Pub names

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The sign of the Saracen's Head in Broad Street, Bath, England
The sign of the Saracen's Head in Broad Street, Bath, England

The names of public houses have a story behind them. As many public houses are centuries old, many of their early customers were illiterate, and pictorial signs could be readily recognised when lettering and words could not be read.

Modern names are often little more than a marketing ploy or attempt ot create 'brand awareness', frequently using a comic theme thought to be memorable - Slug and Lettuce for the Pub chain being an example. Interesting origins are not confined to old or traditional names, however. Names and their origins can be broken up into a relatively small number of categories:

Although the word The appears on much public house signage, it is not considered to be an important part of the name, and is therefore ignored in the following examples. Likewise, the word Ye should also be ignored as it is only another version of The. The Y represents a now obsolete symbol (the thorn, still used in Icelandic) which represented the th sound and looked rather like a blackletter y.

Alternative spellings such as olde worlde are not distinguished below.

Contents

[edit] Alcohol related

  • Barley Mow : Barley is laid in a malting, watered and heated gently until the grain germinates. It is then cooked which kills the germination process and the result is called malt. Malt is the ingredient in beer which gives it its sweet taste and colour. The mow is a stack.
  • Barrels (barrel): A size of cask or keg 36 Imperial gallons in which liquids, normally beer, are kept. Other sizes are: pin, 36 pints; firkin, 9 gallons; kilderkin, 18 gallons; hogshead, 52 gallons; butt, probably 104 gallons.
  • Brewery Tap : A public house usually found outside a brewery although now so many breweries have closed, the house may be nowhere near an open brewery.
  • Hop Inn (Hops): Hop flowers are the ingredient in beer which gives it its bitter taste, though this name is really intended as a pun.
  • Hop Pole : The poles up which hops grow in the field.
  • John Barleycorn : A character similr to a Green Man who appears in English traditional folk music and folklore who is annually cut down at the ankles, trashed but always reappears; a representation of growth and harvest based on barley. Can be knighted as Sir John Barleycorn . A good candidate as the English God of Brewing.
  • Leather Bottle or Leathern Bottle : A container in which beer or wine was carried around as a handy drink, now succeeded by a bottle or can.
  • Malt Shovel : An implement used in a malting to turn over the barley grain.
  • Three Tuns (Tun) Based on the arms of both the Worshipful Company of Vintners and the Worshipful Company of Brewers two City of London guilds.

[edit] Found objects

Before painted inn signs became commonplace publicans would identify their establishment by hanging or standing a distinctive object outside the pub.

  • Boot
  • Copper Kettle
  • Crooked Billet (a bent branch from a tree)

[edit] Heraldry

The ubiquity of the naming element arms shows how fundamental heraldry is to the naming of pubs. Please remember the whole thing is called a coat of arms; the crest is only that bit on top of the shield.

[edit] Items appearing on coats of arms

  • Bear and Ragged Staff: a badge of the earls of Warwick. Refers to bear baiting (see Dog and Bear in the Sports section).
  • Checkers or Chequers: Often derived from the coat of arms of a local landowner (see Variation of the field#Chequy), this name and sign originated in ancient Rome when a chequer board indicated that a bar also provided banking services. The checked board was use as an aid to counting and is the origin of the word exchequer. The last pub to use the older, now American spelling of checker was in Baldock, Hertfordshire but this closed circa 1990; all pubs now use the modern "q" spelling.
  • Horns: Although this is often seen as a derivation of Richard II's white hart emblem, it may also be an echo of a pagan reference to Herne the Hunter.
  • Ostrich feathers have been used as a royal badge since the time of Edward III, particularly the Three Feathers badge of the Prince of Wales.
  • Red Dragon: The red dragon of Cadwaladr is the symbol of Wales.
  • Red Lion: Originally a badge of John of Gaunt, this became the most common inn name in England when James VI of Scotland inherited the throne of England and conjoined the rampant lion of Scotland with the three leopards of England.
  • Unicorn: Unicorn
  • White Bear: Bear
  • White Hart: The white hart was the emblem of King Richard II of England. It became so popular as an inn sign in his reign that it was adopted by many later inns and taverns. Richard II introduced legislation compelling public houses to display a sign and at one time the White Hart was almost a trade mark, such an unbiquitous pub name that it almost became synonymous with pubs in the same way that we call a vacuum cleaner a Hoover today.
  • White Horse: A galloping white horse is the sign of the House of Hanover and many eighteenth century inns adopted the symbol to demonstrate their loyalty to the new Royal dynasty. A white horse is also the emblem of the County of Kent. The name can also refer to the chalk horses carved into hillsides.
  • Rising Sun: symbol of the east and of optimism.

