Shard Riverside Inn

Shard Riverside Inn
The building in 2020
Map
Former namesShard House
Shard Bridge Inn
The Shard Inn
Alternative namesThe Shard
General information
TypePublic house
AddressOld Bridge Lane
Town or cityHambleton, Lancashire
CountryEngland
Coordinates53°51′47″N 2°57′32″W / 53.86299580°N 2.958874055°W / 53.86299580; -2.958874055
Completed1766 (258 years ago) (1766)
Other information
Number of rooms23
Parkingon-site
Website
www.shardriversideinn.co.uk

Shard Riverside Inn is a public house and boutique hotel in the English village of Hambleton, Lancashire. Dating to 1766,[1] it stands on the northern banks of the River Wyre, about 600 feet (180 m) east of Shard Bridge, for which it is named. The bridge used to be immediately to the west of the building, but a new structure (the third overall) was built in 1993, a few yards downstream, and its predecessor demolished.[2] The building's address, Old Bridge Lane, references this.

History

In the early 19th century, the building was a ferryman's cottage known as Shard House.[3] The slipway for the ferry still exists in front of the property.[4]

Around fifty years later, in Victorian times, Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty, often visited her relatives who lived at the property.[4][5][6]

The property was put up for sale in April 2021, with an asking price of £2.6 million. Its owners had run the business since 2004.[7]

Gravestone

In front of the property, on the leeward side of the sea wall, is the gravestone of Norman Henshaw, then resident of the property, who drowned in the river on 14 August 1908, aged 25, after rescuing his dog, Jack. The dog survived, and lived another six years. Henshaw is not mentioned on the gravestone.[4]

References

  1. ^ SHARD HOTEL AND JETTY, POULTON LE FYLDE, NEAR BLACKPOOL. EARLY 20TH C REAL PHOTO – Worthpoint.com
  2. ^ The 1988 New Shard Bridge scheme, page 1Lancashire County Council
  3. ^ History, Topography and Directory of Lancaster and District, J. Bulmer (1913)
  4. ^ a b c Walk Through Time – Shard Riverside Inn website
  5. ^ Lancashire Villages, Jessica Lofthouse (1973) ISBN 9780709141655
  6. ^ The Victoria History of the County of Lancaster, Volume 7 (1966)
  7. ^ "Highly profitable riverside hotel near Blackpool on market for £2.6m" – LancsLive, 30 April 2021