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14 High Street
Biddenden
01580 291347
https://youtu.be/WkVbo0Wj9RE
https://whatpub.com/red-lion
Above photo circa 1900. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard, date unknown. |
Above postcard, 1905. |
Above postcard, 1910, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard, date unknown. |
Above postcard, circa 1919, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard 1919, kindly supplied by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard 1920, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, 1920, kindly sent by Tim Timpson. |
Above postcard, circa 1930s, kindly sent by Mark Jennings. |
Above postcard 1930s. |
Above photo, circa 1931, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard circa 1935, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard circa 1935, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo showing the village from the clock tower. Date unknown. |
Above photo 1939. |
Above postcard, 1942. Also showing the "Chequers." |
Above photo, circa 1946, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo of sign, circa 1952, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard, 1960s. |
Above postcard 1973, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard, circa 1974, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo 1989, kindly sent by David Anderson. |
Above image from Google maps 2009. |
Above sign March 1991.
With thanks from Brian Curtis
www.innsignsociety.com. |
The building has been serving alcohol originally as an Inn since 1735 and
was converted to such from a house that is reputedly build by a soldier who
had returned from Agincourt in the late 14th or early 15th century. Early in
the 19th century the pub extended into what was then a cycle shop.
An entry in Fremlin's 1950s publication called "Where shall we go,"
indicated the following:- Phone - Biddenden 347, Parking accommodation - 5
Coaches and car park, Remarks - bed and Breakfast. original 15th Century Inn
(1415).
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Derby Mercury, Thursday 30 December 1736.
Canterbury, December 22nd. On Sunday the 12th instant came into the "Red
Lion" at Biddenden three stout men, and called for wine, and drank
plentifully, and continued drinking till Thursday the 16th in the
evening. Mr. Smith, and Officer of the Excise, lodging in the said
House, these fellows, on the 16th in the night, entered the said Mr.
Smith's Chamber (he being at Cranbrook attending the Collector of
Excise, it being sitting Day) and carried off two pair of boots, one
pair of pumps, and two £3 12 shilling pieces of gold, and one Guinea,
and went away on the 17th between 5 and 6 o'clock in the morning. One of
them is about 50 years old, has a light Wig, and a black waistcoat and a
belt on; the other is about 30 or 35 years old, having a scar on his
right lower jaw bone; the other is a thick set young fellow, about 25
years old, with a coarse dark grey coat. They had four watches, one a
gold one, and great plenty of money, and are supposed to be the men who
robbed Mr. West, the Cranbrook Carrier, and the Lawyer of Maidstone,
some time ago.
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Southeastern Gazette, 5 July 1853.
CRANBROOK.
On Wednesday last a young man named Thomas Mills, of respectable
appearance, describing himself as a baker living at Maidstone, was
charged before the Rev. F. Barrow with stealing a silver watch, and
other articles, tho property of Henry Crampton.
It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner hired a bed at the
"Red Lion Inn," Biddenden, on the night of Tuesday, the 28th ult.,
and that the prosecutor slept in the same room with the prisoner.
The prosecutor arose about six o'clock on the following morning, and
left home to cut some grass for his master’s horse, leaving the
prisoner in bed; previous to his leaving his room he had occasion to
go to his box, when the watch and other articles were safe. The
prosecutor was returning a little before nine o’clock, when he met
the prisoner in the direction of Cranbrook, and on being questioned
as to his being in such a hurry, he pulled a handkerchief from his
pocket to wipe his face, and with it a part of a neckerchief, which
the prosecutor recognized as his, and challenged the prisoner with
breaking open his box and stealing his watch, &c. The prisoner at
first denied it, but on being questioned further and taken into
custody he confessed he had done so. The prisoner was committed for
trial.
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Southeastern Gazette, 6 September 1853.
CRANBROOK. Petty Sessions.
Thursday. (Before T. L. Hodges, Esq., C. T. Pattenson, Esq., G. R.
Stevenson, Esq., the Rev. F. Barrow, and the Rev. J. Deedes).
Richard Body, of Fosten-Green, Biddenden, through Mr. Shepherd,
applied for a spirit license; Mr. Shepherd stating that Mr. Body had
occupied the premises for twenty-two years and had lately laid out
nearly £200 to make the premises suitable for carrying on the
business, the house being situate on the high road from Cranbrook to
Tenterden, and on the main road from Wittersham and the Marsh. Mr.
Body's certificate was numerously and respectably signed, but in
consequence of their being already a licensed house on the same road
not more than half a mile distant, the application was refused.
Mrs. Elizabeth Harris, of Biddenden, made a similar application
through Mr. Case, of Maidstone. Mr. Shepherd opposed the
application, and as it appeared that the back of the premises
seeking a license adjoined those of the "Red Lion Inn," the
application was refused.
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Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 13 September 1901.
Licensed Victuallers convicted.
Adam Kite, of the "Red Lion," Biddenden, was charged with selling gin
3.18 below the legal limit, on the 11th of July, and was
fined £1 and 11s costs, the licence being endorsed.
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LICENSEE LIST
SKINNER George 1828-41+ (age 50 in 1841 )
 
BARTON Edwin 1858-61 (age 63 in 1861)
BARTON Henry 1871+ (age 32 in 1871)
GREEN William 1881+ (age 50 in 1881)
STEDMAN Frederick W 1891+ (age 54 in 1891)
KITE Adam 1901+ (age 74 in 1901)
FUGGLE Horace 1903+
WARD Frank 1913-38+
HEWITT Bob 1989-2018+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/RedLion.shtml
From the Pigot's Directory 1828-29
From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34
Census
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
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