Summary
A hall-house, now an inn, of pre-C17 origins with subsequent alterations.
Reasons for Designation
The Red Lion Inn, Skipton, a hall-house, now an inn, of pre-C17 origins with subsequent alterations, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* it remains legible internally as a hall house probably of the C15 or C16, retaining elements of the plan form and several substantial hewn structural timbers probably dating from this phase;
* its subsequent phases of alteration are clearly readable and demonstrate its historical evolution, including three stone fireplaces, chamfered beams and a chamfered-mullioned window from the C17, and a front façade, square-mullioned rear window, and rear wings from the C18 and C19.
Group value:
* it has a strong visual and functional relationship with its attached Grade II-listed C17 and C18 outbuildings.
History
The building that is now the Red Lion is thought to have late-medieval origins as a timber-framed hall of the C15 or C16, although it has been suggested that the building might at one time have formed part of a medieval hospital.
A two-storey front range was added to the timber-framed building, probably in the C17, when the hall might also have been ceiled. It has been suggested that a sketch of 1720 by Samuel Buck shows the inn with three gables to its front, but there is no other known evidence for this roof form. An 1830 illustration shows that the north end of the Red Lion was part of the two-storeyed C17 addition, with a low multi-light mullioned window below a window with stone mullions and transom.
Although the building retains its associated yard and farm buildings (National Heritage List for England – NHLE entry 1301637), and operated as a farm until after the First World War, it was also an inn called the Red Lion at least as early as 1684, when it was named in a lease renewal. The land was leased by the Catterson family from 1655 to 1792, and the inn managed by tenants. One of these, Anne Wellock, bought the lease in 1792. Francis Catterson, the leaseholder from 1655, was probably responsible for the fireplace (discovered in 1991) which has his initials and the date 1681 carved over it. This suggests that the southern end (where it is found) formed part of the inn at that date, although a blocked doorway and paired windows in the front façade suggest that later it might have been a separate dwelling or shop.
The front of the southern end is thought to have been rebuilt in the C18 (with some alterations to the fenestration in the C19), while the north end of the façade was rebuilt with slightly higher eaves, in the C19. The rear outshuts are thought to be C18 or early-C19 in date. The building remains (in 2024) in public house use.
Details
A hall house, now an inn, of pre-C17 origins with subsequent alterations.
MATERIALS: gritstone with buff sandstone dressings, stone flag roof.
PLAN: standing to the east side of the former marketplace, which rises to the castle and parish church, the inn has a C-plan, with two-storey front range and rear wings.
EXTERIOR: the façade faces west and is of two storeys, all in coursed squared rubble. The left two bays (of the C19) are of lighter-coloured stone, and slightly taller, with paired eaves corbels. This part has paired, stacked windows with flush wedge lintels and projecting sills. At the right it has a ridge chimney stack with scored render, the ridge being considerably forward of the main roof’s ridge.
The right-hand (C18) part comprises three bays, with (respectively, from the left): stacked tripartite windows with squared surrounds and mullions; a low entrance and window above (both with squared surrounds); and a blocked doorway and two windows all within a shared surround with jambs extending to the ground, and square-surround window over (at lower level). The coursing and stone of the right-hand of these three bays is different from the adjacent walling. To the left of the entrance is a recess below the eaves, for a former sign. The entrance has impost stones that form long quoins to either side. To the right of the entrance is a projecting chimney stack in the front pitch, with scored render. Above the ridge can be seen a square stone chimney stack of the rear pitch. At the right is a rendered short ridge stack.
The building is abutted by others to the north and south. At the rear, two-storey wings project at either side. The rear façade has modern cement strap pointing, and consequential damage to the soft sandstone.
The south wing is gabled to the east with quoins and a square-surround window; at ground-floor it extends further to the east (that section forming part of the separately-listed outbuildings). Its north façade has, at ground-floor, a large blocked doorway at the right with a massive timber lintel, a smaller blocked doorway with square surround, stone steps up to the first floor, and a blocked square-surround window. The first floor has a doorway, tall window and short window all with square surrounds. In the angle with the rear of the main building is an angled recess, possibly a blocked former window or simply to preserve light to the abutting C17 window of the rear façade of the main building. That window (over the rear entrance with its stone surround) has four lights with chamfered mullions and a double-chamfered surround. To the right the rear façade has two C19 sash windows with a stone dividing mullion, below a four-light C18 square-mullioned window. A modern timber pergola stands in the angle with the north wing.
The north wing is also gabled and steps down. The western two bays are of random coursed squared stone and have windows and a doorway with squared surrounds, and quoins to the angle. The lower, set-back eastern part is of slobbered rubble and has a first-floor doorway and window with square surrounds, and a ground-floor three-light window with square mullions; the east gable end is rendered. Abutting this is a single-storey lean-to with stone flag roof, that projects to the north and has a blind stone façade.
INTERIOR: the plan is largely opened out but some key features remain. In the centre is a large C17 stone chimneybreast (backing onto the original cross-passage) with a fireplace on the north side with moulded lintel (slightly damaged) and jambs, and a heavy moulded cornice. Abutting this is a timber-framed heck, and this room also has stop-chamfered beams. The room to the west also has chamfered, hewn beams. At the east end of the south wall is a fireplace with stone jambs and a massive segmental-arched lintel, and a stone above inscribed FC/ 1681 and with flower designs in relief. This south room also has reused timbers, and another C17 fireplace in the south face of a chimney stack backing onto the entrance passage. This fireplace has quoined jambs and a (cracked) lintel with four-centred arch, all carved with simple mouldings.
The first floor retains partial timber framing and the roof structure retains hewn timbers including king posts, tie beams, clasping purlins, arched wind braces and some rafters. The cellar has a stone stair, former entrance steps from the east, hewn ceiling beams, segmental brick vault, flag floors and several wall niches with stone shelves.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: the former farmyard to the rear retains granite setts and its surface of river cobbles between the rear wings is thought to survive beneath a raised area of more recent stone flags. It also retains an undisturbed historic well, with a circular head of coursed stone standing around 1m high.
