Probably built in around the year 1540, the Skidden House Hotel was a Coaching Inn strategically placed at the bottom of the old main coaching road, so that a full team of horses could be hitched to haul coaches and wagons up the hill and where the coaches came to rest after they were 'skidden down'. The Hotel has had a long and varied history and many noted owners. It seems that it was used as a transit point for Royalist prisoners returning to the mainland, after Oliver Cromwell had suppressed the Isles of Scilly.
Legend has it, that at the Restoration in 1660, it became a somewhat notorious licensed brothel. Indeed it kept that tradition, more on than off until the very late 1800s when Bettsie 'Chill-off' finally lost the licence. For as well as serving the gallant men of HM the Queens Royal Navy with smuggled brandy and rum in their beer, to keep the chill off, she provided entertainments in other ways too.
Another owner was Captain Sampson, whose lugger plied between Saint Ives and Dublin carrying fish and potatoes. In Dublin, he became friendly with one Arthur Guinness who had taken to brewing his own particular brand of Stout. So fond of the Stout did the Captain become, that he started to bring the Guinness Stout back with him. Soon, the local St. Ives men also took a liking to the fine brew and so the good Captain entered into an agreement with Arthur, in about 1780, that Skidden House would always be supplied with the special brew. Thus, Skidden House Hotel became the first place in the United Kingdom to sell Guinness, which they still do, but now only to their resident guests and those dining in. The Hotel in its time has also been used as a Doctors surgery and as a school, but always quickly reverted to its true role of a Hotel.
The Skidden House Hotel is haunted by the ghost of a "Lady in Blue" who walks past the kitchen, through the dining room and into the reception area and has been seen by many guests before Dinner, appearing to be leading them into the Restaurant. This "Lady in Blue" is always seen by new apprentice chefs and kitchen staff during their first few days and always before being told of the legend.
The hotel is also haunted by the ghost of a gentleman of some age, with grey beard and wearing a long frock coat. This ghostly gentleman is nearly always seen on the first floor of the Hotel, but seems to be unaware of the fact that the Hotel has been divided into two, the wall between the Hotel and the cottage adjoining, presenting no object to his walk-abouts. In general, the ghosts are benign characters. They can be mischievous at times and always when workmen are making alterations to the Hotel and installing improvements for guests, with tools disappearing only to reappear in rooms where no work is being carried out or even contemplated.