Home > Lancashire > Clitheroe > Red Lion Red Lion
Date of photo: 1960s	Picture source: oldclitheroe.co.uk
The Red Lion was situated on Castle Street. One of the earliest records of this pub is in 1766 when it stood facing Pit Lane, today known as Parson Lane. It has also been known as The Cross Keys and Medcalfs. This original building was demolished in 1849 and a new one built on the rear part of the former site, which measured 750 square yards. The 'Old' Red Lion was quite a curiosity, because it had four different stages of domestic architecture. Sections were added because of the increase of trade and public necessity. The inn had four different styles of window. An ancient door opened directly onto Castle Street, and was reached by a flight of stone steps. The kitchen was very old and was entered by another flight of steps. In front of the kitchen, lit with diamond panes of glass, was an old tiled pavement.   A new wing was built on the land which the owners got from the highway, causing an extremely sharp angle in the road, which led to many accidents. The Red Lion corner became quite unpleasantly notorious. Today the Red Lion is used a couple of gift shops.
As residents of Clitheroe for a mere five years we were surprised to discover that the shops in the photo below used to be a pub - passing this building many times, we decided to go for a closer look. Not much change from the 1960's photo - just new shop fronts where door and windows used to be, minus the small building and gate on the end by the Church!
Jill & Mark French (November 2011)
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Other Photos
Picture source: Jill and Mark French
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Name	Dates	Comments
Ann Fear (nee Forester)	1938-1943	My father Frank Forrester, was publican of this hotel and I was born there. I now live in NZ and returned for first time to Clitheroe 5 yrs ago to find it as I remembered