,illustration3 ,,chelmsford ,,high ,,street ,,in #agfb4 7,reduced by ,photography from the ,larger ,engraving by ,j4 ,ryland47 ,,the ,,trade ,,signs ,,of ,,essex3 ,a ,popular ,account ,,of ,,the ,,origin ,,and ,,meanings ,,of ,,the ,public ,house ,other ,signs ,,now ,,or ,,formerly ,found in the ,county of ,essex4 ,,by ,,miller ,,christy1 ,author of 8,manitoba ,described10 8,the ,genus ,primula in ,essex10 8,our ,empire10 c4 ,,with ,,illustrations4 ,chelmsford3 ,,edmund ,,durrant ,,co41 #ij1 ,,high ,,street4 ,london3 ,,griffith1 ,,farran1 ,,okeden1 ,,and ,,welsh1 ,,west ,,corner ,,st4 ,,paul',s ,,churchyard4 ,,mdccclxxxvii4 ,illustration ,,preface4 8,prefaces to books says a learned author are like signs to public-houses4 ,they are intended to give one an idea of the kind of entertainment to be found within40 ,a student of the ancient and peculiarly interesting ,art of ,heraldry can hardly fail1 at an early period in his researches1 to be struck with the idea that some connection obviously exists between the various 8charges10 8crests10 8badges10 and 8supporters0 with which he is familiar1 and the curious designs now to be seen upon the sign-boards of many of our roadside inns1 and which were formerly displayed by most other houses of business4 ,on first noticing this relationship when commencing the study of ,heraldry1 somewhere about the year #ahgi1 it occurred to me that the subject was well worth following up4 ,it seemed to me that much interesting information would probably be brought to light by a careful examination of the numerous signs of my native county of ,essex4 ,still more desirable did this appear when1 after careful inquiry1 ,i found that 7so far as ,i was able to discover7 no more than three systematic treatises upon the subject had ever been published4 ,first and foremost among these stands ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten's ,history of ,sign-boards1#a a standard work which is evidently the result of a very large amount of labour and research4 ,i do not wish to conceal the extent to which ,i am indebted to it4 ,it is1 however1 to be regretted that the authors should have paid so much attention to ,london signs1 to the partial neglect of those in other parts of the country1 and that they should not have provided a more complete index2 but it is significant of the completeness of their work that the other two writers upon the subject have been able to add very little that is new1 beside mere local details4 ,a second dissertation upon the origin and use of trade-signs is to be found in a most interesting series of articles upon the signs of the ,town of ,derby1 contributed to the ,reliquary#b in #ahfg by the late ,mr4 ,llewellyn ,jewitt1 ,f4,s4,a41 the editor of that magazine2 while the third and last source of information is to be found in a lengthy pamphlet by ,mr4 ,wm4 ,pengelly1 ,f4,r4,s41 treating in detail of the ,devonshire signs4#c ,on the ,continent the literature of signs is much more voluminous4 ,among the chief works may be mentioned ,mons4 ,j4 ,d4 ,blavignac's ,histoire des ,enseignes d',htelleries1 d',auberges1 et de ,cabarets2#d ,mons4 ,edouard ,fournier's ,histoire des ,enseignes de ,paris2#e and ,mons4 ,eustache de ,la ,qurire's ,recherches ,historiques sur les ,enseignes des ,maisons ,particulires4#f ,it should be pointed out here that1 although in what follows a good deal has been said as to the age and past history of many of the best-known ,essex inns1 this is1 strictly speaking1 a treatise on ,signs and ,sign-boards only4 ,the two subjects are1 however1 so closely connected that ,i have found it best to treat them as one4 ,there will1 doubtless1 be many who will say that much of what ,i have hereafter advanced is of too speculative a nature to be of real value4 ,they will declare1 too1 that ,i have shown far too great a readiness to ascribe to an heraldic origin1 signs which are at least as likely to have been derived from some other source4 ,to these objections ,i may fairly reply that as1 in most cases1 no means now exist of discovering the precise mode of origination1 centuries ago1 of many of our modern signs1 it is impossible to do much more than speculate as to their derivation2 and the fact that it has been found possible to ascribe such large numbers to a probable heraldic origin affords1 to my thinking1 all the excuse that is needed for so many attempts having been made to show that others have been derived from the same source4 ,no one is more fully aware than ,i am of the incompleteness of my work4 ,many very interesting facts relating to ,essex inns and their signs have unquestionably been omitted4 ,but the search after all such facts is practically an endless one4 ,if1 for instance1 ,i had been able to state the history of all the inns and their signs in every town and village in the county with the completeness with which 7thanks to ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king7 ,i have been enabled to treat those of ,leigh1 ,i should have swelled my book to encyclopdic dimensions1 and should have had to ask for it a prohibitory price4 ,in a treatise involving such an immense amount of minute detail1 it is impossible to avoid some errors4 ,my hope is1 however1 that these are not many4 ,i shall always be glad to have pointed out to me any oversights which may be detected1 and ,i shall be not less glad at all times to receive any additional facts which my readers may be kind enough to send me4 ,i regret that it has been necessary to make use of some old heraldic terms which the general reader will probably not at first understand4 ,this1 however1 was quite unavoidable4 ,the meaning of these terms will be at once made clear on reference to the ,glossary given at the end of the work1 as an ,appendix4 ,according to the list given in the last edition of the ,essex ,post ,office ,directory there are now existing in the county no less than one thousand1 three hundred and fifty-five inns and public-houses4 ,the signs of all these have been classified1 arranged under various headings1 and treated of in turn1 together with a very large number of others which have existed in the county during the last two centuries and a half1 but have now disappeared4 ,information as to these has been collected by means of a careful examination of the trade-tokens of the seventeenth century1 old ,essex ,directories1 early books and pamphlets relating to the county1 old deeds and records1 the early issues of the ,chelmsford ,chronicle 7now the ,essex ,county ,chronicle71 and other newspapers1 c41 c4 ,altogether it will be found ,i have been able to enumerate no less than #fic distinct signs as now or formerly occurring in ,essex4 ,i am indebted to a large number of gentlemen who have most kindly assisted me by supplying me with information1 suggestions1 c41 during the eight years ,i have been gathering material for the present book4 ,first and foremost among these ,i must mention ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king of ,leigh1 ,hon4 ,secretary to the ,essex ,archological ,society1 who1 as he says1 8knows the descent of nearly every house and plot of ground in the parish for two or three generations1 and the name of every owner40 ,among other gentlemen to whom ,i am indebted in varying degrees1 ,i may mention ,mr4 ,g4 ,f4 ,beaumont1 ,mr4 ,fred4 ,chancellor1 that veteran ,essex archologist ,mr4 ,joseph ,clarke1 ,f4,s4,a41 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,cole1 ,f4,e4,s41 ,hon4 ,secretary of the ,essex ,field ,club1 ,mr4 ,thos4 ,b4 ,daniell1 the ,rev4 ,h4 ,l4 ,elliot1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,k4 ,probert1 ,mr4 ,g4 ,n4 ,maynard1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,ecroyd ,smith1 and others1 ,i have also to express my thanks to the following gentlemen1 magistrates' clerks to the various ,petty ,sessional ,divisions of ,essex1 who have most kindly supplied me with lists of such beer-houses as have signs in their respective divisions3--,messrs4 ,a4 ,j4 ,arthy 7,rochford71 ,jos4 ,beaumont 7,dengie71 ,w4 ,bindon ,blood 7,witham71 ,j4 and ,j4 ,t4 ,collin 7,saffron ,walden71 ,g4 ,creed 7,epping and ,harlow71 ,augustus ,cunnington 7,freshwell and ,south ,hinckford71 ,w4 ,w4 ,duffield 7,chelmsford71 ,h4 ,s4 ,haynes 7,havering71 ,a4 ,h4 ,hunt 7,orsett71 and ,chas4 ,smith 7,ongar74 ,i have also to thank the ,essex ,archological ,society for the use of the four blocks of the ,de ,vere badges appearing on p4 #gj2 the ,essex ,field ,club for that of the ,rose ,inn1 ,peldon1 on p4 #aah2 ,messrs4 ,chambers ,sons of #bb1 ,wilson ,street1 ,finsbury1 for that of the ,brewers' ,arms on p4 #cb2 ,messrs4 ,couchman ,co4 of #ad1 ,throgmorton ,street1 ,e4,c41 for that of the ,drapers' ,arms on p4 #dj2 and the ,brewers'1 ,drapers' and ,butchers' ,companies for kindly allowing me to insert cuts of their arms4 ,to my cousin1 ,miss ,s4 ,christy1 ,i am indebted for kindly drawing the illustrations appearing on pp4 #hg and #adj4 ,portions of the ,introduction and other parts of the book have already appeared in an altered form in ,chambers's ,journal 7,jan41 #ahhg1 p4 #ghe71 and ,i am indebted to the editor for permission to reprint4 ,finally1 ,i have to thank the ,subscribers1 who1 by kindly ordering copies1 have diminished the loss which almost invariably attends the publication of works of this nature4 ,as the book has already extended to considerably more space than was originally intended1 ,i trust the ,subscribers will excuse the omission of the customary list4 ,illustration3 signature of ,miller ,christy ,,chelmsford1 ,february #a1 #ahhg4 ,illustration ,illustration ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,page ,,introduction #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,heraldic ,,signs #bi ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,mammalian ,,signs #df ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,ornithological ,,signs #ia ,,chapter ,v4 ,,piscatory1 ,,insect1 ,,and ,,reptilian ,,signs #ajc ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,botanical ,,signs #ajg ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,human ,,signs #abj ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,nautical ,,signs #acd ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,astronomical ,,signs #adh ,,chapter ,x4 ,,miscellaneous ,,signs #aec ,,glossary ,,of ,,heraldic ,,terms ,,used #agf ,,index ,,to ,,names ,,of ,,signs1 ,c4 #agg ,illustration ,the ,trade ,signs of ,essex4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,introduction4 8,the county god1 444 ,whose blazing wyvern weather-cocked the spire1 ,stood from his walls1 and winged his entry-gates1 ,and swang besides on many a windy sign40 ,,tennyson3 ,aylmer's ,field4 ,the use of signs as a means of distinguishing different houses of business1 is a custom which has come down to us from times of great antiquity4 ,nevertheless1 it is not at all difficult to discover the reasons which first led to their being employed4 ,in days when only an infinitesimally small proportion of the population could read1 it would obviously have been absurd for a tradesman to have inscribed above his door his name and occupation1 or the number of his house1 as is now done4 ,such inscriptions as 8,sutton ,sons1 ,seedsmen10 or 8,pears ,co41 ,soapmakers10 would then have been quite useless as a means of distinguishing the particular houses that bore them2 but1 if each dealer displayed conspicuously before his place of business a painted representation of the wares he sold1 the arms of the ,trade-,guild to which he belonged1 or those of his landlord or patron1 or some other device by which his house might be known1 there would be little probability of mistake4 ,if the sign thus displayed indicated the nature of the wares sold within1 it would answer a double purpose4 ,signs1 too1 would be especially useful in distinguishing different establishments in times when many members of the same craft resided1 as they used formerly to do1 in one street or district4 ,although this habit has now largely disappeared in ,england1 in the cities of the ,east each trade is still chiefly confined to its own special quarter4 ,in considering the subject of how signs originally came into use1 it must never be forgotten that1 in bygone times1 they were not confined1 as now1 almost exclusively to 8public-houses40 ,we have still1 among others1 the sign of the ,,pole for a barber1 the ,,rod ,,and ,,fish for a tackle-dealer1 the ,,black ,,boy for a tobacconist1 the ,,golden ,,balls for a pawnbroker2 but formerly the proprietor of nearly every house of business1 and even of private residences1 displayed his own particular sign1 just as the keepers of inns and taverns do now4 ,for instance1 an examination of the title-page of almost any book1 published a couple of centuries or so ago1 will show an imprint something like the following3--8,printed for ,timothy ,childe at the ,,white ,,hart in ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard2 and for ,thos4 ,varnam and ,john ,osborn at the ,,oxford ,,arms in ,lombard ,st4 ,,mdccxii40 ,again1 ,sir ,richard ,baker's quaint ,chronicles of the ,kings of ,england was printed in #afhd1 8for ,h4 ,sawbridge at the ,,bible on ,ludgate ,hill1 ,b4 ,tooke at the ,,ship in ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard1 and ,t4 ,sawbridge at the ,,three ,,flower-,,de-,,luces in ,little ,brittain40 ,as a further example of the use of signs in former times by booksellers1 in common with other tradesmen1 it may be mentioned that1 according to a writer in ,frazer's ,magazine 7#ahde1 vol4 xxxii4 p4 #fgf7-- 8,the first edition of ,shakespeare's ,venus and ,adonis1 and the first edition of his ,rape of ,lucrece1 were #8sold by ,john ,harrison at the sign of the ,,white ,,greyhound in ,saint ,paul's ,churchyard2' and the first edition of ,shepheard's ,kalender by #8,hugh ,singleton1 dwelling at the ,,golden ,,tun1 in ,creed ,lane1 near unto ,ludgate4' ,the first edition of ,the ,merry ,wives of ,windsor was sold at the ,,flower ,,de ,,leuse ,,and ,,crowne in ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard2 the first edition of the ,midsummer ,night's ,dream at the ,,white ,,hart in ,fleet ,street2 the first edition of the ,merchant of ,venice at the ,,green ,,dragon in ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard2 the first edition of ,richard ,,iii4 at the ,,angel1 and the first edition of ,richard ,,ii4 at the ,,fox1 both in ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard2 the first edition of ,henry ,v4 was sold at the ,,cat ,,and ,,parrots in ,cornhill2 the first edition of ,lear at the ,,pied ,,bull in ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard2 and the first edition of ,othello #8at the ,,eagle ,,and ,,child in ,britain's ,bourse'--i4e41 the ,new ,exchange40 ,were announcements similar to these to appear on any modern book1 it would certainly give many persons the impression that the work had been printed at a 8public-house40 ,again1 on the cheques1 and over the door of ,messrs4 ,hoare1 bankers1 of ,fleet ,street1 may still be seen a representation of the ,,leather ,,bottle which formed their sign in ,cheapside at least as long ago as the year #afgg4 ,in ,paris1 to the present day1 sellers of 8bois et charbons0 7wood and charcoal or coals7 invariably have the fronts of their establishments1 facing the street1 painted in a manner intended to convey the impression that the house is built of rough logs of wood4 ,this device1 although not displayed upon a sign-board1 forms1 in every respect1 a true trade-sign4 ,in all parts of ,france1 signs still retain much more of their ancient glory than they do in ,england4 ,though not common in the newer and more fashionable streets and boulevards1 they are abundant in the older quarters of ,paris1 ,rouen1 and other large towns4 ,they are much oftener pictorial or graven than with us1 and it is notable that they are used almost1 or quite1 as frequently by shopkeepers and other tradesmen as by the keepers of wine-shops1 inns1 and taverns4 ,the sign1 too1 very often represents the wares sold within4 ,nowadays1 however1 the old custom of displaying a sign finds favour with very few ,english tradesmen1 except the keepers of inns and taverns2 and even they have allowed the custom to sink to such depths of degradation that the great majority of sign-boards now bear only the name of the house in print3 consequently the reason which led originally to the use of signs--the necessity for pictorial representation when few could read--is no longer obvious4 ,it may be truly said that the great spread of education among all classes during the present century has given a death-blow alike to the use of signs in trade and to the art of the sign-painter4 ,this1 to be sure1 is hardly a matter to call for regret on its own account4 ,nevertheless1 the great decline in the use of the old-fashioned pictorial sign-board is to be regretted for many reasons4 ,the signs which our forefathers made use of have interwoven themselves with our whole domestic1 and even1 to some extent1 with our political1 history4 ,in losing them we are losing one of the well-known landmarks of the past4 ,sign-boards of the real old sort have about them an amount of interest which is sufficient to surprise those who care to take trouble in studying them4 ,dr4 ,brewer very truly says1 in his ,dictionary of ,phrase and ,fable3--8,much of a nation's history1 and more of its manners and feelings1 may be gleaned from its public-house signs40 ,the sign-boards themselves tell us 7as has already been pointed out7 of the habit our forefathers had of crowding together in one street or district all those who were of a like occupation or profession4 ,they tell us also of the deep ignorance of the masses of the people in days when sign-boards were a necessity4 ,and when it is remembered that it was only so lately as the beginning of the present century that the knowledge of reading and writing became sufficiently widespread to allow the numbering of houses to come into general use as a means of distinguishing one house from another1 it will be easily seen that the sign-boards of 7say7 two centuries ago played a very important1 and even an essential1 part in the commercial world of those days4 ,but a study of the various devices that appear even on modern sign-boards will teach us still more of the doings of our ancestors4 ,they tell us of the wares our forefathers made and dealt in1 of the superstitious beliefs they held1 of the party strifes in which they engaged1 and of the great titled families which had so large a share in the making of ,english history--in short1 the devices seen1 even on modern sign-boards1 afford1 to those who can and care to read them1 no mean picture both of medival and more modern times4 ,it was well remarked in an early number of the ,gentleman's ,magazine 7#agch1 vol4 viii4 p4 #ebf71 that 8,the ,people of ,england are a nation of ,politicians1 from the ,first ,minister down to the cobbler1 and peculiarly remarkable for hanging out their principles upon their sign-posts40 ,some of our modern ,essex signs1 for instance1 are relics 7as will be more clearly pointed out hereafter7 of what were once staple industries in the county1 though now all but unknown in it4 ,thus the signs of the ,,woolpack 7p4 #gi71 the ,,shears 7p4 #da71 and the ,,golden ,,fleece 7p4 #gh7 are all mementoes of the time when the woollen trade flourished in ,essex4 ,the sign of the ,,hop-,,poles 7p4 #aaa7 reminds us of the time when hop-growing formed a considerable industry in the county4 ,our various ,,blue ,,boars 7p4 #fh7 speak to us of the noble and once mighty ,essex family of ,de ,vere1 which formerly wielded a great power in ,england4 ,these are but a few instances4 ,others will occur to every one who peruses the following pages4 ,at the present day1 too1 there is scarcely a village in the county that has not some street1 square1 or lane named after an inn-sign1 as1 for instance1 ,sun ,street1 ,eagle ,lane1 ,swan ,street1 ,falcon ,square1 ,lion ,walk1 ,greyhound ,lane1 c4 ,in ,london1 or ,paris1 the connection is still closer4 ,surely1 then1 although signs are no longer of great or urgent importance to us in the daily routine of our ordinary business life1 an inquiry into their past history will be a matter of much interest1 especially as comparatively little has hitherto been written about them4 ,nevertheless1 although it is certain that 7as has been stated7 not a few of our present signs have been derived from emblems of industries now decayed and the armorial bearings of ancient county families1 the fact cannot be overlooked that in a great many cases these particular signs1 as now displayed by particular houses1 have only very recently come into use4 ,that is to say1 they are only indirectly derived from the sources named1 having been selected because1 perhaps1 some neighbouring and really ancient inn 7which derived its sign directly7 was known to have long borne that sign4 ,there can be no doubt 7as ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king writes7 that-- 8,the very large majority of country inns are comparatively modern1 both as to signs and sites4 ,elsewhere1 