Home » The Bourne Arms, Knott End-on-Sea

The Bourne Arms,
Knott End-on-Sea

The Bourne Arms in Knott End is a historic, prominent local pub and inn overlooking the River Wyre estuary and Morecambe Bay. Originally built in 1850, it replaced a smaller 1820s alehouse. Over the centuries, it has served as a vital haven for sailors, a starting point for coastal walks, and a cornerstone of the local community.

Image credit: James Denham C BY-SA 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ via Wikimedia Commons”

Early 19th Century: Historical evidence points to a smaller alehouse existing on the site around 1824–1825, operated by John Croft, which served local sailors and wayfarers.

The 1850 Rebuild: The current building was officially built in 1850, with Mr Edward Rodger recorded as its first landlord.

Maritime Rescue (1878): The inn gained local fame as a place of refuge for survivors of the wrecked vessel Utility. Following a violent January storm and an appalling night spent in the rigging, survivors staggered to the alehouse to be saved.

Community Anchor: Named after the prominent local Bourne family (who also heavily endowed the village schools and Hackensall Hall), the pub continues to act as the primary trailhead for the picturesque 5-mile Wyre Way circular walk and features a blue plaque celebrating its origins.

Today you can enjoy a bite to eat or choose from a cask ale selection. You can cross over to Fleetwood via the Knott End to Fleetwood Ferry or walk the 5-mile circular coastal walk.