Public Houses - New Inn (White Hart)

The White Hart, Penistone
This hostelry near Penistone Bridge (River Don) is the oldest public house in the district, dating back centuries. It was called the White Hart from 1377, the year when King Richard II took the throne, aged only nine years old. His heraldic symbol was the white hart (deer). It will be no surprise that it is reputed to have a ghost.

Its location on a main route by the bridge would have made it a popular place right throughout antiquity. By the way, Penistone Bridge would have been a narrow wooden bridge centuries ago but would be improved over the years, most notably in 1915 when it was widened by the West Riding County Council. It had been an important feature of our town for centuries and gives rise to the local name of that part of Penistone as Bridge End (please, not 'Bridgend' as in London). It was the end-point destination for Mortimer's famous road to Derbyshire.

The White Hart was the emblem King Richard II (r. 1377-1399) and there have been many public houses adorned with this name and emblem throughout the land.

The New Tavern for a Spell
Around 1981, new people took over and it was given the much-unliked name of 'The New Tavern' for a time. Some people were so annoyed by the new name and its break with four hundred years of tradition that they refused to drink there. Little of note can be said of that period. In fact there appears to be no real information about who ran it.

Soon it would be rescued from boringness when Frank 'Sam' Thacker moved in and put things right in 1996. The first thing he did was to change the name back to the White Hart, to great approval, and he restored its popularity. Someone had made a very good model of the pub and it was given pride of place above the great fireplace, as shown here.

Sam was a local lad and a landlord of great character and humour, unafraid of controversy and always with good stories to tell. He had a sharp tongue and an abundance of opinions but was good at heart and would help anyone who needed it. He lived above the business on the first floor. He put a great deal of work and muscle into renovating the pub and built the business up to make it a very popular place. Sam's health was a problem and for a while he brought in a couple from Geordieland to manage it.

This was a warm and comfortable pub with a ready welcome for visitors, although the language could at times turn a little blue. Various activities occurred here; pool games, karaoke, darts, quiz nights and occasional live entertainments. A bit like 'Phoenix Nights' on TV in its atmosphere. The pub had a good range of drinks and always a lively clientele. In cold weather a roaring fire would greet the visitor but that visitor might also have to fill the coke buckets from a shed out in the yard. Sometimes the customers had to pull their own pints to save Sam getting up from his roost by the big open fire. It has been said that he had a gallon tankard behind the bar but in later times his doctor put him off drinking alcohol.

Sunday dinnertimes were always very laid-back with plenty to talk about and old Harry (a Sunday regular) would bring his wit and wisdom to the occasion. Some of the stories were very spicy. This was the place to find out what had been happening in Penistone. Those days are gone now and Sam won't be seen out and about in his vintage Rolls-Royce any more. Unfortunately Sam died at home (behind the current premises) in April 2011, at 63 years old. This man of great character will be missed around Penistone.

The White Heart
Around 2005 new people took over and turned in it into a foodie gastro-pub. They renamed it the 'White Heart' as a compromise name to its long history. The new name was close enough to the original. A major refurbishment transformed it with a 'wow factor' to anyone who knew it before.

First impressions were: spacious, light, modern, tidy, warm, clean, friendly and inviting. Nothing negative but the real ale didn't arrive for a couple of years. Now you can enjoy a pint of Black Sheep or Theakstons, so that box too has also been ticked. An ambience of gentle background music does not overpower the general murmur of conversation.

With the addition of the 'Talbot Suite' building in 2009 they were able to host functions, wedding parties and such as 'Wedding Fayres'. They also introduced various entertainment nights. 'Friday Night is Music Night' is when the DJ plays 'A Blast From The Past'. Mostly 60's, 70's & 80's music. From time to time they have live bands and themed food events. Thurlstone Brass Band comes along each summer for an open-air concert afternoon.

The pub has chunky wooden tables, plasma tvs, leather settees (I'm not posh enough to call them sofas) and comfy chairs, with a ceramic tiled floor by the bar with tiny blue lights. The quality of fixtures and fittings is very good and even the fireplaces are illuminated. The arched window, mezzanine and stairs (with an attractive spiral of little lights) are features new to the building. The stairs lead up to a dining area with another dining area underneath. The menu includes vegetarian, although the pricing policy for some meals is a bit quirky by charging for component parts of the meal. There is a high-class dining menu and a light-bite menu.

A general theme of blue lights pops up here and there and, from the outside, the place looks glorious at night with its pool of pale lighting. There is wide CCTV coverage outside and inside, including the Gent's toilet - with a wide-angle lens. Why not?

The top row of pictures starts upstairs, with the mezzanine floor, then down into the lower dining room (where a pool table used to be). First of the bottom row pictures looks through the main bar area into the lower dining room, then we have the bar and a side area. The bottom-right picture looks from the dining room into the main bar area. These pictures were taken just days after opening, with the permission of all concerned.

The staff are friendly and efficient, always with a ready smile. Apart from light snacks, I have never had a full meal there. The menu was always a bit exotic for me but there has always been a variety of vegetarian options and light bites to choose from.

The large car park is accessed through a rising barrier and it has CCTV cameras. There is a walled off area at the bottom of the car park as a beer garden (and sun-trap). On the other side of the pub, a small garden centre is accessed through a large gate. A pleasant lass from High Green helps you select from a range of potted plants and garden stuff at affordable prices.

Website: www.thewhiteheart.co.uk (photo gallery pictures are large downloads). Telephone: 01226 762843

The New Inn, 2021
The White Heart was closed during most of 2020 and 2021 as it underwent an extensive refurbishment to the building lasting more than a year. This was during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic which would limit what could be done and how quickly it could be done. Penistone's oldest public house re-opened very quietly as the New Inn in June 2021, at first for outdoor custom then from 3rd August 2021 it was back in business for beers and sit-down meals for walk-in customers.

Still in its early days (as of October 2021), it is being established as an up-market gastro-pub. More to come ...

Aerial Views
Aerial views of the White Hart (1962 and 2002) can be found on an 'old pictures' page. See also the Old Inns page.