The Old Red Lion Public House Toddington

25 Church Square April 2016

The Old Red Lion Public House: 25 Church Square, Toddington

The Old Red Lion was situated on the corner of Church Square and Park Road, and although the inn is long gone the property is still known by that name. Originally built in the seventeenth century, the inn belonged to the Manor of Toddington. When the manor was sold in 1806 the list of properties included included "the messuage or tenement in Toddington known as the Red Lion public house with the buildings, land and 2 cow commons containing 23 acres and 39 roods in the tenure or occupation of Francis Fowler". According to David Buckingham in Toddington Through the Ages by the middle of the 19th century the Old Red Lion had ceased to be an inn and had become a shop owned by Thomas Carte, a tallow chandler who also dealt in British wines. However, no Red Lion is listed in the ciountywide licensing registers of 1822 to 1828 clearly indicating that it had closed by 1822. The property at 25 Church Square is now a listed building.

References:

• X860/1: Copy of bargain and sale of Manor of Toddington, 1806