A celebration to mark 200 years of local history, hosted by Lynn and Richard Mason together with Lorraine and Michael Ormerod, saw friends and neighbours gathered in fine period dress as a tribute to a building that has witnessed two centuries of change.
The old Lodge Inn at Rakewood is a reminder of a time when visitors to Hollingworth Lake would have passed through its doors for rest, refreshment and hospitality.
Opened in 1826, the Lodge Inn served the growing leisure trade that flourished around Hollingworth Lake during the nineteenth century.
The lake began life as a canal reservoir before evolving into a popular recreational destination, drawing visitors to its shores. In that setting, the Lodge Inn was more than a public house; it was part of the social fabric of a thriving waterside community.
The building closed as a pub in 1917 and was later converted into two private homes, though its former identity can still be seen within the fabric of the building.
What made the celebration especially striking was its sense of continuity. Historic buildings are at their most meaningful when they remain part of living memory, and the Lodge Inn clearly still holds a valued place in the local story. For one day, the past was not simply remembered but revived.
