The Black Lion, Nantwich

Pub SignMan left this review about The Black Lion

This atmospheric old pub is reputed to be the oldest in town and seems happy to play up to this claim by creating a traditional ale house ambiance. You enter into a small front bar with scuffed dark floorboards, timber framed walls, lots of dark beams across the ceiling and a small servery to the right. The bar has a nice panelled counter and traditional bar back which blend into the room's old-fashioned aesthetic. There are a couple of tables and chairs to the front and left, whilst a staircase to the rear leads up to what I assume is an upstairs overspill seating area. A fireplace next to the stairs was helpfully lit on a bitterly cold evening, and from here, a step at the rear takes you into an intermediate room with a padded bench and a few more tables and chairs. Three walls here are covered with fancy floral wallpaper and decorated with elaborately framed mirrors, in sharp contrast to many of the other walls which bear numerous ancient looking timbers. Moving on again, you reach a rear bar with a quarry stone floor, banquette and chair seating and plenty of typical traditional bits on display, such as ceramic and earthenware collections, old black and white photos, a grandfather clock, old bed heating pans and so on. The ceiling is visibly sagging in places and a sign on the stairs warns of uneven steps for some additional 'old building' authenticity, whilst the 70s pop/rock soundtrack felt hip and contemporary by comparison.
Weetwood beers dominate the handpulls, with the range on arrival comprising Best, Cheshire Cat and Old Dog plus one guest ale that I forgot to note down. Two very young barmaids gave punters a friendly welcome and they poured me a good pint of the Cheshire Cat, which I enjoyed drinking whilst taking in this interesting building.
I suppose in many ways this is Nantwich's destination ale house, inasmuch as its a surefire bet for some decent ale and it has an historic, traditional interior that's worth visiting for in its own right. I enjoyed my stay and whilst it didn't exactly blow me away, I still thought it was better than any of the other pubs I saw around town.

Date of visit - 18th January 2024

On 7^th June 2024 - rating: 7
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