WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Whether traditional or quirky, the names of pubs and inns provide intriguing insights into Britain’s past, as a new book reveals

MARTYN ROUTLEDGE, ELSPETH WILLS

What would you call your pub if you become the new landlord? Pub names are largely Victorian in origin, although some trace their roots back further through the centuries. Traditionally, landlords could be quite conservative, with a tendency to look back rather than forwards. They often liked to be seen as royalists or to show respect to their local landowner by adopting the symbolism of their family crest. One example is The White Boar, the personal sign of Richard III until he lost his crown, and his life, to rival Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, thus ending the Wars of the Roses. After this event, publicans changed the name and sign of their pub to any colour except white – a fickle bunch! Landladies have tended…

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Britain (Digital) - 1 Issue, Mar/Apr 2025

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