Counting House, Pontefract: One of Yorkshire's oldest timber framed buildings lovingly restored

Under the careful stewardship of Guy Lister, an architect and the son of former owner the late Malcolm Lister, a prominent architect and passionate advocate for preserving historical architecture, the Counting House has undergone a meticulous restoration.

Guy led an army of skilled craftsmen, tradespeople, and dedicated volunteers in a labour of love that has breathed new life into the building.

"It has been a pleasure to work on this Pontefract landmark," said Mr Lister. "So many local people have fond memories here, and for me, it’s been a privilege to complete this in memory of my father. Now, I hope to pass it on to its next custodian and see the building thrive once again, with people enjoying it just as they did in the past."

Dating back to 1609, the Counting House is believed to be one of the oldest timber framed buildings in the region. Originally built as a merchant’s counting house, the building later served as a series of dwellings before being transformed into a pub by Malcolm Lister in the 1980s.

Malcolm, renowned for his work in renovating historical buildings, rescued the Counting House from dereliction, unveiling its hidden timber frame and securing its future as a beloved public house. His efforts were recognised nationally, with the Counting House receiving prestigious awards for conservation in the early 1990s.

The recent restoration has seen meticulous attention to detail from the people who have worked on it. It has benefitted from a completely new roof and render and the centuries-old timbers have been painstakingly cleaned and repaired.

When the building was originally restored in the early 1990s, medieval shoes and clothes were found in one of the chimneys. It is understood personal possessions were concealed as charms to protect the occupants of the building against evil influences (known as spiritual middens). There are plans to have the artefacts on display when the building re-opens.

The building includes three fireplaces which include a medieval brick smokehood, Georgian fireplace and a Yorkshire range manufactured by J.M Bean, Leeds. Two of the fireplaces have set-pots which were believed to have been used in the production of liquorice. Liquorice root was boiled and then mangled to extract the juice. In the mid 1700s, it is understood the Dunhill family (who were involved in liquorice production) owned the Counting House. The Dunhill’s ran an apothecary where in 1760, their son, George Dunhill invented sweet liquorice. It is believed the Counting House would have been involved in early production of liquorice confectionary.

The Counting House is now on the market as a potential restaurant or bar.