The school closed in 1910 when Mrs Hawkridge moved away from the area, and was purchased by a group of local wealthy farmers for use as a social club. Renamed “The Exchange” after the Corn Exchange where the group first met, the building reportedly saw a good deal of money won and lost over the King William card table and billiard table — both still in place today.


In 1944, with D-Day on the horizon, The Exchange hosted Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill during his morale-building visit to the nearby Scunthorpe Steelworks — and top-secret discussions with Sir Barnes Wallis, inventor of the “bouncing bomb”.
Throughout World War II, the building was home to Brigg’s own “Dad’s Army”, providing a base for the local Home Guard. Their legacy came to light again in 1984 when a sealed room containing weapons, uniforms and paperwork from the period was discovered during renovations.


Now, after painstaking restoration, this Grade 2 listed building has been restored to its former glory. We look forward to welcoming visitors from Brigg and further afield to visit us for a meal, a drink or an overnight stay, and hope to create many more cherished memories over the years to come.