Standing
high and solitary on the old Roman Road
between Buxton and Ashbourne, "The Bull i' th' Thorn"
has for more than 500 years been a welcome resting
place for travellers by horse or stage-coach.
Today it still offers a friendly olde worlde atmosphere
and the best of food and drink.
Many
centuries ago the Roman Road from Little Chester to
Buxton was known as "The Street".Running through the uplands
near Hurdlow and Pomeroy, it is now the A515.
Nearly
700 years ago there was a farmhouse alongside the
Roman Road and marked on the maps of the time. In 1472 it
became a hostelry called "The Bull".
In 1654
the name changed to "Hurdlow House" and various old
documents make reference to "Hurdlow Thorn". Evidently the
name "Bull i' th' Thorn" is derived from a combination of
these past associations.
During
the 18th and 19th Centuries this was a prominent
Coaching Inn on the Derby to Manchester route. Possibly
on the same itinery as "The Red Lion" at Leek.
Inside
" The Bull i' th' Thorn" Tudor panelling, bearing
carvings of 1642 and 1742, and the stone flagged floor show
the genuine antiquity of this charming old Inn.
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Today
the Inn offers a wide range of facilities.
Morning coffee, Bar snacks and lunches are served daily,
while a large function room is available for events of all kinds,
including 18th and 21st Bithday Parties, Wedding Receptions and
Christmas Parties.