COWSLIP WINE AT WARMINGTON’S RED LION
‘Bountiful portions of roasted mutton, beef and pork, with vegetables and beer.’ Sounds familiar? This could be a description of Sunday lunch at the Red Lion now but it actually comes from a description of a ‘hearty dinner’ there in 1876.
Warmington Church had reopened on 6 October 1876 with two services, attended by Sir George Gilbert Scott, the Lord Bishop, many local clergy and ‘county gentlemen and ladies’. The Vicar of Warmington, Revd James Raper Hoare, was determined that the re-opening should also be celebrated by the oldest and poorest parishioners. He appealed to the Earl and Countess of Carysfort, from Elton Hall, for financial help. As a result of their generosity, the Vicar organised a dinner at the Red Lion. At three o’clock on Friday, 13 October 1876, twenty five of the oldest people in Warmington (aged between 70 and 90) gathered around a table in the Red Lion. The Vicar and his wife, Octavia, took their places at each end of the table and, after grace had been said, they helped George Craythorn (baker and publican) with other assistants, to serve the main course. This was ‘followed by puddings and cheese cakes, to which full justice was done. After a while the Vicar, in a few pleasant words, proposed the health of Lord and Lady Carysfort, which drew forth loud and hearty cheering, which was repeated for the Vicar himself, and then followed a loud cheer for the hostess, Mrs Craythorn, who had supplied them so liberally and made the feast so acceptable. Mr and Mrs Hoare, with some friendly good wishes, then retired leaving the party still to carry out the enjoyment, supplied with tea, cowslip wine and cake, and pipes till the fading light warned them that it was time to think of going home and bring the happy day to a close.’
Source of information: Peterborough Advertiser, 21 October 1876