Red Lion public house
Location/Address
The Red Lion Public House, Penn Road, Knotty Green, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2TN
Type
Description
Late 18th or early 19th century public house.
Statement of Significance
Architectural and Artistic Interest
Brick built in Flemish bond, with hipped slate roof, and two tall flanking brick stacks in outer bays (one moved to the side and rebuilt in 20th century). Two storeys with cellar, three bays. Modern veranda leads to central door, under a pentice roof with the ground floor canted bay windows either side of the door. Sash windows with cambered relieving arches, some to side and rear bricked up in the 20th century. Pentice roof extended forwards in early 21st century to create a raised veranda at the front of the pub.Historic Interest
The Red Lion Pub has stood exactly where it is for many years. It is unknown how old it really is. There has been a Public House at this site since the 1700’s. There are two Red Lions shown in Penn and they date back to when the register of Alehouse Keepers started in 1753. The Red Lion Public House is noted on the 1840 census, known by the same name, and it was the focus of the small farming community of Knotty Green. The list of Licensed Victuallers notes in 1872 that it was owned by Wethereds and had been a Public House for more than 50 years. The Deeds of the building today have never been found. However, a sketch of the building was found dating back to the Penn Inclosure Award of 1855. The sketched plan shows the elongated garden pointing to Penn was owned by Wethereds but the house shape was different to that of today. It is assumed that the present-day pub was probably built between 1838 and 1855. Before Mr T Bates built the Cricket Pavilion (1960) the cricket teas were always provided by the Red Lion Public House with players collecting in the back room. Recently, a small niche was used to show items to celebrate the local celebrity Enid Blyton who lived at Green Hedges, a house that once stood where Blyton Close is situated just off the Penn Road. Today, apart from a new pub sign, a different chimney, new railings and more modern window frames, the pub has changed little. The presumed stables are now a function room. Looking in the surrounding area now, it is the only survivor of the early Victorian period and was and still is an important focus of village life. (From the Beaconsfiled Society - Miles Green)Images and Documents
Date Listed
n/a
Last Updated
20 Mar 2023