River House Hotel
River House Hotel
River House Hotel is built around a very old original building dating from 1664 and has undergone several changes of name. The datestone above the back door shows
M H 1664 1879. The M H and 1879 were added to the original datestone when the Victorian frontage was built by Margaret Harrison. The two rear rooms which were obviously the original building, were large with stone flagged floors. Facing the front and looking towards the river, the kitchen and pantry walls were three feet thick and would have been the original front of the house. Both River House and Holme Farm next door, were built on a slope and had many different levels. Through the back door with the datestone was another stone flagged room with a shallow stone sink where there is also a round headed window in what appears to have been a kitchen.
In 1896, Henry Harrison the owner of the property, then called Aireview, made a will leaving his estate to his widow, Jane Harrison and his two sons John Harrison of Cromwell Cottage and Richard Harrison of Friars Garth. In 1911 they had to give up the right to the house to pay a debt to Mary Ann Hayhurst, wife of George, who made the property into an hotel to be known as Aireview Private Hotel. He was a blacksmith and used the large barn at the rear as a workplace. He also built the corrugated hut at the rear which was known as St. George’s Hall. This was used for village dances and later became a cafe and restaurant. Wedding receptions were also held in the hall including the reception of Willie Hudson and Mary Bolland in 1932. Many of the older ladies in Malham today, used to work as waitresses for George Hayhurst, including Mary Hudson (Bolland). At sometime during this period it changed its name again to the Airedale Private Hotel.
During the Second World War, a family called Wiseman with four or five children, changed the name to Sparth House and it became a private dwelling. In 1948 Bessie Smithson and her mother bought the house which once again was used for guests with three letting bedrooms at the front. The small dining room at the front was also a cafe and the hall was used for parties, receptions and meetings. The WI used to meet there. Ramblers and cyclists could also buy pots of tea to have with their own food at one shilling per person.
In 1966 Alan and Gillian Cooper, with three small children, bought the property, still using it as a guest house but needing to expand to keep a family of five. In 1970, the old barn, dating back to the 1600s, was converted into a private dwelling with four bedrooms, by Norman Eastwood, with the Coopers as labourers. In 1974/5 St. George’s Hall was re-built making the house and hall on one level and creating five new bedrooms with bathrooms above. A group of Morris Dancers used the Hall every year for forty years on Whit Saturday. On Whit Saturday, June 2nd, 1975 the Coopers had 96 for tea and it snowed! This preceded one of the hottest summers on record. In February 1987 the property was sold to David and Lesley Oates and their three children. They converted the front dining room into a disabled bedroom and created some en-suite facilities. They did not cater for parties. The property was sold again in 1998 and was re-named the River House Hotel.
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