The Bowsing Ken

The Pub Crawl

Guidebooks, history books and folklore books for the North American Public House tourist and enthusiast, plus a few guides for those lucky enough to head over the the UK and Ireland. 

British Inn Signs and Their Stories
by
Eric R. Delderfield
David & Charles Ltd, 1972

   The evolution of the inn sign in Great Britain - which includes not only inns, but the public houses, as well - can be traced back to the early Roman times, according to Mr. Eric R. Delderfield in his book, "British Inn Signs and Their Stories." The author relates that the very first sign which indicated some sort of hospitality - eating, drinking, sleeping - was a simple bunch of ivy vines and leaves, this of course being the symbol of Bacchus, the God of Wine. Since nobody could read back then, there was no use in making a sign with words on it, rather a proprietor would hang the aforementioned bunch of vines from a pole outside of his or her establishment to indicate "Drink is Sold Here." This is the same concept as a shoemaker suspending a big wooden shoe from a pole outside of his shop. You don't need to be able to read the word "shoe" to know what this guy does for a living, or this is where you get your boots fixed. So, a bunch of vines means "Come on in and have a drink" There are indications that this tradition was brought from the old country, as there is evidence of it use long ago in old Roman cities in Italy.

All this worked out quite well, that is until some of the Romano-British villages grew into larger towns and even larger cities. In this case, there could be one or more proprietors selling drink in close proximity of each other, and there had to be a way to tell one from the other. So, the landlord, in addition to, and later instead of, the vines would hang a sign with an image on it - let's say a swan. So, now after work, you and your mates want to go grab a quick pint, you could say, "Let's go for a pint at the Swan." Brilliant!
  In 1393, King Richard II made this the law of the land, proclaiming: "Whosoever shall brew ale in the town with intentions of selling it must hang out a sign, otherwise he shall forfeit his ale" This, of course, also let the tax man know where the pubs were. Yikes!
   Mr. Delderfield, in this book, tells the fascinating story of hundreds of inn and pub signs from all over Great Britain. This is a great history book, presented in a narrative format, rather than just a list of names, with sections covering the oldest signs, royalty-based signs, animal signs, military signs, etc..., as well as some oddities that really don't fit into any particular category.  I picked this book up a while back, in a used bookstore. If you can find a copy, I would highly recommend it - this is our kind of history.

(The) English Pub
by
Michael Jackson
1976

A great book by a great author  - Michael Jackson, assisted by Frank Smyth, one of Jackson's first drinking buddies. A highly readable, and heavily illustrated, examination of the English pub, including history, development and the future of the pub, circa 1976. Chapters on architecture, art, games, food, and, of course, beer. If you can find a copy of this book, pick it up.
  Like I said, this is a great book, published back in 1976, at a time when I was just getting underway with my life-long love of British things. Back then I was on a never ending hunt for British beer, which at the time was a real challenge to find in the U.S., I was devoted to Monty Python and I had just bought my first British car - a 1968 Sunbeam Alpine Mk V. I used this book as sort of a guide for my new avocation. It would be a few more years before I actually crossed the pond, but I could always experience the British pub experience vicariously through this book.
   In the spirit of civilized discussion, however, I would tend to respectfully disagree with Mr. Jackson one small point. He affirms early in the book about the uniqueness and the role of the English pub, which I would tend to agree with to a certain extent. He maintains, correctly so, that an English pub is an integral part of the local community. I agree. What I disagree with is his assertion that an American bar is a place "darkened by the long shadow of Prohibition," and that somehow it cannot bear the same attributes, particularly that sense of community, of an English pub. The U.S., and indeed North American, is full of bars, taverns, lounges, and may I dare say pubs, that are every bit a part of the local flavor, an important gathering place for the people of the community. Whether it's the corner bar in the heart of the big city, a small roadside hangout in a rural part of the countryside, or a lounge out in the suburbs, many of these places, like a good English pub, can often be considered just another room, an annex if you will, of one's own house. Heck, even a biker bar has its own sense of community, and is a very important aspect of the lives of its patrons.
 You see, I am not a strict adherent to cut and dried definitions. One may offer the opinion that a pub can only be a pub if it has this, this and this, so if it doesn't have this, this and this, then it can't be a pub. Nonsense! I am not sure how much time Mr. Jackson spent in the U.S., at the time he published this book, or how much experience he had with the drinking culture on this side of the Atlantic. Alas, Mr. Jackson is no longer with us, which is a pity because I would love to drink a few pints with him, and have a nice long chat on the subject. Cheers to Mr. Jackson.

Green Men & White Swans
The Folklore of British Pub Names
by
Jacqueline Simpson
Arrow Books, 2010

