York Historic Environment Record

The White Swan Inn is of early 19th-century origin, with later additions. It was first recorded in Baines’s Directory of 1823 as The Swan Inn. Historic photographs showing chimney alignment and brick markings suggest the original form was a modest two-bay structure flanking a central entrance, later extended on both sides with the chimneys removed.

The fuller title The White Swan Inn was introduced from 1872 following the whitewashing of the façade, though was not formally recorded as such until 1909.

OS Maps from 1851 onwards record The White Swan as a prominent landmark in the village, highlighting its historic presence and continuity of use. This is further supported by its continued inclusion within Trade and Professions Directories dating 1823-1892. This evidence showcases how The White Swan Inn served the local community of Deighton for over two centuries, providing a social and communal hub for the locality. As the parish’s only pub until its closure in 2024, it represents a rare survival of local tradition and identity.

The building is of brick construction, later rendered in white, beneath a slate roof. Historic photographs from the early 1900s sourced from Escrick Heritage (https://www.escrickheritage.org/white-swan-inn-deighton/) show its earlier façade of exposed brick and paint, boundary iron railings, and illustrates a pair of now-lost chimney stacks. OS Map regression (1851-1974) showcases the buildings expansion from a modest rectangular form to one with extensions on either side. The building clearly demonstrates the vernacular character of early 19th-century rural inns.

Kashman, A., 2025, The White Swan Inn, York Road, Deighton: Heritage Assessment; York Civic Trust

York Civic Trust, 2025, The White Swan Inn, York Road, Deighton (Unpublished document). SYO3195.