A History of Moorlands Hotel
Moorlands has been offering guests a Christian welcome since 1955, when it opened as Methodist Guide Holiday’s newest hotel.
The Yorkshire house with the Yorkshire welcome
Moorlands, or Monk’s Haven as it was originally called, was built as a family hotel in 1933. Whitby born brothers Jack and George Breckon built the hotel for their sister, Mabel, and her husband Harry Davinson who were the first proprietors.
Mabel was a shrewd businesswoman and a clever organiser. She was in charge most of the time while Harry, a ship’s steward, was at sea. Harry’s maritime connections were taken into account when the hotel was designed with oak lined ship-like corridors and cabin-like bedrooms. The wonderful sea views to be had from the house enhance this nautical feeling.
A brochure dating from 1937 gives the price of a week’s holiday here as being between 3 and 7 guineas, with hot and cold running water in all bedrooms, staple beds and central heating. During the 2nd World War the army commandeered ‘Monk’s Haven’ as an officers’ HQ. Ian Carmichael, the actor, was billeted here in 1942.
Harry Davinson died in 1945 and Mabel ran the hotel on her own for ten years until 1955 when she sold the hotel and its contents to Methodist Guild Holidays for the sum of £12,000. Mabel continued to live in Whitby during her retirement and died in 1979 at the age of 89.
When Methodist Guild Holidays bought the hotel, the name was changed to Moorlands as there was already a Christian hotel called Monk’s Haven in Cullercoates. Moorlands was officially opened on Saturday 7th May 1955 by Mrs Alfred Green of Embsay. The service of dedication was conducted by the Chairman of the York & Whitby Methodist district, Rev Arthur Whitbread.
The first Management team in the 'Guild 50 years history' from 1955 was Mr and Mrs C Bell and their Assistant Miss M Tyler. During their stay at Moorlands the house was extended to accommodate 78 guests.
The management teams from then have been Miss Ingle to 1961, Miss Brown to 1989, Val Smith and Sylvia Bradford who together formed a vibrant partnership until retiring in 1998, John and Kathryn Key to August 1999, Linda Atkinson to 2004 and Geoffrey Bennett until 2005.
John and Kathryn Key returned to Management in October 2005 and continue the welcome to all hotel, holiday and conference guests. The business has been extended in this time to include day guests, group meals bookings, youth group weekends and all family occasion events.