Lion, Needham Market (Barking Lion)

Opened 1618 as the Cock, renamed the Three Feathers in 1673 & renamed the Red Lion in 1682. In William Wood's will of 1682 the pub is described with a hall, pantry, parlour, 3 bed chambers, closet, brew-house, great stable, malt-house, orchard & stone yard. The Wood family were malsters & brewers here until 1790 when Robert Hawk (nephew) took over. From 1793 John Aldrich owned pub (Ipswich wine merchant). After 1811 owned by Messrs Cobbold of Cliff brewery. The current name dates from 1900. Brew-pub until about 1793 In 1920s step dancing was a common form of local entertainment in Cobbold pubs & was often performed on the tables using hob-nailed boots. Reputedly this was not permitted in Tollemache pubs where offenders would often be thrown out. Photographs of this pub and more historical information about it can be found at suffolk.camra.org.uk/pub/24