A pub sign is a sign of the times …

The purpose of a pub sign is obvious – but its origins less so.

The Romans brought wine to Britain and with it their Taverns (Tabernae)

A Roman tavern was signified by a bunch of vine leaves hung outside which indicated it had wine to sell.

However vine leaves were not readily available in the cold British climate… so and evergreen bush was hung out instead.

Taverns then began to stock local ale as well as the wine – and the first ‘Inns’ were created, which served travellers who used the new network of Roman roads.

‘Alestakes’ were also fast emerging.

If an alestake had an evergreen bush attached to it, this was a sign that the alehouse had wine to sell as well as ale.

• In 1375 alehouses in London were in such proliferation that their alestakes were causing a hazard in the narrow streets – so an order restricted their projection to a maximum of seven feet (2.1 metres).
• In 1393 King Richard II decreed that alehouses must show a sign or have its brew confiscated

Changes in legislation also meant the alestake was no longer required.

Alehouses, taverns (which sold wine) and inns adopted the practice of other trades and displayed a pictorial sign. Oddly they opted for objects totally unrelated to their trade; instead of a tool or product, such as a shoe in the case of the cobbler or a horseshoe by the blacksmith, they chose obscure objects such as the sun or moon, or a swan or eagle.

The hostelry did not assume the name of the sign, but was known as 'the inn at the sign of the sun'. There was little point writing on the signs as few people could read.

 Hostelries set up by the church would have a Christian symbol, the Lamb (Lamb of God), the Cross Keys (St.Peter, keeper of the keys to heaven) or the Bull (connected with Rome and the Pope’s seal). After the Reformation all catholic references were changed or hidden, the Pope’s Head a definite no-no, more likely to be renamed the King’s Head.

By the 17th century 'public houses' were quite numerous and needed to distinguish themselves from one another.

As a consequence their signs were becoming more important and sophisticated.

The purpose of the sign became more than just an indication of the building and its function, it was also a status symbol, the more flamboyant the sign the more impressive the establishment.

During the coaching era of the mid-17th century to the late 18th century, the coaching inns vied for trade, a street on a coaching route might have fifteen or twenty other inns in close proximity, therefore the sign was designed to attract the drivers attention

Some pub signs were attributed to great painters.

One of the pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Millais is supposed to have painted pub signs.

Pubs signs are a reflection on the long history of the pub and it is a shame that so many are being replaced without reference to the heritage of the pub or its original sign.

However this does reflect the influences on today’s society and the high literacy rate… where many people can now read!