The Lion Sleeps....

Sometimes, you come across a lovely, quiet, even sleepy pub, where even the indian-rope-trick candelabras can’t provide enough 'off the wall’ (or should that be off the ceiling) content for a blog.  When that happens you’ve got to think of something else....

lluminating rope trick...

...so join in with this impromptu version of a blog post for The Red Lion, Milford on Sea, to the tune of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’...
...and if you need any help here's Jay Segal and The Tokens *- still belting it out...

Image - Wikipedia ...(No you can’t have the Tight Fit version with the scantily clad lionesses)...

In the village, the seaside village
The lion sleeps tonight
In the village, the quiet village
The lion sleeps tonight – ho, ho!

[Chorus]
Weeheeheehee, dee heeheeheehee, weeoh aweem away
(A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh)
(A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh)
Weeheeheehee dee heeheeheehee weeoh aweem away
(A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh)
(A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh)

Milford on Sea - quiet seaside village...lion sleeping down by the big white van....(I know it’s not night...)

It’s in the Beer Guide, the CAMRA Beer Guide
Since nineteen ninety- nine
Quite a long time, the beer must be fine
The lion keeps it right - ho, ho!
[Chorus]

The Red Lion roars - quietly...

Try the house beer, the Red Lion best beer
Ringwood makes it - right?
If it’s alright, I’ll have the Wainwright,
I rather thought you might – ho, ho!
[Chorus]

 

Wainright - it's Golden

Hush my darling, don’t fear my darling
The Wainwright’s very good
Golden it’s said, with creamy tight head
They keep it as they should – ho, ho!
[Chorus]

Strongs of Romsey ...not still going strong..

It’s a Strongs pub, a can’t go wrong pub
What’s there not to like?
Locals like it, and diners like it,
So CAMRA must be right – ho, ho!
[Chorus]

It’s got a pool room, a really cool room
It’s in the horses stall
Watch the Saints team, they’re on the flat screen,
The darts board’s on the wall – ho, ho!
[Chorus]

Stuart and Jayne’s warm welcome - CAMRA listed since 1999

Martin’s been here, in May of last year
And so has Cathy Price
Stuart keeps good beer, and it is so clear
That Jayne, she keeps it nice – ho, ho!
[Chorus]

Will the CAMRA, the mighty CAMRA
Keep it in the Guide
Or could the Wash House, the tiny craft mouse
Give the lion a fright – ho, ho!
One last time - all together now....
[Outro]
Weeheeheehee dee heeheeheehee weeoh aweem away
(A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh)
(A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh)
*if you’re humming this tune all next week - I accept no responsibility...

Smalls in the Wash

Could Milford on Sea be in a spin following the opening of a new micro pub?...

Hooray for Horatio...

'And loudly roared the earthly thunder along the river Nile,
And the British ship Orion went into action in splendid style;
Also Nelson's ship Vanguard bore down on the foe,
With six flags flying from her rigging high and low.'
from ‘The Battle of the Nile' by William Topaz McGonagall

Nelson v Villeneuve - Battle of Trafalgar - not Nile (or Formula 1)

 Records suggest that the Lord Nelson in Hythe, Hampshire, first became a pub around 1800, previously being two cottages.  This was just after the famous victory against the French in the Battle of the Nile in 1798 and so the new pub was named after Horatio the naval hero.

It seems to have kept the Lord Nelson name ever since.

Pub photo of the Lord Nelson and the Drummond Arms in the background - 1930s?

 This pub is on the CAMRA list of heritage interiors and is grade II listed.  Except for it’s  modern large rear extension, which virtually doubles its size, the three original rooms each served by a bar, retain its original layout.
The best room is the tiny snug called The Poop Deck - very 'old nautical’ with wood panelling and glazed screens....

The Captain’s word is Law in The Poop Deck snug.

Unfortunately it is so small that I couldn’t get a decent photo of it without poking the camera up the noses of the occupants...so the sign and ceiling will have to do...

Pump clip ceiling - historical but not ‘old nautical'

 Not content with being named after a nautical hero, the pub has also had some famous drinkers in it’s time including Benny Hill and Peter O’Toole...

Peter and Benny - pub article from local paper.

Of course while Peter is famous for playing Lawrence of Arabia, the chances are that the real T. E. Lawrence might have also used the pub, as he lived in the cottage down the street...

Blue plaque cottage

Tom lived here - briefly...

 The pub, not surprisingly, has much nautical paraphernalia including prints of Horatio’s ships in the thick of battle, and the Titanic etc.  There is also a Saints (Southampton FC) corner for the supporters, comprising a framed signed Saints shirt, a photo of St Mary’s stadium and a signed England shirt, which might be something to do with Matt le Tissier (or someone else who played for Saints and England).
This handy ‘tube map’ of Southampton 'pubstops’ was produced by Ringwood Brewery. No doubt RetiredMartin will find it a handy alternative to his OS app when he’s next in the area...

Multi-million pound underground system for Southampton in Corbyn election manifesto...(fake news)

I suppose I ought to mention that I had a beer while I was here...there was a choice but it was a no brainer....

No Razor Back - No Brainer...

The Brains SA with lovely creamy head was at least a good pint.
Having wandered round all the rooms, like a good pub blogger should, I retired with my pint to the rear room with it’s pleasant views over the beer garden and Hythe promenade to Southampton Water.

Lovely courtyard beer garden by the seaside (Plant pots for Australian plants or smokers?)

Hythe promenade ‘installation’ donated by Highways England after project ‘Motorway Mega-cone' abandoned...

On Saturday lunchtime there was a good mix of old and younger customers in all of the four rooms of the pub, eating lunch or just having a drink.  The sound of conversations filled the pub with topics as diverse as football and valeting cars.

Group discussing potential relegation in the 'Saints corner'

There was a complete absence of references to ‘splicing the mainbrace’, rum rations or “golly is that your yacht", which tells me that this is a pub for the down to earth people of Hythe and district, rather than the yellow welly brigade from the nearby Hythe Marina Village.
Perhaps that is important in preserving its heritage and preventing it becoming another wine bar... and though the Lord Nelson isn’t in the Good Beer Guide, perhaps it should be...

Beer Mat Moment...

Brains Brewery ‘WRU Proud Sponsors’ (A Side)

Brains Brewery ‘WRU Proud Sponsors’ - (B Side)

The Lions of Southwick Part II - The Red Lion

Leaving the Golden Lion we wandered down Southwick’s quiet High Street in the late winter sunshine, in search of the second of its lions, The Red Lion.....