Spital Farm is a newly-converted farm building which looks out onto the beautiful Vale of Pickering. Our modern facilities and shops are built on an area of fascinating history which dates back to Anglo-Saxon times.

The Spital Farm site first came about when an ancient monastery was demolished during the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII (between 1536 and 1541, when Henry VIII disbanded monastic communities in England, Wales and Ireland).

Our Grade II listed, sixteenth-century farmhouse, visible as you approach the site, was the original 'spital' (from the Hospital of St Mary, Staxton, which belonged to the priory of Bridlington), and the visitor centre is built on what remains of this old monastery.

A new enterprise set up with craft centres, Christmas village and tearooms; eventually there will also be a pub and restaurant. There is a bakery, grocers, ornaments, knitted baby clothes, bric a brac, a Christmas shop and also a lovely sweet shop selling homemade chocolate and fudge. The shops are set in a Victorian style street with animated figures that play out their lives to the smells and sights they would have experienced in the nineteenth-century. Our steps eventually led us to the tearoom.

The old fashioned tearoom had a beamed ceiling, and old fashioned fire place in the corner, with a small number of tables and chairs, lace table cloths lots of ornaments and brasses, old pictures and photos on the walls. There is also a courtyard with outside seating. The counter faces you as you walk in and has a lovely display of cakes and scones in a glass cabinet. Also around the counter are preserves and packets of biscuits for sale.

We found an empty table and on there was the menu that was not very extensive but consisted of hot and cold sandwiches £5.50-£3.95, soup and light snacks £1.25-£4.75, speciality sandwiches topside of roast beef or home roast ham on a special made large bread cake £5.95 each, hot and cold drinks 85p-£2.10. We opted for jacket potato with tuna mayonnaise and the special home roast ham and English mustard sandwich, both came served with coleslaw, side salad and a few crisps and were both delicious. To drink we had a pot of tea and a latte.

The staff were smartly dressed in black and white, very busy but still managed a friendly chat has the meal was served.

There is also a banqueting hall which can be hired for weddings and parties. Throughout the year there are special events including Hallowe'en and Christmas.

Overall something very different which has to be seen to be appreciated fully.

Overall opinion ****

Value for money ***