Although there were earlier buildings on the site of Whitehough Old Hall the present structure dates back to Elizabethan times and is a good specimen of the sixteenth century architecture as a yeoman dwelling.
For several hundred years it was associated with the Kyrke family. Noted members of the family were David Kyrke who was knighted in 1631, and his sister Mary who was maid of honour to Queen Catherine, wife of Charles II. George Kirk was groom to the Royal Bedchamber of Charles I, and was in attendance when the King was beheaded in 1649. A fuller history has been published elsewhere, in local and national newspapers and in specialist journals.
Structurally attached to the west side of Whitehough Old Hall is the Old Hall Inn which, in earlier days, was known as The Red Cow Inn. It had always been a separate dwelling from the hall.
Having been licensed for some 400 years, the Red Cow Inn has been the witness of many changes. Since the early days of the sawdust-covered, stone flag floors, when there were hard benches, spittoons and the beer was served in mugs, with horses tied up outside and perhaps a hansom or phaeton cab awaiting the exit of travellers, there have been tremendous alterations and improvements of conditions.
In 1926, when Mr J. Peatfield became the owner of Whitehough Old Hall and The Red Cow, it was his intention to turn the entire premises into a combined hotel; the name of the inn was changed to Old Hall Hotel. The licensing authorities would not allow the joining of the two premises and so they remained separated. Various proprietors occupied the inn after Mr. Peatfield left but, as time went on, the licensing authorities relented and the two buildings became one.