Names starting with the word "Three" are often based on the arms of a London Livery company or trade guild :

[edit] Landowners

Many names with "Arms" as a suffix refer to the local landowner and their specific Coat of Arms from Heraldry. This usually makes such names unique. Other signs, like those above, may portray items from the landowner's arms.

[edit] Location

An "arms" name can just derive from where the pub actually is.

  • Bedford Arms Hitchin, Hertfordshire: Takes its name from its address, Bedford Road, and portrays the arms of the town of Bedford. The more usual derivation is for the Duke of Bedford whose seat is at the nearby Woburn Abbey and all other houses (to my knowledge) show the noble gentleman's coat of arms.
  • Harpenden Arms: Situated in the middle of Harpenden, Hertfordshire. Was originally called the Railway as the pub is along the road from the railway station.

[edit] Occupations

See also Trades, tools and products below

Some "arms" signs refer to working occupations. These may show chaps undertaking such work or the arms of the appropriate London livery company. This class of name may be only just a name but there are stories behind some of them.

[edit] Historic events

[edit] Myths and legends

Images from myths and legends are evocative and memorable.

  • George and Dragon: St George is the patron saint of England and his conflict with a dragon is fundamental to his story. This sign is a symbol of English nationalism.
  • Green Man: The Green Man or spirit of the wildwoods. The original images are in churches as a face peering through or made of leaves and petals; this character is the Will of the Wisp, the Jack of the Green. Some pub signs will show the green man as he appears in English traditional sword dances (in green hats). The Green Man is not the same character as Robin Hood, although the two may be linked. Some pubs which were the Green Man have become the Robin Hood; there are no pubs in Robin's own county of Nottinghamshire named the Green Man but there are Robin Hoods.
  • Robin Hood: Probably the most famous of English folk heroes. A man who fought the repressive ruling régime and stole from the rich to give to the poor. According to popular legend, Robin Hood was based (with his band of Merry Men) in Sherwood Forest which is sited north of Nottingham. He is sometimes partnered by his second in charge to form the name Robin Hood and Little John. Other Robin Hood names can be found throughout Arnold, Nottinghamshire. These were given to pubs built in the new estates of the 1960s by the Home Brewery of Daybrook, Nottinghamshire: Arrow, Friar Tuck, Longbow, Maid Marian and Major Oak.

[edit] Personal names or titles

  • Hero of Norfolk, Swaffham, Norfolk: See Lord Nelson.
  • Marquis of Granby: John Manners, Marquess of Granby was a general in the 18th century. He showed a great concern for the welfare of his men upon their retirement and provided funds for many ex-soldiers to establish taverns, which were subsequently named after him.
  • Prince of Wales: see Royalty
  • Duke of Cambridge: (Duke of Cambridge)
  • Nell Gwyn: Nell Gwyn - mistress of King Charles II.
  • Lord Nelson: Horatio Nelson, the victorious Admiral, was born at Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk. It is a tradition to name pubs after Britain's war heroes and so Nelson is an obvious subject. Quite a common name (in its different forms) throughout England but there are especially a large numbers of Nelsons in Norfolk. The Hero of Norfolk at Swaffham, Norfolk shows Horatio on its sign. The Duke of Wellington is a similar one.