as here ,leigh1 ,i suspect they have been moved and removed again and again--old signs shifted1 and often changed altogether4 ,i remember the late ,mr4 ,edward ,woodard1 of ,billericay1 telling me some years ago that the inns of that town had been changed again and again3 that is1 what are now private residences were formerly inns1 and vice versa4 ,this he knew from the evidence of conveyances which had passed through his hands professionally4 ,i have no doubt that every town would show the same facts if only one could get sufficient evidence4 ,at the same time1 of course1 some inns are very old indeed1 both as to sites and signs40 ,the great decay in the use of inn-signs of the real old sort has1 it is much to be feared1 now gone too far to be arrested1 however much it may be regretted4 ,in ,essex1 probably not five per cent4 of our sign-boards are now pictorial4 ,even in the remote and sleepy little town of ,thaxted very few of the inns now possess pictorial signs4 ,here and there1 however1 throughout the county one may still come across a few such1 and several excellent examples will be hereafter alluded to4 ,probably no better idea can now be obtained in ,essex of an old-fashioned thoroughfare than in the broad ,high ,street at ,epping4 ,from one point no less than ten sign-boards may be seen1 all swinging over the pavement in the ancient style4 ,only one1 however1 the ,,white ,,lion1 is now pictorial4 ,the number of inns in ,grays1 too1 is very large4 ,it has been stated in print that 8for its size1 it contains more than any other town in ,england40 ,in the narrow ,tindal ,street at ,chelmsford the sign-boards still swing across the street in the old style1 and are hung upon the old supports4 ,the best example is that which supports the sign of the ,,spotted ,,dog4 ,witham has many inns1 nearly all of which have their sign-boards hanging over the pavement1 but neither they nor their supports are of much interest4 ,colchester has hardly such a thing as a projecting sign-board1 let alone pictorial signs4 ,castle ,hedingham1 for its size1 probably has more pictorial signs than any other ,essex town1 the ,,bell1 the ,,crown1 the ,,three ,,crowns1 and the ,,rising ,,sun being all thus represented4 ,except the sign-iron of the ,six ,bells 7p4 #afh71 ,dunmow contains but little of sign-board interest4 ,the only pictorial sign-board in ,ongar is that of the ,,cock4 ,several signs and sign-irons in ,bardfield are hereafter noticed 7pp4 #agj and #afi74 ,in the ,high ,street at ,romford are many very old inns1 but their signs are all script4 ,at ,leigh there are many inns1 the most ancient of which1 in the opinion of ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king1 are the ,,crown and the ,,hamboro' ,,merchants' ,,arms1 though the ,,george was originally the more important4 ,the following interesting list of inns in the ,epping ,division in ,september1 #aghi1 has been kindly contributed by ,mr4 ,g4 ,creed of ,epping3-- ,,chingford3 ,king's ,head1 ,bull4 ,,epping3 ,white ,lion1 ,bell1 ,cock1 ,swan1 ,black ,lion1 ,epping ,place1 ,cock and ,magpie1 ,green ,man1 ,globe1 ,george1 ,rose and ,crown1 ,thatched ,house1 ,white ,hart1 ,harp1 ,white ,horse1 ,sun1 ,chequers4 ,,nazing3 ,chequer1 ,sun1 ,coach and ,horses1 ,crown1 ,king ,harold's ,head4 ,,roydon3 ,fish and ,eels1 ,black ,swan1 ,new ,inn1 ,white ,hart1 ,green ,man4 ,,waltham ,,abbey3 ,owl1 ,green ,man1 ,harp1 ,greyhound1 ,ship1 ,cock1 ,chequer1 ,angel1 ,rose and ,crown1 ,red ,lion1 ,bull's ,head1 ,three ,tons 7sic71 ,sun1 ,cock1 ,new ,inn1 ,green ,dragon1 ,white ,horse1 ,compasses1 ,white ,lion1 ,king's ,arms4 ,,chigwell3 ,three ,jolly ,wheelers1 ,roebuck1 ,king's ,head1 ,maypole1 ,bald ,hind1 ,fox and ,hounds1 ,bald ,stag4 ,,loughton3 ,reindeer1 ,crown1 ,king's ,head1 ,plume of ,feathers4 ,,moreton3 ,nag's ,head1 ,green ,man1 ,white ,hart4 ,,north ,,weald3 ,rainbow1 ,king's ,head4 ,,stanford ,,rivers3 ,white ,bear1 ,green ,man4 ,,theydon ,,bois3 ,white ,hart4 ,,theydon ,,garnon3 ,merry ,fiddlers4 ,,great ,,hallingbury3 ,george4 ,,latton3 ,sun and ,whalebone1 ,bush ,fair ,house4 ,,fyfield3 ,black ,bull1 ,queen's ,head4 ,,lambourne3 ,white ,hart1 ,blue ,boar4 ,,high ,,laver3 ,chequer4 ,,little ,,laver3 ,leather ,bottle4 ,,magdalen ,,laver3 ,green ,man4 ,,chipping ,,ongar3 ,white ,horse1 ,king's ,head1 ,anchor1 ,crown1 ,red ,lion1 ,bull1 ,cock4 ,,high ,,ongar3 ,red ,lion1 ,white ,horse1 ,two ,brewers4 ,,harlow3 ,king's ,head1 ,black ,bull1 ,george1 ,green ,man1 ,white ,horse1 ,horns and ,horseshoes1 ,queen's ,head1 ,black ,lion1 ,marquis of ,granby4 ,,hatfield ,,broad ,,oak3 ,plume of ,feathers1 ,white ,horse1 ,cock1 ,duke's ,head1 ,bald-,faced ,stag1 ,red ,lion1 ,crown4 ,,sheering3 ,crown1 ,cock4 ,,netteswell3 ,white ,horse1 ,chequer4 ,,great ,,parndon3 ,cock1 ,three ,horse ,shoes4 ,in the last edition of the ,london ,directory1 #hb firms are still described as 8sign-painters10 and in the ,essex ,directory1 #aj2 but it is certain that most of these follow also some other trade than sign-painting4 ,in some cases artists of eminence have been known to paint signs for inns1 but there does not appear to have been any notable instances of this in ,essex4 ,as a rule our pictorial sign-boards are not works of art4 ,that this is a common failing elsewhere1 is shown by the fact that the ,french say of a bad portrait or picture1 8qu'il n'est bon qu' faire une enseigne bire40 ,signs1 it must be admitted1 are among those things which the enlightenment of this go-ahead nineteenth century is rapidly improving off the face of the earth4 ,yet one cannot but agree with the writer in ,frazer's ,magazine1 already quoted1 who aptly observes that it is a thousand pities the old signs were ever taken down4 8,men might10 he says1 8read something of history 7to say nothing of a hash of heraldry7 in their different devices40 ,this decay in the use of inn-signs1 however1 is no greater than the decline in importance of the inns themselves4 ,these have within quite recent years fallen from a position of great eminence and prosperity to one of comparative degradation4 ,up to about fifty years ago1 inns were the centres round which most events of the time revolved4 ,they combined within themselves1 to a very large extent1 the various uses to which modern clubs1 reading-rooms1 institutes1 railway stations1 restaurants1 eating-houses1 hotels1 public-houses1 livery-stables1 and the like are now severally put4 ,at present the majority of our inns are little more than tippling-houses or drinking-places for the poorer classes4 ,the upper stratum of society has but little connection with them1 beyond receiving their rents4 ,nothing has done more to promote this lowering of the status of modern inns in general than the disuse of coaching4 ,inns were the starting-points and destinations of the old coaches1 and travellers naturally put up and took their meals at them4 ,now people travel by rail1 stop at railway stations1 put up at the 8,railway ,hotel10 and get their meals in the station 8refreshment rooms40 ,in days1 too1 when country inns formed the stopping-places of the coaches they naturally became important centres of information4 ,in this they answered the purpose to which clubs1 institutes1 reading-rooms1 and the like are now put4 ,the cheap newspapers of to-day have given another serious shock to the old tavern life of last century4 ,then1 too1 the innumerable horses1 needed for the many coaches on the great high-roads of fifty or a hundred years ago1 were kept at the inns1 to the great advantage of the latter4 ,now the various railway companies1 of course1 provide their own engines1 and the old-fashioned inns have to content themselves with a very limited posting or omnibus business4 ,it is1 indeed1 not too much to say that in the old coaching days a small town or village on any main road often consisted largely or almost entirely of inns1 and lived upon the traffic4 ,supplying the necessaries for this traffic may be said to have been 8the local industry0 by which the inhabitants of such places lived4 ,evidences of this may be gained from not a few old books4 ,thus in ,ogilby's ,traveller's ,guide1 a book of the roads published in #afii1 ,bow1 near ,stratford1 is said to be 8full of inns10 while ,stratford and ,kelvedon are both spoken of as 8consisting chiefly of inns40 ,again1 in ,daniel ,defoe's ,tour through the whole ,island of ,great ,britain1 published in #agbd 7vol4 i4 p4 #eb71 it is said that-- 8,brent-,wood and ,ingarstone1 and even ,chelmsford itself1 have very little to be said of them1 but that they are large thorough-fair ,towns1 full of good ,inns1 and chiefly maintained by the excessive ,multitude of ,carriers and ,passengers1 which are constantly passing this ,way1 with ,droves of ,cattle1 ,provisions1 and ,manufactures for ,london40 ,few persons of the present day have any adequate idea of the extent to which tavern life influenced thought and manners seventy1 eighty1 or one hundred years ago4 ,each man then had his tavern1 much as we now have our clubs and reading-rooms4 ,there he met his friends every evening1 discussed the political questions of the day1 talked over business topics1 and heard the expensive and highly-valued ,london newspapers read aloud4 ,dickens1 in ,barnaby ,rudge1 has well sketched the select village company1 which1 for forty or fifty years1 had met nightly in the bar of the old ,,maypole to tipple and debate4 ,ale was the universal beverage on these occasions1 and the fame of any given tavern was great or small according to the skill of the landlord or his servants in producing this beverage4 ,it was not then1 as now1 the product of colossal breweries at ,burton1 ,romford1 or elsewhere1 but was entirely brewed upon the premises of those who retailed it4 ,such customs as these1 however1 are now almost entirely of the past4 ,we will now return once more to the discussion of sign-boards and their modern degeneration4 ,when signs were in general use by all tradesmen1 it was but natural that people should endeavour to outvie one another in the prominence and obtrusiveness of their sign-boards4 ,exactly the same thing may be seen at the present day on any hoarding which the bill-sticker has ornamented with his flaring posters4 ,these are of all imaginable colours and designs1 in order to advertise and draw attention to the wares of rival tradesmen1 each of whom endeavours to obtain greater publicity and attract more attention than his neighbour4 ,many were the devices made use of a century or more ago to draw attention to the sign-boards of those times4 ,some of the boards were made of enormous size2 others were painted in flaring colours2 others bore striking or amusing devices1 likely to be remembered by those who saw them2 while others were projected far out into the street1 or hung in elaborate and ornamental frameworks of iron4 ,when each man endeavoured to outdo his neighbour in these particulars1 it may well be imagined that no slight inconvenience was caused to the public4 ,complaints that the size and prominence of the sign-boards in the ,london streets prevented the access of sunlight and the free circulation of the air began to be heard1 according to ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten1 as early as the beginning of the fifteenth century1 and an order was made to do away with the nuisance4 ,in the course of time1 however1 the evil grew again1 till ,charles ,,ii41 in #affg1 8ordered that in all the streets no sign-board shall hang across1 but that the sign shall be fixed against the balconies1 or some convenient part of the side of the house40 ,again1 however1 the nuisance grew1 and in #agfb large powers were once more granted for clearing away the too obtrusive sign-boards1 and very many were taken down4 ,in ,france and other continental countries the same evil has had to be grappled with4 ,time after time1 as reference to the works previously mentioned will show1 the police of ,paris and other large towns have issued orders concerning the pulling down and putting up of sign-boards4 ,all ,parisian signs are1 consequently1 now fastened to the fronts of the houses4 ,this regulation of sign-boards is not altogether unknown1 even at the present day1 in ,england4 ,in the ,sussex ,daily ,news as lately as last ,october there appeared an account of the removal of two sign-boards that had recently been erected in two of the principal streets of ,brighton4 ,these boards1 measuring respectively #dh inches by #cj1 and #dh inches by #ah1 were swung over the pavement at the respective heights of #ae feet and #ab feet2 yet1 although there are scores of more obstructive sign-boards and sun-blinds in the borough1 the somewhat over-officious ,works ,committee of the ,corporation ordered that they should be removed by the surveyor1 and the cost of so doing recovered from their owners1 because1 in the opinion of the ,committee1 such boards were 8public annoyances and nuisances1 by reason of their projecting over the highways and annoying the public passage along the streets40 ,presumably it is within the power of any ,local ,authority to remove1 or direct the alteration of1 any sign-boards which it regards as 8nuisances40 ,a writer1 styling himself 8,ambulator10 in the ,gentleman's ,magazine 7vol4 xl4 p4 #djc7 observes1 so long ago as the year #aggj1 that signs 8were certainly the effect of a general want of literature1 and therefore can no longer be thought necessary1 without national disgrace40 ,he adds1 though he must be guilty of exaggeration1 that 8there is1 at present1 scarce a child among the poorest of the people who1 at seven or eight years old1 cannot read a man's name and trade upon his door or window-shutter2 and therefore we want the sign-painter no more40 ,he also says that-- 8,long after signs became unnecessary1 it was not unusual for an opulent shopkeeper to lay out as much upon a sign1 and the curious ironwork with which it was fixed to his house1 so as to project nearly into the middle of the street1 as would furnish a less considerable dealer with a stock-in-trade4 ,i have been credibly informed that there were many signs and sign-irons upon ,ludgate ,hill which cost several hundred pounds1 and that as much was laid out by a mercer upon a sign of the ,queen's ,head as would have gone a long way towards decorating the original for a birth-night40 ,a good idea of how our ,essex streets were obstructed by the huge dimensions of the signs of the various inns a century or more ago1 may be obtained from an old print engraved by ,j4 ,ryland in #agfb4 ,it shows a view of the ,high ,street of ,chelmsford1 taken from the point at which the fountain opposite the end of ,springfield ,lane now stands1 and is entitled ,a ,perspective ,view of the ,county ,town of ,chelmsford1 in ,essex1 with the ,judge's ,procession on the ,day of ,entrance1 attended by the ,high ,sheriff and his ,officers4 ,the judge's carriage1 drawn by six horses and preceded by the old 8javelin men10 now dispensed with1 is shown in its progress up the street1 past the old ,,black ,,boy ,inn1 and going towards the church4 ,the procession is passing under the great beam from which swings the sign of the ,,black ,,boy4 ,this beam extends out from the house to the top of a post set up in the middle of the street for its support4 ,if the height of this post may be estimated from the height of two persons shown standing near its base 7who may be fairly set down as six feet in stature71 it is not less than #bh feet high1 while the beam it supports must project at least #cc feet from the house4 ,close to this structure1 but nearer the other side of the street1 though still not far from its middle1 stands another sign-post of even more gigantic proportions4 ,this post is very massive1 and 7if its height may be estimated in the same manner as before7 it must be at least #bd feet high4 ,against the substantial shores supporting it in its upright position1 leans a fiddler2 while1 close at hand1 two mounted trumpeters are saluting the passing judge4 ,but this is not all3 upon the top of the post1 supported by a fine iron framework1 of an excellent flowing design1 is the sign-board4 ,this displays a lion rampant guardant 7as the heralds say71 which is evidently the sign of the large inn opposite to which it stands4 ,this brings the height of the entire structure up to at least #de feet1 or nearly as high as the inn itself4 ,this was probably the sign of the ancient ,,lion ,inn mentioned hereafter 7p4 #ei74 ,mr4 ,f4 ,t4 ,veley of ,chelmsford possesses a fine old oil painting from which this engraving was evidently made1 though the two differ in some particulars4 ,the figures and the houses are almost precisely alike in both1 but the painting has not the signs and sign-posts shown in the engraving4 ,in both the width of the street is much too great4 ,the engraving has been reduced by the photographic process1 and is herein made use of as a frontispiece1#g whilst the design of the remarkably fine iron framework supporting the sign of the ,lion has been reproduced upon the cover of the book4 ,it is a remarkable fine example of the elaborate and ornamental sign-iron within which swung many sign-boards of a hundred years ago4 ,other examples1 but less elegant1 still remain here and there in the county1 generally much rusted with age4 ,among these may be mentioned those of the ,,six ,,bells at ,dunmow1 which is dated #aggh 7p4 #afh71 the ,,bell at ,bardfield 7p4 #agj71 and the ,,bell at ,castle ,hedingham 7p4 #aej71 all of which will be found depicted hereafter1 though with other signs attached4 ,leaving now the consideration of the origin of the use of signs1 in order to discuss the origins of the various devices used as signs1 we may well feel some surprise at first that the ancient and extremely entertaining1 though now much decayed1 art of ,heraldry should have given us1 at the present day1 so many of our commonest signs as it obviously has done4 ,a somewhat hasty examination of the list of ,essex signs will show that something like #dj per cent4 of the whole have probably been derived1 either directly or indirectly1 from ,heraldry4 ,the same statement would probably be found to hold good of the rest of ,england4 ,so obvious is it that a very large number of inn-signs have been in some way derived from ,heraldry1 that it is surprising this connection has not received a much fuller recognition in the past than it has done4 ,it is impossible1 even for those most strongly inclined to disbelieve in the heraldic origin of a majority of our signs1 to deny that very many of them1 at least1 have been so derived4 ,allusion is here made to such signs as the ,,griffin1 the ,,blue ,,boar1 the ,,green ,,dragon1 the ,,blue ,,lion1 the ,,red ,,lion1 the ,,three ,,crowns1 the ,,white ,,hart1 the ,,fleur-,,de-,,lys1 the ,,rose ,,and ,,crown1 the ,,cross ,,keys1 and many others1 the difficulty of ascribing which to any other than an heraldic origin will be at once apparent4 ,indeed1 the fact that a very large proportion of our signs are of an heraldic derivation seems to require no stronger proof than will be found in the following pages4 ,the next thing1 therefore1 will be to show how this came about4 ,it would probably early have suggested itself to the minds of tradesmen and others to use their own coats of arms 7when they had any71 or those of the ,trade ,guilds to which they belonged1 or the arms1 crest1 or badge#h of their landlord or some patron1 as a sign4 ,this convenient custom1 once established1 would be sure to be largely followed4 ,there can be no doubt whatever that in this way arose the custom of calling a house the 8,so-and-,so's ,arms40 ,at the present time1 the custom itself remains1 although its origin has been largely lost sight of2 and many inns have now1 in consequence1 come to be known as the 8,arms0 of persons1 trades1 places1 and things which never did bear1 and never could have borne1 a coat of arms4 ,clearly the origin of the sign of the ,,king',s ,,arms had never presented itself to the mind of the 8simple clodhopper0 who1 according to ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten 7p4 #ajf71 8once walked many miles to see ,king ,george ,,iv4 on one of his journeys1 and came home mightily disgusted2 for the king had arms just like any other man1 while he had always understood that his ,majesty's right arm was a lion1 and his left a unicorn60 ,in ,essex no less than #he per cent4 of all the inn-signs are 8,arms0 of some kind4 ,in ,devonshire 8,arms0 actually form as much as #bb per cent4 of the whole1 according to ,mr4 ,pengelly4 ,although the custom of calling a house the 8,somebody's ,arms0 still survives1 it is probable that1 when the knowledge and ordinary use of ,heraldry began to decline1 many houses1 formerly known as the 8,so-and-,so's ,arms10 gradually came to be called after the most prominent charge in the coat1 or after the 8crest0 or one of the 8supporters10#i which might have been a lion gules1 a boar azure1 a white hart1 or a rose crowned4 ,the badge1 again1 has unquestionably given us not a few signs4 ,badges were used by the sovereign and by the higher nobility from the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries inclusive4 ,they must not be confounded with crests1 which were personal emblems1 worn on the crest or helm by leaders in the field4 ,badges1 on the other hand1 were household emblems1 worn by all the followers and retainers of the lord4 ,they were always of a simple nature1 to be easily distinguishable in battle1 and were placed on armour1 standards1 clothing1 buildings1 furniture1 c41 c4 ,as a rule1 therefore1 it is the badge1 rather than the crest1 or even the coat of arms1 which has given us our old heraldic signs4 ,in some cases badges were adopted by parties1 as1 for instance1 during the ,wars of the ,roses1 so called because the ,yorkists took the ,white ,rose as their badge1 while the ,lancastrians took the ,red4 ,shakespeare often alludes to the old custom of using badges4 ,mrs4 ,bury ,palliser1#aj speaking of this subject1 says1 that 8we still find the cognizance of many an illustrious family preserved as the sign of an inn4 ,the ,white ,hart of ,richard ,,ii41 the ,antelope of ,henry ,,iv41 the ,beacon of ,henry ,v41 the ,feathers of ,henry ,,vi41 the ,star of the ,lords of ,oxford 7whose brilliancy decided the fate of the ,battle of ,barnet71 the ,lion of the ,duke of ,norfolk 7which shone conspicuous on ,bosworth field71 and many others1 too numerous to mention1 may yet be seen as sign-boards to village inns contiguous to the former castles of families whose possessions have passed into other hands40 ,from the red shield 7roth schild71 above the door of the house of an honest old ,hebrew1 forming ,no4 #adh in the ,juden ,gasse1 or ,jews' ,alley1 at ,frankfort1 has been derived the name of the richest family in the world4 ,from these heraldic devices have unquestionably been derived many of the strangely-coloured animals1 such as red and blue lions1 blue boars1 c41 which are quite unknown to men of science1 and have never yet been seen except in ,heraldry and upon sign-boards4 ,a calculation will show that no less than #bjc ,essex signs1 or about #ae per cent41 are described as being of some particular colour1 and that these coloured signs are animals in nearly all cases--one good proof of their heraldic origin4 ,black occurs #bd times1 blue #g times1 golden #f times1 green #bh times 7including dragons and men only71 red #ci times 7including #cd ,,red ,,lions1 #c ,,red ,,cows1 #a ,,red ,,house1 and #a ,,red ,,tape ,,tavern71 and white exactly #ajj times 7including #ej ,,white ,,harts1 #b ,,white ,,swans1 #b ,,white ,,bears1 ,,white ,,lions1 ,,white ,,horses1 c474 ,in ,london the proportion of coloured signs is much smaller4 ,there are #gi distinct devices1 or about #de per cent4 of the entire number4 ,another strong proof that many of our otherwise incomprehensible signs have been derived from ,heraldry1 is to be found in the frequency with which the number ,three appears upon sign-boards4 ,no less than #ce houses in ,essex 7having #ae distinct signs7 are known as the three somethings1 while other numbers only occur #ab times in all4 ,the following is a complete list3 ,there are #c ,,two ,,brewers1 a ,,four ,,ashes1 #b ,,five ,,bells1 #c ,,six ,,bells1 and #d ,,eight ,,bells4 ,many of our ,essex ,threes will be noticed hereafter4 ,the list includes the signs of the ,,three ,,blackbirds1 the ,,three ,,colts1 the ,,three ,,compasses1 the ,,three ,,crowns1 the ,,three ,,cups1 the ,,three ,,horseshoes1 the ,,three ,,pigeons1 the ,,three ,,tuns1 and several others4 ,nor is this peculiarity confined to ,essex signs only4 ,in ,london the number ,three gives twenty-nine distinct devices and sixty-five signs1 including repetitions of the same device4 ,all other numbers put together only give twenty-two distinct devices1 or fifty-five signs4 ,the author of a curious and interesting letter on the signs of ,bury1 which appeared in the ,bury and ,norwich ,post on ,june #bi and ,july #f1 #agia1 noticed this prevalence of the number ,three on sign-boards in his day1 and was1 he says1 8inclined to account for it from a kind of predilection there is among sign-painters to the number ,three1 as we see in the ,three ,horse ,shoes1 before mentioned1 also in the ,three ,bulls1 the ,three ,tuns1 the ,three ,crowns1 and the ,three ,goats' ,heads40 ,now every one acquainted with ,heraldry will know how very common it is to find three charges of some kind or other upon an escutcheon1 either alone or with an 8ordinary0 or some other charge between them1 such as ,argent1 three cinquefoils gules for ,d',arcy1 ,gules1 three eagles displayed or for ,band1 ,gules1 a fess between three bulls' heads couped or for ,torrel1 c41 and there can be very little doubt that this striking abundance of the number three on our sign-boards is due1 largely at least1 to the frequent use of that number in ,heraldry4 ,it cannot be denied1 however1 that three was a favourite1 or lucky1 number long before the first appearance of the art of ,heraldry4 ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten cite many instances of its use1 even as far back as the time of the ,assyrians and ancient ,egyptians4 ,but1 in spite of this1 there can be no reasonable doubt that many of our 8threes0 are derived directly from ,heraldry2 whilst others are probably derived from it indirectly4 ,in the latter case the name has been bestowed recently upon his house by the landlord1 because he knew it to be a very common custom to call a house the 8,three ,somethings10 although of the origin of that custom he probably knew absolutely nothing4 ,essex examples of the former class are given above4 ,among those of the latter are probably our signs of the ,,three ,,ashes1 the ,,three ,,elms1 the ,,three ,,jolly ,,wheelers1 and the ,,three ,,mariners4 ,it is1 of course1 more than probable that some signs1 which appear to be truly heraldic in their origin1 are1 in reality1 not derived from ,heraldry at all1 but have been taken direct from ,nature4 ,at the same time1 the evidence is overwhelming that very many of our signs have a truly heraldic origin4 ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten recognize this fact to a considerable extent1 and devote their third chapter1 comprising as much as a tenth part of their whole work1 to 8,heraldic and ,emblematic ,signs40 ,it appears1 however1 that they have in most cases erred on the side of caution1 and have been too reluctant to ascribe to ,heraldry the origin of any sign for which another derivation could possibly be found4 ,there is1 nevertheless1 much truth in the opening sentences of their fourth chapter 7p4 #aej71 treating of 8,animals and ,monsters40 ,they say3 8,it is1 in many cases1 impossible to draw a line of demarcation between signs borrowed from the animal kingdom and those taken from ,heraldry3 we cannot now determine1 for instance1 whether by the ,,white ,,horse is meant simply an equus caballus1 or the ,white ,horse of the ,saxons1 and that of the ,house of ,hanover2 nor whether the ,,white ,,greyhound represented originally the supporter of the arms of ,henry ,,vii41 or simply the greyhound that courses #8poor puss' on our meadows in the hunting-season4 ,for this reason this chapter has been placed as a sequel to the heraldic signs4 ,as a rule1 fantastically-coloured animals are unquestionably of heraldic origin3 their number is limited to the ,lion1 the ,boar1 the ,hart1 the ,dog1 the ,cat1 the ,bear1 and1 in a few instances1 the ,bull4 ,all other animals were generally represented in what was meant for their natural colours40 ,again1 the authors very truly remark 7p4 #aaj7 that-- 8,in pondering over this class of signs1 great difficulty often arises from the absence of all proof that the animal under consideration was set up as a badge1 and not as a representation of the actual animal4 ,as no amount of investigation can decide this matter1 we have been somewhat profuse in our list of badges1 in order that the reader should be able to form his own opinion upon that subject4 ,thus1 for instance1 with the first sign that offers itself1 ,,the ,,angel ,,and ,,trumpet1 it is impossible to say whether the supporters of ,richard ,,ii4 gave rise to it1 or whether it represents ,fame40 ,the late ,mr4 ,jewitt1 who had an excellent knowledge of ,heraldry1 in his article already referred to1 clearly recognizes the important part which that art has played in giving origin to many of our commonest signs2 but the same cannot be said for ,mr4 ,pengelly's treatise on the ,signs of ,devonshire4 ,the connection between ,heraldry and the origin of our trade-signs is so intimate1 that no one is fully competent to discuss the latter unless well acquainted with the former2 and1 although the signs of the #a1abc inns existing in ,devonshire are carefully classified and treated of at length by ,mr4 ,pengelly1 numerous passages make it evident from the outset that he has little or no knowledge of the herald's art4 ,consequently1 his remarks lose very much of their interest4 ,for instance1 he says3--8,so far as ,i have been able to discover1 the ,,harp ,,and ,,lion at ,plymouth is without parallel anywhere4 ,its meaning1 if it have any1 seems very far to seek40 ,had the writer been acquainted with ,heraldry1 he would have known that a lion and a harp are the principal charges in the arms of ,scotland and ,wales respectively1 as shown on the backs of our florins4 ,again1 he says3 8,three is the popular numeral1 and is not1 at all times1 easily accounted for4444 ,there seems to be no explanation for the ,,three ,,cranes at ,exeter1 the ,,three ,,pigeons at ,bishop's ,tawton1 the ,,three ,,horseshoes1 of which there are four examples1 or the ,,three ,,tuns1 met with as many as seven times1 unless we suppose the number to have some direct or indirect allusion to the doctrine of the ,trinity1 or to the very popular belief that #8,three are lucky4'0 ,the frequent appearance of the number three on our sign-boards has been already explained1 and the origin of its use will be made still clearer hereafter4 ,it is certainly true that one of ,mr4 ,pengelly's headings is 8,heraldry10 but under it he speaks of but little else than those inns which have the 8,arms0 of some person or place as their sign4 ,in this connection he says3 8,the ,devonshire inn-keepers appear to be fond of heraldic signs2 but it may be doubted whether some of the arms they have set up are known at the ,heralds' office4 ,there are in the county as many as #bec sign-boards--i4e41 #bb per cent4 of the entire number--bearing arms of some kind4 ,there is1 however1 a sufficient recurrence of the same names to reduce the number to #afe distinct signs or names of coats4 ,the list contains the arms of a hero who had died1 and a hierarchy that had passed away--,achilles and the ,druids--before the founding of the ,heraldic ,system2 of royal1 noble1 and other distinguished personages2 of proprietors of the soil2 of countries1 counties1 cities1 towns1 and villages2 of trades and employments2 and of objects difficult of classification40 ,with ,mr4 ,pengelly's treatment of non-heraldic signs there is1 of course1 no fault to be found4 ,m4 ,edouard ,fournier1 in his most interesting ,histoire des ,enseignes de ,paris1 makes some valuable remarks on the connection between ,trade ,signs and ,heraldry4 ,the following is a translation4 ,after stating that coats of arms came into use at the time of the ,crusades1 he says3 8,the first ,crusade dates from the year #ajij4444 ,is it not allowable to suppose that1 among the ,crusaders who had taken the sign of the cross upon their coats of arms1 there were some who1 prevented from starting upon the ,crusade1 displayed the cross upon their houses1 as a token of their having taken a vow1 sooner or later1 to proceed to the ,holy ,land8 ,this would be a rational explanation of the general and widely followed custom of using the cross as the sign of a house or a shop--,red ,crosses1 ,white ,crosses1 ,golden and ,silver ,crosses1 c41 which form a kind of sign-board crusade4 ,it is impossible otherwise to explain the singular and obvious analogy which exists between the devices on the shield of arms and those on the oldest sign-boards4 ,on the sign-boards1 as upon the armorial bearings1 are to be seen the same devices1 borrowed from every object which has a shape or a name in the creation of ,god or of man2 moreover1 upon the sign-boards1 these figures are reproduced with the various colours and #8metals' in which they appear on the coats of arms4 ,the only difference is in the #8field' or background upon which the figures are painted4 ,on the sign-board this is of no importance2 while it is1 on the contrary1 one of the distinctive features of the coat of arms4 ,in ,louvan ,geliot's ,indice ,armorial 7,armorial ,index7 is to be found not only a glossary of all the words used in heraldic #8blazon1' but also the names of nearly all the devices displayed upon sign-boards4444 ,in a word1 sign-boards and shields of arms1 both alike1 display figures of everything that strikes the eye or the mind in our every-day life4444 8,the mansions built or inhabited by noble families bore1 as signs1 the arms of these families1 sculptured or painted1 over the entrance-door4 ,these escutcheons of the nobility1 without doubt1 excited the envy of the merchants1 who wished also to have signs1 and who1 therefore1 placed their trade or occupation under the protection of the shield of ,france1 or some other shield1 either of a province or even of a monastery4 ,there was nobody to object to this1 and such signs quickly multiplied in every direction40 ,m4 ,fournier next gives a long list of houses which formerly displayed armorial signs in several of the 8,quartiers0 of ,paris4 8,after this enumeration he says it will be possible to form an idea of the multitude of signs of this kind which must have existed at the same periods in the other ,quarters of ,paris40 ,before proceeding to discuss in detail the various signs to be met with in the county of ,essex1 it will be well to point out two cunningly-concealed pitfalls into which the ardent antiquary is likely to fall1 unless he is careful to exercise vigilance in avoiding them4 ,the first of these arises from the combination of two different signs into one4 ,larwood and ,hotten speak of such signs being 8quartered10 but 8impaled0 is a much better word1 if used in its old heraldic sense4 ,signs of this kind first began to appear about the beginning of last century1 and are still common1 although less so than formerly4 ,it is noticeable that ,taylor in his ,catalogue of ,tavernes1 published in #afcf 7see p4 #bh71 does not name a single impaled sign1 properly so-called4 ,in some cases1 such as the ,,eagle ,,and ,,child1 the ,,star ,,and ,,garter1 the ,,george ,,and ,,dragon1 c41 the connection is at once obvious2 but in the great majority no meaning or connection is apparent4 ,in such cases it will be found best not to search too deeply for a meaning1 for the good reason that none exists4 ,the mind of ,addison seems to have been considerably exercised by the signs of this kind to be seen in his day in the ,london streets4 ,in an amusing letter to the ,spectator1 in #agaj1 he professes himself desirous of obtaining office as 8,superintendent of ,signs10 in order that he might be able to expunge those of an unnatural kind4 8,my first task1 therefore he says1 should be1 like that of ,hercules1 to clear the city from monsters4 ,in the second place1 ,i should forbid that creatures of jarring and incongruous natures should be joined together in the same sign2 such as the ,,bell ,,and ,,neat',s ,,tongue1 the ,,dog ,,and ,,gridiron4 ,the ,,fox ,,and ,,the ,,goose may be supposed to have met2 but what have the ,,fox ,,and ,,seven ,,stars to do together8 ,and when did the ,,lion ,,and ,,dolphin ever meet except upon a sign-post8 ,as for the ,,cat ,,and ,,fiddle1 there is a conceit in it2 and ,i1 therefore1 do not intend that anything that ,i have here said should affect it40 ,further on1 he makes it plain to us how some of these strange combinations arose4 8,i must1 however1 observe to you upon this subject says he1 that it is usual for a young tradesman1 at his first setting up1 to add to his own sign that of the master whom he served1 as the husband1 after marriage1 gives a place to his mistress's arms in his own coat4 ,this ,i take to have given rise to many of those absurdities which are committed over our heads2 and1 as ,i am informed1 first occasioned the ,,three ,,nuns ,,and ,a ,,hare1 which we see so frequently joined together40 ,according to ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten 7p4 #ba7 impaled signs1 too1 were often set up 8on removing from one shop to another1 when it was customary to add the sign of the old shop to that of the new40 ,numerous examples may be cited of impaled signs which occur at the present time in ,essex4 ,such are the ,,bull ,,and ,,horseshoe 7p4 #fe7 at ,north ,weald1 the ,,lion ,,and ,,boar 7p4 #fc7 at ,earl's ,colne1 the ,,lion ,,and ,,key 7p4 #fc7 at ,leyton1 the ,,bull ,,and ,,crown 7p4 #fe7 at ,chingford1 the ,,star ,,and ,,fleece 7p4 #gi7 at ,kelvedon1 the ,,sun ,,and ,,whalebone 7p4 #hc7 at ,latton1 the examples of the ,,cock ,,and ,,bell 7p4 #ii7 at ,writtle1 ,romford1 and ,high ,easter1 the ,,rainbow ,,and ,,dove 7p4 #aja7 at ,north ,weald1 the ,,crown ,,and ,,blacksmith 7p4 #aca7 at ,tendring1 the examples of the ,,plow ,,and ,,sail 7p4 #adf7 at ,tollesbury1 ,east ,hanningfield1 ,paglesham1 and ,maldon1 the ,,sun ,,and ,,anchor 7p4 #adg7 at ,steeple1 the ,,bell ,,and ,,anchor 7p4 #aei7 at ,canning ,town1 the ,,coach ,,and ,,bell 7p4 #aei7 at ,romford1 the ,,old ,,windmill ,,and ,,bells 7p4 #aei7 also at ,romford1 the ,,crown ,,and ,,crooked ,,billet 7p4 #afb7 at ,woodford ,bridge1 and many others4 ,these will all be found noticed in their proper places4 ,many other apparently impaled signs might be noticed4 ,such are the ,,coach ,,and ,,horses 7p4 #eg71 the ,,lion ,,and ,,lamb 7p4 #fc71 the ,,eagle ,,and ,,child 7p4 #ib71 the ,,dog ,,and ,,partridge 7p4 #ge71 the ,,rose ,,and ,,crown 7p4 #aaf71 the ,,george ,,and ,,dragon 7p4 #abh71 c41 c42 but these do not properly belong to this class1 there being some obvious or possible connection between the two objects named in each case4 ,among signs of this kind--apparently1 though not strictly speaking1 impaled--belong all1 or most1 combinations of any object with either a ,hand or a ,hoop4 ,such are the ,,hand ,,and ,,glove 7p4 #adb71 the ,,hand ,,and ,,ball 7p4 #adb71 the ,,cross ,,and ,,hand 7p4 #adb71 and the ,,hand ,,and ,,star 7p4 #bh72 also the ,,cock ,,and ,,hoop1 the ,,hoop ,,and ,,horseshoe1 the ,,hoop ,,and ,,grapes1 which do not occur in ,essex4 ,combinations with a ,hand generally arose from the fact that it was once common to represent on the sign-board a hand holding or supporting some other object4 ,in many cases1 no doubt1 such combinations originally represented some family crest1 in which 7as is commonly the case7 a hand supported a cross1 a glove1 a spear1 or some other object as the case might be4 ,combinations into which a ,hoop enters may be explained by mentioning the fact that formerly the sign was not always painted on a board1 but often carved in wood or metal and suspended before the house within a hoop4 ,the second cause of difficulty arises from the fact that some signs have become altered and corrupted in the course of time4 ,many curious examples of signs of this class are given by the authors so often quoted4 ,most of them seem to have arisen in this way3--,a sign was put up which commemorated some incident or personage1 often perhaps of only local celebrity4 ,in the course of time the occurrence commemorated or the individual represented by the sign became forgotten 7or1 at any rate1 disconnected from the sign72 and1 under the influence of vulgar pronunciation 7or1 possibly1 upon the advent of a fresh landlord1 who knew nothing as to the significance of the old name71 the sign was changed1 and given some fresh meaning1 which the words seemed to imply or nearly resemble4 ,such signs as these may be styled 8corruptions40 ,as an example1 it may be mentioned that at ,hever1 in ,kent1 near which place the ,bullen or ,boleyn family had large possessions1 there was1 for many years after the death of the unfortunate ,ann1 an ale-house with the sign of the ,,bullen ,,butchered2 but1 on the place falling into fresh hands1 the sign was vulgarized into the ,,bull ,,and ,,butcher 7671 and so remained until a recent date4 ,in exactly the same way1 a farm standing on or near the site of one of the old lodges at one of the entrances to the ,park of ,new ,hall1 ,boreham--another ancient estate of the ,boleyn or ,bullen family--is now known as 8,bull's ,lodge ,farm10 it having formerly been 8,bullen's ,lodge ,farm40 ,thus1 too1 the ,,george ,,canning has become changed into the ,,george ,,and ,,cannon1 the ,,island ,,queen into the ,,iceland ,,queen1 the ,,four ,,alls into the ,,four ,,awls 7and used as a shoemaker's sign71 and the ,,elephant ,,and ,,castle into the ,,pig ,,and ,,tinderbox4 ,it is by no means improbable that1 if sufficiently minute inquiry were to be made1 it would be found that some of our #bb ,essex ,,ships1 many of which are situated far from the sea1 and in purely agricultural districts1 are intended for ,sheep1 that word being1 in ,essex1 invariably pronounced 8ship10 both in the singular and plural4 ,the ,stock ,,ship1 for instance1 occupies some of the highest ground in the county1 and is a well-known landmark for many miles around4 ,it could hardly have reached its present position without undergoing some such strange adventures as ,noah's ,ark is said to have experienced4 ,the ,illustration3 ,,falcon ,,and ,,fetterlock4 authors of the ,history of ,sign-boards state that the two words 8ship0 and 8sheep0 were once commonly pronounced almost promiscuously1 as now in ,essex4 ,at ,berkhampstead1 in ,hertfordshire1 moreover1 there is a house which formerly had a pictorial representation of a ship in full sail as its sign4 ,of late1 however1 the sign-board has merely borne the word 8ship20 and1 quite recently1 on the advent of a new landlord who had been a cattle-dealer1 the sign was changed into the ,,sheep4 ,on the other hand1 there is1 at ,chipping ,norton1 in ,oxfordshire1 a house styled the ,,sheep ,,and ,,anchor1 which1 doubtless1 should be1 and originally was1 the ,,ship ,,and ,,anchor4 ,the old sign of the ,,falcon ,,and ,,fetterlock1 representing the badge of ,john of ,ghent1 is now often corrupted into the ,,hawk ,,and ,,buckle1 or even into the ,,hawk ,,and ,,buck4 ,in speaking of ,essex examples of corrupted signs1 it may be mentioned that the ,,goat ,,and ,,boots 7p4 #ha7 appears at ,colchester for the ,,goat ,,in ,,boots1 and that the ,,de ,,beauvoir',s ,,arms 7p4 #dc7 at ,downham is locally known as 8the ,,beavers40 ,in the ,post ,office ,directory1 too1 the ,,horse ,,and ,,well 7p4 #eg7 at ,woodford appears as the ,,horse ,,and ,,wheel1 the ,,roman ,,urn 7p4 #dd7 at ,colchester as the ,,roman ,,arms1 and the ,,sunderland ,,arms 7p4 #ca7 at ,wakes ,colne as the ,,sutherland ,,arms4 ,some of these are not corruptions which have actually taken place on the sign-board2 but they well show the tendency towards such corruption4 ,there can be but little doubt1 too1 that the sign of the ,,harrow 7p4 #aga7 represents the ,portcullis crowned which ,henry ,,vii4 and other sovereigns used as a badge4 ,when the knowledge of heraldry declined the common people called the sign by the name of the ,harrow1 not knowing of anything else which resembled the device displayed4 ,it thus became an agricultural sign1 and was sometimes combined with another sign of the same kind1 namely1 the ,,plough1 as at ,leytonstone 7p4 #agj74 ,in other counties1 according to ,larwood and ,hotten1 the sign is still commonly known as the ,,portcullis1 but we have no example in ,essex4 ,some forty years ago it was recorded in the ,worcester ,journal that the landlord of the ,,white ,,hart ,inn at ,dudley decided that his sign1 which had until then been merely written1 should be made pictorial2 but instead of having depicted the ordinary ,white ,hart with golden chain and collar1 he 7whether through ignorance or intent7 had painted in white1 on a black ground1 a large ,elephant's ,heart6 ,of this absurd corruption we have now an example in ,essex1 as mentioned hereafter 7p4 #ec74 ,illustration3 ,,portcullis4 ,it was also once a very common thing for the sign to form a 8rebus10 or pun1 upon the name of the owner4 ,thus ,,two ,,cocks represented ,cox2 ,,three ,,conies1 ,conny2 ,,three ,,fishes1 ,fish1 c41 c4 ,the token issued in #affe by 8,beniamin ,samson in ,coggeshall0 bears what ,boyne describes as 8the figure of ,sampson1 standing1 with a robe over his shoulder and loins1 holding a jawbone in one hand40 ,many combinations1 otherwise inexplicable1 doubtless arose from this source1 such as a ,,hand ,,and ,,cock1 signifying ,hancock1 and a ,,babe ,,and ,,tun1 signifying ,babington4 ,it is not easy to detect any instance in which a rebus or punning device now appears on an ,essex sign-board2 but several cases may be pointed out on the trade-tokens issued by ,essex tradesmen in the seventeenth century4 ,thus1 a ,,lamb appears on the token of ,thomas ,lambe of ,colchester in #afed 7p4 #hj71 a ,,finch on that of ,john ,finch of ,halstead1 and a ,,tree on that of ,w4 ,spiltimber of ,hatfield ,broad ,oak4 ,it is worth mention1 too1 that ,mr4 ,a4 ,stagg1 an ,english hatter1 in the ,rue ,auber1 ,paris1 displays two gilded stags' heads on the facia above his shop4 ,thus we see that1 in searching for the origin of any sign of obscure derivation1 we may have to trace it back through several different forms4 ,coming now to the more particular examination of the signs connected with ,essex1 we find that the signs of the #a1cee inns existing in the county furnish an ample fund of interest to any one who systematically studies their origin and significance4 ,for convenience in treatment an attempt has been made to arrange these signs under various headings1 and under one or other of these headings every distinct inn-sign now appearing in the county will be found treated of1 together with a large number of other signs which once existed in ,essex1 but have now disappeared4 ,the list of ,essex inns given in the ,post ,office ,directory for the county has been found very useful1 although1 unfortunately1 the signs of the numerous 8beer-shops0 7when they have any7 are not given4 ,this deficiency has1 however1 to some extent1 been supplied through the kindness of the magistrates' clerks in the county1 who have forwarded lists of such beer-houses as have signs or names in their respective divisions4 ,the information thus obtained has been incorporated with the remainder2 but in speaking of a certain sign appearing so many times in the county the number of fully-licensed houses alone is in all cases referred to4 ,in various parts of the county1 but especially in the south-western portion round ,epping and ,ongar 7as also in ,london71 these houses are known among the labouring people by the strange name of 8,tom and ,jerrys10 no explanation of the origin of which seems to be obtainable4 ,beer-houses are compelled by ,act of ,parliament 7#a ,will4 ,,iv41 c4 #fd1 s4 #f1 #d #e ,will4 ,,iv41 c4 #he1 s4 #ah7 to display over their doors a descriptive board1 to be 8publicly visible and legible10 under penalty of #aj1 but it does not appear that either they or fully-licensed houses are compelled to display signs4 ,there does not appear to have been any complete list of the inns of the county published more than forty years ago1 but even the lists extending back that far may advantageously be compared with that of the present time4 ,although very many of our signs still remain the same now as they were then1 numerous changes are noticeable4 ,these are1 however1 generally in the direction that might be expected4 ,old heraldic devices are slowly disappearing and giving place to modern vulgarisms4 ,for instance1 so lately as the year #ahfh ,,railway ,,inns and ,,railway ,,taverns combined only numbered twenty1 while at the present time we have no less than thirty-one4 ,it is quite clear that in the early part of this century1 before railways came into existence1 these signs must have been altogether unknown4 ,their places were then filled by such signs as the ,,coach ,,and ,,horses or the ,,horn ,,and ,,horseshoes1 and other signs now going out of fashion4 ,a great deal of very useful and interesting information as to the signs in use in ,essex two centuries ago is also to be obtained from an examination of the list of seventeenth-century tokens given by ,mr4 ,boyne4#aa ,these tokens were issued very numerously by tradesmen during the ,commonwealth and the reign of ,charles ,i41 when the national coinage was in an extremely debased condition4 ,in the 8field10 or centre1 of the coin there was generally a device1 which usually represented the sign under which the issuer traded4 ,many of the objects thus represented have1 of course1 disappeared from the sign-boards of the present day1 though very many others are still familiar public-house signs4 ,mr4 ,boyne is1 however1 of the opinion that not more than one-fifth of the tokens now extant were issued by tavern-keepers1 the rest having been circulated by ordinary tradesmen4 ,reference has already been made to the fact that many of the common heraldic signs had their origin in the use formerly made of the arms of the various ,trade ,guilds or companies as signs2 and a hasty examination of the list of ,essex tokens given by ,boyne shows that between #hj and #ij1 or #cg per cent41 bear arms or emblems belonging to one or other of these ancient companies4 ,thus1 the ,grocers appear about #be times1 the ,bakers about #ac times1 the ,tallow-chandlers #aj times1 the ,woolmen #h times1 the ,clothworkers #d times1 the ,blacksmiths and the ,drapers each #c times1 the ,mercers1 the ,apothecaries1 and the ,barber ,surgeons each twice1 and the ,brewers1 the ,fishmongers1 the ,butchers1 the ,fruiterers1 and the ,cutlers each once4 ,each of these signs will be hereafter treated of in its proper place4 ,a very interesting list of the inns in ,essex 7#ajg in all7 in #afcf is given in ,john ,taylor's--the 8,water ,poet's0--,catalogue of ,tavernes in ,tenne ,shires about ,london1 published in that year4 ,unfortunately1 however1 in only thirteen cases does he give the sign4 ,in all other cases he merely gives the name of the holder4 ,frequent allusion will hereafter be made to this list of inns4 ,in the first edition of ,pigot's ,commercial ,directory1 published in #ahbc1 is a list of the inns in the principal ,essex towns at that day1 which has proved very useful4 ,an asterisk placed before the sign of any particular existing inn1 or the name of the place at which it is situated1 indicates that the inn in question is mentioned in the above ,directory1 and that it is therefore at least #fd years old4 ,it is much to be regretted that1 although the inns are1 as a rule1 among the oldest and most interesting houses in any small town or country village1 our ,essex historians have1 almost without exception1 been too fully occupied in tracing the descent of manors and estates1 even to notice them4 ,the list given in the ,london ,directory for #ahhe enumerates no less than #a1gdb distinct signs or devices1 as appearing in the metropolis alone4 ,some of these are1 of course1 repeated as many as fifty times4 ,illustration3 ,,hand ,,and ,,star4 7,date #aeej1 after ,larwood and ,hotten47 ,illustration ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,heraldic ,,signs4 444 8a coat of arms1 444 and wild beasts on their hind legs1 showing it1 as if it was a copy they had done1 with mouths from ear to ear1--good gracious60 ,,dickens3 ,little ,dorrit1 book ii41 chap4 ix4 ,as the quaint art of ,heraldry has given to us many1 if not a majority1 of our most interesting signs1 it is only reasonable that signs of this class should be treated first4 ,in all respects the most purely heraldic sign we have in ,essex is the ,,fleur-,,de-,,lys1 which occurs at ,widdington4 ,as a sign1 this was formerly much more common than at present4 ,eight of the ,essex tokens are described as having borne it4 ,two of these were issued in ,colchester1 two in ,billericay1 and one each in ,chelmsford1 ,coggeshall1 ,stock1 and ,witham1 the issuer at the latter place being ,john ,jackson1 clothier1 in #affi4 ,there was formerly a house of this name at ,waltham ,abbey4 ,in the parish register the burial of a landlord1 on ,may #h1 #afhd1 is recorded as follows3--8,edward ,clarke1 att ye flower de luis40 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king1 too1 finds mention in ancient deeds of a 8,flower de ,luce0 at ,maldon in #afeh1 and again in #afij1 but whether an inn1 shop1 or dwelling-house1 there is1 as usual1 no evidence to show4 ,as it is sometimes varied into the ,,three ,,fleurs ,,de ,,lys1 the most reasonable conclusion is that it is taken from the arms of ,france1 as formerly quartered with those of ,england1 but a fleur-de-lys was also used as a badge by ,edward ,,iii4 ,in former times1 too1 it was an emblem of the ,virgin ,mary4 ,in ,london at the present day the sign occurs once only1 namely1 in ,fleur-de-,lys ,street1 ,e4 ,below are depicted four of the many forms taken by this device on early shields of arms4 ,illustration3 ,,fleur ,,de ,,lys 7four early forms74 ,illustration3 ,,essex ,,arms4 ,illustration3 ,,colchester ,,arms4 ,no less than #aaf of our present public-houses 7or #he per cent47 are named after the arms of some family1 place1 city1 country1 or trade4 ,those obviously named after some place within the county will be first noticed4 ,to commence with1 however1 we will mention the ,,royal ,,arms at ,silvertown4#ab ,the same device appears on a token inscribed 8,theophilus ,harvey1 in ,manitree1 #affi40 ,next we have the ,,essex ,,arms4#ac ,there are now four examples1 though forty years ago there were five4 ,at ,springfield1 too1 there is a beer-house of this name4 ,then we have a 99,,colchester ,,arms1#ad which is1 of course1 situated at ,colchester4 ,it is at least forty years old4 ,the ,,colchester ,,arms also appear on the halfpenny token of ,alexander ,satterthwaite1 of ,colchester1 dated #affh4 ,the ,,borough ,,arms at ,maldon are1 of course1 the arms of that town4#ae ,the ,,abbey ,,arms at ,plaistow doubtless represent the arms of the neighbouring ,abbey of ,barking4#af ,sixty years ago there was a ,,harwich ,,arms#ag at 99,harwich4 ,then we have the ,,hutton ,,arms at ,hutton1 the ,,chadwell ,,arms at ,chadwell ,heath1 the ,,berechurch ,,arms at ,lexden1 the ,,romford ,,arms 7beer-house7 at ,romford1 the ,,colne ,,valley ,,arms at ,birdbrook1 and the ,,royal ,,essex ,,arms at ,braintree1 all of which coats the heralds would probably be unable to find entered at ,heralds' ,college4 ,the last-named is an especially strange device4 ,it is probably an impaled sign1 due to a combination of the ,,royal ,,arms and the ,,essex ,,arms4 ,many other of our 8arms0 are named after places outside the county4 ,probably in many cases a new landlord has named his house after the place he came from4 ,such are the ,,cambridge ,,arms1 the ,,cuckfield ,,arms1 the ,,dartmouth ,,arms1 the ,,denmark ,,arms1 the ,,dorset ,,arms1 #b ,,durham ,,arms1 the ,,falmouth ,,arms1 the ,,ipswich ,,arms1 the ,,liverpool ,,arms1 the ,,northumberland ,,arms1 the ,,odessa ,,arms1 the ,,lilliput ,,arms 7in the ,lilliput ,road1 ,stratford71 the ,,tower ,,hamlets ,,arms 7at ,forest ,gate71 and the ,,kent ,,arms at ,north ,woolwich1 a parish belonging to ,kent1 though situated on the north side of the river4 ,twenty years ago there was also a ,,sussex ,,arms in existence4 ,the ,,city ,,arms at ,canning ,town presumably represent the arms of the ,city of ,london4#ah ,the dagger in the ,city arms commemorates the slaying of ,wat ,tyler by ,sir ,william ,walworth1 in #acha4 ,the weapon used is still in the possession of the ,fishmongers' ,company4 ,the ,,sutherland ,,arms at ,wakes ,colne seems from the printed list to have been corrupted from the ,,sunderland ,,arms within the last twenty years4 ,an example of both forms occurs in ,london at the present time4 ,it is most probable that some of these signs have not taken their names direct from the counties or towns mentioned1 but from the titles of noblemen who have become prominent for political or other reasons4 ,this has been almost certainly the case with the ,,cambridge ,,arms1 the ,,durham ,,arms1 and the ,,liverpool ,,arms4 ,illustration3 ,,brewers' ,,arms4 ,the following signs are1 with equal clearness1 derived from trades or employments pursued within the county4 ,many of them are1 doubtless1 derived directly from the arms of the ,london ,trade ,companies4 ,of the ,,blacksmiths' ,,arms#ai we have examples situated respectively at ,little ,clacton and at ,north ,weald4 ,the ,blacksmiths' ,arms also appear on the halfpenny tokens of 8,will ,todd1 ,blacksmith of ,epping10 #affh1 and of ,william ,thompson of ,south ,benfleet 7no date74 ,the ,,blacksmiths' ,,arms1 at ,little ,clacton1 appears to have existed since #aghf at least1 as it is referred to in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,march #agth in that year4 ,not improbably the ,,hammer ,,and ,,pincers crossed1 which appeared on the halfpenny of ,will ,willis of ,romford1 in #affg1 constituted a blacksmith's sign4 ,the ,,brewers' ,,arms#bj occur as a sign at ,woodham ,ferris and 99,colchester4 ,the ,,three ,,tuns1 of which we have examples at ,newport1 99,dunmow1 and ,waltham ,abbey1 all of them being at least forty years old1 are certainly derived from the arms either of the ,brewers' ,company or the ,vintners' ,company4#ba ,,three ,,tuns are depicted on the token issued by ,william ,harman1 of ,chelmsford1 in #afeg4 ,the ,,three ,,tuns which formerly existed at 99,chelmsford was long a well-known inn4 ,the ,rev4 ,r4 ,e4 ,bartlett finds it mentioned in the parish registers in #afai1 when 8a chrisome son of ,robt4 ,ogden of ,chelmsford1 ,vintner1 at the #c ,tunnes1 and of ,susan his wife1 was buried the ,,xxx day of ,december1 being ,thursday40 ,taylor also mentions it in his ,catalogue of ,tavernes1 published in #afcf4 ,sixty years ago there was a house of this name at 99,braintree1 and in #aghi that at ,waltham ,abbey was spelled ,,three ,,tons4 ,the ,bakers' ,arms#bb occur on the tokens some thirteen times1 either as the ,,bakers' ,,arms1 a ,,hand ,,and ,,scales1 a ,,pair ,,of ,,scales1 or a ,,pair ,,of ,,scales ,,and ,a ,,wheatsheaf4 ,the ,,bakers' ,,arms now only appears as an inn-sign at ,leyton1 but there are beer-houses of this name at ,buttsbury and ,waltham ,abbey4 ,our common modern sign of the ,,wheatsheaf is also probably derived from the arms of this ,company4 ,there are seven examples in the county1 situated respectively at ,wrabness1 99,chelmsford1 ,tolleshunt ,d',arcy1 ,braintree1 ,stow ,maries1 ,high ,ongar1 and ,ardleigh4 ,there are also beer-houses of this name at ,loughton1 ,theydon ,bois1 ,waltham ,abbey1 ,hatfield ,peverell1 ,kelvedon1 ,rettendon1 ,writtle1 ,hornchurch1 c4 ,a house at ,castle ,hedingham1 known as the ,,wheatsheaf1 though now a beer-shop merely1 appears once to have been a very good private residence4 ,the ,,wheatsheaf at 99,chelmsford seems to have been in existence since #aghf at least1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,january #acth in that year4 ,likewise the still-extant sign of the ,,maid',s ,,head 7to be noticed hereafter7 is probably derived from the arms of the ,mercers' ,company1#bc which appear on the undated farthings of 8,thomas ,bvrges1 ,est ,street1 ,covlchester10 and 8,clement ,pask of ,castell ,heninhame40 ,the ,,masons' ,,arms#bd occur at 99,moulsham4 ,the ,,gardeners' ,,arms#be appear at ,wakes ,colne and ,loughton 7beer-house74 ,the ,,wheelers' ,,arms#bf 78 ,wheelwrights' ,arms7 appear at ,illustration3 ,,butchers' ,,arms4 ,good ,easter4 ,the ,,bricklayers' ,,arms#bg occur three times1 namely1 at ,colchester1 ,stondon1 and ,bocking 7beer-shop74 ,the ,,royal ,,hotel at ,purfleet is famed for its whitebait4 ,until recently it was known as the ,,bricklayers' ,,arms1 evidently1 as ,mr4 ,palin thinks1#bh because the ,bricklayers' ,company formerly worked the huge chalk quarries close at hand4 ,the ,,butchers' ,,arms#bi occur at ,wimbish1 ,felstead1 ,stambourne1 and ,woodham ,ferris 7beer-shop74 ,probably the ,,bull',s ,,head1 the ,,boar',s ,,head1 and the ,,fly ,,and ,,bullock1 to be noticed hereafter1 are all connected with the arms of this ,company1 which appear on the halfpenny of 8,john ,harvey of ,rochfoord0 in #affh4 ,the ,,carpenters' ,,arms#cj occur eight times in the county1 and also often serve as a beer-house sign4 ,one near ,chelmsford is kept by a carpenter1 as is1 doubtless1 often the case4 ,there can be no doubt that the ,,compasses1 which occurs six times1 and the ,,three ,,compasses1 which appears twice1 are derived from the arms of this ,company4 ,a house near ,waltham ,abbey1 now known by the latter form of the sign1 seems in #aghi to have been called the ,,compasses merely4 ,the ,,axe ,,and ,,compasses at ,arkesden is probably a modern1 but certainly an appropriate1 combination2 or the axe may be intended for one of the adzes in the arms of the ,coopers' ,company1 for the ,,coopers' ,,arms#ca themselves appear at ,chadwell ,heath1 ,aldham1 ,chelmsford1 and ,romford1 the last two being beer-houses4 ,although the arms of the ,cutlers' ,company#cb are not now to be seen on our sign-boards1 there can be little doubt that the ,,two ,,swords ,,crossed1 which appeared on the undated farthing of 8,nathaniell ,smith in ,thacksteed10 were derived from the arms of that ,company1 ,thaxted having formerly been a seat of the cutlery trade1 as the name 8,cutlers' ,green10 in the immediate vicinity1 indicates4 ,the ,,waterman',s ,,arms#cc was formerly a sign at ,leigh1 but whether of an inn or private house does not appear4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king is able1 by means of evidence obtained from old deeds1 to give a complete account of the house which displayed this sign 7and which was built about the time of ,charles ,i47 from #afej2 but there are earlier notices of it4 ,portions of it1 built of oak1 are still standing1 but much altered4 ,when it first became an inn does not appear4 ,it is first mentioned as having been such in #agdf1 when it is described as 8two