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The Red Lion
The main part of what was The Red Lion Inn, a building well-built in stone, survives on Ermine Street (the main road which runs through the middle of Ancaster). Positioned on the eastern side of this street it was technically in Wilsford parish.
In 1945 the Red Lion Inn was offered for sale20 by the trustees of the late Edmund Lucas Calcraft having been part of the Ancaster Hall estate. The property was sold21, together with a farm of about 62 acres for £2100, to Messrs Hole & Co. Ltd, (brewers of the Castle Brewery, Newark). It is likely that this property had been in the hands of the Lucas Calcraft family for many years prior to this event, but the Red Lion had other owners at an earlier period. The Red Lion closed in about 1963, and is now a private house.
In 1796 the Red Lion, a 'capital and old established inn' was advertised32 for sale by auction. The advertisement (below) reveals just how extensive the Red Lion was at the time, able to accommodate thirty horses. Mr Thorpe Smith was the tenant
The Red Lion was a favoured venue for cock fighting in the late eighteenth century.
On December 19th 1770 was advertised33 that 'A main of cocks will be fought at the house of Jonas Hicks, at the Red Lion Inn, Ancaster on the 17th and 18th of January next, between the gentlemen of Lincolnshire and the gentlemen of Leicestershire.'
A 'COCKING' was advertised34 (below) to be fought at the Red Lion on 15th March 1785.
A subscription of five guineas was invited for those who wish to take part in the contest - a WELCH MAIN of 16 cocks, 'a very Capital Ox' weighing upwards of 160 stone was to be the prize.
A great number of cockfighting bouts were held during Easter. Cocks would be specially trained for months in advance. One of the main event in the cockfighting calendar was the Welch Main, when only the best birds competed and large amounts of money were laid on the outcome. This was an elimination contest which usually started with around 16 pairs of cocks. In the next round there would eight winners, and so on, the last cock standing being the winner. The birds themselves were fitted with steel or expensive silver spurs designed to inflict damage on the opponent. The contests are said to have usually coincided with local horse races when there was an influx of gentlemen in the area, keen to bet heavily on the 'sport'. Cock fighting was not completely banned until 1849.
In 1791 the Honourable John Byng, later Lord Torrington (and the author of the Torrington Diaries) stopped at the Red Lion on a leg on his journey around England and Wales, travelling on that day form Lincoln to Grantham. He recorded having some good chops there, and rested a while, but as a gentleman used to the finer things in life, described it as a poor inn.
In 1795 another Welch main of 16 cocks was reported35 as having recently taken place at the Red Lion, Ancaster. A cock fight was fought for a prize of fifteen guineas, and on the following day, for a fat pig weighing twenty stone. Both prizes had been won by a black-breasted red cock, the property of Mr W. Daubrah of Sleaford.
In 1806, a sale by auction was advertised36 to take place at the Red Lion, Ancaster, the house of Mr Thorpe Smith. An estate in Wilsford and Ancaster consisting of 13 houses and 125 acres of land, was to be sold there (in 31 separate lot). The sale by private contract of the Manor of Wilsford with sundry farms and lands, in total 1045 acres, was advertised at the same time. Thorpe Smith was among the list of named tenants. Thorpe Smith was still landlord of the Red Lion37 in 1814 when his daughter, Mary was married at Wilsford, but moved to Barkston, which is where he died in 1836.
In 1818 Edward Grasby (of the Angel Inn, in 1812) of the Red Lion Inn, Ancaster issued a notice38 informing the nobility, gentry and public that he had purchased a chaise to let out to hire, and that he intended to keep good horses, assuring his friends that they would be accommodated at short notice.
In 1820 an advertisement was posted39 to say the chestnut horse 'Streamer' was available to cover this season and that he would 'bait' at the Red Lion, Ancaster, before moving on to Sleaford. information was provided about his pedigree and the races he had won.
A sale by auction of household furniture, implements of husbandry and horses was advertised40 to take place in the premises of Mr. Grasby, the Red Lion Inn, Ancaster in March 1828. Edward Grasby was selling up and leaving the Inn.
Shortly afterwards, Thomas Tomlinson announced41 that he was now at the Red Lion and sought patronage. He also stated that he had a neat post-chaise and horses, and would provide good accommodation for droves as usual. It would appear the Thomas Tomlinson did not stay long as in 1829, the 'old- accustomed inn and posting house known by the sign of the Red Lion' was advertised42 to let, together with 300 acres of land. Interested parties were to apply to J.C.L. Calcraft, Esq. of Ancaster.
The ownership of The Red Lion has not been clear up to this point, but is now seen to be in Calcraft hands. Alexander Reynolds, formerly of the Three Tuns, Threekingham, announced43 in 1838 that he had taken over at the Red Lion, and he was also recorded as innkeeper there in 1842. He was still innkeeper of the Red Lion in 1845 when a witness at the trial44 of Joseph Preston who had been charged with arson, setting fire to a stack of straw at Mr. Barber farm at Sudbrook.
