Red Lion Hotel

Crown Point, Denton
The Red Lion Hotel (aka Old Red Lion) is situated on Stockport Rd at Crown Point and it is Denton's second oldest inn after the Angel Inn on Hyde Rd. Writing in 1936 the historian Thomas Middleton stated that the Red Lion was 200-years old which dates its opening to c.1736.

The Red Lion prior to demolition in 1926.

By 1790 William Bromiley was the licensee and his surety was paid by Thomas Gould a Denton hatter. He was there until 1810 when he was replaced by John Bardsley who was the licensee for 30 years. In 1857 ownership of the Red Lion was acquired by Samuel Lees, the brother of James Lees who founded the Town Lane Brewery, Denton, with his son William Lees. At his time James Plant was the licensee and he was there until 1867. When James Plant left Richard Griffiths became the licensee and he was succeeded by his daughter Ellen Griffiths. Samuel Lees died in 1867, aged 68 years, and his widow, Jane Lees née Briscoe, married Alfred Aldred at Manchester Cathedral in 1871. They retired to St Mary’s Rd, Moston, Manchester. The connection between this Alfred Aldred and the two Alfred Aldred licensees listed below (father and son) is uncertain. In 1885 the Aldred family became the owners of the Red Lion and it remained in the family as owners and licensees until 1942 when Alfred Aldred Jr sold it to Hydes Anvil Brewery of Moss Ln West, Moss Side, Manchester, formerly the Queen’s Brewery founded by the Greatorex Brothers in 1861.

Licensees of the Red Lion extracted from street directories and census records:

1810: John Bardsley (licensee for 30 years). 1851: William Lee (55) and his wife Fanny (56). 1855: Fanny Lee. 1857: The new owner is Samuel Lees. 1857: James Plant. 1861: James Plant (49) and his wife Mary (55). 1867: Samuel Lees died, aged 68 years. 1873/74: Richard Griffiths. 1878: Ellen Griffiths. 1881: William Walker (27) and his wife Ellen (27).
1882: William Walker. 1885: The new owner is the Aldred family. 1889: Alfred Aldred Sr. 1891: Alfred Aldred Sr (49) a widower. He died in 1896, aged 53 years. 1896/97: Alfred Aldred Jr. 1901: Elizabeth Aldred (31) with her brother Alfred Aldred Jr (26). 1911: Alfred Aldred Jr (36) with his sister Jane Aldred (33). 1939: Alfred Aldred Jr (b.26 Dec 1875) and his wife Martha Annie Kinder (b.28 Feb 1879), married at Ashton-under-Lyne in 1919. 1942: The Red Lion is sold to Hydes Anvil Brewery.

In the early years of the Red Lion long-distance coaches stopped there for refreshments. This was before the opening of the Coach & Horses on Hyde Rd when the new turnpike road was completed in 1818. Later it became the principal meeting place for local manufacturers and commercial travellers who met there every Tuesday to conduct business. In 1864 the Denton Fire Brigade was formed there and the Fire Station was erected on Victoria St. In 1867 a meeting was held there to establish two annual fairs to be held on the new market ground. The Lighting, Market and Building Committee also held meetings there. It was the headquarters of the local Conservative Party while the headquarters of the local Liberal Party was at the King’s Head on the opposite side of Stockport Rd.

It is known from Alehouse Recognizances for 1785 that the Red Lion was then known as the Lord Rodney. This name refers to Sir George Brydges Rodney who became a peer in 1782 in recognition of his services as a naval commander. In 1790 the name reverted to the Red Lion.

When the roads at Crown Point were widened in 1926 the original building was demolished with part of the site being lost to road widening and the present larger inn was built in its place.

The replacement Red Lion built in 1926.