As you wander around the shops, I wonder if you have ever noticed the 'Mystery Random Wall' in the village centre?
No ideas what I am taking about? (Now you know how my wife feels on a daily basis.)
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The Mystery
Lazy Lion /
Red Lion Wall
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Well, some years ago, coming out of what was The Red Lion, I turned right, and walked smack bang into a brick wall.
Picking up my dazed head & broken body, I could hear my wife's concern as she said; "Only an idiot like you could not see a wall coming". "It's OK love, nothing's broken, I'll be fine." I replied sarcastically, and then managed to get out of the way just as her handbag whizzed past my head.
I thought I must have walked into a building by mistake. ...But, I hadn't, I had walked into a random wall sticking out on to the pavement.
Still smarting, I took a mature approach and made useless statements like; 'Who put that there then", "What a stupid place to put a wall" and "If I had seen it, I could have used my SAS training and vaulted over it".
I kid you not, I suspect you will have walked past this 'Mystery Random Wall' in the village many times, and not even realised it was even there.
On closer inspection the wall obviously has no structural purpose, it is definitely not holding anything up. (Apart from me, the split second after I walked into it.)
One side of the remaining random wall is rendered, whilst the the other is plain brick, ...how weird.
So, why is it there?
Well, your intrepid reporter decided to don his deerstalker hat, and disguise our dog as a bloodhound, in order to resolve the mystery.
However, ...small problem, I couldn't find the deerstalker, (probably because I never had one), and our dog just looked at me with doleful eyes as I fitted her with a brandy barrel around her neck. She had realised, much sooner than I had, that it is the St. Bernard rescue dog that has the brandy, not Sherlock Holmes. Plan A was not working, so I gave up.
Plan B was to forget dressing up to go out investigating, instead, I grabbed a whisky and settled down at the keyboard for some desk research.
After a few painstaking hours, and a few pleasurable refills, I sort of cracked it. When saying 'cracked it', I actually mean I have made up what I think may be the most logical answer.
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Mystery Wall remains
of shop front? |
The early 1900's picture to the left appears to show a shop front, where now only part of the 'Mystery Wall' remains.
The Milford on Sea Historical Record Society identified the shop as Mrs Rickman’s Tea Rooms / Dolly’s Sweet Shop, and the picture shows Mrs George Rickman & her son Arthur.
Today it is a high street cottage, with the shop front replaced by a bow window.
So, it appears that when the shop front was removed, someone decided to just leave part of the wall standing lonely and proud on its own.
This might also explain why one side of the remaining wall is rendered, whilst the the other is plain brick. As, the plain brick may be the original inside wall of the shop front.
It might have been left in situ to stop people blindly walking and then falling down The Lazy Lion's cellar hatch, which is about two metres away. Not much of an explanation I know, but best I could come up with.
I suspect it will only be a matter of time before someone corrects me with needless facts. (Then again, when have facts made a story interesting?!) As Mark Twain said to me when we were at school together: "Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story."
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Lazy Lion - Red Lion
Landlords through the years |
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About The Lazy Lion
A popular village pub serving quality food for breakfast, lunch, and evening meals and situated in an historic Grade II Listed former eighteenth century inn with stables.
The pub is dog friendly, and they run regular events such as Quiz Nights & Dinner Evenings. They also hold a Pie & Pudding Night every Wednesday with a changing menu of tasty homemade pies.
Garden: The pub has a large garden with outside seating, a gazebo, and children's play area.
Private Dining Area: should you wish to enjoy a meal with family or friends (Up to 20 people) a private dining area is available.
B&B Rooms: If you have guests who wish to stay over, there are four comfortable double Bed & Breakfast Rooms. Each have modern facilities such as free Wi-Fi, en-suite bathrooms, tea and coffee facilities, and of course optional lunch and evening dining on hand.
The Lazy Lion was formerly known as The Red Lion until being renamed after a major refurbishment in July 2019 by current landlord Iain Robertson.
To read the history of the pub and building with contributions from the Milford on Sea Historical Record Society,
please click here.
