbouring table. There is a sign on the door saying groups aren't allowed and the Blue Bell remains all the better for it; a genuinely quiet oasis away from the bustle of the streets outside. Last time I was there I ordered a pint of Wold Top Bitter, and as has been the case whenever I have visited before, the beer was in excellent condition. The pork pies are also worth checking out in this must-visit classic pub.

The six pubs I've described above are just for starters; there are plenty more to go at across the county that I could have included; in York there is the Golden Ball for example, whilst in Leeds there are the likes of Whitelocks, the Adelphi, and the Grove. Over to the coast and the Black Horse at Whitby is a tiny classic, whilst a little inland near Goathland in the North Yorkshire Moors is the remarkable Birch Hall at Beck Hole. Beverley has the famous gas-lit White Horse aka Nellie's, one of a number of classic pubs run by the controversial Tadcaster brewers Samuel Smith. Hull has a number of outstanding historic pubs including the Old Blue Bell and the Olde White Hart, with the Tap at Sheffield station a fine example of the restoration of railway refreshment rooms. Let's not forget those that have been lost over the years, such as the Rising Sun in Leeds, and two outstanding historic pubs in Bradford. the Beehive and the Cock and Bottle, which offer a salutary reminder that we need to continue to support what is an important part of both our regional and national heritage....

Follow me on twitter/X: @realalemusic

Join me on bluesky: @chrisd55.bsky.social