The Lion Hotel is a 15th century, Grade 11 Listed building
rescued from corporate ownership in 1982.
For the discerning visitor the Lion offers a friendly personal welcome,
whether for a comfortable room, a meal or a meeting. Let us cater for your Wedding
or Anniversary and for the Honeymooners, make your stay special in one of our four poster suites.
The 'Great Hall' retains it's original 15th Century
fireplace, burning natural logs for a warm welcome. A relaxing place to enjoy
a drink from the bar and a bar meal at lunch time or in the evening. We also
serve Morning coffee and afternoon tea. All of our 15 bedrooms are fully en-suite; four posters, double, twin and family rooms.
They all have central heating, direct dial telephone, trouser press, hair dryer,
remote controlled television, radio and tea and coffee making facilities. There
is an access ramp for one room which is suitable for the disabled.
The oak panelled restaurant has an excellent reputation for carefully
prepared food using local produce. Guests and non-residents can enjoy a meal
chosen from our A la Carte or Table d'hôte Menus and select Wine from
our comprehensive Wine List.
The conference room is equipped with audio visual aids, direct dial telephone and computer point, fax and photocopying facilities available.
 Very little is known of it's history or owners but like all historical buildings there are many tales of the resident ghost. Known as the 'The Lady in Grey', she has been 'seen' by many very rational people, and apparently she is accompanied by the smell of lavender. One explanation is that our ghost may be linked to an accident in the coach entrance (which was then through the middle of the Hotel) where a young woman was crushed by a coach drawing through the narrow archway. The Lion Hotel is thought to have been originally built as a guest house for the Bishop of Lincoln's Palace about 1492, however many of the timbers in the hall are thought to be much older. This Room now the Bar and Lounge still retains it's original 15th century fireplace, with the carved Tudor Rose.
The five spoke ceiling is possibly unique and has a carved central boss showing the Lamb & Papal pennant with the words 'Ecce Agnus Dei' 'Behold the Lamb of God'. The Hotel has over the years been called 'The Lamb' 'The Lamb & Flag' 'The Lion & Lamb'. There have been many alterations over the years including a Georgian wing to the south and the original overhang above the ground floor was filled in with Bay windows in Victorian times. The present Bar was once the village butchers shop. Buckden's Bishop's Palace, formally the home of the Bishops of Lincoln, was once the prison for Katherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry 8th. The Queens Tower is now just foundations but the Kings Tower is a fine example of Tudor building. The Queen Katherine garden is a recent restoration in the grounds of the palace, using authentic Tudor and pre-Tudor plants. The central Boss from the Hotels Great Hall has been recreated in plants in one of the areas of the Knot Garden. The Lion Hotel is situated between St.Neots & Huntingdon, one hour north of London, off the A1, in the village of Buckden. The A14 East-West Route passes two miles North of the village. Click here for a map of the village.
If you would like to find out what's on in Buckden and the surrounding Huntingdonshire area, simply click on the Big Village logo below and follow the instructions - we hope you'll find it useful.
High Street Buckden Cambridgeshire England Telephone: +44 1480 810313
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