Picture your perfect English pub, and think about the things it must have. A cosy fire… Locally sourced food and drinks… Welcoming to dogs, families, and walkers… a unique and warm interior with comfy seating? Well, those are certainly the things I’d pick, and you can find all of them at The Fleece Inn at Dolphinholme. Only seven miles outside of Lancaster, just up the road from Lancaster University, and nestled at the edge of the Trough of Bowland, The Fleece marks itself as welcome to everyone with its three pines at the gate (a symbol of a warm and auspicious hearth), inviting patrons and passers by to come on in and stay a while.
The Story of the Fleece
The pub at the crossroads nr. Dolphinholme has stood since the eighteenth century, when it was first built as a farm with a coaching inn attached, this was a way of creating a dual income stream for the occupants; the farm as one side, and the coaching inn for guests and passers through, being served hearty food and drink made next door!
The Fleece’s most famous landlady, Mary Pye, was a resident of the pub for most of the later half of the twentieth century, and it is rumoured by staff and guests that she has never left! As we’re coming into spooky season, what would a historic building be without a ghost story? During Mary’s time as landlady there was a piano in the bar area which was played regularly of an evening, and guests have occasionally reported – despite the piano being long gone – that they have heard piano music being played in the wee small hours when they’ve been staying in the guest rooms. As far as ghosts go, one playing the piano is about as benevolent as it comes!
The story of the pub, as it is now, begins about thirteen years ago, when it was purchased by its current owners and the transformation began. It was very important that any works were done in a sympathetic and careful manner, so as to preserve the atmosphere and history of the building. One of the ways in which this was done, despite it being a full top-to-bottom renovation, was to preserve all of the original stone flooring. Each of the flagstones was lifted one at a time, numbered and mapped, so that they could be repositioned exactly, therefore preserving the beautiful flooring of the original pub. Another thoughtful element of the decor are the wooden tables in the Mary Pye Room (yes, there’s a room off the bar named after the famous landlady); these tables are made from windfall sycamore that was found in Eskdale, just up the Furness peninsula. The fallen sycamore was discovered and transported to a local artisan via the la’al ratty train – the narrow gauge, steam powered train that runs for seven miles through the stunning Eskdale/Western Lakes countryside – where it was then transformed into the gorgeous solid wood table tops that are in the room today. It might not be noticed by every patron, but the fact that the even the tables are made from local wood, and transformed by a local craftsman, makes all the difference. There is a touch of care that comes with these decisions that imbues the whole atmosphere of the place.
Of course the inside of the pub is only part of the story, and in the warmer months there is a lovely outside eating area where guests can enjoy the peace of the Trough of Bowland countryside whilst enjoying their meal. When I wandered outside during my visit, I noticed that there were still some late-blooming climbing roses lazily making their way up the stone walls beside the seating. I can imagine in the summer when everything is out that the smell would be wonderful, and the colours of the garden would add to a lovely outdoor dining experience. There is also a small wooden “fort,” built by a local construction company, where children can play in the safety of the garden.
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Lunch Club
The Fleece is well known and well beloved by local residents. When I was there having lunch I got chatting to a group of local ladies who were in for their regular lunchtime get together. They all took part in the pub’s midweek Lunch Club – an offer where if you have lunch on a Wednesday or Thursday, you receive a stamp on a card for each lunch you enjoy. When you’ve got five stamps, you get a free lunch! And the best part is that Lunch Club isn’t reserved for certain menu items; the whole menu is eligible to be part of Lunch Club. So have what you like, enjoy your lunch, and the sixth one is on the house!
The pub is a well known local institution, and when talking to people around the area they all comment on how welcoming it is, and (for a dog lover like myself) it’s particularly great that they allow dogs in the bar and eating areas off the bar; it’s a country pub, and people come in after they’ve been for a long walk through the picturesque Trough of Bowland, with a worn out pup who just wants to curl up by the crackling fire.
Local Food & The Community Shop
As anyone who has been following along with The Northish Lass for a while, you’ll know that one of my biggest passions is keeping things local. Using local suppliers, local growers, and making sure that our food miles are as low as possible is really important; not only for sustainability reasons, but also to support local economies and our regional farms and growers. As such, wherever possible, the chef and kitchen team at The Fleece use local suppliers. The eggs used in the kitchen and sold in the community shop actually come from a farm only two fields away! Apparently, if you’re lucky, you might be able to get a box of “double-yolkers” which occasionally get delivered. These are snapped up pretty quickly, so you’ve got to be in the right place at the right time! Of course it’s not just eggs I’m talking about, the game is supplied by a local estate, the meat comes from Honeywells butchers (local to the Garstang area), and lots of the cheese comes from the local creameries of Dewlays and Mrs Kirkham’s. North Lancashire and South Cumbria have a wonderful homegrown food culture, and it’s brilliant to see local businesses making the most of the great flavours and tastes that we have right on our doorstep.
Aside from the food, what would a country pub be without an array of local beers? And not just local, the Fleece actually has it’s own in-house beer, made by a member of staff and their father, who are brewers as well! This particular brew is made by Avid beer based in the nearby village of Quernmore named The Fleece Blonde. Try a pint, for the truly local experience! Other beers are provided by Northern brewers such as Lancaster Brewery, and the Black Sheep Brewery (based in North Yorkshire).
Aside from the pub, there is also a Community Shop to be found in situ at The Fleece. This was set up by the pub after the village shop closed in the village of Dolphinholme. It was part of a campaign launched by the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, called the Pub is The Hub. The idea is that, as other rural services have closed, the pub could become a hub for the community. I think this is a great addition, because it means that locals can come and get their milk/eggs/bread/newspaper etc. without having to go all the way into Lancaster or Garstang. Alongside the usuals, there is also a fridge with local meat and game available, as well as shelf dedicated to goods by craftspeople from the area. A little different from most community shops, however, is the fine array of wine that you will also find here. I had a quick look, and in a space roughly 10×8, alongside the fine array of produce and goods, there was a supply of twenty-five different delicious wines to pair with whatever dinner you’re cooking up.
With everything you could want from a country pub on the doorstep to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, when will you be booking your table at The Fleece?
