The well kept village greens and gardens are really beautiful and inspiring with masses of daffodils, other bulbs and blossom, followed by rhododendrons, then a wealth of colour in summer, and the autumn tints are truly spectacular.Rookes Hall, a fine old mansion, is situated near the Whitehall Road leading from Halifax to Leeds by the A58 or M62. It is noted as being the residence of Henry de Rookes in 1272. As you explore further into Village Street “The Old White Beare Inn” is a quaint old building. The name “White Beare” is derived from a ship which formed one of the English fleet to fight against the Spanish Armada in 1588. The Inn was built in 1646 and retains much of the original character. Food is available all day it is a popular venue for many visitors.
Originally a farmhouse on the packhorse track between Leeds and Halifax, this handsome 14th century whitewashed pub in leafy Norwood Green was rebuilt following a fire in 1593 using timbers from the eponymous Elizabethan galleon, one of the ‘Great Ships’ in the Queen’s fleet.
Fast forward a few hundred years and the comfort quotient has improved considerably! There’s loads of room to sit outside – a stone yard at the front, a graveled area at one side – both sun traps – and coming soon, a huge decked area overlooking the fields.
Inside, flagged floors, glowing oak settles and the aforementioned ancient intricately carved wood paneling at the bar – it’s really quite stunning. Another attractive feature of this atmospheric pub is the snug, with its high, curved wooden seating, oak tables, cribbage boards and roaring fire.
There’s a slightly more formal beamed dining room bedecked with nautical ephemera as befits the inn’s history; elsewhere, gleaming copperware and hundreds of old photos on uneven walls. Service is unfailingly genial.