John Sumner, previously plumber, victualler and farmer at The Eight Bells, Caythorpe was at the Red Lion by the 1850s and it was during his tenure, in 1856 that members of the Hand and Heart Lodge of Oddfellows celebrated45 their 16th anniversary at the Red Lion. In 1861 John Sumner of the Red Lion also farmed 147 acres. In 1863, he was advertising46 home-brewed ale at 1s, 1s 2d and 1s 4d per gallon from the Red Lion Brewery. He also had coals available at the Station and at the home yard. George Sumner, who taken over as publican at the Red Lion from his deceased father, John Sumner by 1871, died in 1873. John Sumner had died in 1866 but his family appeared to continue at the Red Lion; a sale of the furniture and effects of the late John Sumner was held47 on the premises at the Red Lion, but not taking place until 1875. George Lambert was innkeeper at the Red Lion Inn by 1881. The 'Hand and Heart' Lodge of the Nottingham Order of Oddfellows had continued to hold their anniversary at the Red Lion Inn. In 1883, a procession, headed by a band marched to Ancaster Church for an address by the Vicar, after which members returned to the club-room at the Red Lion where about two hundred sat down48 to a 'sumptuous repast of roast beef pudding, boiled mutton and plum pudding &c. provided in Host Lambert's well known style'. In 1884 George Lambert of the Red Lion was charged49, at Sleaford petty sessions with selling a pint of gin 'not of the strength required by Act of Parliament' and fined £1 with 19s 9d expenses; he died in 1885. Mrs Lambert was still resident host at the Red Lion in 1887, but David Winter was innkeeper and farmer at the Red Lion by 1891. David Winter, landlord of the Red Lion died in 1896 following a serious illness leaving a widow, six sons and six daughters50. His wife Ann Winter was very much the active partner throughout the 1890s, playing host for all sorts of events such as the annual Pig Club dinner, Ancaster United Football Club, Ancaster Cricket Club, tea for the Primitive Methodists, and catering for the the Oddfellows and the Ancaster Feast. Ann Winter left in 1900 and was succeeded by J. B. Bellamy (John Blanchard Bellamy), recorded as publican at the Red Lion Inn and farm in 1901. William Wells, was at the Red Lion by 1911, and until he died in 1916. John William Rawden was tenant of the Red Lion Inn in the 1920s. He was still the tenant when The Red Lion Inn was up for sale as part of the Calcraft estate in 1945. John William Rawden of The Red Lion, Ancaster died in 1959, having, a few years earlier had an auction sale51 of farming equipment and implements on the premises. He had handed over the licence of the Red Lion to his son Cyril in 1955.
The Red Lion is thought to have closed its doors as a public house in about 1963.
The former Red Lion in Ancaster is thought to date back to the 18th century; there are also examples of graffiti on the outside walls of the building facing the street, including one inscription with the date 1795, and another, with the name Thomas Denton, and the date 1733. These dates are however misleading. Some of the graffiti is well above normal reach and it seems that the Inn has been refaced with reused stone in more recent times. A photograph52 of the Red Lion, dated to about 1900 also shows rough stone walls, not the frontage of smooth stone that we see today.
Whatever the age of the present building, the Red Lion Inn, has much earlier origins. Earlier references to the Red Lion and other property in Ancaster appear within documents held at the Dorset History Centre. These relate to the property of John Calcraft, formerly of Grantham. One such document53 relates to a messuage in Ancaster, later the 'Red Lyon' Inn, and close adjoining, a toft called Smythie Garth in Ancaster and lands, dated from 1616; also an agreement to plant an orchard on the bowling green of the Red Lyon, dated 1734.
The reference to a bowling green at the Red Lion is interesting. The 1842 Lincolnshire Directory9 quotes the antiquarian William Stukeley [1687-1765] who wrote 'the bowling green behind the Red Lion is made in the ditch'. This points to the area behind the Red Lion, shown on the 1887 O.S. map of Ancaster as lying over the Roman ditch, and presumably the area referred to as the paddock in newspaper reports of the 1890s. It therefore also indicates that Ancaster Medical Centre and car park lie over the former bowling green.
The Calcraft documents provide evidence that the Calcraft or Lucas Calcraft family became owners of property in and around Ancaster which had earlier belonged to the Gedney family, perhaps including the Red Lion in Ancaster. However, William Gedney, 'inn-holder of Ancaster' who died in 1577 owned the Angel Inn (see above) and his son, Nicholas (see below) was at the Swan. He made no mention of the Red Lion at this date, but there are indications that the Gedney family of Ancaster did also own the Red Lion Inn; this 'old-established inn' which may been in existence since 1616.
9. History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire 1842
20. Grantham Journal 9 Feb. 1945 21. Grantham Journal 16 Mar. 1945
32. Stamford Mercury 21 October 1796
33. Stamford Mercury 25 June 1858 - 'Gleanings from the Mercury and other periodicals' for the year 1770
34. Stamford Mercury 11 March 1785
35. Stamford Mercury 13 March 1795
36. Stamford Mercury 31 Jan. 1806
37. Stamford Mercury 15 April 1814
38. Stamford Mercury 10 July 1818
39. Stamford Mercury 25 Feb. 1820
40. Stamford Mercury 21 March 1828
41. Stamford Mercury 11 April 1828
42. Stamford Mercury 23 Oct. 1829
43. Stamford Mercury 13 April 1838
44. Lincolnshire Chronicle 14 March 1845
45. Stamford Mercury 4 July 1856
46. Stamford Mercury 16 Oct. 1863
47. Grantham Journal 30 Oct. 1875
48. Grantham Journal 21 July 1883
49. Grantham Journal 5 April 1884
50. Grantham Journal 25 Jan. 1896
51. Lincolnshire Standard & Boston Guardian 25 June 1955
52. The Lost Pubs Project
53. Calcraft family documents - Dorset Record Centre Ref. D/RWR/T540
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