  The first pub I ever went to in the UK, many years ago, was called the Bag o' Nails, in London just south of Hyde Park. I was bleary eyed from the Trans-Lant flight, but quickly checked into my hotel and headed out for a couple of pints - just to help me relax, so to more easily nab a few hours of sleep.
  According to Jacqueline Simpson, in her book "Green Men & White Swans," the name "Bag o' Nails" could have a couple of origins. She writes:
  "This name, once common in London and elsewhere, was shown by Bryant Lillywhite on his "London Signs" (1972) to be a straight-forward example of the adoption of a trade emblem - in this case, the emblem of ironmongers. It has been included here because of a widespread and persistent claim that it is really a 'corruption' of the allegedly 'original' name Bacchanals or Bacchanalia, a rowdy Roman festival in honour of the wine god Bacchus. No evidence has been brought in support of this speculation, which like other such theories is more ingenious than convincing."
 Interestingly, in his book "British Inn Signs and Their Stories," Eric R. Delderfield states that: Another sign which has achieved a nickname from ignorance and mispronunciation is the "Bacchanales (sic), named after the followers of the God of Wine. This inevitably became Bag o' Nails."
  So, my question is this: Is there any evidence of a long ago pub, tavern or inn that went by the name Bacchus, Bacchanals or Bacchanalia. If so, then the possibility that the name, over many years, morphed into Bag o' Nails. Of course, the ironmonger explanation make a lot of sense. Actually, either one of these explanations is just fine with me, although the Bacchus connection is a bit more to my liking. 
   "Green Men & White Swans" is part history book, part folklore book, part encyclopedia, and to someone like me, part travel guide. Although I believe it was her intent to simply record the origins and histories of the hundreds of pub and inn names listed (remember, there could be dozens of pubs with the same name), it would still be interesting, and an enjoyable pursuit to say the least, to try and find an existing pub with one of these names. You could use this book as a sort of pub crawl checklist. Even if your journey is comprised solely of sitting in your comfortable easy chair, with a lovely pint of your favorite ale on the side table, this book is still a great read. It is packed with history, legend and lore - all about one of our favorite hobbies. Whenever I hear of a heretofore - to me, at least - unknown pub, this is one of the volume I refer to for more information.
  You can still find this book new in the book shops - pick up a copy.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail - 2015
by
The Kentucky Distillers' Association
 
    I think it is perfectly acceptable for this guide to be included here. I have been to several pubs in the UK and Ireland where the landlord proudly serves good old American bourbon, placing it on an equal footing with the locally produced whiskies. After all, most whiskies can trace their heritage back to a common ancestor, although that ancestor is still subject of heated debate.
   Regardless, on your North American public house travels you may want to give one of these bourbons a try. You will not be disappointed, while a taste comparison with other whiskies is a pleasurable pursuit. Line up a few wee drams of Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish whiskies, and perhaps a good Canadian Rye, or a Tennessee Sour Mash, and have a taste test. Experience the subtle, and not so subtle, differences or these diverse member of the same family lineage.
     Plus, if you are pub traveling in Kentucky, stop by one of these distilleries, for the complete story of their product.

For more information on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, please click on the link: Where The Spirit Leads You

Real Ale Pubs in Kent
by
CAMRA
Meresborough Books for CAMRA, 1982

Hey, a person can dream, can’t they? Heck, yes!!! I picked up this book on line just for the fun of it. Although I have done a decent bit of running around the UK, I have not had a chance to run around the County of Kent. I have flown over it a million time, on the way down to the continent, but never on the ground. And, even when I get a chance to travel through Kent, since this book was published back in 1982, I wonder how much many of these pubs are still serving a pint of fine ale. Still, it is an interesting piece of history. The public houses listed in this book number well over one thousand, 1,326 pubs in all. Wow! Although I know differently, one could hope that all of these pubs still exist today.
As with all of the CAMRA guide, there is a certain criteria that must be met for a pub to be included. A decent, cask conditioned ale, preferably locally brewed, should be on tap. Fair enough. This book was produced locally, by the folks who know the territory - none of whom were paid for their efforts. These folks use their local expertise to update the reader on the brewing scene in the county. Each pub is detailed - beer, food, music, games, etc…
One kind of neat thing about this book, which I did not know when I bought it, was that a previous owner seems to have been keeping track of the pubs he or she had the pleasure of visiting. Take Tunbridge Wells, for example. The previous owner had marked eight of the pubs in the village. There are at least that many more pubs in the town that he or she did not mark. Perhaps these pubs were on the schedule, but something intervened to prevent a visit. Who knows?

Real Beer in Suffolk
by
CAMRA

     I can't really remember where I picked up this little pamphlet, but where ever, whenever it was, clearly the title attracted my eye. Brought to us by the folks at the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), there is not a publication date listed, but I would say by the style of the artwork, perhaps sometime in the 1970s. It is a catalog of pubs in Suffolk County UK - which is on the east coast of the island -  that serve, and brewers that make, a real ale  Now, for the North American pub tourist this may not be applicable to your travels on this side of the pond, but it is listed here simply for the history of pubs and pub life. As a piece of historic ephemera, it would be fun to see how many of these pubs are still around (see below). This book is also full of humorous cartoons - all pub life oriented -  by Jill Cox, who was the cartoon illustrator for the East Anglian Daily Times.
    There are a lot of great pub names listed - the Witching Hour pub, the Eel's Foot pub, the Blooming Fushia pub, the Admiral's Head pub, the Turk's Head pub, the King's Head and the Queen's Head Pub. Then there is the Black Horse Pub, and of course the White Horse Pub. There is the Swan Pub - both a Black Swan and a White Swan, the White Hart pub, the Red Lion pub, and many more.

   Now, fast forward to today, and, speaking of CAMRA, here is their latest - well 2015, at least - guide to real ales, pubs, and pub life in the UK - CAMRA Good Beer Guide-2015. This book is edited by Roger Protz, although much of the information is submitted by CAMRA members living around the UK. The result is  very useful knowledge for your next rip across the pond. 
   So, I thought it would be interesting to compare the entries in pamphlet Real Beer of Suffolk with the CAMRA Good Beer Guide of 2015. It should be noted that the latter is not a comprehensive guide to all pubs in the UK, just some of the notables, so just because it does not show up in the 2015 book, does not mean a pub no longer exists. Several pubs listed in the older guide appear in the 2015 book. For example, in the town of Stutton the Gardners Arms pub is found in both book. Good to see.

You can contact the fine folks at CAMRA here: Click