Masons Arms

The Masons Arms is a late 18th century inn, situated on a bend of the Turnpike Road. It is a rectangular building comprising a ground floor firehouse and a side room, each with separate external entrances. A staircase is located at the rear.

The inn is constructed of local rubble stone, mostly rendered, with roofs of Westmorland slate laid in diminishing courses. The south elevation has three bays and two storeys, with chimneys to each gable and a third set off-centre on the right end. An entrance is located at the left end leading to the firehouse, and at the right end leading to the side room; both entrances feature six-panelled doors within stone surrounds and corbelled stone canopies. The upper floor has three original sash windows with six panes per sash, set in original moulded surrounds. The centre ground floor window is a 20th century replacement. The right gable has a pair of six-over-six sash windows to the first floor, and a pair of framed windows with top vents to the ground floor. A Victorian red letter box is set into the ground floor of the gable. A narrow gabled block attached to the right, also rendered, is likely a later addition.

Inside, the main room, or firehouse, retains a fireplace with a pot crane and flanking alcoves. The original joinery remains, including exposed ceiling beams running from front to back, joists for the first floor, and wooden window and door lintels. The bar counter is not original, but it occupies the original position, as indicated by surrounding original joinery and two original serving areas supported on wooden beams with substantial lintels. A four-panelled door leads from the firehouse into the side room, which features a floorboard floor, exposed ceiling beams and joists, and fixed seating with panelled backs of early character. A third room to the rear of the firehouse has exposed beams and rafters, an inserted range, and a simple closed-well staircase leading to the first floor. A plank and batten door provides access to a corridor within the former stable block, showcasing original timber ceiling beams and a substantial timber lintel. A fourth room, originally adjacent to the side room, has been converted into a kitchen. The first floor has been refurbished, with a manager's apartment occupying the western half and four other rooms now used as dining rooms. These dining rooms retain some six-panel doors, floorboard floors, and fireplaces, one with a simple wooden surround and the other with a metal grate. Although some first floor door openings have been inserted, the original room layout remains.