Lion's Inn

Lyons Inn, an Inn of Chancery situate on the Sly [southerly] side of Witch Str. It has been such an Inn since Anno 1420, or sooner. It is governed by a Treasurer and 12 Ancients; those of this House are 3 Weeks in Michaelmas Term, other Terms 2 in Commons, and pay 5s. for the Reading Weeks, for others 2s. 6d. Here are Mootings once in 4 Terms and they sell their Chambers for 1 or 2 Lives. Their Armorial Ensigns are, Chequy Or and Azure, a Lyon Rampant Sable. They have a handsome Hall built in the Year 1700.

Lyons Inn. Now touching this City of Westminster, I will begin at Temple-bar, on the right Hand or North Side, and so pass up West, thro' a back Lane or Street, wherein do stand three Inns of Chancery. The First called Clement's-Inn, ... The second is New Inn, ...

The third is Lyons Inn, and an Inn of Chancery also.

Lyons Inn. In this Hollowel Street is Lyons Inn, another of the Inns of Chancery, which is but small and old. It hath a back Door into Wich Street; and against the fore Door is a small Passage into the Strand, called Pissing Alley, perhaps in contempt.

Lion's Inn, anciently a common Inn, with the sign of the Lion, is one of the Inns in Chancery, and is situated between Holiwell street and Wych street. It is a member of the Inner Temple, and is governed by a Treasurer and twelve Ancients, who with the other members are to be three weeks in commons in Michaelmas term, and a fortnight in each of the rest. Chamberlain's Present State. Maitland.

Lyon's Inn, Holywell-Street, Strand,—at 16, being that number of doors on the R. from the W. side of St. Clement's church.

Lyon or Lion's-Inn, Holywell-street, Strand, is about sixteen houses on the right hand going from the west side of St. Clement's church. It was anciently a common inn, of the sign of the Lion, but it is now an inn of court, belonging to the Inner Temple, and is governed by a treasurer and twelve ancients.

Lyon's Inn, Newcastle Street, Strand, an Inn of Chancery, belonging to the Inner Temple. It was sold by the members in 1863; the Inn demolished and the Globe Theatre built on the site.

Lyon's Inn was a guest inn or hostelry held at the sign of the Lyon, and purchased by gentlemen professors and students in the law in the raigne of King Henry the Eighth, and converted to an Inn of Chancery.—Sir George Buc, in Howes, ed. 1631, p. 1076.

Herbert, in his Inns of Court, makes reference to the steward's books of account, which contain entries made temp. Henry V., and Herbert adds, "How long before that period it was an Inn of Chancery is uncertain."

Strand Inn having been taken from the Society of the Middle Temple for the building of Somerset House, they endeavoured to possess themselves of Lyon's Inn, and being backed by the two Chief Justices, would have succeeded in the attempt but for the powerful intercession of Lord Robert Dudley, afterwards Earl of Leicester. In gratitude for this the Society resolved, November 15, 1561:—

That no person or persons of this Society that then were, or thereafter might belong to the same, should be retained of counsel against him the said Robert or his heirs; and that the arms of the said Lord Robert should be set up in some convenient place of their Hall, as a continual monument of his favour towards them.—Herbert's Inns of Court, p. 203.

Sir Edward Coke was appointed reader of Lyon's Inn about 1578, and continued so for three years. Selden refused the offer of the Readership three times, and was punished for his contumacy by a fine of £20, and declared disabled from being bencher of the Inner Temple.

Notwithstanding it is so agreeable a thing to read Law Lectures to the Students of Lyon's Inn, especially to the Reader himself, I must beg leave to waive it. Danby Pickering must be the happy man; and I heartily wish him joy of his deputyship.—Cowper to Joseph Hill, November 8, 1765.

William Weare, murdered by John Thurtell, at Gill's Hill, near Elstree, in Hertfordshire, lived at No. 2 in this inn.

They cut his throat from ear to ear,
     His brains they battered in;
His name was Mr. William Weare,
     He dwelt in Lyon's Inn.
Contemporary Ballad, attributed to Theodore Hook.

Thurtell was executed on January 9, 1824.