The Red Lion, York

The pub, seen from Merchantgate

The Red Lion is a pub in the city centre of York, England. It is claimed that it is the oldest building in the city used as a pub, however it has only been licensed since the 19th-century. A legend claims that Dick Turpin once escaped through the pub's window. ^[1]

History

The pub, seen from Walmgate

The building was originally a house in the 15th-century. ^[2] There is a bread oven in the front bar, which the pub claims dates from the 13th-century, and on these grounds, it claims to be the city's oldest pub. However, the building only officially became a licensed pub in the 19th-century. ^[1] It was originally named The Three Cups, however the name was changed in 1805 to avoid confusion with another pub nearby with that same name on Foss Bridge. ^[3]

The pub claims that highwayman Dick Turpin once escaped through a window of the pub. ^[1] However, there is no evidence that Turpin ever visited the Red Lion. ^[4]

In the 19th-century, the pub was located behind the Black Horse pub and was set back from the street, accessible only through Walmgate. In 1912, the street of Merchantgate was constructed immediately north of the pub to connect Walmgate with the newly built Piccadilly street and improved access to the pub. ^{[1] [5]}

The pub was designated as a Grade II listed building on 14 June 1954. ^[6]

Architecture

The original part of the building is to the north-east, built in the 15th century as a house with a first floor hall and other rooms below, although it was built on 13th-century foundations. It appears to have been truncated at the north-west end, and is now one-and-a-half bays long. The south-eastern end of the building was rebuilt around 1600, and an attic was also inserted. In the 17th century, a lower wing was added to the south-west, in two stages, with a ground floor of brick. There were further extensions in the 18th century, and a new front was added in the 19th century. ^{[6] [7]}

The building is timber framed, but has been largely reconstructed over the years. The windows are 20th-century. ^[7] On the first floor, there is an access between two bedrooms, linked to the chimney, which has been described as a priest hole. ^[1]

References

1. "HISTORIC INNS AND PUBS OF YORK" (PDF). York Civic Trust . Retrieved 9 July 2025.
2. Gordon, Maxine (8 May 2022). "10 photos of York's oldest pub - Red Lion in Merchantgate". The York Press.
3. Dunphy, Sarah (19 November 2024). "Historic York pub up for sale". York Mix.
4. Gordon, Maxine (2 April 2023). "Dick Turpin: Fact and Fiction - new book reveals true story". The York Press.
5. Amin, Nathen (15 July 2016). York Pubs. Amberley Publishing. ISBN   9781445644769.
6. Historic England. "The Red Lion Public House and attached outbuildings (1256359)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 3 August 2021.
7. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in City of York, Volume 5, Central. London: HMSO. 1981. Retrieved 7 August 2020.

53°57′26″N1°04′40″W / 53.957274°N 1.077697°W / 53.957274; -1.077697