Sharrow Bay Country House
Encyclopedia
Sharrow Bay Country House is a restaurant located in Ullswater
/ Pooley Bridge
, Cumbria, England. , the restaurant holds one star in the Michelin Guide
.
with 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of grounds and formal gardens dating back to 1840. It was purchased by Francis Coulson.
With the help of friends he opened in the spring of 1948 with four bedrooms, and coined the phrase ‘country house hotel’ for the first time.
During 1952 Francis was joined by Brian Sack, and the two of them ran the hotel for the rest of their lives.
It is reputedly the place where Sticky toffee pudding
was invented in 1960.
Since 1967, Sharrow Bay has enjoyed membership of the French-inspired Relais & Chateaux
Association of small hotels, personally supervised by their owners.
Since 2003 it has been part of the Von Essen Hotels group owned by Andrew Davis (businessman)
.
He was born into a Quaker family, the son of a draper in Bedford. He attended Bedford Modern School
.
During the Second World War he was a conscientous objector and produced 300 meals a day for Toc H
.
In 1948 with help from his father he bought Sharrow Bay. He took lessons in pastry-making from Renee Atkinson. He revelled in making difficult croissants and brioches as well as scones and cakes. One of his proudest dishes was a dessert named La Stupenda Bavarois, dedicated to the opera singer Dame Joan Sutherland
.
With his partner Brian Sack, he created the first Country House Hotel. Sharrow Bay was Egon Ronay Guide's Hotel of the Year in 1974, and Restaurant of the Year in 1980.
He was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire
in 1994.
between 1942 and 1945. After the war he qualified as a chartered surveyor, and was employed by the Ministry of Works.
Later he trained at the Node Hotel with Wendy Courtenay and in 1952 he was introduced to Francis Coulson, and moved to the Sharrow Bay.
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire
in 1994 in recognition of the charitable events held at the hotel.
Ullswater
Ullswater is the second largest lake in the English Lake District, being approximately nine miles long and 0.75 miles wide with a maximum depth of slightly more than ....
/ Pooley Bridge
Pooley Bridge
Pooley Bridge is a village in the Eden District of the northwestern English county of Cumbria, within the traditional borders of Westmorland....
, Cumbria, England. , the restaurant holds one star in the Michelin Guide
Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
.
History
In 1948, the Manchester Guardian newspaper carried an advertisement for a mansion on the edge of UllswaterUllswater
Ullswater is the second largest lake in the English Lake District, being approximately nine miles long and 0.75 miles wide with a maximum depth of slightly more than ....
with 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of grounds and formal gardens dating back to 1840. It was purchased by Francis Coulson.
With the help of friends he opened in the spring of 1948 with four bedrooms, and coined the phrase ‘country house hotel’ for the first time.
During 1952 Francis was joined by Brian Sack, and the two of them ran the hotel for the rest of their lives.
It is reputedly the place where Sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding is a British steamed dessert consisting of a very moist sponge cake, made with finely chopped dates or prunes, covered in a toffee sauce and often served with a vanilla custard or vanilla ice-cream...
was invented in 1960.
Since 1967, Sharrow Bay has enjoyed membership of the French-inspired Relais & Chateaux
Relais & Chateaux
Relais & Châteaux is a global fellowship of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants. Although the total number or members changes as members are added and others drop away, the group currently has some 500 members in 60 countries on five continents. Strongly represented in...
Association of small hotels, personally supervised by their owners.
Since 2003 it has been part of the Von Essen Hotels group owned by Andrew Davis (businessman)
Andrew Davis (businessman)
Andrew Davis is a British former businessman who founded the von Essen Group, which includes von Essen Hotels, PremiAir and the London Heliport.- Early life and career :...
.
Francis Coulson
Francis Coulson was born in Bedford on 6 June 1919 and died in Ullswater, Cumbria on 20 February 1998.He was born into a Quaker family, the son of a draper in Bedford. He attended Bedford Modern School
Bedford Modern School
Bedford Modern School is a British co-educational independent school in the Harpur area of Bedford, in the county of Bedfordshire, in England.Bedford Modern comprises a junior school and a senior school...
.
During the Second World War he was a conscientous objector and produced 300 meals a day for Toc H
Toc H
Toc H is an international Christian movement. The name is an abbreviation for Talbot House, 'Toc' signifying the letter T in the signals spelling alphabet used by the British Army in World War I. A soldiers' rest and recreation centre named Talbot House was founded in December 1915 at Poperinghe,...
.
In 1948 with help from his father he bought Sharrow Bay. He took lessons in pastry-making from Renee Atkinson. He revelled in making difficult croissants and brioches as well as scones and cakes. One of his proudest dishes was a dessert named La Stupenda Bavarois, dedicated to the opera singer Dame Joan Sutherland
Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Alston Sutherland, OM, AC, DBE was an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the renaissance of the bel canto repertoire from the late 1950s through to the 1980s....
.
With his partner Brian Sack, he created the first Country House Hotel. Sharrow Bay was Egon Ronay Guide's Hotel of the Year in 1974, and Restaurant of the Year in 1980.
He was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1994.
Brian Sack
Brian George Sack was born in London on 29 January 1923 and died in 2002. He served in the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
between 1942 and 1945. After the war he qualified as a chartered surveyor, and was employed by the Ministry of Works.
Later he trained at the Node Hotel with Wendy Courtenay and in 1952 he was introduced to Francis Coulson, and moved to the Sharrow Bay.
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1994 in recognition of the charitable events held at the hotel.