The Red Lion
“An oasis just off the main road”
THORNBY, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Our View
Weary A14 travellers should earmark this 400-year-old village pub that’s just a mile from junction 1. In winter months a log fire warms the traditional interior and its wall of pictures of the pub from bygone days. It’s been hospitably run by Simon and Louise Cottle since 2011, who consult the locals on their choice of four ales; Vale of Welton cider is here too. The menu of freshly prepared dishes includes lunchtime sandwiches and home-made bread; in the evening settle down to asparagus, poached egg and hollandaise, followed by steak, ale and Stilton pie, mash, buttered greens and gravy. The glorious summer garden hosts a beer festival on the last weekend in July.
Features
- Children welcome
- Children's portions
- Free Wifi
- Parking available
- Coach parties accepted
- Garden
- Open all year
Also in the area
About the area
Discover Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a mainly rural county of gentle beauty, with farmland, forest and great country estates. Rivers, canals and meadows are all part of the tranquil scene, providing a haven for wildlife.
This is a great area for walking, touring and exploring villages of stone and thatch. There are also some impressive Saxon churches at Brixworth and Earls Barton. Northampton is the county town, and along with Kettering, has long been associated with the production of footwear. Kettering was the second largest town until it was overtaken by the rapid development of Corby as a major centre of the steel industry.
Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park is set in Northamptonshire, although it seems that Austen never actually visited the county. Other famous connections include the poet John Dryden (1631-1700) who was born in the tiny village of Aldwincle; King Richard III (1452-1485) born at Fotheringhay Castle; and American revolutionaries George Washington (1732-1799), whose family came from Sulgrave Manor, and Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) whose father was born in another tiny Northamptonshire village called Ecton.
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