android appEye White Lion (White Lyon)
listed building grade II
CAMRA Mid-Anglia branch.
last updated Jan 24th, 2022.
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Eye White Lion (White Lyon)
North West, 52.3204,1.14609
closed 1986
17 Broad St
grid reference TM 145 738
It's shown here (though not named) on an old OS map from about the end of the 19th century. interactive map
The building dates from the 15th century.
Formerly a Family & Commercial hotel & posting house.
Leonard Thompson describes this inn in his book** as follows:
the most interesting feature is the Ball room… The whole graceful elegance of this apartment, with its snug musicians galley, tall Georgian window, dignified Adams mantlepiece and its chaste, white enamel panelling… belongs to another age... The files of the Suffolk Chronicle also contain many 19th century advertisements for events at the Eye White Lion and all of these point to the fact that the inn was a pivot around which social life in this little Suffolk town revolved. Assemblies, soirées, routs, crushes and drums..…
Gallery
Queen's Head 0.05 mile
Cherry Tree 1.51 miles
Oaksmere Hotel 1.76 miles
Beaconsfield Arms 2.1 miles
Black Horse 2.5 miles
White Horse 2.7 milesHistorical interest
John Marsh of Eye; is removed from the Sun-Inn to the White-Lyon in the same Town; where there is a Billiard Table and a Cock-Pit to be Sold, a good pennyworth.Ipswich Journal, August 21 & 28 1725***
John Knevett from Gasthorpe Gate, has taken the White Lion Inn, at the Burgh of Eye.Ipswich Journal, 14 Apr 1744***
Daniel Dickerson, from the Three Cranes in Yarmouth, has taken the White Lion at Eye.Ipswich Journal, 16 Oct 1773***
To be sold, the White Lyon in Eye, now in good and tenantable Repair at an old Rent of £40, in the Occupation of Daniel Dickerson, Tenant at Will.Ipswich Journal, 12 Mar 1774***
John Nicholas, late Butler to Rowland Holt Esq. has taken the White Lion Inn, Eye.Ipswich Journal, 30 Aug 1777***
OTE: The inn was offered for sale in the next week's paper!!!…
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(** historic newspaper information from Stuart Ansell)
(*** historic newspaper information from Bob Mitchell)
(**** Last Orders is a free local newsletter - published by Suffolk CAMRA members since 1978)
Old OS map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
