History
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Background History of Lowsonford
Initially one of three hamlets, it was established by a group of Saxons of Hwicce heritage. Their settlement was named after their leader Hroca and Hrocingatun, meaning “Homestead of Hroca’s People” which gradually became corrupted over the centuries to Rowington. Lowsonford rests partly in the parishes of Rowington and Preston Bagot. It was originally separated from Rowington and Preston Bagot by a stream of the River Alne which the locals had to ford when travelling between the hamlets. In 1863 Lowesenford was named Lonesomefords which means “The Lonely Streams crossing place”, from the solitary character of the village and the area near the ford. In fact ‘solitary’ is a word often used to describe Lowsonford and its neighbouring hamlets. Semi-buried, deep in the remains of the Forest of Arden among a maze of long lanes, if you close one eye you might miss it as you travel on your way to Henley In Arden or Stratford Upon Avon… and speaking of Stratford, part of the land once belonged to the family of its most famous son William Shakespeare. In fact “As You Like It” was set in the Forest of Arden.
History of the Fleur De Lys
Dating back to c.1690 the Fleur De Lys was originally a row of three cottages and an adjacent barn. The barn doubled as the village mortuary from 1877, where bodies awaited carriage to nearby Rowington for burial. The mortuary in fact only closed in 1936. The Fleur De Lys was being paid £670 per annum by the 1930′s for ‘candles and service’ – ‘laying out’ to you and me. Presumably this little job fell to the licensee as the Chapel of ease was on the pub land. Gradually, over a long period of time, the pub converted the cottages and finally the mortuary into the present building. Not surprisingly, the smell of lye soap, a substance used to prepare the bodies for burial at this time, has been scented in the area of the mortuary which now forms the lower bar area.
A Ghostly tale
“Abigail’s been seen in the corner of the room, which is always cold, even on the hottest of days…”
The present landlord’s wife Gail has been asked “…who lights the candles during bright, hot summer days when it isn’t necessary?” The answer may lie with the little girl (who they’ve named Abigail) who appears to haunt the upper back bedroom, the room above the old mortuary. Abigail’s been seen in the corner of the room, which is always cold, even on the hottest of days. One of the previous landlords’s had a daughter who became reluctant to leave her room, the room in question, from time to time. When asked “Why?” she replied that her friend would cry. “What friend?” “My friend over there.” “Where?” “Over there” “Over there where?”… “There in the corner! The little girl over there!” The girl in question is about 8 or 9 years old from the 1800′s and very frail looking. She seems to have an aversion to women as she cowers when approached by adult females but not by children or men. Her thinness suggests lack of care. Perhaps she could be the child who fell to her death down the staircase that used to rise where the passage between the two inglenook fireplaces. Perhaps she was one of the children from a ‘pauper’ family. It was common practice for these children to be bound as apprentices. The parish would pay their master so much per year to take them on and teach them a trade. Their own family would be relieved of their expense and they would eventually have a trade which they could use to make a living. Maybe she had been apprenticed to the mortician as a domestic servant and perhaps she liked to play rather than work? Perhaps the wife of the mortician would reprimand her? Perhaps she would cry when a new playmate had to leave – even if the playmate in question lived centuries later, because she wanted her to stay and play? And moving back to the candles… these were lit in the section of the pub that was once the mortuary, a job that little Abigail would probably have had to do!
Home of the Pies
It really is the pub where Fleur De Lys pies, well known throughout the land’s chip shops, originated. Lillian Eggleton, the licensee and baker, is recorded as being at the tavern between 1932 – 1936; the remains of the bread oven can still be seen at the side of the central fireplace. Whether due to her influence or perhaps to an inspirational moment Mr Brookes, licensee from 1950 – 1958, began cooking his now famous Steak & Kidney and Chicken & Mushroom Pies. At this time it was unusual to find food available in public houses. The pies became so popular that he bought Emscote Mill in Warwick and began making pies there so that the whole of England and not just Lowsonford could benefit. Obviously he couldn’t settle to being just a pie maker because he also bought the Elephant & Castle pub on Emscote Road, Warwick next to his factory, called it the Simple Simon and spent the rest of his life serving pies and pints there until he died.
