A storied hotel where history meets distinctive hospitality

The Golden Fleece in Thirsk, a place steeped in history, and all the better for it. Sitting proudly on the market square, it’s one of those grand old coaching inns that has seen centuries pass by its sash windows and stone doorstep. Records trace it back to at least the 1500s, when Thirsk itself was a vital market town, a crossroads for traders, travellers, and all manner of folk with stories to tell and boots to rest.

In those early days, the Golden Fleece served as a haven for coachmen and passengers alike. Imagine the clatter of hooves, the creak of carriage wheels, and the warm glow of the inn after a cold journey across the moors. Inside, ale would have flowed freely, gossip passed from table to table, and deals struck by firelight. It became not just a place to stay, but a place to be,  a hub of local life much like it is today.

Notably, the Rutland Arms is linked to the creation of the famous Bakewell Pudding. Around 1860, a cook’s serendipitous mistake led to the invention of this delightful dessert, now synonymous with the town.

The inn’s name the Golden Fleece, evokes the romance of ancient legend and the trade of wool that once fuelled the region’s economy. It’s said the inn even has its share of ghost stories and secrets, whispered through generations. Over time, the Fleece has evolved, though the bones of the old place remain. Today, polished wood, Georgian façades and the gentle slope of worn flagstones hint at lives once lived and journeys once made.

It still watches over the square, as it has for hundreds of years, welcoming guests with that same sense of warmth and wonder. A fine stop for any curious traveller, whether you come for the history, the ale, or simply to feel the hum of a building that remembers.