The Crown and Thistle, Rockcliffe

State Management of Public Houses (1916 - 1971). In 1916, there were two public houses were recorded in the village of Rockcliffe: The Crown & Thistle and The Ship Inn. These were acquired by the State Management Scheme in October 1916 and were closed in December of that year. Pub business was transferred to the local village hall, which was refurbished by the Scheme and opened on the 24th of August 1917 as the Mounsey Arms, under a 7 year licence[2] (the Mounsey family owned the nearby Castletown estate). The Ship Inn did not reopen and was sold; for a time it was used as a youth hostel, until converted for use as a private dwelling.[3] At some time before 1973 (date unknown), the Mounsey Arms closed and is now a private dwelling named the Mounsey Arms Cottage. The Crown & Thistle had reopened (date unknwown) and was sold back into private ownership in 1973 after the State Management scheme ended.