it is made a 'Knight of Piel'. The ceremonial knighting is carried out by the King of Piel or a fellow knight. The present-day cost of becoming a knight is to buy a round of drinks for all those present. However, the privilege afforded to knights is that they may demand food and lodging of the innkeeper should they be shipwrecked on Piel. The origins of the Ship Inn are obscure; it is said to be over 300 years old, but the evidence is uncertain. In 1746 a lease for agricultural land situated within the castle ditch was granted to an Edward Postlethwaite, who is described as an innkeeper from the 'Pile of Fowdrey'. The earliest direct reference to an inn, or 'publick house', is in 1800. In 1813 a visitor painted a vivid picture of the life of the innkeeper at that time: The earliest map reference, in 1833, refers to the inn as 'The Herdhouse', and the first person who can confidently be identified as a landlord of the Ship Inn is James Hool as he is listed in the 1841 census as a publican. The longest recorded serving landlords were Thomas and Elizabeth Ashburner, c.1894-c.1922, and the 20-year license of Rod and Karen Scarr which ended in November 2005 is the second-longest recorded. Following their departure in 2006 the pub was fully renovated by Barrow Borough Council, with work beginning in 2008, shortly before the new 'King of Piel', Steve Chattaway, was crowned (an event that was documented in the TV series Islands of Britain). The Chattaways left in 2020, with the new landlord Aaron Sanderson moving in in May 2022. References External links The Ship Inn Website The Cumbria Directory - Piel Island Islands of Furness Tidal islands of England Tourist attractions in Cumbria Tourist attractions in Barrow-in-Furness Districts of Barrow-in-Furness Morecambe Bay