The Fleur de Lys ∙ Lifting the lid on inn’s famous pie history

The Fleur de Lys pub might be in the quiet village of Lowsonford, but it’s making a big noise in the pie-making world – boasting a proud heritage which is now famous the world over.

In fact the historic inn is the home of the pie which bore its name for many decades. Whilst the original pies ultimately became part of Pukka Pies, the Fleur de Lys team have worked hard to keep their pie legacy alive by creating the award-winning Lowsonford Pie Company – serving 11 flavours of handmade pie in the Fleur De Lys kitchen every day.

The Fleur De Lys started out as a row of three 15^th-century cottages which became canal workers’ accommodation and were later knocked together. Subsequent uses included a blacksmith’s forge and even a mortuary, from where the bodies were taken to Rowington Church in the absence of a village church at the time. The arches where they would have horse and wagons going through to build the canal can also still be seen.

Coincidentally, pies, which have been with us since the Middle Ages, were originally called ‘coffyns.’ At that time the poor ate pies made from the entrails of venison, which are called ‘umbles’ hence the expression ‘To Eat Umble Pie.’

It wasn’t until the early 20th century when the premises first opened as a tavern, later going on to introduce the ‘pioneering’ idea of serving food and giving rise to the now famous Fleur De Lys pies. The remains of the bread oven, installed in the 1930s, can still be seen at the side of the main fireplace, and it was here where the licensee at the time, began cooking his now famous Steak & Kidney and Chicken & Mushroom pies.

The Grade II listed Fleur De Lys pub first began serving pies through the infamous kitchen hatch during the 1950s, drawing crowds from all over the Midlands to sample the finest steak and kidney or chicken and mushroom pies. The pub also went on to supply its pies to chip shops all over the county, becoming a staple treat for many.

The inn was mainly frequented by farmers who’d come in for a pie and a pint after they’d finished harvesting. The licensee of The Fleur from 1950 to 1958 was Mr. Brookes, who decided to increase the scale of his venture by moving production to Emscote Mill in Warwick, and so this became the home of Fleur de Lys pie production, distributing nationwide. Indeed, most of the buildings on the Emscote Road next to the Warwick and Napton/Grand Union Canal are remembered as the home of the Fleur de Lys pie factory, also fondly associated with those familiar aromas of pie production!

But in 1964 the original pie recipe was sold to Avana Meat Products in South Wales, who were subsequently absorbed by Premier Foods. The factory at Emscote was purchased by PUKKA Pies of Syston, Leicestershire, and eventually demolished in 1993.

Determined to keep the pie legacy alive, under the auspices of current landlords Emma and Nick Woodhouse, in 2018 The Lowsonford Pie Company was born, the Fleur de Lys pies continuing tradition and once again becoming sought after – handmade and served from the Fleur De Lys kitchen.

All their artisan pies are encased in a shortcrust pastry with a puff pastry lid and, when enjoyed at the pub, come accompanied with chunky chips, seasonal veg and lashings of gravy. Uniquely, all the pies are also available to takeaway, either chilled or frozen for just £6!

The pies have also received national recognition, enjoying great success at The National Pie Awards in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

Current custodians Emma and Nick Woodhouse took over as licensees of the pub from Greene King nearly 12 years ago.

Emma said: “We’d decided to take on our first pub together and this place came up for sale. I remembered it because we used to go here when we were kids, my family would bring us here. I remember swinging on the willow trees over the canal.

“When we visited we knew immediately this place could be an absolute treasure chest. It’s the perfect location and exactly what you think an Old English country pub would be like. It’s so cozy with the log fires going in the winter and a beautiful canal-side garden to enjoy in the summer months.

“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved in our time here so far, making the pub much more family-focused but it’s always a work in progress.

“The village was so supportive of us and that first night that we were here, they all came out in force to greet us. Despite certain changes over the years, we have tried hard to keep honouring the character of the building. But the biggest compliment for us is when people say, ‘oh, I used to come here in the 50s for a pie through the kitchen hatch, and it’s just the same as it was then, but a bit nicer!’

“We strive to make people feel like they’re home away from home, so that whenever you’re here, there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.”

A Fleur de Lys is an ancient heraldic symbol of a lily flower with three petals. It can also mean an iris, which is botanically more correct as they do have three petals. It features on many coats of arms, including that of the British Royal Family.

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