Black Lion Public House

The Black Lion Public House is a historic traditional inn in Nantwich, Cheshire, England, occupying a black-and-white timber-framed building on Welsh Row near the River Weaver. Its official history dates the house to 1664, making it the oldest pub in Nantwich, and an inn is believed to have stood on the site for decades before that. The building is one of the most photographed landmarks in the town and sits in a street whose name reflects ancient salt-production links that once drew Roman troops and Welsh traders to the area. The pub's interior retains low beams, open brickwork, wattle and daub, and wooden and stone floors. Downstairs there are three separate areas, including a front bar with an open fire in colder months; upstairs is the main dining room with old wooden tables and artefacts, plus a lounge with leather sofas. The Black Lion focuses on real ale, offering three permanent beers from a local brewery alongside three frequently changing guest beers, and its beer quality has been recognised year after year by CAMRA in its Good Beer Guide. The kitchen serves home-cooked dishes with as much produce sourced locally as possible. The Black Lion is a pub for all seasons, with an award-winning floral courtyard used for cocktails as well as cosy indoor spaces. It is run by a team led by Darren, according to the pub's own welcome message, and it serves both regulars and visitors. Its history spans Nantwich's chapters as a tannery and boot-making town and as a Victorian spa resort drawing visitors to the local brine pool. The pub is also associated with the town's Civil War heritage: it was built twenty years after the Great Battle of Nantwich of 26 January 1644, an event re-enacted annually as Holly Holy Day. As a single-site hospitality business rather than a multi-outlet chain, the Black Lion operates in the pubs and food-led licensed trade. Its proposition combines heritage, cask ale and locally minded cooking, supported by strong word-of-mouth and press reviews. The pub remains active and continues to trade as Nantwich's oldest public house.

The Black Lion Public House stands on Welsh Row in Nantwich, Cheshire, and its official history dates the building to 1664, with the date displayed above the door. An inn is thought to have stood on the site for many decades before that. The pub describes itself as the oldest in Nantwich and as a local landmark, one of the most photographed buildings in the town. The site's wider context is bound up with Nantwich's salt industry. The pub's own history notes that Welsh Row is evidence of ancient links to salt production, which brought Roman troops and Welsh traders seeking precious supplies to preserve food. The town later became known as a tannery town famed for boot production, and then as a spa resort for wealthy Victorians who soaked up the healing salt waters of a natural brine pool. The Black Lion was built twenty years after the Great Battle of Nantwich of 26 January 1644, an event re-enacted every year as Holly Holy Day. Over its long life the building has retained much of its historic character: low beams, open brickwork, wattle and daub, and wooden and stone floors. Downstairs there are three separate areas, with a roaring open fire in the front bar during colder months; upstairs is the main dining area with old wooden tables and artefacts, plus a lounge with leather sofas. In the modern era the pub has built a reputation for real ale and food. It offers three permanent beers from a local brewery together with three frequently changing guest beers, and its beer quality has been recognised year after year by CAMRA in its Good Beer Guide. The kitchen serves home-cooked dishes with as much as possible sourced locally. The pub also features an award-winning floral courtyard, described as perfect for sipping cocktails, and markets itself as a pub for all seasons loved by regulars and visitors alike. Its website presents a timeline of Nantwich history with entries such as 1845 and 1903, though the visible text for those entries is placeholder content. The pub is run by a team led by Darren, according to its welcome message, and it continues to trade as Nantwich's oldest public house.

• 1903

  A timeline entry on the pub's history page references 1903 (visible text is placeholder content).

• 1845

  A timeline entry on the pub's history page references 1845 (visible text is placeholder content).

• 1664

  The Black Lion building is dated to 1664, making it Nantwich's oldest pub; an inn is thought to have stood on the site for decades before.

• 1644

  The Great Battle of Nantwich takes place on 26 January, twenty years before the pub is built; it is re-enacted annually as Holly Holy Day.

Nantwich's oldest pub: a heritage-led traditional inn combining real ale, home-cooked locally sourced food and historic charm.

• Weetwood Best

• Weetwood Old Dog

• Weetwood Cheshire Cat

• Guest beers

• Home-cooked food menu

• Spirits

1. 1Black Lion Nantwich – official websiteblacklionnantwich.co.uk
2. 2History – Black Lion Nantwichblacklionnantwich.co.uk
3. 3Black Lion Public House – Wikidatawikidata.org