Snape Institute stands in the heart of the village on the village green. It was built in 1885 by Edith Milbank in memory of her father, Mark Vane Milbank, and grandfather, Mark Milbank both of whom had lived at Thorp Perrow. The main hall and kitchen, which was the reading room and lecture hall in the original building, were later extended to the east to add the billiard room by Sir William Grey in 1905. Since then various alterations have been made to bring the hall up to date. It comprises one main room, kitchen and toilets. Original features still remain giving the hall an arts and crafts period feel.
There is also a garden on three sides of the building which incorporates the Memorial Garden with a stone brought from the bombed Houses of Parliament by Sir Leonard Ropner after WW2.
The hall has recently been refurbished to improve the heating and decoration and to offer a kitchen up to a commercial standard. A new lighting scheme has occurred this year.
The building is licensed to hold 120 people seated and up to a maximum of 160 people unseated. The hall can be hired for parties and other events. We also hire out equipment eg chairs, tables etc at a reasonable cost).
We now have Wifi in the hall which is available to hall users.
The following regular events are held:
Carpet Bowls - Mondays from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
Circuit training – Mondays from 6.30pm to 7.30 pm
Yoga classes - Tuesdays from 9.30 am to 10.45 am
Snape Gardening Club - 7.30 pm on the 3rd Wednesday in the month.
Table tennis - 1st, 2nd and 4th Wednesday in the month – 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm
Zumba – Thursdays from 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm.
Snape Local History Group – Friday (fortnightly) from 7.30 pm (September to April)
Snape Textiles Group holds a programme of meetings throughout the year. (Saturdays and, on some occasions Sundays)
Monthly, normally on the first Thursday in the month, a Community Lunch is held for approximately 30 people.
Further details of these regular events can be obtained from Sarah Lowe.
New activities commencing in 2023:
Bridge for Beginners commences on Tuesday 16 May (and fortnightly afterwards) from 7pm
Bird watching group - Snape Birds - includes visits and talks
A planning application to alter the entrance lobby, upgrade toilets, add a storage area and small meeting room was approved by the Committee and submitted to Hambleton District Council for planning approval. This planning application has been approved. The Committee are now actively looking at how this can be progressed including fund raising.