tenements now and lately called the ,waterman's ,arms40 ,probably1 therefore1 it had even then ceased to be an inn1 and had been divided into two dwelling-houses4 ,under the floor of one of the rooms1 some years since1 were found several small coins of ,charles ,,ii41 and a leaden tavern token1 undated1 but probably of the seventeenth century4 ,on it was a hand or arm1 pouring from a tankard into a cup or glass4 ,forty years ago there was a ,,poulterers' ,,arms#cd at ,chelmsford4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not notice this sign4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,cups ,,hotel1 ,,colchester4 ,similarly1 several other ,companies1 whose arms are not now to be found named upon our ,essex sign-boards1 appear to have given us signs which we still have4 ,for instance1 the sign of the ,,trowel ,,and ,,hammer at ,marks ,tey 7which is not mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten7 is in all probability derived from the arms of the ,plasterers' ,company1#ce while the sign of ,,three ,,cups has1 doubtless1 been derived from the arms of the ,salters' ,company4#cf ,of this sign we have examples at ,great ,oakley1 ,maldon1 ,springfield1 and 99,colchester4 ,the ,,three ,,cups at ,colchester 7commonly called the ,,cups71 though not one of the oldest licensed houses in that ancient borough1 was long a well-known coaching inn1 and for upwards of half a century has been the leading hotel in the town4 ,there is reason to believe that a small tavern known as the ,queen's ,head stood upon the site in the days of ,elizabeth2 but a more commodious building was erected1 as an inscription on the front stated1 in #agib4 ,that1 however1 had become too antiquated for its requirements1 and was demolished in #ahhe4 ,upon its site has now been erected an extremely handsome building of brick and stone4 ,carved on one of the projecting windows are 8three cups10 with pedestals1 but they do not correctly represent the 8covered sprinkling-salts0 of the ,salters' ,arms4 ,these1 however1 are correctly represented1 being carved in wood1 and supported upon a sign-post1 before the ,,three ,,cups at 99,springfield1 a house at least a century old1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,march #cj1 #aghg4 ,in a curious poem1 describing a journey from ,london to ,aldborough and back1 published in #ahjd1cg the ,,three ,,cups at 99,harwich--now known as the ,,cups--is thus alluded to3 8,but now we're at ,harwich1 and thankful am ,i1 ,our ,inn's the ,three ,cups1 and our dinner draws nigh1 ,but first for a walk to survey this old ,borough1 ,to peep at the church1 and the churchyard go thorough40 ,again1 the ,,adam ,,and ,,eve1 which occurs at ,west ,ham1 as noticed hereafter1 is a very old device as a sign4 ,this example is forty years old at least4 ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten state 7p4 #beg7 that 8our first parents were constant dramatis person in the medival mysteries and pageants20 but both they and ,mr4 ,jewitt overlook the fact that the sign may with equal probability have been derived from the arms of the ,fruiterers' ,company1#ch which appear on the halfpenny of ,jasper ,eve of ,springfield in #affi4 ,in this case1 however1 the device probably was intended as a rebus upon the name4 ,the sign of the ,,three ,,pigeons is not improbably derived from the arms of the ,tallow-chandlers' ,company1#ci since there is no other obvious source from which it can have come4 ,although ,larwood and ,hotten seem to regard it as being now a rare sign1 there are two cases of it in ,essex--one at ,stratford1 and the other at ,halstead4 ,as already stated1 the occupation of the tallow-chandler is represented ten times on the ,essex tokens of the seventeenth century1 either by the arms of the ,company1 by a man making candles1 or by a stick of candles4 ,the latter device appears on the undated farthing of ,william ,newman of ,halstead1 and may have some connection with the ,,three ,,pigeons which now exists there1 and has certainly done so for at least forty years back4 ,the ,,dove ,,and ,,olive-,,branch1 which is shown on the undated farthing of 8,george ,evanes in ,ingatestone10 is also probably a device taken from the arms of this ,company4 ,other arms and emblems belonging to the great trade companies1 and appearing commonly on the tokens of the seventeenth century1 have now quite disappeared--at least so far as ,essex is concerned4 ,for instance1 the ,,barber-,,surgeons' ,,arms#dj are to be seen on the halfpence of 8,thomas ,bvll of ,mamvdine1 #affi10 and of 8,henry ,carter1 ,chirvrgeon1 in ,manitree1 #affi40 ,the ,,grocers' ,,arms#da occur1 as already stated1 no less than about twenty-five times1 either as the ,grocers' ,arms1 a sugar-loaf1 three sugar-loaves1 one or more cloves1 or a sugar-loaf and cloves combined4 ,the ,,grocers' ,,arms and an ,,escalop occur respectively on the two sides of the undated token of 8,george ,nicholson in ,tolshon ,dacey in ,s4,x40 ,the sign of the ,,three ,,sugar-,,loaves still occurs at ,sible ,hedingham1 and has been in existence there for a century at least1 as the house is mentioned in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,march #i1 #aghg4 ,it can hardly be called an heraldic sign1 as the three sugar-loaves seem only to have been set up by grocers as an emblem of their business4 ,at the present time the house has no sign-board1 but the three sugar-loaves are suspended over the door as here shown4 ,there is also a beer-house of the same name in ,felstead parish4 ,illustration3 ,,three ,,sugar-,,loaves ,,at ,,sible ,,hedingham4 ,the ,,woolpack1 which occurs eight times on the ,essex tokens of the seventeenth century1 and six times in the county at present1 will be noticed hereafter4 ,it is1 doubtless1 derived from the arms of the ,woolmen's ,company4#db ,the ,,apothecaries' ,,arms#dc appear on the tokens of 8,isaac ,colman1 grocr1 in ,colchester1 #affg10 and of ,thomas ,bradshawe of ,harwich1 in the same year4 ,the ,,drapers' ,,arms#dd ,illustration3 ,,drapers' ,,arms4 occur three times on the ,essex tokens4 ,the sign of the ,,three ,,crowns1 which occurs four times in the county1 as hereafter mentioned1 is very probably derived either from the arms of the ,drapers' ,company1 or from those of the ,skinners' ,company4#de ,the signs of the ,,horseshoe and the ,,three ,,horseshoes 7the former of which occurs three times in the county and the latter ten times7 probably both owe their origin partly to the fact that horseshoes appear on the arms of the ,farriers' ,company1#df and partly to the old custom of fastening a horseshoe upon the stable-door or elsewhere in the belief that it would scare away witches4 ,the ,,three ,,horseshoes now existing at ,billericay seems to be at least one hundred years old1 as it is referred to in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,march #aj1 #aghf4 ,as a beer-house sign the ,,horseshoe occurs at ,great ,parndon1 and the ,,three ,,horseshoes at ,braintree1 ,waltham ,abbey1 ,high ,ongar1 and elsewhere4 ,it appears from the parish registers of ,grays that there was a ,,horseshoes there in #agbd1 and there was a ,,three ,,horseshoes at ,great ,parndon in #aghi4 ,the ,,clothworkers' ,,arms#dg appear twice on the ,colchester tokens1 once on the farthing of 8,william ,cant1 in ,hedingham ,sibley1 #affg10 and once elsewhere4 ,the ,,shuttle on the tokens of 8,moses ,love1 slaymaker1 of ,coggshall10 and 8,nathaniell ,cattlin of ,safron ,walden1 #affh10 the ,,woman ,,spinning on that of 8,john ,little in ,movlshem1 #afff10 and the pair of ,,shears on that of 8,james ,bonvm in ,stisted1 #afgj10 are all probably connected with the woollen trade which formerly flourished in ,essex4 ,in #affb there was a house known as the ,,shears in ,chelmsford4 ,it is mentioned in the ,account of the ,murder of ,thomas ,kidderminster as being in 8,colchester-lane10 which was probably what is now known as ,springfield ,lane4 ,littlebury was once another seat of the woollen trade4 ,until comparatively recently the #crd of ,february used to be celebrated there1 as related in a poem still occasionally to be met with1 that being the day dedicated to ,bishop ,blaize1 patron of workers in wool4 ,two huge pairs of shears1 one of which is here represented1 may still be seen carved on the old oaken north door of the church4 ,illustration3 ,,shears4 7,from ,littlebury ,church ,door47 ,in addition to the foregoing signs connected with trades and occupations1 we have the following1 though none of the employments named ever bore coats of arms4 ,most of them are modern vulgarisms1 and need no further attention4 ,there are ,,cricketers' ,,arms at ,manningtree1 ,danbury1 and ,rickling2 ,,maltsters' ,,arms at ,willingale ,doe1 ,lambourne 7beer-house71 and ,colchester2 ,,freemasons' ,,arms at ,brightlingsea and ,braintree 7beer-house72 a ,,drovers' ,,arms at ,rayleigh2 an ,,engineers' ,,arms at ,stratford2 ,,thatchers' ,,arms at ,mount ,bures and ,rettendon 7beer-shop71 ,tolleshunt ,d',arcy1 and ,great ,warley2 a ,,volunteers' ,,arms at ,maldon2 a ,,yachtsman',s ,,arms at ,brightlingsea2 a ,,slaters' ,,arms at ,chadwell ,heath2 a ,,moulders' ,,arms 7beer-shop7 at ,great ,wakering2 a ,,woodcutters' ,,arms 7beer-shop7 at ,eastwood2 a ,,foundry ,,arms 7beer-shop7 at ,hornchurch 7of course named after ,messrs4 ,wedlake's foundry there72 ,,labourers' ,,arms at ,great ,baddow and ,woodham ,ferris 7beer-shops72 and an ,,odd ,,fellows' ,,arms at ,springfield 7beer-house74 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king finds mention in ancient deeds of a house at ,leigh1 in #afhb1 with the sign of the ,,hambro' ,,merchants' ,,arms1 but whether an inn1 shop1 or private residence does not appear1 nor is there any subsequent mention of it4 ,the owner1 ,george ,king1 is described as a mercer on some of his tokens1 still extant1 and also on his tombstone1 now destroyed4 ,most probably1 therefore1 it was a shop-sign4 ,it stood on the site of the present ,,king',s ,,head4 ,at ,high ,ongar a beer-shop displays the sign of the ,,foresters' ,,arms4 ,sixty years ago there was a ,,nelson',s ,,arms at 99,colchester4 ,at the same time1 the ,,weavers' ,,arms#dh formed a very suitable sign at 99,colchester1 and there were a 99,,joiners' ,,arms1 a 99,,tailors' ,,arms1 and a 99,,sawyers' ,,arms at the same place4 ,of the latter1 there is still an example 7beer-house7 at ,magdalen ,laver4 ,in times past1 probably1 many other trades have had their 8,arms10 though only sign-board ones4 ,many other 8arms0 are borrowed from the names of illustrious persons1 though there is some uncertainty about several in the subjoined list4 ,the following will be at once seen to be named after well-known ,essex landowners3 such are1 the ,,ducane ,,arms at ,braxted1 the ,,lennard ,,arms at ,aveley1 the ,,neville ,,arms at ,audley ,end1 the ,,rayleigh ,,arms at ,terling1 the ,,tower ,,arms at ,south ,weald1 the ,,wake ,,arms at ,waltham ,abbey 7which is over forty years old71 the ,,wilkes ,,arms at ,wenden ,lofts1 and the ,,western ,,arms at ,rivenhall1 which figured as the ,,lord ,,western ,,arms forty years ago1 when there was also a ,,petre',s ,,arms at ,ingatestone4 ,other arms of this class1 but not necessarily connected with the county1 are the ,,camden ,,arms at ,forest ,gate1 the ,,cowley ,,arms at ,leytonstone1 the ,,headley ,,arms at ,great ,warley1 the ,,henley ,,arms at ,north ,woolwich1 the ,,laurie ,,arms at ,romford1 the ,,manby ,,arms and the ,,waddington ,,arms at ,stratford1 the ,,milton ,,arms at ,southend1 the ,,spencers' ,,arms at ,hornchurch1 and the ,,de ,,beauvoirs' ,,arms at ,downham1 together with the ,,peto ,,arms1 the ,,sidney ,,arms1 the ,,sutton ,,arms1 and two ,,napier',s ,,arms4 ,sixty years ago there was a 99,,theobald',s ,,arms at ,grays4 ,the ,,de ,,beauvoirs' ,,arms is at least forty years old4 ,it seems to be locally known as 8the ,,beavers40 ,its sign is a pictorial one with the arms duly displayed4 ,larwood and ,hotten describe the ,,general',s ,,arms at ,little ,baddow as a 8new-fangled1 unmeaning sign10 through knowing nothing of its local significance4 ,it appears that the house belongs to ,lord ,rayleigh1 and the arms of the ,strutt family--crest1 motto1 and all--are correctly depicted upon the sign-board4 ,it takes its name from ,major-,general ,william ,goodday ,strutt1 brother of the first ,baron4 ,after seeing much active service1 in which he lost a leg and received many wounds1 he was appointed ,governor of ,quebec1 and died ,february #e1 #ahdh4 ,the ,,royal ,,arms are displayed in the undesirable neighbourhood of ,silvertown4 ,although our present ,queen has now reigned fifty years1 the ,,queen',s ,,arms only appear three times on ,essex sign-boards1 against no less than seventeen ,,king',s ,,arms4 ,probably the fact that the number of kings has been very much greater than the number of queens will fully account for this4 ,there is1 however1 a ,,victoria ,,arms at ,brentwood4 ,it seems probable that during the last forty years many houses formerly known as the ,,king',s ,,head have come to be called the ,,king',s ,,arms1 after the recent craze for 8arms20 for the former sign was much commoner1 and the latter much rarer1 forty years since than now4 ,it may be pointed out1 for instance1 that in ,mr4 ,creed's list of signs round ,epping in #aghi1 the ,king's ,head appears six times1 and the ,king's ,arms only once2 also that the ,queen's ,head appears twice1 while the ,queen's ,arms does not appear at all4 ,this shows the great prevalence of 8,heads0 over 8,arms0 on the sign-boards of last century1 and also that the present prevalence of ,kings over ,queens in the same situation was observable even then4 ,probably the two ,queen's ,heads given1 which were at ,harlow and ,fyfield respectively1 represented the portrait of ,queen ,anne4 ,a token was issued by ,william ,drane at the ,,king',s ,,arms 7depicted in the field71 in ,waltham ,abbey in #affh1 and the same sign is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for #aghf as occurring at ,halstead4 ,the sign still exists at both those places2 but it is1 of course1 difficult to say whether or not the houses are the same as those that displayed the sign in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries respectively4 ,the sign of the ,,king',s ,,arms at ,waltham ,abbey in #affh can hardly have been more than eight years old at the time1 as no one would have ventured to display such a sign during the time of the ,commonwealth4 ,doubtless it was set up at the time of the ,restoration in #affj in honour of the new king1 ,charles ,,ii41 for whose father1 perhaps1 this ,william ,drane had fought4 ,among the more miscellaneous 8,arms0 may be mentioned the ,,chatsworth ,,arms at ,forest ,gate1 the ,,alma ,,arms 7beer-house7 at ,navestock1 the ,,chobham ,,arms at ,stratford1 together with a ,,liberty ,,arms1 a ,,libra ,,arms1 three ,,ordnance ,,arms1 a ,,railway ,,arms1 and a ,,roman ,,arms in the ,roman ,road1 ,colchester4 ,the last-named sign has been corrupted within the last twenty years from the ,,roman ,,urn4 ,most of these extremely absurd signs have come into existence during the last few years4 ,they serve to show how completely the original use of arms as signs has become disassociated from their present use4 ,another indication of the modern growth of 8,arms0 is to be found in the fact that they are very common as beer-house signs--beer-houses having only been instituted since the beginning of this century4 ,even forty years ago 8,arms0 were decidedly less common as signs than they are now4 ,the list has of late been swelled by such stupid and unmeaning additions as the ,,alma ,,arms1 ,,libra ,,arms1 and ,,lilliput ,,arms1 very few1 if any1 of which existed fifty years since4 ,to the above may be added the following1 which appear in ,london1 and are most of them modern and meaningless absurdities3--,the ,,waterloo ,,arms1 the ,,grand ,,junction ,,arms1 the ,,paviors' ,,arms1 the ,,palace ,,arms1 the ,,roman ,,arms 7in the ,roman ,road1 ,bow1 ,e471 the ,,mechanics' ,,arms1 and the ,,volunteers' ,,arms4 ,the ,,sol',s ,,arms1 in the ,hampstead ,road1 commemorated by ,dickens in ,bleak ,house1 still exists under the same name4 8,arms0 in ,london are very frequently situated in streets of the same name1 and these streets are usually named after persons1 who1 it may be presumed1 own property in them4 ,altogether there are in ,london no less than #ceb distinct signs consisting of 8,arms0 of some kind or other1 not counting the number of times each particular sign is repeated4 ,thus1 in ,london1 8,arms0 form rather more than twenty per cent4 of all distinct signs4 ,illustration ,illustration ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,mammalian ,,signs4 ,the next great class of signs to be noticed consists of what may be termed 8,mammalian ,signs40 ,in ,essex no less than #dfd houses1 or #cdb per cent4 of the whole1 display devices derived from the animal kingdom4 ,there are1 however1 only #ajb distinct signs4 ,these may be classified as follows3-- ,no4 of ,no4 of signs4 distinct signs4 ,mammals #chd #ha ,birds #ge #ah ,fish #a #a ,insects #d #b --- --- #dfd #ajb --- --- ,this calculation is1 moreover1 made independent of 8man and his parts10 as the heralds say4 ,signs of human origin have been placed in a separate class1 and will be treated of hereafter by themselves4 ,although many of the signs belonging to this class are1 undoubtedly1 nothing more than very modern vulgarisms1 there can be no doubt whatever that a great number have a truly heraldic origin1 as will be seen from what follows4 ,to commence the list1 we find at ,buckhurst ,hill a ,,bald-,,faced ,,stag1 and in the adjoining parish of ,chigwell a ,,bald ,,hind4 ,these two signs have1 doubtless1 the same origin1 but one which it is not now easy to discover4 ,in ,essex a horse is always said to be 8bald0 when he has a white face4 ,illustration3 ,,bald-,,faced ,,stag4 7,buckhurst ,hill47 ,possibly the signs commemorate the killing of two deer with white faces in the adjoining forest1 which was the last locality in the east or south-east of ,england in which the aboriginal wild red deer survived1 the last having been killed so lately as the year #ahag or thereabouts4 ,both the ,,bald ,,hind and the ,,bald-,,faced ,,stag are among the oldest of the forest inns4 ,the latter is1 presumably1 the same house marked as the ,,bald ,,stag on ,cary's map1 published in #agfh4 ,it has the same name in ,mr4 ,creed's list 7p4 #g74 ,the ,rev4 ,wm4 ,cole tells us1 in his voluminous ,,mss41 that on the morning of ,october #bg1 #aggd1 he 8started from the ,,cock at ,epping without eating1 and breakfasted at an ,inne1 called the ,,bald-,,faced ,,stag40 ,the existing inn is a large square1 white-washed building1 with a high-pitched roof4 ,it contains a portrait of ,queen ,anne1 and the coffee-room is panelled4 ,from it1 according to the author of ,nooks and ,corners in ,essex 7p4 #ba71 the famous 8,epping ,hunt10 so cleverly satirized by ,tom ,hood1 used to start every ,easter ,monday1 when it was no uncommon thing for five hundred mounts to ride off from the ridge on which the house stands4 ,the ,easter ,monday hunt is said to have originated as far back as the year #abbf1 in the reign of ,henry ,,iii4 ,the custom was kept up until so recent a date as #ahec1 after which it gradually fell off1 owing to the rough ,east ,end element which marked the annual meeting1 and made it little more than a public nuisance4 ,the stag--a tame one--was1 on these occasions1 taken round in turn to all the neighbouring public-houses before being set at liberty1 and the amount of liquor consumed1 and riot occasioned1 was1 in consequence1 considerable4 ,something approaching a celebration of the old custom has1 however1 been attempted as lately as the last two or three years4 ,there was also a ,,bald-,,faced ,,stag at ,hatfield ,broad ,oak in #aghi4 ,illustration3 ,,roebuck4 7,buckhurst ,hill47 ,at ,buckhurst ,hill there is also a ,roebuck1 as well as a ,,reindeer4 ,the former is marked on ,cary's map1 published in #agfh1 and is probably the same house several times spoken of 7p4 #f7 as the ,,buck in ,the ,trials of ,john ,swan and ,elizabeth ,jeffries1 published in #ageb4 ,it is still one of the best and most widely-known inns on the ,forest4 ,in its large ,assembly ,room public gatherings often take place4 ,the old ,,reindeer1 which is shown on ,cary's map1 published in #agfh1 is now a private house1 inhabited by ,captain ,mackenzie1 the ,forest ,superintendent1 and known as 8,warren ,house40 ,the present ,,reindeer is situated about a mile distant from the old one4 ,an ,,archer ,,shooting ,,at ,a ,,stag is also depicted on the undated halfpenny token of 8,john ,unwin at ,layton ,stone40 ,it is in every way probable that the fallow deer1 formerly living in the surrounding forests of ,epping and ,hainault1 and still existing in considerable numbers in the former1 gave rise in some way to these numerous cervine signs in and around the parish of ,buckhurst ,hill4 ,it is1 however1 a moot point whence the parish derived its name4 ,some connect the name with ,lord ,buckhurst1 a favourite of ,queen ,elizabeth2 others regard it