Photo above: The Hare & Pheasant, taken by Eric Swift, shortly after its closure to become a Post Office, circa 1960.
Recorded in 1560, an article written in 1889 in Leicester Notes & Queries suggests that before the present Hare & Pheasant ‘stood an earlier one, of considerable architectural merit removed some time ago, a very interesting old inn.’
The Hare & Pheasant was rebuilt in 1890, as is shown when a licence was applied for on the new premises ‘partly built’ the old inn having been destroyed. The bench agreed that the new building looked to be an improvement and granted provisional licence until the next sessions.
By June 1844, the landlady for many years was Mrs Elizabeth Brewin. She usually retired some time after the servants went to bed. Around 1pm, the servants were alerted by her repeated calls, on going down stairs they found Mrs Brewin lying on the floor, screaming with her clothes being on fire. She was so seriously injured that she died later that day.
Husband, Thomas kept on at the pub for a further three years, before the Moore family took over.
William Moore was often before the magistrates, on many occasions the victim of theft or assault.
In August 1851, he was charged with keeping pigs on the premises as to be a nuisance to the neighbours. The bench ordered that Moore be only allowed to keep two pigs in open gardens in future.
Also in that year, earlier in June: Lodger commits suicide by opium poisoning.
1872, a fire at the rear of the Hare & Pheasant destroyed most of the stables and skittle alley, including lodging rooms above. It seems it was not covered by insurance. If that started a chain of dilapidation we can only surmise, we know by 1889 a new Hare & Pheasant building was on the way, this was to remain a pub for another 70 years before its final closure, circa 1960 .
