Lion Hotel, 15 High Street, Abingdon, Berkshire

Abingdon index

This is earlier called the Red Lion

Another early view of the Lion Inn, Abingdon - Home Brewed Beers

Kindly provided by Michael Harrison

Lion Hotel, High street, Abingdon - an early engraving

Lion Hotel, High Street, Abingdon - circa 1893

Lion Hotel, High Street, Abingdon - circa 1928

Lion Hotel, High Street, Abingdon - circa 1935

Kindly provided by Jenny Taylor

Lion Hotel, 15 High Street, Abingdon - circa 1975

Kindly provided by Andy Greenaway

Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Oxfordshire.

Residents at this address

1840/J C Neale/../../../Robsons Directory ***

1844/John Casburn Neale/../../../Pigots Directory ***

1847/James Tayler/../../../Post Office Directory ***

1851/James Taylor/Innkeeper/40/Drayton, Berks/Census ***
1851/Fanny Taylor/Wife/37/Hanwell, Berks/Census
1851/Ann Taylor/Daughter, Barmaid/13/Abingdon, Berks/Census
1851/Emily Taylor/Daughter, Scholar/11/Abingdon, Berks/Census
1851/Fanny Taylor/Daughter, Scholar/9/Abingdon, Berks/Census
1851/James Taylor/Son, Scholar/6/Abingdon, Berks/Census
1851/William Taylor/Son, Scholar/5/Abingdon, Berks/Census
1851/Ellen Taylor/Daughter/3/Abingdon, Berks/Census
1851/Eliza Taylor/Daughter/2/Abingdon, Berks/Census
1851/John Taylor/Son/8m/Abingdon, Berks/Census
1851/Elizabeth Keble/Servant, Domestic Servant/20/Shippon, Berks/Census
1851/Marsha Vince/Servant, Nursemaid/19/Appleford/Census

1852/James Taylor/../../../Slaters Directory ***

1854/James Tayler/../../../Billings Directory ***

1863/James Tayler/../../../Duttons Directory ***

1864/J Taylor/../../../Kellys Directory ***

1868/Charles Coombs/../../../Casseys Directory ***

1871/Charles Coombs/Publican/41/Witton, Middlesex/Census
1871/Eliza Coombs/Wife/48/Haythorp, Oxfordshire/Census
1871/Elizabeth Robertson/Visitor/18/Crediton, Devon/Census
1871/Mary Bamfords/Barmaid/20/Norwich, Norfolk/Census
1871/Ellen Coombs/General Servant/16/Witton, Middlesex/Census
1871/Ernest Barker/Boots/18/Denchworth, Berkshire/Census

1881/Chas Coombs/Hotel Keeper/51/Whitten, Middlesex/Census
1881/Eliza Coombs/Wife/56/Heythrop, Oxford/Census
1881/Anne Coombs/Sister, Barmaid/40/Whitten, Middlesex/Census
1881/Sarah Kinch/Niece, Waitress/29/Heythrop, Oxford/Census
1881/Harriett Mills/Cook/20/Childrey, Berkshire/Census

1887/Charles Coombs/../../../Kellys Directory ***

1891/Walter Brown/Hotel Keeper/44/Scotland/Census ***
1891/Mary Brown/Wife/50/Caxton, Cambs/Census
1891/Elizabeth M Brown/Daughter, Scholar/12/Stepney, London/Census
1891/Edward Brown/Son, Scholar/10/Stepney, London/Census
1891/Bessie Dark/Servant, Barmaid/30/Dorchester, Symings/Census
1891/Kate Brown/Servant, Barmaid/20/Overnorton, Oxon/Census
1891/Kate Mattingham/Servant, Waitress/21/Oxford/Census
1891/Bessie Barber/Servant, Housekeeper/23/Wantage, Berks/Census
1891/Elizabeth Puzey/Servant, Cook/27/Swindon, Wilts/Census

1899/Charles Coombs/../../../Kellys Directory ***

1901/Charles Coombs/Hotel Keeper/71/Witton, Middlesex/Census
1901/Sarah Kinch/Niece, Housekeeper/56/Heythrop, Oxford/Census
1901/Alice M Kinch/Niece, Barmaid/31/Brighton, Sussex/Census
1901/Annie Coombs/Sister, Chambermaid/53/Witton, Middlesex/Census
1901/Florence M Williams/Niece, Waitress/19/Shippon, Berkshire/Census
1901/Sarah Didcock/Cook/27/India, British Subject/Census
1901/Lizzie Taylor/Kitchenmaid/16/Abingdon, Berkshire/Census
1901/Claude Parsons/Page/16/Chipping Norton, Oxford/Census
1901/George Brown/Boarder, Tutor/24/Chilhampton, Wiltshire/Census

1907/Charles Coombs/../../../Kellys Directory ***

My Great Grandfather William Henry Mayhead ( b.1857 Surbiton, Surrey d. 1912 Abingdon) bought The Lion Hotel in Abingdon - on - Thames in 1911, having held the tenancy of 'The Ship' in Duke Street , Reading. For 6 months he was running both Hotels and sadly, although he left The Ship and moved to The Lion in December 1911, he died in January 1912 leaving behind my Great Grandmother Alice Jane Mayhead. *

Sometime around 1912 / 13 their eldest son, my Grand Father Basil Stuart Mayhead ( b. 1880 Surbiton, Surrey , d 1955) bought the freehold of The Lion from his mother and he and his wife Florence Marie Mayhead, ran it until the mid 1930's when I believe it was sold and all but 2 gables pulled down to make way for a chemist. (I think it might have been Timothy Whites and Taylor, but I'm not sure, it could have been Hinton Lake) The 2 right hand gabled buildings still stand today.  *

I know there were stables at the back through the entrance arch.

Extract from a letter from William Henry Mayhead to his son Reginald in New Zealand., explaining about his purchase of The Lion. 1911.

'As your Mother told you I have bought the freehold of the Lion Hotel at Abingdon. It is one of those old fashioned houses you see in pictures of the older days. A large wide gateway leading to a yard faced with rails fitted in the ceiling to hang the joints of meat and bacon on, a real Dickens house. It has a 100 feet frontage to the High Street with about 6 ( 7 JMT) gabled roofs built in Stucco. The entrance to commercial side of the Hotel is in one side of the gateway & the family in the other there is no entrance from the street except through the gateway. There is a nice Billiard Room, plenty of stabling a nice passing trade, there is an opening from the yard into the Cattle Market which is immediately at the back and is held every Monday & from which we get a good trade. Last week we had between 60 & 70 traps put up besides motors & bikes. A good market ordinarily & the usual drink trades so that we get one busy day every week. It is close to the river, about 6 miles from Oxford.' *

And extract from Alice Jane Mayhead's letter to Reginald after her husband's death:

'I feel I can not stay here in this house without a man about to see to things for me here especially the books & the men and horses and carriages in the yard - so Basil is coming here for a time.' Feb. 1912.  *

1920/Basil Mayhead/../../../Kellys Directory ***

1928/Basil Mayhead/../../../Kellys Directory ***

1931/Basil Mayhead/../../../Kellys Directory ***

* Provided By Jenny Taylor

*** Provided By Colin Ager