about the pub
Nestled in the picturesque village of Lowonsford, on the banks of the Stratford Canal, between winding country roads that used to be part of the Forest of Arden, The Fleur De Lys is the very best kind of country pub.
Packed full of quaint charm and quirky corners beneath its C16th wooden beams, The Fleur is a cosy haven in the winter and an extensive paradise in the summer.
There are so many tiny wonders packed into this historic building that you will always find something new to fall in love with when you visit. Our garden boasts an acre of land to run riot on and a low level wooden children’s playground, alongside over 30 tables and benches.
We’re ideally situated for walkers and ramblers who wish to explore the canal towpath or a variety of local walks. If you’re intending on zooming through this part of Warwickshire on a bicycle, The Fleur makes an excellent intermediary watering hole to fortify you for the ride ahead. And, of course, if you’ve battled the legion of locks via narrow boat, you’ll deserve a rest here.
The Fleur De Lys is little more than a stone’s throw away from Packwood House and Baddesley Clinton, if you’re looking for a day out. We’re a 10-minute car journey from the historic market town of Henley-In-Arden, 20 minutes from Solihull, and about half an hour from Warwick, Leamington and Stratford Upon Avon.
There are a million and one reasons to visit The Fleur De Lys, so come and discover them for yourself soon…
our philosophy
It’s not a gastropub. It’s not a restaurant. It’s not a bar & kitchen.
The Fleur De Lys is quite simply a quintessentially English country pub full of old world charm, and that’s just the way we like it.
For us, a lovely country pub is all about the atmosphere. Whether it’s a smiling face behind the bar or the cosiness of a roaring log fire, we think you should feel like you can stick around for as long as you like.
You’ll find no ostentation here – just a warm welcome, great pub grub and the perfect place to stay or play.
We’re on Tripadvisor and would of course love you to leave us a glowing review but, far more importantly, we want you to talk to us during your visit to let us know what works for you.
We want you to come for a tipple, a bite to eat or to enjoy the view and find your home away from home.
nick & emma
“Emma and I are the perfect match,” Nick said during his wedding speech. “I can cook, she can’t; she likes books, I like TV; she reads and writes, I struggle to string a sentence together; I run a pub and she doesn’t drink.”
Somehow, those differences are the glue that have held us together for ten years, from a blossoming romance behind a city centre bar in Bristol, to the subsequent marriage and move to the country.
Between us, we’ve got something like 30 combined years experience of pulling pints. We’ve dealt with everything from violent drunks to devastating pub fires. We’ve worked for big breweries and little companies and now, finally, we’ve got our own slice of the action.
As a local girl, Emma has known and loved The Fleur for most of her life. For Nick, it was an ideal opportunity to leave late nights and lairy punters behind. Since we’ve been here, we’ve acquired a cat, a dog and now baby Billy, heir to the empire!
history
Not a day goes by without a patron reminiscing about the original Fleur De Lys pies, famous amongst chip shops throughout the land. They really did originate here and you may well have fond memories of the steak and kidney or chicken and mushroom pastries being served through the hatch.
Mr Brookes, licensee from 1950 – 1958, began cooking his now famous pies at a time before pubs regularly served food. As a result of the pies’ popularity, he upgraded to Emscote Mill in Warwick and distributed countrywide. Eventually, the original Fleur De Lys pie recipes were sold – becoming what’s now Pukka Pies – but are still cherished here in Lowsonford.
Before that, however, the Fleur De Lys was originally a row of three 15th Century cottages and an adjacent barn, added c1690. The barn acted as the village mortuary from 1877, providing a temporary resting place before burial in nearby Rowington. In fact, the mortuary was still in use as recently as 1936 and whilst many local legends subsequently surround a myriad of ghost stories, we’ve yet to see any paranormal evidence of our predecessors!
Gradually, over several decades, the cottages metamorphosed into the pub in the early 20th Century and finally absorbed the barn into the present building as well. Licensee Lillian Eggleton has left The Fleur De Lys many a legacy from her tenure between 1932 – 1936, from the bread oven that can still be seen next to the central fireplace as evidence of her other occupation of baking, to the pioneering idea of serving food at a tavern.
In 2020, we launched Lowsonford Pies, our own range of proper pies in homage to the original FDL pies so many people know and love. These are usually available on our main menu and occasionally as a takeaway option.
THE FLEUR DE LYS IS PART OF
CLOGGINNS PUB COMPANY LTD.
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