The Golden Lion roars again

The Golden Lion is roaring again, according to one of the badges that I picked up on my visit to this historic building during Birmingham Heritage Week. I have been fortunate to have been around the Golden Lion on two previous occasions. Once just before the building was to be restored, there were holes in the walls. The place was dark and very dingy. The second time I visited was whilst it was being restored. This visit was very positive, with a look around at how Ratcliffe Restoration were undertaking the work. Both visits provided an insight into the amount of work that was required in restoring the Golden Lion back to a working building. Details of the project may be found on the Birmingham Conservation Trust website. This part of my photographic diary details the reopening of the Golden Lion which coincided with Birmingham Heritage Week.

I was so looking forward to seeing the Golden Lion after all the construction work and how successful this had been. I arrived late on a Sunday afternoon when the low rays of the sun were shining on the building. At a distance, the building glowed with the yellow colours of the walls reflecting the sun. The Golden Lion was living up to its name.

On arrival, I went through the gates and saw how sparkling clean and new the front of the building looked. The combination of the restored wooden timber with the yellow-tinged plasterwork looked amazing. Once inside, I discovered that the lower floor was busy, so I made my way up the stairs to view the large room on the first floor. Everything looked the same but different from my previous visits. The wooden beams stood out, crisscrossing the room and making striking geometric patterns. The sun was coming in through the windows, whilst looking outwards the view of the park on a warm September day was inviting.

By the time I went downstairs it was quiet and I was able to explore the space, which had been divided into two long rooms. The large rear doors were open to the park, allowing warm air and sunshine in. The dividing wall had the same timber pattern as the outside. There was a display where you could put wooden beams together through joints.

I went outside and met some of the volunteers, and this is where I got my badges. The surrounding grounds allowed people to mix and ato view the house. I met Irene, who had been my guide on my first two visits, and she stood very proud of the achievement and found time to talk to everyone who came through the gate.

The Golden Lion is now ready for its new journey, and I will return at a later date to see how it is enjoying its new life.

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