[edit] Places

[edit] The pub itself (including nicknames)

  • Crooked Chimney, Lemsford, Hertfordshire : The pub's chimney is distinctively crooked.
  • Crooked House Himley, Staffordshire: Actually this pub is the Glynne Arms, but is better known by its nickname. Because of mining subsidence, one side of the pub has a pronounced list — so much so it is difficult to put one's glass on a table without spilling beer. It is said if after leaving the pub you turn round and the building is perfectly perpendicular, you've had too much to drink.
  • Cupola House Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk: This is so named as it has a cupola on its roof.
  • Nutshell Bury St Edmunds: When one puts something in a nutshell, one is making it as small and compact as possible. This house is one of the foremost claimants as the smallest pub in the UK and maybe the world.

[edit] Puns and corruptions

Although puns became increasingly popular through the twentieth century, they should be considered with care. Supposed corruptions of foreign phrases usually have much simpler explanations.

  • Bag o'Nails: Thought by the romantic to be a corrupted version of "Bacchanals" but really is just a sign once used by ironmongers. The pub of this name in Bristol, England was named in the 1990s for the former reason, though the latter is more prevalent.
  • Bull and Mouth: Believed to celebrate the victory of Henry VIII at "Boulogne Mouth" or Harbour. Also applies to Bull and Bush (Boulogne Bouche).
  • Cat and Fiddle: a corruption of Caton le Fidèle (a governor of Calais loyal to King Edward III). Alternatively from Katherine la Fidèle, referring to the faithfulness of Katherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife.
  • Cock and Bull: a play on "cock and bull story". This term, in fact, derives from the names of two pubs in Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire named the Cock and the Bull which are close neighbours and rival coaching inns. There was a great rivalry between the clientele of the two houses and they would tell increasingly unbelievable stories of their own prowess. Thus, stories containing fictitious tosh are now known as "cock and bull stories".
  • Dew Drop Inn: A pun on "do drop in".
  • Dirty Habit: Sited on the route of the Pilgrims' Way, the name is a play on the contemptuous phrase and a reference to the clothing of monks who passed by on a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral.
  • Elephant and Castle: Possibly a corruption of "la Infanta de Castile". It is popularly believed amongst residents of Elephant and Castle that a 17th century publican near Newington named his tavern after the Spanish princess who was affianced to King Charles I of England. The prohibition of this marriage by Church authorities in 1623 was a cause of war with Spain so it seems unlikely to have been a popular name. A more probable and prosaic explanation is that the name derives from the arms of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers, the London trade guild (an elephant carrying a castle shaped howdah can also be seen on the arms of the City of Coventry).
  • Goat and Compasses: Believed by some to be a corrupted version of the phrase "God encompasseth us", but more likely to be based on the arms of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers. Cordwainers made shoes from goat skin.
  • Hop Inn: similar to the Dew Drop Inn.
  • Nowhere Plymouth: Wife calls husband on his mobile and asks where he is. He answers truthfully "Nowhere".
  • The Office: as above.
  • Nowhere Inn Particular: Another pun.
  • Swan With Two Necks: In the United Kingdom, swans have traditionally been the property of the reigning Monarch. However, in the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I granted the right to ownership of some swans to the Worshipful Company of Vintners. In order to be able to tell which Swan belonged to whom, it was decided that Vintners' swans should have their beaks marked with two notches, or nicks. In those days, 'neck' was another form of 'nick' and so the Vintners spotted that a Swan With Two Necks could afford them a rather clever pun, and a striking pub sign.

[edit] Religious

Public houses can take their names from religious symbolism

[edit] Royalty

Royal names have always been popular (except under Oliver Cromwell's rule during the Commonwealth). It demonstrated the landlord's loyalty to authority (whether he was loyal or not) especially after the Restoration of the Monarchy when Richard Cromwell (Oliver's son) was sacked and Charles II was brought back from exile.

See Royalty and Heraldry above.

