White Lion, Smithford Street

A nice picture of the Post Office and previous White Lion. Styling on the pub suggests it was built in the 1820s although it could easily be a remodelled older building. Not indicated as a timber building on the Fire Insurance maps but the layout shows a coach way up the middle, suggesting an old footprint. Before the Post Office was built, the conduit for the street would have stood just to the right of the Post Office door location.

Helen Well done, a beautiful picture. As you can see, White Lion, three floors, and a cracker of the old Post Office that moved to Hertford Street in about 1905.

Yes Kaga, this is the White Lion before the mock Tudor version. It was demolished in 1920 from front to very back. The rear had been stabling, outbuildings and a courtyard. All of the rear space was replaced with tall two storey buildings. I was disappointed that when they dug up the mosaic they didn't explore the cobbles because they belonged to this version of the White Lion and may have sat over a previous natural cobble stone passage.

I should have added, look at the old sash windows. When Charles Griffin, an eccentric but clever lawyer, made the White Lion his headquarters in 1865, to speak to the crowd he removed the sash window. But the figure of the white lion which was then over the door was in the way, and the crowd cried, "Get over the lion so we can get a look at yer".

Another new view to me - thanks to Beverley Wishart on FB. Almost completed the new Marks and Spencer store in the Precinct (March 1954) in time for the official opening in April 2nd. When the White Lion Hotel (on the right of the picture) is demolished the store will be widened. It will also be lengthened extending over West Orchard making the store twice the size. Notice the level change with the slope of old Smithford Street compared to the Precinct going in.