THE Falcon Inn at Arncliffe is part of the area's heritage.

And its role has been recognised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), which has included it the new edition of Yorkshire’s Real Heritage Pubs.

The pub has been owned by the Miller family, of Arncliffe, for about 300 years, with Robin and Elspeth Miller relinquishing the licence about two years ago.

Under their ownership, the pub remained unchanged, with no significant alterations being carried out since the 1950s. It is described as a truly old-fashioned inn, untouched by modern gimmickry.

A local CAMRA spokesman said: "It is the fact that it remains much as it did in the 1950s and is unspoilt that the Falcon is featured in CAMRA’s publication edited by David Gamston."

The pub is now run by Arncliffe-born Joanne Hodgson and her husband, Steven, who say they have no intention of changing the feel of the place.

Even though they have installed two hand pumps, they are also continuing to serve Taylors Boltmaker ale from a jug to customers who want it.

“It’s important we keep it. It’s what makes the pub,” said Joanne.

Another change is the door to the traditional residents’ lounge, which is now open for non-residents to peer in and even sit down.

The Falcon, with its mullioned bay windows and Ivy clad exterior, was used as a backdrop in the very early episodes, in the 1970s, of the Yorkshire TV soap opera Emmerdale Farm, now known simply as Emmerdale.

When the previous licensees gave up the job after about two years, Joanne, 38, a mother of seven-year-old twins, John and Daisy, helped Elspeth behind the bar to keep the pub running.

She dreamed of taking over the pub and, in May, she and 41-year-old Steven took the plunge and started a new career path.

Before that, Steven had been a farm worker on Joanne’s parents’ farm, Castle Farm, in the centre of Arncliffe, and had been a familiar face on the customer side of the bar.

The pub has five letting bedrooms and guests are offered an evening meal with one main course and two choices of starters and puddings.

The Falcon is set in Arncliffe’s conservation area and is a base to explore the Yorkshire Dales.

It has four miles of its own private fly fishing on the river Skirfare, winding its way down Littondale.

The river is not artificially stocked and is inhabited by wild brown trout. Fishing is available from Monday to Saturday during the trout season. Day tickets are free to Falcon residents and available to non-residents from the bar.

IYorkshire’s Real Heritage Pubs is available to buy at the Falcon or via CAMRA’s website, shop.camra.org.uk/books/pub-books/yorkshire-s-real-heritage-pubs.html