Wem High Street - No 1- The White Lion

Year Owner/Occupier Property Useage 1791 John Hales- Victualler Innkeeper 1822 Thomas Sands Innkeeper 1830 Thomas Sands Innkeeper and Maltster 1861 Ann Sands (Widow) Innkeeper with 2 children 1870 Ann Sands Innkeeper 1881 Emma Sands Innkeeper 1913 Mr C Bedford Innkeeper 1917 J.A. Skeet Innkeeper 1927 R.A. Davies Innkeeper 1930 R.A. Davies Innkeeper (also Healey's Livery Stables) 1940 D Healey Innkeeper

Few people coming into Wem today would believe that the White Lion was in the High Street, not in adjoining Aston Street. The entrance to the main car park passes between it and the library, cutting it off from all the High Street houses. However, this was not always so. Until the late 1960s, the road was a narrow path between the inn and the offices of Hall, Wateridge and Owen, the auctioneers. The White Lion has been an inn for many years.It was built in the early 19th Century in brick, with a Welsh slate roof. A survey in 1896 showed that it had stabling for 10 horses. In 1807, it was the posting house for the Union Coach for the Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, Chester and Manchester services. Even in 1917, Richard Healey was listed as a carting contractor operating from the White Lion Stables. In the C21st, Joules brewery of Market Drayton bought the inn and run it as a sports pub. Symbol to be found on the exterior of the building.

1902 Advertisement

The White Lion in about 1900 Picture presented to WEM CIVIC SOCIETY by Wellington Civic Society