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Mum and Dad took over the ‘Fiddle’ in early 1950. Going backwards in time, the previous owners’ stay in the ‘Fiddle’ is as follows; 1900 to 1950; 1900 to 1850; 1820’s to 1850. The families owned the pub outright and brewed their own beer until the outbreak of WW11. Due to rationing etc, the family went to Ushers and asked for help. Ushers agreed to supply them with beer etc. The origins of the name go back to approximately the turn of the century. This according to the family from whom Mum and Dad took over the pub from. I got to know them quite well. I asked them how the pub got its name. Bearing in mind that only three families owned the pub in over approximately 120 years, I would say that what I was told would be the truth. It appears that an itinerant handyman came along and said he would paint the sign for board and lodgings. The owners agreed and he repainted the sign. It was rehung. The locals and travellers said that it looked more like a lion than a cat. Eventually, the owners at that time renamed the pub the ‘LION AND FIDDLE’. There was a motto hanging underneath the sign. It read ‘HERE IS MUSIC WITHOUT SORROW PAY TODAY AND TRUST TOMORROW’. The ‘Fiddle’ was a coaching house on the London Road. The licenced rooms consisted of the bar, tap room and lounge. The latter for coach travellers. On the second floor above the bar and tap room was a room divided with a pair of folding doors. This was the dining room cum bedroom, again for travellers. There was a hatch at the bottom of the stairs to access the bar. There were 4 more bedrooms on the second floor. There were 4 rooms on the third floor. Attached to the pub rear side wall were the stables. A door from the kitchen went into the stables as well as a door into the yard. Attached to the stables and running towards the main road was the dairy. It was approximately 15/20 feet longer than now. The pub, stables and dairy formed the yard for the coach and horses. Standing outside the front door looking down the village at approx. 11.00 o’clock opposite side of the main road was the ostlers dwelling. On the right approx. 1.00 o’clock opposite side the main road was the maids/other staff dwellings. There was a toll gate across the main road at the left side of the pub car park. Set back slightly behind the maids’ house was the toll booth. The original weigh platform and workings were still in the house when we were in the pub. It might be worth trying to find where the original sign went to. It was taken down approx. 1970/80’s as the brewery thought it too fragile to stay where it was. It must exist somewhere.

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