A lovely, old, country inn with no strings attached

In another in a series of pieces looking at walkers’ pubs, author Mark Reid pays a visit to the North York Moors.

Lastingham shelters beneath the steep wooded scarp of the Tabular Hills on the southern fringe of the North York Moors, a final oasis of sylvan beauty before a vast swathe of heather moorland sweeps northwards.

It is a beautiful village complete with a trickling stream, immaculate cottages and small green. Dotted around are three holy wells dedicated to St Cedd, St Chad and St Ovin, in remembrance of the monks who settled here in the 7th Century.

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It is hard to believe that the Venerable Bede once noted that “Cedd chose a site for the monastery among some high remote hills, which seemed more suitable for the dens of robbers and haunts of wild beasts than for human habitation”.

St Mary’s Church dominates the village, one of the earliest Christian sites in England for it was here in 654AD that St Cedd, a monk from Lindisfarne, established his Celtic monastery. Destroyed by Vikings in the 10th Century, the monastery lay in ruins until the Norman Conquest. In 1078 Stephen, Abbot of Whitby, was granted permission by William the Conqueror to restore it. A beautiful crypt was constructed as a shrine to St Cedd, above which work began on the church itself; however, construction was stopped in 1088 and the monks moved to St Mary’s Abbey at York. The abandoned abbey was consolidated in the 13th Century to form the parish church we see today; however, the crypt remains completely unaltered since the days of William the Conqueror. It is an immensely spiritual place.

Just across the road from the church is the Blacksmiths Arms, a lovely, old, country inn that once had an interesting landlady! Back in the 18th Century it was commonplace for absentee vicars to appoint a curate to look after their parish. Reverend Jeremiah Carter was one such curate who was paid an annual stipend of a piffling £20 with which he had to support his wife and 13 children and so, to make ends meet, his wife ran the pub. To encourage people to attend the Sunday services, Jeremiah would play his fiddle at the pub. However, the Archdeacon heard about this and chastised Jeremiah, who pointed out that many of the parishioners had to travel long distances and would therefore seek refreshment at the pub before heading home. To keep them away from too much drink and gossip he would entertain them by playing his fiddle: “My parishioners enjoy a triple advantage, being instructed, fed and amused all at the same time. Moreover, this method of spending their Sunday is so congenial with their inclinations, that they are imperceptibly led along the paths of piety and morality…” Jeremiah heard no more.

I reached the Blacksmiths Arms after a short, but very hot, walk from nearby Hutton-le-Hole. This is no ordinary pub; it oozes character. The small bar has just four tables, is dominated by a magnificent cast-iron range and hanging from the beams are dozens of pewter tankards. I ordered a pint of Wold Top Diamond Jubilee (£3) and had a nosy around the other rooms – a small lounge, dining area, snug and restaurant, whilst out the back is a large beer garden.

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I settled back and thought of those monks who settled here 1,358 years ago, and wondered how they must have felt to be so fearful of robbers and wild beasts, and how everything felt just right now. I wondered what tunes the curate would play on his fiddle, and I imagined him dancing around the bar keeping the customers entertained. And then I noticed a sign for the monthly Sunday afternoon Jamming Session and wondered whether Peter, the friendly landlord, plays the violin.

BLACKSMITHS ARMS FACT FILE

Address: Blacksmiths Arms, Lastingham, Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, YO62 6TN. Contact: 01751 417247.

Opening Hours: Pub open all day, every day. Food served lunchtime and evening, except Sunday evening.

Food: Extensive menu that includes Lamb and Mint Pie (£10.50), Yorkshire Hotpot (£10.50) and Jumbo Crispy Cod (£10.50).

Real Ales: Draught beers include Theakston’s Best Bitter, plus two guest ales.

Walkers welcome; dogs in the beer garden.

Accommodation: Three double rooms, from £75 per room bed & breakfast