as composed of two ,anglo-,saxon words1 ,boc1 a beech1 and hurst1 a wood or forest1 which is not unlikely to be the true derivation2 others1 however1 state that this part of the forest was severed from the remainder by ,royal ,charter1 and so termed ,book-hurst1 meaning book-forest2 while yet others consider the name to mean ,buckhurst1 the wood or forest in which bucks lived4 ,the latter derivation seems in every way the most likely one4 ,nevertheless1 the place was formerly often called 8,buckit's ,hill10 as1 for instance1 in ,the ,trial of ,john ,swan and ,elizabeth ,jeffries 7p4 #h71 published in #ageb1 but this was probably a corruption4 ,the farthing of 8,william ,locken in ,tollsbvry in ,esex1 #affh10 bore a ,,stag1 and that of 8,john ,attewell in ,black ,notle in ,esex1 #afgj10 bore ,,three ,,stags' ,,heads couped1 probably taken from the coat of arms of some private family4 ,the ,,stag',s ,,head at ,colchester is also1 probably1 a form of some family crest4 ,forty years ago there was a ,,doe ,,inn at ,halstead4 ,there is now a ,,stag at ,hatfield ,heath1 and another at ,little ,easton4 ,concerning the latter1 there can be very little doubt that it represents the crest of the ,maynard family 7a stag statant or74 ,it would be interesting to learn whether this house has come to be known as the ,,stag after having first been called the ,,maynard ,,arms4 ,the ,,stag also serves as a beer-house sign at ,high ,ongar4 ,it is not very easy to say what first led to the ,,reindeer being used as a sign2 but that it was in use as early as the ,illustration3 ,,crown ,,house4 7,newport1 ,essex47 seventeenth century is clear from what ,pepys says in his ,diary4 ,he tells us that on the night of ,october #g1 #affg1 he 8lay very well0 at the 8,rayne-deere at ,bishop ,stafford0 7meaning ,bishops ,stortford71 where the sign is still in existence4 ,the same sign also occurs at ,takeley1 ,black ,notley1 and 7as already mentioned7 ,buckhurst ,hill1 having been probably set up at the latter place in order to keep company with the other kinds of deer that are found there4 ,the ,,reindeer at ,takeley has been in existence since #aghf at least1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,january #bjth in that year4 ,at ,greenstead1 near ,colchester1 there is to be seen the sign of the ,,buck',s ,,horns1 which is very likely intended to represent the deer's 8attires0 in somebody's coat of arms4 ,the sign is not mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,the ,,horns at ,barking ,side may have had the same origin1 or the house may have taken its sign from the noted tavern of the same name which formerly existed in ,fleet ,street4 ,the residence at ,newport1 now commonly known as the ,crown ,house 7from the crown sculptured over the door71 or ,nell ,gwynne's ,house1 used formerly to be an inn4 ,its present names have been given to it within living memory4 ,mr4 ,c4 ,k4 ,probert states#di that in the time of his father1 eighty or ninety years ago1 there was a tradition still lingering in the town that the inn was formerly known as the ,,horns1 and that ,charles ,,ii41 ,the ,duke of ,york1 and ,nell ,gwynne used to stop there on their way from ,london to ,newmarket races4 ,this circumstance is alluded to in an old folio history of the ,rye ,house ,plot1 and ,mr4 ,probert has seen a play1 printed about seventy years ago1 in which the scene was laid at the ,,horns at ,newport1 the characters being ,charles ,,ii41 ,nell ,gwynne1 the ,duke of ,york1 c4 ,mr4 ,probert writes3 8,tradition says they used to come with packhorses by the ,great ,north ,road1 vi ,rickling and the lane near ,wicken ,bonhunt1 still called #8,london ,lane2' then along the ancient road at the foot of ,bury ,field in ,newport2 then along the back of the ,burywater ,house1 and so emerging opposite the ,crown ,house40 ,the ,,horn ,hotel in the ,high ,street at ,braintree is a well-known old coaching inn1 and has long been one of the best in the town4 ,if the late ,mr4 ,joseph ,strutt is to be believed1 this house1 at the beginning of the present century1 was known as the ,,bugle ,,horn4 ,in his ,essex and ,herts romance1 entitled ,queenhoo ,hall1 published in #ahjh1 the hero relates 7ii4 p4 #ahj7 that 8we took some dinner at the ,bugle ,horn at ,braintree1 and proceeded in the afternoon to ,dunmow1 where we arrived before sunset40 ,in any case1 this sign1 like that of the ,,horn ,,and ,,horseshoes at ,harlow ,common1 is probably connected with the old coaching days4 ,the sound of the horn and of the horses' shoes would be the first intimation of the approach of a stage-coach4 ,the latter sign1 however1 may have some heraldic significance1 as ,larwood and ,hotten mention a ,london token of #afff on which a horseshoe is represented within a pair of antlers or deer's attires4 ,in #aghi1 too1 it seems to have been the ,,horns ,,and ,,horseshoes4 ,the ,,bugle ,,horn might easily be connected either with coaching1 hunting1 or heraldry1 were it not situated in ,barrack ,street1 99,colchester4 ,this1 of course1 makes it in every way probable that it is a military sign4 ,here1 also1 must be noticed the popular sign of the ,,white ,,hart4 ,this device appears to be unusually common in the county of ,essex4 ,nearly every town or village of any consequence possesses an example4 ,at present we have no less than fifty1 and twenty years ago the number was exactly the same4 ,london itself cannot boast of having more1 as it has also just fifty examples of the sign4 ,the ,,white ,,hart in the ,high ,street at ,brentwood is in all respects the most notable house now displaying this sign in ,essex4 ,in its best days it was a coaching inn of great importance1 and is still by far the best hotel in the town4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king has ascertained that it was in existence under its present name in the time of ,queen ,elizabeth2 but1 looking at the house itself1 he believes it to be of still earlier date1 perhaps of the fifteenth century1 or even earlier4 ,it is certainly one of the very best examples of an old-fashioned inn1 with a central courtyard and galleries running round it1 now remaining in ,england4 ,it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,september #ad1 #agfd1 as a stopping-place for the coaches 8which set out on ,monday the #bgth instant at #g o'clock in the morning from the ,black ,bull in ,bishopsgate1 ,london1 and at the same time from the ,great ,white ,horse ,inn#ej in ,ipswich1 and continue every day 7,sunday excepted7 to be at the above places the same evening at #e o'clock4 ,each passenger to pay #c pence per mile and to be allowed #ah pounds luggage10 c4 ,during the reign of ,elizabeth the ,,white ,,hart was also the principal inn in the town of ,saffron ,walden1 but it is not now known in what street the house was situated4 ,possibly the inn now known as the ,,hoops1 in ,king ,street1 was the ,,white ,,hart of those days1 as it is a very ancient structure4 ,boyne describes a farthing bearing the ,,grocers' ,,arms1 and issued by 8,anne ,mathews1 in ,safforn ,walden1 #afef40 ,mr4 ,h4 ,ecroyd ,smith has ascertained1 from the registers in the church1 that a few years later she married ,john ,potter of the ,,white ,,hart1 and also that they thereupon jointly issued fresh tokens1 retaining her name1 arms1 and date on the obverse1 but having a new reverse1 bearing the words 8,john ,potter10 and in the centre a hart lodged with the monogram 8,i4,a4 ,p40 over it1 perhaps to indicate that they continued to carry on their two trades simultaneously4 ,on the #beth of ,february1 #afei1 ,pepys says in his ,diary3 8,mr4 ,blayton and ,i took horse1 and straight to ,saffron ,walden1 where1 at the ,white ,hart1 we set up our horses1 and took the master of the house in all probability the aforesaid ,john ,potter to show us ,audly ,end ,house40 ,references to this inn occur early on in the records of the ,corporation of ,walden4 ,thus1 in #afbg1 #ads4 was expended 8for wine when the ,earl of ,sussex was at the ,white ,hart20 in #afca1 #is4 was 8spent at the ,white ,hart when we ourselves did ring for the king20 in #afdc1 #bs4 #aj;d4 was 8payd at the ,white ,hart when ,radcliffe was taken for a ,jesuit20 and in #affa1 the sum of #cs4 #d;d4 was 8spent at the ,white ,hart when the ryot was1 some of the company being there40 ,the ,,white ,,hart on a sign-board at ,boreham is correctly and heraldically represented1 but has evidently1 in the mind of the artist1 been associated with the deer in ,boreham ,park1 as a view of ,boreham ,house has been introduced in the background4 ,the ,,white ,,hart at ,great ,yeldham is a very ancient village hostel4 ,its windows1 and its exterior generally1 are quaint and antique4 ,in front of the inn1 on each side of the door1 are old oaken settles1 whereon the village sages debate the topics of the day4 ,from the sign-board on the ,green opposite1 the white hart has long since departed4 ,the ,,white ,,hart in ,tindal ,street1 99,chelmsford1 has a new and large graven sign1 heraldically represented1 and prominently projected over the street4 ,the ,,white ,,hart at 99,witham1 too1 has a large and rather grotesque sign1 though it is correctly represented4 ,it is rudely cut out of what appears to be a thin sheet of iron1 and is suspended over the pavement4 ,the ,,white ,,hart at 99,coggeshall--doubtless the existing hotel--is mentioned in ,bufton's ,diary in #afgh4ea ,it is also recorded in ,bufton's ,diary#eb that 8,in ,april1 #afhb1 there was ye floore of a ,chamber fell downey at ye ,,white ,,hart at ,bocking probably the still existing ,hotel of that name1 where ye ,justices sat and about #bjj people in ye roome1 and one man broke his leg40 ,in an early number of the ,gentleman's ,magazine is an illustration of an old inscribed beam from the ,,white ,,hart between ,springfield and ,boreham4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,repton in a note says that the building was thought to have been a hermitage4 ,he adds3 8,there is a long inscription at the bottom of one of the gables1 but it is at present concealed with plaster20 8that the beam measured #eb inches by seven2 and that it bore the inscription1 #8,jesus6 ,mercy6 ,lady help6 ,jesus6'0 ,taylor1 in his ,catalogue of ,tavernes1 mentions a ,,white ,,hart at 99,romford in #afcf1 probably the hotel of that name still existing there4 ,an inn with this sign at ,colchester is mentioned in one of the old ,corporation records1 dated #afjc1 as being an 8auncyent inne0 at that time4 ,in old deeds ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king finds mention of a ,,white ,,hart--either inn1 shop1 or tenement--at ,horndon-on-the-,hill in both #agjd and #agai4 ,there does not seem to be any apparent reason why the white hart should have become so common a device as a sign as it has done4 ,according to ,larwood and ,hotten1 its use dates from a very remote period2 but there can be very little doubt that its present abundance is due to the fact that a ,white ,hart lodged1 collared and chained or1 was the favourite badge of ,king ,richard ,,ii41 and appears1 with variations1 no less than eighty-three times upon his monument at ,westminster4 ,at a tournament held in ,smithfield in #acij1 in honour of various foreign counts who had been elected members of the garter-- 8,all the kynges house were of one sute2 theyr cotys1 theyr armys1 theyr sheldes1 and theyr trappours were bowdrid all with whyte hertys1 with crownes of gold about their neck1 and cheyns of gold hanging thereon1 which hertys was the kinges leverye that he gaf to lordes1 ladyes1 knyghtes and squyers1 to know his household people from others40 ,the ,white ,hart was also used as a badge by ,edward ,,iv4 ,it is just possible that the fact of the crest of the ,maynard family being a stag1 as already mentioned1 has something to do with the abundance of the ,,white ,,hart as a sign in ,essex1 or at least in the northern parts of the county4 ,it is possible1 too1 that the abundance of this sign in ,essex may be due in part to the fact that a very ancient and famous ,,white ,,hart formerly stood in ,bishopsgate ,street ,without1 in such a position that it would probably form a stopping-place for most travellers to and from ,london along the ,great ,east ,road4 ,timbs1 in his ,clubs and ,club-life in ,london 7p4 #cig71 says that it was originally built in #adhj1 but the old house was pulled down and rebuilt in modern style in #ahbi4 ,allusion has already been made 7p4 #be7 to an absurd corruption of this sign at ,west ,bergholt1 where the landlord of the ,,white ,,hart1 not content with a script sign1 has added a pictorial one of his own designing1 representing a large ,,white ,,heart on a black ground6 ,whether this has been done through ignorance or intent1 it is a good example of the way signs become corrupted and altered in the course of time4 ,illustrations of both forms are given above4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,white ,,hart 7,heart74 7,at ,west ,bergholt47 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,white ,,hart4 ,the horse and his belongings are referred to no less than seventy-three times on ,essex sign-boards1 although a simple horse does not once occur4 ,the use of the horse as a sign is probably derived both from the animal himself and from the part he anciently played in ,heraldry4 ,horses of fantastic colour1 such as the ,,golden ,,horse at ,forest ,gate1 are1 in all probability1 of heraldic origin4 ,no less than thirty-six times in this county do we meet with the sign of the ,,white ,,horse1 and there is an ,,old ,,white ,,horse at ,north ,ockendon4 ,boyne describes tokens issued by 8,john ,tvrner at the ,white ,horse in ,chelmsford1 #affg10 and by 8,john ,langston at the ,whit ,horse in ,mvchboddow40 ,,white ,,horses are still in existence at both of these places4 ,there can be no doubt that the one at ,great ,baddow is the one from which the token was issued in the seventeenth century2 but in the case of ,chelmsford there is some doubt4 ,the matter is not without interest1 for there is in the ,british ,museum a scarce and curious quarto tract1 of twenty-one pages1 published in the year #afhh1 with the following title3 8,a ,true ,relation of a ,horrid ,murder1 committed upon the person of ,thomas ,kidderminster of ,tupsley in the ,county of ,hereford1 ,gent41 at the ,white ,horse ,inn in ,chelmsford1 in the ,county of ,essex1 in the ,month of ,april1 #afed1 together with a ,true ,account of the ,strange and ,providential ,discovery of the ,same nine years after1 c41 c40 ,in this tract one ,mr4 ,turner 7without doubt the man who issued the token in #affg7 is many times mentioned as landlord at the time the murder was discovered4 ,forty years ago the ,,white ,,horse at ,dovercourt styled itself the ,,great ,,white ,,horse4 ,the ,,white ,,horse in the ,high ,street1 ,maldon1 is several times referred to in advertisements in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle during the year #aghf4 ,likely origins for this sign have already been given 7p4 #ah74 ,the ,,flying ,,dutchman1 which is a beer-house sign at ,braintree1 probably commemorates the racehorse of that name4 ,there are ,,black ,,horses at ,white ,roothing1 ,widdington1 ,sible ,hedingham1 ,pilgrim's ,hatch1 and ,chelmsford 7beer-house74 ,sixty years ago there was another at 99,coggeshall4 ,there are also ,,yorkshire ,,greys at ,coggeshall 7at least forty years old71 ,stratford 7two71 and ,brentwood4 ,probably these are named after some famous racer4 ,one or other of those at 99,stratford is several times referred to in the ,trials of ,john ,swan and ,elizabeth ,jeffries 7#ageb74 ,it was then kept by a certain ,ann ,wright4 ,sixty years since1 too1 there was another at 99,colchester4 ,adjoining the racecourse at ,galleywood there is a ,,running ,,mare4 ,the ,,nag',s ,,head is a sign which seems to be becoming increasingly common1 as we have five now existing in the county1 not counting a beer-house so called at ,chelmsford1 though1 twenty years ago1 there were only three4 ,the sign of the ,,three ,,colts1 which occurs at ,stanstead ,montfitchet and ,buckhurst ,hill1 has very likely an heraldic origin4 ,it is not a modern device1 as there was an inn of this name in ,bride ,lane1 ,london1 in #afeb1 and our houses may have taken their name from this one4 ,a ,,horse passant is depicted on the farthing token of 8,ioseph ,gleson10 #affd1 and a ,,horse ,,galloping on that of 8,samvell ,salter10 #afef1 both of ,dedham4 ,in ,essex the horse enters into many combinations with other sign-board objects4 ,in most cases the meaning of the combination is so evident that no explanation of it is required4 ,for instance1 at ,colchester we find a ,,chaise ,,and ,,pair1 at ,stratford a ,,cart ,,and ,,horses1 at ,mistley a ,,waggon ,,and ,,horses1 and another at 99,colchester4 ,there are also beer-houses so called at ,braintree and ,hadleigh4 ,the ,,coach ,,and ,,horses occurs no less than thirteen times1 the ,,old ,,coach ,,and ,,horses once1 the ,,horse ,,and ,,groom seven times1 and the ,,horse ,,and ,,wheel once4 ,this latter is1 however1 a misprint on the part of the compilers of the ,post ,office ,directory4 ,twenty years ago it appeared in the list as the ,,horse ,,and ,,well1 and as the house is situated at ,woodford ,wells1 this is undoubtedly its correct form4 ,the sign is not mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,that part of ,woodford known as ,woodford ,wells1 takes its name from a mineral spring which once existed there4 ,it was formerly in great repute1 but is now quite dry and neglected4 ,an ,itinerary of ,twenty-five ,miles round ,london1 published towards the end of last century1 and quoted by ,mr4 ,walford in ,greater ,london 7vol4 i4 p4 #dfd71 indicates that the name of the house was then the ,,horse ,,and ,,groom4 ,the adjoining mineral spring1 says the author1 8was formerly in good repute1 and much company resorted to drink the waters at a house of public entertainment called #8,,woodford ,,wells2' but the waters have long lost their reputation40 ,hood1 in his witty poem on the ,epping ,hunt1 refers to the house as follows3 8,now many a sign at ,woodford ,town1 ,its ,inn-vitation tells2 ,but ,huggins1 full of ills1 of course1 ,betook him to the ,,wells40 ,the ,,horse ,,and ,,groom at ,great ,warley seems to be at least a century old1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,march #aj1 #aghf4 ,at ,margaret ,roothing there is a ,,horseshoe1 which is a comparatively rare sign by itself4 ,the ,,bull ,,and ,,horseshoe at ,north ,weald is1 doubtless1 merely an impaled sign4 ,our three ,,horseshoes and ten ,,three ,,horseshoes have already been referred to 7p4 #dj74 ,at ,finchingfield there is a beer-house with the sign of the ,,kicking ,,dickey1 and the ,,cross ,,keys at ,roxwell is commonly known in the parish by the same name4 ,the origin of the sign1 which ,larwood and ,hotten do not mention1 is hard to explain4 ,the ,lion1 with frequent variations of colour and position1 is of common occurrence in the county4 ,this great variety in colouring clearly shows that we are indebted to the art of ,heraldry for most of our sign-board lions4 ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten say 7p4 #aah73 8,the lion rampant most frequently occurs1 although in late years naturalism has crept in1 and the ,felis leo is often represented standing or crouching1 quite regardless of his heraldic origin40 ,when it is remembered that three lions passant1 guardant1 or occur on the ,royal ,arms of ,england1 and a lion rampant gules on the arms of ,scotland2 that a crowned lion statant1 guardant or is used as the ,royal ,crest of ,england1 a crowned lion sejant affronte gules as the ,royal ,crest of ,scotland1 and a lion rampant guardant1 or as the dexter supporter of the ,royal ,arms of ,england2 and that lions of various colours and in different attitudes have served as charges1 badges1 crests1 and supporters to many of our earlier sovereigns1 and now appear in the armorial bearings of innumerable private families1 it will not be found in any way surprising that the lion figures so commonly as he does upon our sign-boards4 ,so frequently1 indeed1 are lions made use of in ,heraldry that it is almost impossible to assign the variously-coloured examples now to be seen on our sign-boards to their original wearers4 ,lions rampant appear on the trade-tokens of ,john ,rayment of ,brentwood1 in #affi1 and of ,richard ,boyse and ,richard ,rich1 both of ,colchester1 in #affh and #afef respectively4 ,at present the animal occurs eight times in ,essex as a simple ,,lion1 and once as a ,,british ,,lion4 ,the ,,lion at ,chelmsford1 although it has now disappeared1 was once evidently a very important inn4 ,the ,rev4 ,r4 ,e4 ,bartlett finds several mentions of it in the parish registers1 the earliest before the middle of the sixteenth century4 ,they are as follows3 8#aedc4 ,william ,knight1 a stranger1 who by misfortune and his own lewdness was drowned at the ,lion1 and was buried the #bbnd of ,may40 ,again1 in #aede1 8,wyllyam ,pemberton1 servaunte to the ,irle of ,essex1 was slayne at the ,lion by one of his ,fellows and bury'd the #aith ,day of ,januarii40 ,from