Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-09-19
OLD TAVERN SIGNS.
Arms of Royalty, of Mobiles, and Of
The Church, md Rebuacs.

"'P W llill III az
Rome. Its popularity seems to have
spread In all the provinces of the old
Roman empire, and It remained a dis
tinctive inn sign IN these Islands and on
the continent ever since.
But while the roadside hostelr,es were
content with n bunch Of foliage, more
distinctive signs became necessary In
towns and cities, where taverns or inns
were often I'm close proximity.
Arms. badges, and crests of the noble
lords whose residents was near the inn
would usually be put over the door to
attract his numerous retainers or parti-
zans. Thus at Lewes the Three Pclicans
took its name from the fact that these
birds constituted the arms OF the Pelham
family.
In many cases, however, the lnnkocp-
crs, as well as the travellers, being unac-
quaintcd with the mysteries Of h%eraldry,
Hon gules or lion azure. went by tho
name Of Red Lion or Blue Lion, while
the two leopards argent In the arms of
the Dorset family were famillarly called
the Cats. The numerous lions. bulls, and
dragons OF nil shades, as we'll as mag
pies, crosses and crescents, which have
survived to the present day have all
some hcraldic origin.
Tho royal arms were, Of course, a ia
vprite sign then, as they are now and
the crown is undoubtedly ono Of the old
est English signs. In 1877 n certain Wal
ter walters. who kept the Crown In
Cheapsidc, lost his life for having made
the innocent cockney pun that he would
make his son heir 70 the Crown.
The different kings and queens heads
which have adorned English inns for
tho last nvc centuries are too numerous
to record. Henry VIII and Queen Eliza
beth have been by far the most popular
figures OF all royal modern signboards,
tho former being usually represented as
a merry hloated Bacchus, the personinca =
ton of iollity and good cheer.
After royal and heraldic siGnboards,
none were more numerous In medieval
England than those OF a religious char
actor. Besides the numerous church,
church gates. and church style inns
which are still to be met with in the
country there were many dedicated to
tho Virgin. saints. and dignitarics of the
church.
The salutatlon was A very popular sign
in re-Roformation times. representing the
a~nnunciation of the Virgin Mary. Even
now this sign IL still to be seen. one
;, '" o'S, Io,e'S ~ Il hHs u''-I'
most universally changed soon after th'
Reformation for an angel, the Virgin
Mary being painted over the angel Cab
q" wv "''"e "" ~ '"''
Curiously enough. many other taverr
signs Of Catholic England retained theii
popularity during and after the Retorma
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