History
HISTORY OF CHEWS COTTAGE
HISTORY
We only provide some brief details of this history of Chews Cottage here, more comprehensive information can be found in a folder in each of the Appartements. Many thanks to David Godden for providing many of the details relating to the history of Chews Cottage.
The earliest map found to date (-do you know of an earlier one?) 1827 clearly shows Chews Cottage on the map. Chew Cottage is mentioned in the the document detailing the liquidation of Metcalfe and sons in 1909. “All those three cottages , stable and coach house and waggon house with the chambers over known as Chews buildings and situate in Old Church lane in Pateley Bridge and in the occupation of William Harrison, William Ingleby “.
1 Chews Cottage now encompasses what would have been the stable and coach house mentioned above. The coach house been used for the Brewery dray (coach) and dray horses.
2 Chews Cottage was used as the barn to store the hay which was passed through a hatch in the floor. The old ladder used to climb into the barn is in 1 Chews Cottage.
3 Chews Cottage would have probably been the living area during this period.
A stone in the wall at the front of Chews Cottage is dated 1853 but there is good evidence that the building is much older than this and the date may refer to refacing of the building with stone by Metcalfe’s Brewery.
According to the earliest deeds available the property was formerly the estate of Jane Chew born 1759 the widow of John Chew. John Chew was a shoemaker who lived previously in Middleham and later in Otley. There most notable son Walter Chew is recorded in Baines directory of 1822 as a watch and clock maker in Pateley Bridge.
Metcalfes Brewery was founded in 1777 and acquired Chew’s buildings in the early part of the 19th century from the estate of Jane Chew. The brewery occupied a site at the top of the High St where the High Street meets the Ripon Road down as far as the premises now occupied by the Pateley Club. Photographs from the sixties show an impressive building with a tall chimney constructed in 1867. Once aquired by Metcalfes Brewery, Chews Cottage became the location for the brewery dray and dray horses.
Some time in the 1960s the old cottages between Chew’s
Buildings and the present site of Barclay’s Bank were
demolished and replaced with a garden and a small car park. Later, in the 1970s further demolition took place at the other end of the building removing the old lock up to make way for the access road to the telephone exchange.