Although the Simple Simon still exists unfortunately there is nothing left of his pie factory, although the Fleur De Lys Court housing complex commemorates where it once stood.
A Gory Tale
Long ago in bygone days when the French court used the Fleur De Lys as its emblem, it is told that there was much talk of plotting against England by those French who would upset good relationships between the two countries. The two courts were joined by marriage and so this made it very hard for the King of England to make any accusations. To discover the truth he sent a spy to the French court. When the French king found out that his relative by-marriage had done this, he was insulted. He beheaded the spy and sent the bloody body parts back to England baked in a pie with the French Fleur De Lys sculpted in pastry on the top. From that day forwards any pies containing unknown meats were known as Fleur De Lys pies!
Needless to say, that tradition has long broken, and we now tell you exactly what you’ll find inside our pies!!
Do you have any stories of ghostly goings-on, or information about the pub’s past? Please leave a comment or get in touch via email. We’d love to hear from you!
Apparently my great grandparents Fred and Laura Emma Crisp ran this place before 1912 and their son Edward used to fall in the canal a lot as a young boy
Thank you Sally. This is a very interesting website, isn’t it?
I used to fish the canal at the rear of the pub in the 1950s with my dad and an uncle Alf.Uncle Alf was not much of an angler but he could put them pies away.
When I was a child, circa 1953 I used to wait by a building in the garden in the evening for the pies to be cooked, while Mum & Dad were in the pub. The pies were made from scratch and baked in the garden kitchen and they were superb. When they were later made in mass production at Leamington they were a very different pie, both the content and flavour had been compromised perhaps for profit. I would love to taste the original receipe pies again. Does anyone have it?
I still dream of those Fleur de Lys Pies that we used to get from a mobile wagon on a bombsite in the middle of Birmingham; after the war some time in the early fifties. They were the bigest treat after an exhausting night at The West End Ballroom. Everybody out late would queue for ages to get served to one of the most delicious things I ever ate. Sadly I live just too far away to make a trip to enjoy another Pie. Wonderful to see you are still on the map. Long may you ROCK-ON!
Way back in 1960 myself and three friends were visiting the Fleur de lys in search of the famous pies when I can claim my one and only sighting of a ghost. About one mile short of the pub we (all) saw a lady dressed in 1930′s gear walking along the lane, as we approached a bend in the road I moved out to give plenty of clearance but she had simply disappered. I stopped and we walked back down the lane but of our 1930′s lady the was no sign! A thick hedge on both sides would have prevented her from walking left or right – we even checked under the car!
To Dave MacLaughland:
Wow and Woo-hoo! What an experience! How curious. If you can remember what she looked like could you get somebody to draw her? (you know, like the police do). Are you still in touch with your other friends. If you are, could they remember her? Should be an interesting thing to research. By the way, did you get a “famous pie” after your experience?
In my teens, late 50s with a few mates we would drive over from Whitley Coventry just to get a chicken & mushroom pie, they where served from the kitchen window at the back of the pub.
I still crave for one of them pies, Please send me the recipe,
Pete New Zealand.
Do you do B&B if not where is the closest place to you.
Many thanks
Roger
I’m so glad i found this site. I searched for it because my 96yo father died two weeks ago, but when i was between c. 8 and 15 we would religiously go there for a drink on Sunday lunchtimes, and if it was not raining, sit out at one of the tables on the grass. I’d collect insects along the canal bank. Sadly my father wouldn’t eat pork and my mother claimed the pies were just made of rubbish, so i never got to try them. But, as the queues for them were often across the car park, I think my mother was in error.
Nice to hear about the ghosts – I am envious as I want to see one
Hi Don, So I take it you will now definitely be visiting and at last getting to scoff a famous pie. When you do, please post about your experience and the taste of the pies.
Lisa
Hi Lisa, I guess that I have to now
I’m planning in taking early retirement early next year so i’d better get my skates on – watch out for a sunny weekend !
Hi Don and all gourmets and epicures!
When I reached 60 yrs I determined to get my skates on. There I was in the garage area, struggling but nevertheless “having a go”. The neighbours observed and decidedly confirmed their opinion ~ “Yes, she is crazy!”. To travel to Fleur de Lys, I will have to get out my Freedom Pass and see if it can be used on the trains.
I would really love to munch into one of their pies!