Old Pub Signs of the Dengie 100
Burnham on Crouch and the Villages of the Dengie Hundred are fortunate in having many old Public Houses
These pubs often have a history behind their choice of name relating to the area or superstition of the time
Miler Christies was an eminent local historian of the late 1800's who researched Public House signs and names
In 1887 he published the Trade Signs of Essex which has been the source for most of this entry and is reccomended reading for those of you lucky enough to be able to trace a copy
The Green Man at Bradwell on Sea
Some explanation of the names of Dengie Pubs are listed below
The Bell is a common sign in old pubs it is due to our fondness for Church bell ringing and the veneration given to bells in more superstitious times
Black Lion is an uncommon name connected with the arms of Queen Philippa wife of Edward III or Owen Glendowner
Cap and Feathers was probably associated with the feathers as the emblem of the Prince of Wales which were worn in the Caps of Regiments that had the Prince of Wales as Commander in Chief which at one time included the Essex Regiment
Cricketers - Associated with the game of Cricket in the case of Bradwell on Sea probably the gentlemen who played Cricket at Down Hall
The Ferry Boat clearly refers to the Ferry which plied its trade next to the Public House
The Fox and Hounds and Huntsman and Hounds are very common in Rural Essex relating to Fox Hunting
The Green Man is common in the area of Epping Forest but rarer in Eastern Essex. The initial derivation was of Morris Dancers who traditionally danced in green during early medieval times but it then became more associated with foresters who wore a coat of green in the Essex Forest. By the seventeenth century the green man had been linked to Robin Hood who was a hero of the lowest classes
There are 49 Kings Head and 19 Queens Head Pubs as well as a Prince of Wales Pub in Essex. Although associated with royalty it is not possible to ascribe which Royal the pub commemerates
The Mill relates to a nearby Mill
New Welcome Sailor , Anchor, Ship, Barge and Oyster Smack both featured names related to the nautical trade possibly as early advertising to encourage trade from visiting sailors
Railway Hotel and Railway Arms relate to the nearby railway stations
The Red Lion is much more common and initially related to the badge of John of Gaunt although in recent years it also represented the emblem of Scotland to Scots who had moved south
The Round Bush related to a prominent tree near to the Round Bush when it was a beer house
The Star was the symbol of the Virgin Mary and it appeared as one of the badges of the De Vere family who were one of the most powerful families in Essex in later medieval times
Stone Inn and St Lawrence Inn take their names from the local nickname for the village and the village itself
Stow Bullocks (now closed) was originally called the Fly and the Bullock when William Pond was its landlord. This was derived from a flying bullock which was the emblem of St Luke
The Sun and Anchor is a mix of signs - The Sun is an ancient symbol often used by Kings and the anchor relates to the nautical trade
The Three Horseshoes appeared on the arms of the Farriers Company. Some Pubs bore this name due to the superstition of fastening a horseshoe over the doors of a house to frighten off witches and some because often beerhouses were run by farrier/blacksmiths who would carry out both trades from the same premises
White Hart is a very popular name with over 50 pubs in Essex. The White Hart was the favourite badge of King Richard II and used by Edward IV. The most famous White Hart was a coaching Inn at Bishopsgate, London which was the stopping point for most of the coaches from Essex
White Horse is probably related to the fondness of the owner for an animal or the preponderance of horses in that area although Horses play a part in heraldry
Victoria Inn related to Queen Victoria