Old Inns of Settle in the coaching days

1. The Spread Eagle Inn, Kirkgate. Now a Bed & Breakfast

2 The Crown Inn, Market Place. Now Cave and Crag shop

3 The Naked Man Inn, Market Place. Now Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe

4  The Royal Oak Inn, Market Place. Still licensed

5 The White Horse Inn, Market Place. Now Bradwell's newsagents

6 The Black Bull Inn, Market Place. Now Haworth s butcher and Dalkin 's shop

7 The Talbot, High Street. Still licensed

8 King William IV, High Street. Now Roy Precious Antiques

9 The New Inn, Duke Street. Now Speight and Watson's newsagents

10  The Joiner's Arms, Duke Street. Now Anderson Slater Antiques

11 The Golden lion, Duke Street. Still licensed

All the inns seen on the walk were operating during the 'Coaching Era', although not all were coaching inns. The classic period of stagecoaches lasted from about 1810 to the early 1850s. The golden days of coaching came to a rapid end as the railway system developed.

Some Important facts and dates relating to the Old Inns of Settle

The Turnpike Road

1753 the first Turnpike trust road through Settle, the 'Keighley and Kendal'. Entering Settle from Long Preston via Runley Bridge and Duke Street, it passed down Kirkgate to Settle Bridge, leaving via Buckhaw Brow.

1804 the new Turnpike Extension cut through the Market Place, forming what is now Church Street, rejoining the old line at Settle Bridge. This cut out the dogleg curves at the top and bottom of Kirkgate.

1877 Turnpike Trust dissolved and toll gates removed.

Dates of Establishment

(as far as can be discovered)

17th Century:

Golden Lion (Cheapside); "White Horse; Naked Man; Royal Oak; Talbot

18th Century:

Golden Lion (Duke St); Spread Eagle; Joiners's Arms; Black Bull; New Inn

19th Century:

Crown; King William IV; numerous small beerhouses

The Stagecoaches

Stagecoaches were operated by a driver and guard with four horses. They carried four passengers inside and a maximum of between eight and twelve outside, plus a mountain of baggage. The following are known to have called at Settle, but there were many more:

The Royal Union' (Leeds & Kendal, 1807-43) Performed by the Spread Eagle and later the Golden Lion. Initially thrice weekly each way, then daily. Ran via Bradford, Bingley, Keighley, Skipton, Settle and Kirkby Lonsdale.

'The True Briton' (Leeds & Kendal, 1816-43) Performed by the Joiner's Arms, thrice weekly each way. Ran same route as the Royal Union, calling at different inns.

"The Defiance' (Settle & Manchester, 1820s) Performed by the Spread Eagle, thrice weekly each way. Ran via Gisburn, Burnley, Rawtenstall and Bury.

'The Independent' (Settle & Manchester, 1820s) Performed by the Golden Lion, thrice weekly each way. Ran same route as the Defiance, calling at different inns.

'The Craven Heifer' (Settle & Manchester, 1830s) Performed by the Golden Lion, once a fortnight each way. Ran via Gisburn, Clitheroe, Accrington, Haslingden and Bury.

'The Traveller' (Leeds & Lancaster, 1840s) Uncertain who performed this coach, but it ran via Bradford, Bingley, Keighley, Skipton, Settle and Bentham.

'The Royal Mail' Leeds & Lancaster, 1841-3) Performed by the Golden Lion, daily. Ran same route as the Traveller. Restrictions on the number of passengers for mail coaches guaranteed faster speeds.

Carrying Services

Many of the inns which had formerly accommodated the mule trains of the packhorse men continued to provide goods carrying services during the coaching period. These included the White Horse, Talbot, Royal Oak and New Inn. Small local carriers would arrange for goods to be brought to the yards of these inns, from where they would carry them to various destinations including local towns and markets, canal wharves and later railway stations.