[edit] Ships

[edit] Sports

[edit] Games

  • Cricketers: Can be sited near or opposite land on which cricket is (or was) played.
  • Cricket Players: A version of the Cricketers found in Nottingham and probably elsewhere.
  • Larwood and Voce West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire: Harold Larwood and Bill Voce were two internationally renowned fast-bowlers who played for Nottinghamshire and England between the world wars. This pub is at the side of the Trent Bridge cricket ground, the home of Notts.
  • Test Match West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire: An international game of cricket. This beautiful art deco pub is to be found near Trent Bridge, a ground on which test matches are played.
  • Trent Bridge Inn, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire: The most famous of cricketing pubs sited on the edge of the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground is not named after the ground but for the bridge itself. This was a strategic crossing place of the River Trent protected by Nottingham Castle. Ben Clark, the owner of the Inn in 1832 was a cricket enthusiast and decided he would like a cricket pitch in his back garden. It was that small pitch which evolved into one of the world's premier test match venues.

Football club nicknames can be used for pub names:

[edit] Hunting and other "blood" sports

[edit] Topography

  • Bishop's Finger: Named after a particular type of signpost found on the Pilgrims' Way in Kent, said to resemble a bishop's finger.
  • Castle: A castle is usually a dominantly unique feature of a place.
  • First In, Last Out: A pub on the edge of a town. It's the first pub on the way in and last on the way out. Does not refer to the habits of any of the pub's clientele as some signs suggest.
  • Half Way House: This one is situated half-way between two places but with the pub of this name at Camden Town it's anyone's guess which two places it's half-way between.
  • The First and Last: Formally called The Redesdale Arms, its nickname derives from the fact that it is the first pub you encounter when travelling south from Scotland into England, and it is the last pub if you are travelling north from England to Scotland, on the A68 between Rochester and Otterburn in Northumberland.
  • The Windmill: Windmills were a prominent feature of the local landscape at one point. Pubs with this name may no longer be situated near a standing mill, but there's a good chance they're close to a known site and will almost certainly be on a hill or other such breezy setting. Clues to the presence of a mill may also be found in the naming of local roads and features.

[edit] Trades, tools and products

Trades, Tools and Products, many trade names are based on Heraldry, (see above) or are just called the something-or-other Arms after a particular Coat of Arms

[edit] Transport

[edit] Air

[edit] Rail

  • Railway: A pub found near a railway line, or the site of a former railway (after the Beeching Axe).
  • Station: Like the Railway but usually near a railway station (either open or closed)
  • Railway and Bicycle pub next to the railway station in Sevenoaks, Kent.

Five stations on the London Underground system are named after pubs: Angel, Elephant & Castle, Manor House, Royal Oak and Swiss Cottage.
Mainline stations named after pubs include Bat and Ball in Sevenoaks

[edit] Road

  • Coach and Horses: A simple and common name found from Clerkenwell to Kew, Soho to Portsmouth.
  • Perseverance: Name of a stage coach. The Perseverance in Bedford probably alludes to John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Bedford being Mr Bunyan's home town.
  • Steamer Welwyn, Hertfordshire: It is found at the top of a steep hill where carriers required an extra horse (a cock-horse) to help get the wagon up the hill. After its exertion the cock-horse could be seen standing steaming on a cold day as its sweat evaporated.
  • Terminus: Usually found where a tram route once terminated, sited near the tram terminus.
  • Tram Depot Cambridge: Occupies the building which once was the stables of Cambridge's tramway depot.
  • Waggon and Horses: Another simple transport name (prior to American influence, the British English spelling of 'wagon' featured a double 'g'[1], retained on pub signs such as this one).
  • Wait for the Waggon Bedford and Wyboston, Bedfordshire: Probably a waiting place; the latter is sited on the Great North Road.

[edit] Water

[edit] Most common

An authoritative list of the most common pub names in Great Britain is hard to establish owing to ambiguity in what classifies as a public house as opposed to a licensed restaurant or nightclub, and so lists of this form tend to vary hugely. A 2007 survey by CAMRA of pubs contained in their database gave the following as the ten most common.[2] The number of each is given in parentheses.

  1. Crown (704)
  2. Red Lion (668)
  3. Royal Oak (541)
  4. Swan (451)
  5. White Hart (431)
  6. Railway (420)
  7. Plough (413)
  8. White Horse (379)
  9. Bell (378)
  10. New Inn (372)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bill Bryson, Mother Tongue, Penguin Books p169
  2. ^ press release. CAMRA.

[edit] External links