The Masons Arms (aka Skinners Arms)

The Skinners Arms was on this site, probably serving some of the workers at the Skinners plant which was then in operation on the site of Ackroyds mill which is about 1/4 mile away on the riverside.

In 1840 George Freeman, stonemason, and innkeeper, purchased three adjoining properties from Samuel Robinson for the sum of £195. At the date of his purchase the property consisted of two dwellinghouses and an adjacent cottage. The two dwellinghouses were occupied by Christopher Cooper and James Murphy.

Prior to their occupation the property had been used as an Inn and known by the sign of The Skinners Arms and occupied by William Briggs and then John Laybourn.

Prior to its use as an Inn the property was two dwellinghouses and tenanted by John Nicholson and William Thompson. The adjacent cottage was occupied by William Laughey but previous tenants were James Gill, Matthew Pawson and thereafter Fanny Pawson. Therefore, prior to George Freeman’s purchase, the property had been two dwellinghouses, then an Inn, and then converted back into two dwellinghouses again. However, their use was to change again as George Freeman demolished the two existing dwellinghouses and in their place erected one dwellinghouse (adjacent the cottage) which he used as a Beershop. Only nine years after his purchase George Freeman died and under his will all the property went to his sons.

Herbert Dodgson became Landlord in 1971 and the Inn closed on his retirement in 1981.

The building has Grade II listed status as of 8th July 1974:
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101135227-the-masons-piper-lane-otley

The Masons became a private dwellinghouse and still remains so in 2012.

The bracket of the old pub sign and cellar flaps still remain.