A long history…
The White Swan Thornton-le-Clay had been at the heart of village life in this rural Ryedale village for over 200 years. The early C18th pub once kept a singular cow, which allegedly supplied many villagers with milk. There were apparently two other smaller pubs of some description but the White Swan was the real village pub.
Notably it was visited by Rudyard Kipling in the late C19th, who regularly spent holidays with his two aunts, who lived in a cottage around the corner.
With extensive gardens and land to the rear, it once had a duck pond, herb and heather garden and a couple of donkeys were kept. The pub enjoyed an excellent reputation in recent years for being family and purse-friendly, and serving freshly prepared, locally sourced home-cooked, seasonal dishes, complemented by a large range of drinks, including cask ales and good wines. Customers could also enjoy a drink at the bar or in the large garden, although the dining area was increased to service the growing demand for dining out in pubs during the 1990’s. As well as its primary role, the pub also played a pivotal role as a community hub, hosting events including charity fund raisers, regular coffee mornings enjoyed by village residents and friends; the whole range of family celebrations marking the passing of time for local families.
Both previous tenants have very fond memories of the pub and to quote Julie Long “We ran The White Swan as a successful business for over 6 years employing over 10 members of staff, two of which were full time. Our other Swan team members were local to villages surrounding us”, and long-time former owner, Sue Pilgrim commented of her tenure “It has been a great business and a lovely home in a vibrant and welcoming village”.