Many of my historical adventures are set in North Yorkshire, either around the bay town north of Whitby or inland to the moors.

Spout House is a fine example of a thatched, cruck-framed inn, which is open to the public and can be found in the grounds of The Sun Inn, Bilsdale in North Yorkshire. I stumbled across it after a trip to visit the beautiful Rievaulx Abbey.

“Look, Martha, look! Do you see it? A long building, a barn perhaps and it has a light within it.” Abigail felt a surge of excitement stir inside her. She could not allow her mind to dwell on her father’s predicament. Abigail had to be clear and decisive in her thinking. The best she could do for him was to deliver his message to his friend, the solicitor in York, and stay safe until she could return to her beloved home once more. “Perhaps the farmer who lives here would take us to the inn if I paid him for his trouble, Martha,” Abigail said enthusiastically, thinking about a warm fire, food and a softly upholstered chair.

“That’s it, lass.” Martha coughed and laughed. “That ‘barn’s’ The Cruck Inn.”

Abigail sensed a tone of sarcasm in Martha’s voice.

“We’ve made it before the coach. Hurry now, before…” Martha looked around her anxiously, “we catch our death of cold or somethin’ carries us off across that moor…” Martha shivered and looked even more nervously around her.

Abigail stared at the building again.  She was determined not to let her ignorance or naivety show again; she would learn. “I thought you were the worldly one, Martha? Come on before we catch a chill, there’s nothing more than that out here to catch, woman!”

Links:

• English Heritage: Rievaulx Abbey
• North Yorkshire Moors: Spout House