TEARDROP COTTAGE is over 300 years old,and was originally a working croft.

Before houses were built next door, the raised garden swept way past the Victorian stone viaduct and housed pig styes, vegetable plots,chicken sheds and a weighing machine used by the local fabric dye houses. A beautiful landscaped area overlooking the river Nidd. A secret stuffed fox is hidden somewhere in the cliffs that enclose the garden.

Knaresborough CastleIn 1946 the courtyard garden of today was home to a public WC for the original Teardrop café as well as a boiler house,green house and cold storage room. On the 17th of August of the same year the cottage was purchased by Frank and Gwendolyn Bramley for £1350.Their son Barrington (artist) was born there on the 28th of March 1950 and describes his childhood in Knaresborough as idyllic..the only stress free period of his life. Around the same time the Bramley home became a café,with the crying man logo being first used on the welcome signs….he depicts a waiter upset at customers not stopping for afternoon tea,cakes and ice cream..the latter served from the front 2 windows.

Mother Shiptons CaveIn 1961 the famous Jimmy Corrigan of Scarborough tried to buy the café for £2000…the sale fell through as planning permission was refused to build his trademark fairgrounds and amusement arcades in the garden. A similar situation some years later fell upon the magician Paul Daniels as he tried and failed to create a similar project on the other side of the river at Mother Shiptons cave. 1963 saw the café being sold for £4500 to Mrs Longley….a former secretary,she created a local pottery. It later reverted back to a café in 1968, called the Pickwick. Five years later Raymond Paul and Leo Campagna purchased the cottage and adjoining land for £28,000. A new building was developed linked to Teardrop and became De Marios, a fabulous Italian restaurant for around 16 years.

July 2011 saw the opening of Teardrop cottage luxury riverside B and B.

We are always delighted to try and help with what’s on locally, and fun and interesting things to do in the area.