The facade of the White Lion was substantially rebuilt at the beginning of the last century by Arnold Perrett & Co. The original pub was a plain rendered building but was replaced by a more ornate brick built facade. For many years it was tied to the Cheltenham Original Brewery.
At the time of King George V Jubilee in 1935 an old photograph shows it to have its own petrol pump within the brick arch which was once used as the entrance to the stables.
White Lion coaches ran out of the land at the back of the pub.
It is possible that the White Lion once brewed its own beer and perhaps the brewhouse still stands to the rear of the building.
Gloucester Journal: October 18th 1986 – A public dinner was held at the White Lion, Wotton under Edge, on Thursday evening, to which upwards of 50 sat down to keep up the homage dinner usually held on the day of the Court Leet, and which has now ceased to be held in consequence of the abolition of the corporation.
White Lion Skittles Meal in the 1960’s (upstairs in the function room)
On the night of Tuesday 28th June 2005 torrential rain ruptured a sewer system behind the building and resulting in the severe flooding of the cellar at the White Lion. The cellar was under 18 inches of filthy water and it took firefighters nearly an hour and a half to pump it out. The electrical system was damaged and the stock was lost.
The White Lion is no longer trading.
Licensing details:
Owner in 1891: Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd., Wickwar Brewery
Rateable Value in 1891: £16.0s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd., Wickwar Brewery
Rateable Value in 1903: £24.0s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Closing time in 1903: 11pm
Brewery heritage: West Country Ales ceramic plaque
Owner in 2007: Punch Taverns
Landlords at the White Lion include:
1755 Edward Buy
1791 Mary Woolright 9from 1791 British Directory)
1820,1823 George Jones
1830 Thomas Rickards
1842 Thomas Cary
1849,1856 Joseph Derrett (in 1851 Joseph was aged 60 and living with his wife Sarah, aged 62)
1880’s Henry Penton (name taken from a photograph circ 1880’s)
1885,1891 George Lear
1897.1903 Charles Whitworth
1906 John Burt
1927 F. C. Dawes
1939 Thos Albert Victor Scadding
? Edward Scadding
1958-1971 Frederick and Kathleen Freeman
1971-1973 Michael and Pat Gough
1973-1978 Peter and Jill Griffiths
1978 (May) – 1987 (October) Cyril and Beryl Squire
? – Selwyn
1998 Carl and Michelle Jones
1999 Aubrey Wood
