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Pub signs |  |
When asking 'What did the Romans ever do for us?' the idea of pub signs can be added to the list. They started out as branches tied to poles which, when suspended outside a building would identify it as a taberna. Pub signs as we know them, with distinctive images, didn't start to emerge until the middle ages. Signs were the best way for a non-literate population to identify their watering holes and most other traders used them too. Thus when someone said, I'll meet you at the sign of the dog and duck, it meant eventually that the pub took its name from the sign, not vice versa, and became The Dog and Duck.
Many signs of course reflect historical events or something associated with their location. The Rose and Crown, for example, indicates loyalty to the Crown and is a reference to the Tudor rose. The High Oak, however, in my home town, refers only to the fact that it is situated in High Oak Road, which at one time was presumably home to this mighty tree. The Chequers pub name may indeed go back to Roman times as the chequered board sign was used to indicate that you could play the game at the premises - and no doubt have a drink too.
Here's a favourite local pub sign -
Now you may think that there are plenty of pub signs in the country and that they aren't disappearing. We're sticking our necks out on this one with the aid of two signs that have sprung up in our area recently. 'Bar Humbug' is one of the new style of pubs that seeks to do away with tradition, including the type of name and sign we've become accustomed to. The Duncombe arms, while still a fairly traditional pub, has seen fit to do away with its old style sign for the rather bland example we see here. Be afraid.
Copyright Disappearing Britain 2005