the first of these it appears that the inn was near the river4 ,taylor1 in his ,catalogue of ,tavernes1 also mentions the ,,lion as one of the chief inns in ,chelmsford in #afcf4 ,whether this was the same inn afterwards known as the ,,white ,,lion1 and mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,april #ad1 #aghf1 as then existing at ,chelmsford1 is hard to say4 ,possibly the latter house was identical with that shown with the sign of a rampant lion in the frontispiece4 ,its back premises would probably abut upon the river bank4 ,the site is now occupied by an inn with the sign of the ,,queen',s ,,arms4 ,the ,,golden ,,lion1 if it does not represent the true 8lion of ,england10 may represent the lion passant1 guardant1 or which appears on the arms of the ,haberdashers' ,company4#ec ,the sign now occurs at ,prittlewell1 99,chelmsford1 99,romford1 and ,rayleigh4 ,there are also beer-shops so-called at ,braintree1 ,hatfield ,peverell1 ,rochford1 and elsewhere4 ,the ,,golden ,,lion at ,rayleigh is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,february #bd1 #aghf4 ,sixty years ago another house of this name existed4 ,a ,,golden ,,lion at ,harwich in #agfd is also mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for that year4 ,the sign of the ,,blue ,,lion occurs at ,galleywood and at ,great ,baddow4 ,larwood and ,hotten think that it 8may possibly have been first put up at the marriage of ,james ,i4 with ,anne of ,denmark40 ,there can1 however1 be very little doubt that in ,essex this sign represents the arms of the ,mildmay family1#ed which was once of very great influence in the county4 ,at the time of ,james ,i4 there were nine several families of this name possessed of very large estates in the county1 the heads of eight of them being knights4 ,our nine ,,white ,,lions perhaps represent the badge of ,edward ,,iv41 though the ,dukes of ,norfolk1 the ,earls of ,surrey1 and other prominent personages have also borne lions argent4 ,forty years since an ,,old ,,white ,,lion existed at ,epping1 being probably the 99,,white ,,lion which lived there in #aghi 7p4 #g74 ,as he has now disappeared1 it is only natural to suppose that he has died of old age4 ,the sign-board of the existing house at ,epping is fully pictorial4 ,the ,,white ,,lion at ,waltham ,abbey is mentioned in the parish registers in ,july1 #agdf1 when ,w4 ,chesson 7presumably the landlord7 was buried4 ,,black ,,lions are to be seen at ,plaistow1 ,stisted1 ,althorne1 ,layer ,marney1 ,high ,roothing1 and 99,epping4 ,at the last-mentioned place two houses of this name existed forty years ago1 one of which has existed since #aghi1 at least4 ,according to advertisements in the issues of the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,february #aj and ,april #ad1 #aghf1 a ,,black ,,lion then existed at ,braintree2 but1 unless identical with the ,,lion ,,and ,,lamb or ,,white ,,lion1 still in existence there1 it has now disappeared4 ,larwood and ,hotten say 7p4 #abj71 8,the ,,black ,,lion is somewhat uncommon2 it may have been derived from the coat of arms of ,queen ,philippa of ,hainault1 wife of ,edward ,,iii410 or it may represent the lion sable in the arms of ,owen ,glendower4 ,the ,,red ,,lion is1 however1 by far our commonest leonine sign in ,essex4 ,it occurs as many as thirty-four times4 ,the authors so frequently quoted1 say 7p4 #aai7 that it doubtless originated in the badge of ,john of ,gaunt1 ,duke of ,lancaster1 who bore the lion of ,leon and ,castille on his arms as a token of his claim to the throne of those countries4 ,in after years it may often have been used to represent the lion of ,scotland4 ,the ,,red ,,lion1 opposite the church at ,stambourne1 has a truly heraldic sign--a lion1 rampant1 gules1 armed1 langued1 c41 argent1 on a wreath argent and sable4 ,on one of its gables this inn has two designs--one representing an old man with long white hair1 wearing a large green coat and boots of the same colour1 and apparently blowing a long horn or trumpet2 the other a monogram 8,i4,w4,e40 and the date #agji4 ,this may indicate that it was formerly known as the ,,green ,,man4 ,the ,,red ,,lion at 99,colchester is a very well-known house4 ,like the ,,white ,,hart at ,brentwood1 it is one of the few examples now remaining in the county of the old-fashioned inn of several centuries ago4 ,its capacious courtyard has evidently once been galleried1 and it is altogether one of the most ancient inns now existing in ,colchester1 or even in the county1 as well as being certainly one of the most quaint and antique in its appearance4 ,its uppermost story considerably overhangs the others1 and the whole of the front shows much old carving which is certainly not later than the fifteenth1 and probably the fourteenth1 century1 to which has been added some good modern work4 ,probably if the plaster were removed much more old carving would be brought to light4 ,among other faces1 are those of two lions1 which look down upon the entrance4 ,the doorway is also carved4 ,miss ,l4 ,s4 ,costello1 in an article on ,colchester in ,bentley's ,miscellany for #ahdj 7vol4 xviii4 p4 #fb71 says1 that among the few interesting houses in the ,high ,street1 she 8was struck with a wooden doorway at the entrance of the ,,red ,,lion ,,inn4 ,it has evidently been elaborately carved on the different storeys all over1 but very little of its ornament remains4 ,the spandrels of the arch have a representation1 on one side1 of a dragon1 huge and grim1 and on the other of a knight on foot1 with an immensely long spear1 tilting at the monster40 ,an entry1 dated ,jan4 #i1 #afjc-d1 in one of the old ,corporation assembly books1 states that 8the ,lion1 the ,angel1 and the ,white ,hart were appointed the only three wine taverns in ye towne1 being auncyent ,innes and ,taverns40 ,mr4 ,chas4 ,golding of ,colchester has1 however1 traced its existence back many years earlier1 having found mention of it under its present name in the ,corporation records of the year #aecj or thereabouts4 ,the still-extant ,,red ,,lions at ,great ,wakering and ,ilford are referred to in advertisements in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,jan4 #bj and #bg1 #aghf1 respectively4 ,the latter was a posting-house of great importance in the days when coaching was at its height2 but1 like its neighbour1 the ,,angel 7another house once of considerable fame71 it has now sunk into comparative insignificance1 though still quite one of the leading inns of the district4 ,it is a large1 massive square brick building1 before which on the top of the sign-post reposes a graven representation of a ,red ,lion couchant4 ,the ,,red ,,lion at ,waltham ,abbey is referred to in the parish registers in #afdd1 when #as4 #h;d4 was 8given to the woman that lay in at the ,reed ,lyon40 ,capt4 ,andrew ,hamilton has given#ee an interesting account of an old house at ,kelvedon1 formerly known as the ,,red ,,lion ,inn4 ,it is now converted into four good-sized tenements1 and is known as ,knight ,templars ,terrace1 from a tradition that the inn once belonged to that fraternity4 ,in its day it was probably the most considerable inn in ,kelvedon1 and the largest on the main road between ,chelmsford and ,colchester4 ,it was certainly built before the year #adbj1 and is now an excellent example of a half-timbered house of that date4 ,until lately1 however1 the original work has been hidden by no less than two false fronts of lath and plaster of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries respectively4 ,capt4 ,hamilton describes in detail both the internal and external construction of this singularly interesting house1 but his remarks are too lengthy to quote here4 ,opposite to it stood the ,,angel4 ,the ,,red ,,lion at ,abberton figures in the ,rev4 ,s4 ,baring-,gould's ,mehalah4 ,the ,,red ,,lion at ,springfield is an extremely ferocious one1 if one may judge from the appearance of his effigy1 which is rudely cut out of a thin sheet of iron1 painted red1 and placed upon the top of the beer-house to which he serves as a sign4 ,a ,,red ,,lion at ,radwinter 7perhaps the existing ,,lion7 finds mention in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,january #bj1 #aghf4 ,the ,,lion ,,and ,,boar at ,earls ,colne may represent the lion and boar which sometimes appear as the supporters of the arms of ,king ,richard ,,iii41 or it may simply be an impaled sign4 ,the sign is not mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,the ,,lion ,,and ,,key at ,leyton is a sign of somewhat obscure origin4 ,it is not a modern invention1 as there was a house of the same name near ,lion's ,quay1 ,london1 in #afec4 ,our house1 which is over forty years old1 and was formerly a blacksmith's shop1 may have taken its sign from this one1 or it may have derived its name independently from the popular version of some family crest4 ,this is rendered extremely likely from the fact 7supplied by the present landlord1 who1 however1 is unable to give any further information as to the sign7 that among the old property taken with the house is a punch-bowl bearing the heraldic device of a lion rampant1 its paw resting upon the ring of an upright key1 and dated either #agef or #aghf4 ,whose this crest is1 it is hard to say4 ,the ,rev4 ,h4 ,l4 ,elliot has ascertained that it is not included among those in ,the ,book of ,family ,crests1 although the family of ,lyngard of ,northants bore a lion sejant guardant sable1 in the dexter fore paw a key in pale or2 while the families of ,knox1 ,criall1 and ,chamberlain had crests with a demi-lion holding a key4 ,the very common sign of the ,,lion ,,and ,,lamb is now met with at ,braintree1 ,stratford1 ,takeley1 ,chelmsford1 and ,brentwood1 although1 twenty years ago1 the county only contained three examples4 ,at the last-named place the sign seems to have existed since #aghf at least1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,march #agth in that year4 ,at 99,chelmsford a ,,lion ,,and ,,lamb carved in stone repose peacefully upon the parapet of the building1 while a newly-painted sign-board1 very well designed1 depicts them in the same attitude4 ,the fact of the name containing an alliteration has1 no doubt1 had something to do with its adoption2 but it is also an emblematic representation of the ,millennium1 when 7as ,larwood and ,hotten say7 8the lion shall lie down by the kid40 ,those gentlemen1 however1 together with all who use the sign1 appear to be a little at fault in their knowledge of ,scripture4 ,the passage describing the 8,millennium0 7,isaiah xi4 #f7 says nothing about a lion lying down1 either with a lamb or a kid4 ,it runs as follows3 8,the wolf shall dwell with the lamb1 and the leopard shall lie down with the kid2 and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together40 ,the sign first came into use over two centuries ago4 ,in connection with this sign there is an amusing tale1 which is worth repeating1 told of a sceptical ,american4 ,when the significance of the sign was explained to him1 he remarked that the state of things depicted might possibly come to pass some time1 but that1 when it did1 he 8guessed that there ,lamb would be inside that there ,lion60 ,bovine signs are very frequently to be seen upon our ,essex sign-boards4 ,the simple sign of the ,,bull is the commonest device1 occurring no less than twenty-two times4 ,its intimate connection with ,christmas beef1 heraldry1 and bull-baiting is sufficient to account for the frequent appearance of this animal on the sign-board4 ,about seventy years ago the ,,bull ,inn1 ,whitechapel1 was the resort of the ,essex farmers1 who came to ,london once a week to dispose of their corn1 c4 ,the landlord1 named ,johnson1 who was formerly 8boots0 at this inn1 being in good credit with his customers1 they occasionally left their samples with him1 and he acted as a middle man so much to their satisfaction1 that he shortly after opened an office upon ,bear ,quay1 styling himself 8,factor of the ,essex ,farmers40 ,the business ultimately grew to one of great extent4 ,in old deeds ,mr4 ,king finds mention of a ,,bull--either shop1 inn1 or dwelling-house--at ,billericay as early as #afaf1 also of another house with the same sign at ,hockley early in the seventeenth century4 ,taylor1 in his ,catalogue of ,tavernes1 mentions a ,,bull 7probably the existing inn of that name7 at ,barking in #afcf1 and another at ,brook ,street1 where also there is a still existing ,bull4 ,the ,,black ,,bull appears at ,fyfield1 ,chelmsford1 ,margaretting1 and ,old ,sampford1 while an ,,old ,,black ,,bull occurs at ,stratford4 ,very probably these two signs owe their existence to the fact that a bull sable formed one of the badges1 as well as the sinister supporter of the arms1 of ,edward ,,iv4 ,in #affb there was a ,,black ,,bull ,inn at ,romford1 as appears from a mention made of it in the ,account of the ,murder of ,thomas ,kidderminster1 already referred to4 ,in #aghi there were other examples of the ,,black ,,bull at ,loughton and ,harlow1 and that at ,fyfield was then existing4 ,sixty years ago there was also one at ,grays4 ,on the map of the road between ,london and ,harwich1 given in ,ogilby's ,itinerarium ,angli1 published in #afge1 8,ye ,,bull ,,inn0--evidently a house of some importance--is shown about midway between ,ingatestone and ,widford4 ,in the ,traveller's ,guide1 a smaller edition of the same work1 published in #afii1 the same house figures as the ,,black ,,bull ,inn4 ,probably this is the still existing ,,black ,,bull at ,margaretting4 ,the ,,bull ,,and ,,crown1 which has been in existence at ,chingford for at least forty years past1 may be simply an impaled sign1 or it may 7like the last sign spoken of7 be derived from the black bull of ,edward ,,iv41 or from the white bull used as a supporter by ,henry ,,viii4 ,in either case the bull would probably be crowned4 ,this device is not referred to in the ,history of ,sign-boards1 nor is that of the ,,bull ,,and ,,horseshoe1 which occurs at ,north ,weald4 ,it is probably only an impaled sign4 ,the ,,bull',s ,,head1 to be seen at ,loughton1 is1 as already stated 7p4 #cd71 probably taken from the arms of the ,butchers' ,company4 ,there was once a famous ,,bull ,inn at ,newport4 ,it has now disappeared1 having1 it is said1 been compelled to close owing to the opening of the ,,hercules just opposite2 but there are old folks still living who can recollect the shields of arms in coloured glass in the windows1 and the 8,bull ,orchard0 still remains4 ,the house is mentioned in the ,corporation records of ,saffron ,walden for the year #agcd4 ,cole also1 in his ,,mss41 speaks of it by the name of the ,,red ,,bull 7a rather uncommon sign1 of which ,essex does not now possess an example74 ,the sign1 however1 seems to have undergone a change of colour1 for it is referred to as the ,,black ,,bull in ,poor ,robin's ,perambulation from ,saffron ,walden to ,london1 performed this month of ,july1 #afgh4ef ,the author says3 8,to ,newport ,pond my course ,i next way bent1 ,and in at the sign of the ,black ,bull went4 ,where scarcely in a room ,i had set down1 ,when in came my old friends1 kind ,mr4 ,br 444 ,and ,mr4 ,woo 4441 two who love their friend ,with true and hearty love unto the end2 ,for though they in another town do live1 ,they to their neighbour some kind visits give4 ',twas twelve o'clock2 dinner time did approach1 ,when men whet knives on wheels of cart or coach4 ,the cloth was laid1 and by the scent o' th' meat1 ,one might perceive there something was to eat4 ,and so it proved1 indeed2 for from the pot ,came forth a rump of beef1 was piping hot1 ,and from the spit was brought a loyn of mutton1 ,would satisfy the stomack of a glutton1 ,for like a loyn of beef it might well have been knighted1 ,to which our hostess kindly us invited2 ,which we accepted of1 and to delight her1 ,told her that none could deny such an inviter2 ,for she's a widow of such excellent carriage1 ,would make a man most happy in her marriage10 c4 ,boyne describes a halfpenny token issued by 8,thomas ,rvnham at ye ,bull represented in the centre in ,newport1 #affg40 ,he assigns the token to ,newport in ,shropshire2 but1 as ,mr4 ,joseph ,clarke1 ,f4,s4,a41 has informed the author that no less than seven examples have been found at ,newport1 ,essex1 and as the man's name also occurs in the parish register1 there can be no doubt that ,boyne was wrong4#eg ,at ,chingford ,hatch there is a house with the sign of the ,,dun ,,cow4 ,this is an ancient device1 and probably has reference to the feat of ,guy1 ,earl of ,warwick1 who1 according to an old ballad1 slew a 8dun cow bigger than an elephaunt0 on ,dunsmore ,heath4 ,the ,,red ,,cow1 as a sign1 may be seen at ,chrishall1 ,ashen1 and ,shelley4 ,a once well-known ,,red ,,cow at 99,chelmsford is now an equally well-known coffee-tavern with the same sign4 ,at ,waltham ,holy ,cross a beer-shop displays the very strange sign of the ,,spotted ,,cow1 which is in all probability unique4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not mention it4 ,the sign of the ,,red ,,cow is probably intended to express the idea that good drink may be obtained within1 as from a cow2 but1 in former times1 especial value seems to have attached to the milk of red cows4 ,at ,cold ,norton1 near ,maldon1 there is a house with the very strange1 and probably unique1 sign of the ,,fly ,,and ,,bullock1 kept by one ,william ,pond4 ,it is at first difficult to see what possible sign-board connection the two creatures can have4 ,farmers have reasons for believing that1 during hot weather1 a great animosity exists between the two4 ,inquiry has at last elicited the fact that the sign is a corrupted one1 but this was not arrived at until after much amusing and erudite speculation1 as the sign in its present form is a very perplexing one4 ,the first guess was that it was a corruption of the 8,flying ,bullock0 or 8,winged ,bull10 the usual emblem of ,st4 ,luke4 ,this seemed the more likely1 as we have in ,essex signs which might represent at least two other of the ,apostolic emblems1 namely1 the ,,angel for ,matthew1 and the ,,eagle for ,john2 and who can say but that some of our ,,lions were not once winged1 thus representing the only remaining ,evangelist1 ,mark8 ,moreover1 ,larwood and ,hotten1 although they do not refer to this sign1 mention 7p4 #gc71 when speaking of the sign of the ,,flying ,,horse1 8a facetious innkeeper at ,rogate1 ,petersfield1 who has put up a parody in the shape of a ,flying ,bull40 ,but then arose the question1 8,why should ,luke be thus commemorated80 ,it was next suggested in several quarters that the sign might have originated in the old fable of ,la ,mouche et le ,toreau1 of which ,miss ,elliot of ,gosfield has kindly forwarded a copy1 and which is thought to be of ,oriental origin4 ,this1 however1 did not decide the question1 so inquiry was made of the landlord1 who1 though knowing nothing of the origin of his sign1 stated that it formerly was1 and should now be1 the ,,butchers' ,,arms1 thereby clearing up the doubt1 the crest and supporters of those arms being 8,flying ,bulls40#eh ,there can be no doubt1 therefore1 that the ,,fly ,,and ,,bullock originally represented one of the ,,flying ,,bullocks in the ,butchers' ,arms4 ,it seems1 moreover1 that the sign does after all represent the winged ox of ,st4 ,luke1 that ,evangelist being1 in a way1 the ,patron ,saint of butchers1 for in ,chambers's ,book of ,days 7ii4 p4 #dfd7 it is stated this symbol has been associated with ,st4 ,luke1 8because1 to quote the words of an ancient writer1 #8he deviseth about the presthode of ,jesus ,christ1' the ox or calf being the sign of a sacrifice1 and ,st4 ,luke entering more largely than the other ,evangelists into the history of the life and sufferings of our ,saviour40 ,the ,,blue ,,boar is1 perhaps1 the most interesting of all our ,essex signs4 ,at present it occurs five times in the county--namely1 at 99,prittlewell1 99,maldon1 99,colchester1 99,stratford1 and ,abridge4 ,the two first-named houses have been in existence at least a century1 as they are mentioned in advertisements in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle in #aghf and #aghh respectively1 while the last-named is marked on ,greenwood's ,map of ,essex1 published in #ahbd4 ,forty years ago there was another example of the sign at ,stanford ,rivers1 and ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king informs the author that the house at ,hadleigh1 now known as the ,,castle1 displayed the sign of the ,,blue ,,boar until late in the last century4 ,taylor 7see p4 #bh7 mentions another ,,blue ,,boar at ,ilford in #afcf4 ,in #aghi1 too1 there was one at ,fyfield4 ,in the year #agej1 a ,,blue ,,boar',s ,,head ,inn existed opposite the ,church at ,waltham ,abbey4 ,mr4 ,charles ,golding1 of ,colchester1 in writing to ,notes and ,queries#ei to inquire the latest date at which bull-baiting is known to have taken place in ,england1 mentions that an entertainment of this kind was announced1 in an old advertisement that he had seen1 to take place at the above house on ,whitsun ,monday1 #agej1 and 8any gentleman bringing a dog should be entertained at a dinner free40 ,the same house is