The Market Hotel is located in the village of Elsecar, next to the Elsecar Heritage Centre making it an ideal place to stop off on your way in or out. The Heritage Centre is home to a steam railway and was once the home of the Barnsley brewery until it closed a moved to Blackpool, where it closed again. The pub’s situation near the Dearne and Dove Canal also makes it an ideal calling point for walkers and cyclists.
The Market Hotel consists of a many unspoilt rooms and a well-used entry hall for those drinkers wishing to stand. A taproom, where some of the other locals like to while away the hours. A snug and a large games room, which also doubles as one of the pub’s function rooms, the other being upstairs. There is an outside drinking area to the rear which when the weather permits holds regular barbecues. Seating area at the front is also provided, this is a couple of benches and is usually taken up by the smokers. While you are outside the pub take note of the engraved stonework, advertising a horse and gig for hire.
The pub doesn’t serve food in the sense of hot sit down meals preferring instead to concentrate on the beer and leave that side of things to others though you can get a sandwich and a cup of tea or coffee at the bar. The Market has four handpumps to choose your beers from, all of which face into the taproom. Three are in one bank and a fourth is hidden in the corner, so don’t miss it. The beers of choice on my visit were Wentworth WPA (Woppa) 4% abv; Acorn Barnsley Bitter 3.8% abv; Taylor Landlord 4.2% abv and as I was visiting in May; I was pleased to see the licensee had opted to put on a Mild to support Mild Month of May, this was the wonderful Wentworth Gun Park Dark 3.4% abv. All of the beers were in excellent condition (well I wasn’t driving and I do take my duties as a Barnsley CAMRA member serious).
The pub is host to a number of clubs and societies. I will list what I was told and apologies if I have missed out a group or two. It has:- 2 pool teams; 3 football teams; 2 golf societies; a canal group; a fishing club; a racing club; a martial arts club and a Chrysanthemum society, though hopefully not all attend meetings here at the same time.
The Market Hotel also hosts popular quiz nights on Wednesdays and Sundays as well as regular charity nights.
In conclusion the Market Hotel is a local with character and well worth a visit, but leave your car at home. The train station is only a 10 minute walk and buses from Barnsley that go past the pub are numbers 65, 66 and 67.
Opening times:
Monday to Friday 12 till 12
Saturdays 11-12;
Sundays 12-12;
