Red Lion Whittlesford Bridge (WMPalmer pre 1924)

Red Lion, Whittlesford Bridge

History of the Red Lion

Listed Building

Inn now a hotel. Early C16 with later C16, C17 and C18 alterations rebuilt and altered in mid to late C19. Timber-framed with plaster infill and rendered, painted brick, front elevation cased in knapped flint with gault brick quoins and dressings; plain tile roofs.

See A History of the Hospice and Priory Chapel in the Hamlet of Whittlesford -Bridge by T F Teversham.

 

 

W M Palmer (1924) argues that there was no connection between the medieval hospital next door and the inn.

In 1619 King James stayed at the Red Lion and there is still a “King’s Room’. In 1631 the King granted the landlord a special licence to sell wine.

1763 landlord Hammond Turtle put his initials with date under the red lion on the sign board.

1834 Thomas Holiday, landlord. At that time a black oak table, allegedly from the hospital was in the dining room, and the font caught drips from the pump in the courtyard.

1847 the two daughters of farmer Collman of Duckworth went to Whittlesford station to see off a friend. They stepped onto the other line to get back to the platform. One was hit by the London express and was killed instantly. Her body parts were taken to the red Lion for the inquest.