History
Weobley is a picturesque Herefordshire gem situated within the unique Black & White Village Trail, famous for it’s historic timber framed buildings, charming tea rooms and shops, pretty gardens and cottages set within the unspoilt landscape of the English Marches. Popular with Hollywood movie makers, the village was named Daily Telegraph village of the year in 1999.
Weobley village prospered from the medieval wool trade and later through glove and ale making – Weobley ale was famous throughout England for it’s taste and quality. In 1645, King Charles I stayed here after the Battle of Naseby where he fought Oliver Cromwell and his Parliamentarian Roundhead army.
The Red Lion Hotel is one of the earliest in England, dating back to 1450. The lounge bar, the main hallway and part of the restaurant are all 15th century and many of the exposed beams are almost 600 years old.
Originally built as a dwelling, the building had been a shop or a tavern and the arched timber in the lounge may well have acted as an early serving hatch. The diagonal ceiling beam – known as a dragon beam – in the lounge runs to the original corner of the building. The overhang on the Church Lane side once ran it’s length and the inglenook fireplace was probably added in the 18th century – possibly using dressed stone from Weobley Castle.
The adjacent Red Lion Cottage is said the be one of the oldest wooden framed buildings of it’s kind in England – with superb 15th century cruck timbers which can clearly be seen on the gable ends.