MORE SAM SMITHS ANNOYANCE NEAR NOSTELL PRIORY

June 2025. Nostell. Wakefield.

A (short) break from pubs as we attempt to get full value from our annual National Trust membership, our first in a decade.

Nostell is 45 minutes north into industrial West Yorkshire, though you wouldn’t know in this bucolic bit betwixt Wakefield and Pontefract.

Last time here must have been out of season as all I recall is that parkland, the gardens,

and some French toast with stewed apples that remains in my Top 100 meals (no. 544).

Today we get to go in the actual house, best known as the Winn family home and a classic example of financial overstretch by folk wanting to get one up on the neighbours.

I’m asked if I’ve been before and obviously say “Yes” to avoid a bombardment of detail. Mrs RM forgets to lie and regrets it immediately.

Look, I am NOT a fan of stately homes,

but this is impressive and also a good example of a changing approach in National Trust properties,

a lighter touch, fewer interpretive panels,

and a smaller chance of being accosted by a volunteer and given names and dates you don’t care about. It’s like being accosted by a CAMRA member reminiscing about “when beer was good“.

The lack of National Trust volunteers (again mirroring CAMRA) accounts for a 3:30pm last entry, and I contemplate a pint in an area not renowned for GBG entries (the ones in red below).

Just west of Nostell in New Crofton there’s, joy of joys, a Sam Smiths pub re-opened a year ago. Sir Humphrey carries out a similar role to the National Trust, preserving pub heritage for the nation, just with Bitter rather than cream teas.

Let’s just check Google first…

Oh dear. Well, let’s just hope it wasn’t Jimmy’s interior photos that triggered that closure.x

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

5 thoughts on “MORE SAM SMITHS ANNOYANCE NEAR NOSTELL PRIORY”

  1. The National Trust used to have a “no photography” rule.
    That’s probably where Humphrey got the idea.
    The National Trust also don’t like singing or swearing.

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      1. Rhys,
        I’ve not taken a photograph for decades and my singing or swearing occurs about once every Preston Guild, so you won’t be surprised that the answer is “no”.

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  2. Unless Mrs RM has opted for paperless, NT members get an annual handbook through the post, split into counties with almost identical GBG maps begging to be coloured in. Made use of our card for free parking and had a nice scone at Stackpole Quay, Pembrokeshire on Friday as the kids were off school.

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