The Red Lion Inn, on the corner of North Road and the A40 Ross Road, is thought to date back to the 17th century. Deeds for the pub date back to 1732 and in 1757 the Red Lion is mentioned as a Coaching Inn on the Gloucester to Hereford toll road. An inventory taken in 1903 lists a ‘Front Hall, Club Room, Smoke Room, Tap Room, Larder or Dairy, Kitchen, and Seven Bedrooms.’ Outside was a ‘Fowlhouse, Stable, Coal House, Orchards with fowl, Chaff House, Cider House with trough, Granary, Spirit Room and a painter swinging sign “Red Lion” with ironwork supports.’
The right side extension of the Red Lion was the Westgate Motor House in the 1930’s and passing motorists could fill up with petrol from pumps conveniently positioned by the pub. No doubt the temptation of a pint or two of Cheltenham Ales might have attracted the motorist as well!
In March 1973 landlady Mrs Jill Bollen was surprised when two Irishmen asked if they could leave their car in the pub car park for a few days. The police were informed and it created a full scale bomb scare in the village.
Map Reference: SO 722194
Licensing Details:
Rateable Value in 1891: £61.0s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1891: St John B. Ackers
Rateable Value in 1903: £31.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd., Wickwar Brewery
Closing time in 1903: 10pm
Landlords at the Red Lion include:
1856 James Drinkwater (Lion, Huntley)
1876 James Dobbs (James was also a farmer)
1885 Mrs Mary Ann Amoyl
1891 W.H. Drinkwater
1902 Julius Bawman (sic)
1903 Julius Baumann
1906,1919 William Rees Harry
1927,1939 Geo. William Thomas
1973 Mrs Jill Bollen
1990 John and Barbara Phillips (John was a keen bowls enthusiast. He died in May 2006 aged 77)
2000,2006,2008 Jim and Audrey Norton
2008 Katie and Brett Norton (joint chefs)