referred to in an entry in the parish registers in #afdg1 when #abs4 #f;d4 was 8paid for a dinner at the ,borsehed when the ould ,churchwardens gave up their accounts40 ,the sign of the ,,boar',s ,,head occurs at ,east ,horndon1 99,braintree1 and 99,dunmow4 ,the first of these houses appeared in the list forty years ago as the ,,old ,,boar',s ,,head4 ,our houses of this name have1 perhaps1 been named after the famous ,,boar',s ,,head tavern which used to exist in ,eastcheap1 or they may have had a separate origin4 ,as to the derivation of the sign itself1 ,larwood and ,hotten are inclined to believe that it represents the boar's head as formerly often brought to table1 rather than a charge taken from some one's arms2 but1 in this1 it is difficult altogether to agree with them4 ,a boar's head forms part of the arms of the ,butchers' ,company 7p4 #cd71 and we have had in ,essex several families bearing the same charge in their arms1 such as the ,borehams of ,haverhill1 the ,welbores of ,clavering1 and the ,tyrrells1 ,baronets1 of ,boreham ,house--the charge and the name of the place being very probably connected in some way in the latter case4 ,indeed1 so far as the ,,boar',s ,,head at ,east ,horndon is concerned1 there can be no doubt whatever that it represents the crest of the family of ,tyrrells1 ,baronets 7connected with the ,boreham ,tyrrells71 formerly of ,heron ,hall1 in the same parish1 which was demolished about the year #aghi4 ,their crest1 which was a boar's head1 couped and erect1 argent1 issuant out of the mouth a peacock's tail proper1 is now correctly represented on the sign-board1 exactly as upon several of the family monuments in the church4 ,both the sign-board and the heraldic device it bears are new1 having been recently set up under the supervision of the rector of the parish4 ,the old board1 which is altogether unheraldic1 is displayed over the door1 and exhibits the head of an extremely ferocious-looking boar emerging from a clump of rushes in a most threatening manner4 ,there can be very little doubt that in ,essex the sign of the ,,blue ,,boar represents the boar azure1 armed1 unguled1 and bristled or1 which served as a crest1 as one of the supporters1 and also as one of the principal badges of the once powerful ,de ,veres1 ,earls of ,oxford1 formerly of ,hedingham ,castle4 ,this is shown to be the more probable by the fact that we have still no less than five examples of the sign in the county1 while the adjacent counties of ,kent1 ,middlesex1 and ,herts possess none4 ,elsewhere1 too1 the sign is very uncommon4 ,not a single example now appears in ,surrey1 ,sussex1 ,durham1 ,devonshire1 ,nottinghamshire1 ,derbyshire1 ,northumberland1 ,cumberland1 ,westmoreland1 or ,cheshire4 ,norfolk1 ,kent1 and ,cambridge have one each4 ,leicestershire and ,suffolk 7in which county the ,de ,veres also had large estates7 have1 however1 two each4 ,in ,london1 although there is both a ,,boar',s ,,head and a ,,blue ,,boar',s ,,head1 there is not now a ,,blue ,,boar4 ,however1 a tradesman's token issued 8at the ,bleu ,boore without ,bishopsgate0 in the seventeenth century still exists4 ,much valuable information concerning the ,blue ,boar as used by the ,de ,veres1 is contained in a paper by the ,rev4 ,h4 ,l4 ,elliot1 of ,gosfield1 ,on ,some ,badges and ,devices of the ,de ,veres1 on the ,tower of ,castle ,hedingham ,church4#fj ,four of these--the ,boar1 the ,mullet1 the ,whistle1 and the ,windlass--are here reproduced4 ,illustration3 ,,blue ,,boar4 ,,mullet4 ,,whistle4 ,,windlass4 7,badges of the ,de ,veres47 ,illustration3 ,,badge ,,of ,,the ,,de ,,veres4 7,front the ,black ,boy1 ,chelmsford47 ,the motto of the family1 ,vero nihil verius and ,verite vient formed a rebus on the name4 ,the boar as a badge was evidently assumed for the same reason4 ,the ,latin name for the animal is verres1 though the ,de ,veres probably got it through the ,dutch 7veer or vere71 as they were a branch of the ,house of ,blois1 and owned the ,lordship of ,vere in ,zetland4 ,the boar has been a favourite device of the ,de ,veres from a very early period4 ,the feet of the cross-legged and mail-clad figure of ,robert1 the fifth ,earl1 who died in #abif1 still existing at ,earls ,colne ,priory1 are placed against a boar1 and the same animal appears in different capacities on all1 or nearly all1 the other existing monuments of the family4 ,stowe speaks of ,john1 the sixteenth ,earl1 8riding into the city1 to his house by ,london ,stone1 with eighty gentlemen in a livery of ,reading tawney1 and chains of gold about their necks1 before him1 and one hundred tall yeomen in the like livery to follow him1 without chains1 but all having his cognizance of the ,blew ,boar embroydered on their left shoulder40 ,as a badge1 the boar is carved1 alternately with the mullet 7another device of the ,de ,veres#fa71 over the clerestory windows of ,castle ,hedingham ,church2 on several parts of ,lavenham ,church1 ,suffolk2 on the roof of the south aisle of ,sible ,hedingham ,church2 over the west door of ,chelmsford ,church1 and elsewhere4 ,in the ,chelmsford ,museum1 moreover1 is preserved a wooden boss1 taken from the ceiling of a room of the old ,,black ,,boy ,inn when it was pulled down4 ,on this is carved a boar1 within a circular ribbon charged with seven mullets4 ,some information as to how these devices came into these positions is given hereafter4 ,for close upon five centuries this mighty family1 whose riches were immense1 and whose power was second only to that of the sovereign1 ruled over a large portion of ,east ,anglia in semi-regal fashion4 ,for #efg years1 too1 was the same title retained in this one family4 ,it is no wonder1 therefore1 that their armorial bearings should have been largely used as signs by those who were in various ways dependent upon them2 but it is interesting to find at the present day such comparatively clear evidence of this fact4 ,the principal ,essex inn exhibiting the sign of the ,,blue ,,boar 7and the one from which1 in all probability1 some1 at least1 of our others have taken the name7 was the once famous ,,blue ,,boar at ,castle ,hedingham4 ,this ancient house may be cited as a good example of an inn deriving its sign directly from the armorial bearings of a great historical family which formerly resided in the immediate vicinity1 and1 without doubt1 owned the house4 ,its sign1 of course1 represented the badge of the mighty ,earls of ,oxford4 ,the inn was a fine old house standing in ,st4 ,james's ,street1 where its ornamental chimneys once formed the most prominent feature4 ,after being injured by fire it was pulled down in #ahfe4 ,on this occasion various old coins and other relics were discovered1 the most interesting being an inscription in ,early ,english characters1 written in chalk on a blackened beam behind the wainscot4 ,it ran thus3-- 8,hans pes withe yore nebor whilom ye maye1 ,for oftyn tymes favore do the passe withe ye daye40 ,this may be translated as follows3-- 8,be at peace with your neighbour while ye may1 ,for often times the favour will pass with the day40 ,according to the authors of the ,history of ,sign-boards 7p4 #aaf71 this sign was originally a white boar1 and represented the boar argent1 which formed the favourite badge of ,richard ,,iii41 as well as one 7or1 more generally1 both7 of the supporters of his arms4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,white ,,boar4 7,badge of ,richard ,,iii47 8,the fondness of ,richard for this badge appears from his wardrobe accounts for the year #adhc1 one of which contains a charge #8for #h1jjj bores made and wrought upon fustian1' and #e1jjj more are mentioned shortly afterwards4 ,he also established a herald of arms called #8,blanc ,sanglier1' and it was this trusty squire who carried his master's mangled body from ,bosworth battle-field to ,leicester4444 ,after ,richard's defeat and death the ,,white ,,boars were changed into ,,blue ,,boars1 this being the easiest and cheapest way of changing the sign2 and so the ,,white ,,boar of ,richard1 now painted #8true blue1' passed for the ,,blue ,,boar of the ,earl of ,oxford1 who had largely contributed to place ,henry ,,vii4 on the throne40 ,shakespeare in ,richard ,,iii4 7act v41 scene #c7 alludes to the dead king and his badge as follows3-- 8,the wretched1 bloody1 and usurping boar ,that spoiled your summer fields and fruitful vines2 444 ,this foul swine 444 lies now 444 ,near to the town of ,leicester1 as we learn40 ,it is related that in this king's reign one ,william ,collingbourne was executed for composing the following couplet3-- 8,the ,cat1 the ,rat1 and ,lovell our ,dog1 ,rule all ,englonde under an ,hogge40 ,the king and his ministers1 ,sir ,richard ,ratcliffe1 ,sir ,william ,catesby1 and ,lord ,lovell1 were1 of course1 thus referred to4 ,at ,earls ,colne1 as already stated 7p4 #fc71 there is a ,,lion ,,and ,,boar4 ,here1 in all probability1 we have again represented the boar of the ,de ,veres1 ,colne ,priory having been another seat of the family1 some members of which lie buried there4 ,other signs1 which have1 in all probability1 been derived 7partly1 at least7 from other badges of the ,de ,veres1 will be noticed hereafter4 ,the sign of the ,,flitch ,,of ,,bacon is most conveniently described in connection with the boar4 ,the authors just quoted say 7p4 #dbj71 8,the ,,flitch ,,of ,,dunmow is a common sign in ,essex1 and is sometimes seen in other counties20 but it does not appear that we have had more than one in the county for forty years past1 that one being1 of course1 the well-known inn at 99,little ,dunmow4 ,how the sign originated is too well known to need any explanation here4 ,a similar custom has occasioned a similar sign at ,wichnor1 near ,lichfield 7,gent's ,mag41 #ahai74 ,a beer-shop1 about thirty years old1 in the market-place at ,romford1 is known by the appropriate name of the ,,pig ,,in ,,the ,,pound4 ,a ,,pig ,,and ,,whistle is in existence at ,thames ,haven1 and there are beer-shops of the same name in ,broomfield and ,writtle parishes4 ,the origin of this sign appears not to have come down to us out of the mists of antiquity4 ,very many and very learned are the explanations which have1 of late1 been proposed as the solution of it4 ,half the ,european languages have been ransacked for its derivation1 but so far without any satisfactory results4 ,larwood and ,hotten dismiss it as 8simply a freak of the medival artist40 ,possibly it may represent1 in a corrupted form1 the peg said to have been placed in the wassail-bowl by ,king ,edgar1 who1 in order to discourage drunkenness1 imposed a penalty upon any one who drank so deeply as to leave it uncovered4 ,there is1 however1 a by-no-means-unlikely origin for the sign1 and one which the author believes has never before been suggested4 ,in ,mr4 ,elliot's interesting paper just quoted 7p4 #gj7 it is stated that1 in addition to the blue boar1 the ,de ,veres1 among several other devices1 made use of a ,whistle and ,chain as a household badge4 ,thus1 among the devices of this one family1 are found the two objects--a pig 7or boar7 and a whistle--which1 when combined1 constitute this most perplexing sign4 ,it is very difficult--perhaps impossible--to prove now that the sign was actually derived from these two badges of the ,de ,veres1 but1 remembering the enormous past importance of the family1 it must be admitted that the sign was in no way unlikely to have been so derived4 ,mr4 ,elliot himself writes that he considers this suggestion not unlikely to be the correct one4 ,very probably this description of the ,earl's badges was a derisive one1 applied to them by the ,yorkist party during the ,wars of the ,roses4 ,a whistle1 like that adopted by the ,de ,veres1 was formerly worn by sea-captains1 even of high rank2 and ,mr4 ,elliot is of opinion that it was assumed by the ,de ,veres as a symbol of the office of ,lord ,high ,admiral1 an appointment held by ,john1 the thirteenth ,earl1 who was very active on behalf of the ,lancastrian party4 ,forty-six inns in ,essex exhibit signs which are more or less canine4 ,a few of these may have had their origin in ,heraldry2 but there can be no doubt that1 in the great majority of cases1 the signs have originated in the modern use of the dog1 whether for sporting or other purposes4 ,at ,wethersfield and ,halstead the ,,dog appears alone2 at ,east ,horndon there is an ,,old ,,dog2 a ,,pointer exists at ,alresford2 and at ,colchester1 ,east ,mersey1 and ,tolleshunt ,knights the ,,dog ,,and ,,pheasant appears2 while at ,stifford and ,great ,leighs 7beer-house7 the ,,dog ,,and ,,partridge is used1 as it was also at 99,halstead sixty years ago4 ,the sign of the ,,spotted ,,dog1 although it is not mentioned by ,hotten1 occurs four times1 namely at ,witham1 ,barking1 ,chelmsford1 and ,west ,ham1 and there is a beer-house of the same name at ,braintree4 ,the sole use of the ,spotted1 or ,dalmatian1 ,dog in this country1 says a writer in the ,gentleman's ,magazine1 8is to contribute1 by the beauty of its appearance1 to the splendour of the stable establishment1 constantly attending the horses and carriage to which he belongs40 ,on ,october #bb1 #ahjd1 a disastrous and fatal fire took place at the ,,spotted ,,dog1 99,chelmsford4 ,the details are given in a scarce pamphlet1 reprinted in ,hughson's ,london 7vol4 vi4 p4 #bdf74 ,it seems that about #abj ,hanoverian soldiers marched into ,chelmsford on the day in question1 and about #gj of them took up their lodgings in the stables of this inn4 ,while most of them were asleep it was discovered that the straw upon which they lay had caught fire4 ,all were1 of course1 at once aroused1 but being unused to the fastening of the door1 they were unable to open it4 ,when at last it was opened and the inmates liberated1 many of them were sorely burned1 and others had their clothing on fire4 ,the flames were got under after a time1 but not until they had extended to other stables and burned several horses4 ,on clearing away the rubbish1 the bodies of no less than thirteen of the ,hanoverian soldiers who had perished in the flames were found4 ,they were afterwards buried with military honours in the church4 ,at ,hordon-on-the-,hill there is a ,,black ,,dog 7beer-house74 ,the ,,shepherd ,,and ,,dog is a device which ,illustration3 ,,dog',s ,,head ,,in ,,pot4 7,after ,larwood and ,hotten47 is now to be seen at ,upminster1 ,ramsden ,cray1 and ,great ,stambridge 7beer-house74 ,two centuries ago it appeared on the farthing token of 8,peeter ,pearcce0 of ,braintree2 while a ,,dog ,,with ,,chain1 passant1 occurs on that of 8,thomas ,peeke1 ,wyre ,street1 in ,colchstr10 and a dog eating out of a fleshpot 7the ,,dog',s ,,head ,,in ,,pot7 on the halfpenny issued by ,john ,phillips of ,plaistow in #afgj4 ,this device seems to have been originally used to indicate a dirty1 slovenly housewife4 ,it was never common4 ,the ,,hare ,,and ,,hounds occurs seven times1 the ,,fox ,,and ,,hounds ten times1 and the ,,huntsman ,,and ,,hounds once 7at ,upminster74 ,both the ,,fox and the ,,fox ,,and ,,hounds are very common beer-house signs4 ,the ,,hare1 an unusual sign when not accompanied by the ,hounds1 appears at ,great ,parndon4 ,the ,,talbot at ,north ,weald may be named after the famous ,,talbot in ,southwark1 which1 under its former name of the ,,tabard1 sheltered ,chaucer's pilgrims on their way to ,canterbury4 ,talbot is the name of an old variety of hunting dog which1 at the present day1 is never heard of except in connection with ,heraldry2 and1 as the sign in question is not now a pictorial one1 most of the inhabitants of ,north ,weald would probably be much puzzled to explain what it originally represented4 ,there was another ,,talbot in ,stapleford ,tawney until about ten years ago1 but it is now a private house4 ,the county contains no less than thirteen ,,greyhounds1 one of which is an ,,old ,,greyhound4 ,the sign of the ,,greyhound existed at ,chelmsford in #aghf1 according to the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,july #bast in that year1 but it is not now extant1 though ,greyhound ,lane still exists4 ,in all probability this was the house that existed under the same name in #affb1 as mentioned in the ,account of the ,murder of ,thomas ,kidderminster1 to which reference has been already made4 ,the ,,greyhound at ,waltham ,abbey is mentioned in the parish registers on ,june #d1 #agce1 when 8,john ,munns from ye ,greyhound was ,bur40 ,the ,,greyhound at ,barking is mentioned in the parish register as early as #aeib4fb ,an entry states that 8,henry1 the supposed son of ,henry ,fisher of ,london1 from the ,greyhound1 was bapd the #agth of ,october40 ,for this sign we are probably about equally indebted both to the sport of coursing and the art of ,heraldry4 ,greyhounds argent formed either one or both of the supporters of ,henry ,,vii41 the badge1 and often one of the supporters1 of ,henry ,,viii41 and one of the supporters of ,elizabeth and ,mary2 so that in all probability the sign found its origin in ,heraldry1 but owes its use in the present day1 largely at least1 to coursing4 ,in a hunting district like ,essex it is in no way surprising that there should be as many as twenty-five references to the fox on our sign-boards4 ,although twenty years ago the sign of the ,fox only occurred five times1 it now occurs eleven times2 while there are ten signs of the ,,fox ,,and ,,hounds1 and three of the ,,fox ,,and ,,goose4 ,the latter is a combination which medival artists never tired of representing4 ,it may be seen1 among other places1 on a carved oak screen in ,hadstock ,church4 ,of the ,,flying ,,fox at ,colchester1 ,larwood and ,hotten say 7p4 #agj7--8;,it may represent some kind of bat or flying squirrel 787 so denominated1 or is a landlord's caprice40 ,it seems much more probable1 however1 that the device is intended to represent a fox flying before the hounds4 ,there is a beer-house known as the ,,wolf at ,great ,coggeshall4 ,the origin of the sign1 which is not mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten1 is hard to explain4 ,probably it is unique4 ,the sign of the ,,hare ,,and ,,hounds1 of which1 as previously stated 7p4 #gf71 we have seven examples1 is1 doubtless1 entirely derived from the sport of coursing2 but the ,,rabbits1 a very old house still in existence at ,little ,ilford1 has probably an heraldic origin4 ,most likely the sign is derived from three coneys appearing on some family coat of arms1 but whose1 it is now difficult to say4 ,the sign appeared in the list as the ,,three ,,rabbits forty years ago1 and as the ,,three ,,coneys on ,jean ,roque's ,map of ,ten ,miles ,round ,london1 published in #agdf4 ,lysons1 in his ,environs of ,london 7#agif1 vol4 iv4 p4 #aeg71 says-- 8,a great mart for cattle from ,wales1 ,scotland1 and the ,north of ,england is held annually1 from the latter end of ,february till the beginning of ,may1 on the flat part of the forest of ,waltham 7commonly called ,epping ,forest71 within the parishes of ,ilford1 ,eastham1 ,westham1 ,leyton1 and ,wanstead4 ,a great part of the business between the dealers is transacted at the ,,rabbits in this parish--on the high road40 ,there is also a beer-shop known as the ,,rabbits in ,stapleford ,tawney parish4 ,it is probably named after the foregoing4 ,there is another beer-house so called at ,west ,thurrock4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not mention the sign under any of the above forms1 although they say that in #affg ,hugh ,conny1 of ,caxton and ,elsworth1 ,cambridge1 had ,,three ,,conies for a sign1 and a ,,rabbit is depicted on the farthing token of one ,william ,hutchenson1 of ,chelmsford4 ,illustration3 ,,fleece4 ,the sign of the ,,fleece occurs twice at 99,colchester1 once at 99,coggeshall1 and once at ,brentwood4 ,that of the ,,golden ,,fleece appears at ,chelmsford and ,east ,ham1 although the former seems to have become golden only during the last forty years4 ,there were also ,,fleeces at ,halstead and ,witham sixty years ago4 ,both forms of the sign are1 of course1 intended to represent ,jason's ,golden ,fleece1 or ,gideon's1 and their use commemorates the time when the woollen trade was one of the staple industries of ,essex4 ,the ,fleece also formed the pendant of the ,order of the ,,golden ,,fleece1 which was founded in #adbi by ,philip1 ,duke of ,burgundy and ,count of ,flanders1 8to perpetuate the memory of his great revenues raised by wools with the ,low ,countries10 as ,ashmole says4 ,ancient encaustic tiles have been found1 ,mr4 ,elliot writes1 both in ,witham and ,maldon 7,st4 ,mary's7 ,churches bearing the arms of the ,dukes of ,burgundy1 with their badge of flint1 steel1 and sparks in the upper and side spandrels1 and the figure of the ,fleece below4 ,a fleece forms a charge in the arms of the town of ,leeds1#fc now the principal seat of the woollen trade4 ,larwood and ,hotten facetiously remark that 8a fleece at the door of an inn or public-house looks very like a warning of the fate a traveller may expect within40 ,the ,,star ,,and ,,fleece is an odd combination1 which does not appear to be noticed in the ,history of ,sign-boards4 ,it may simply be an impaled sign1 or may represent the fleece of one of the mullets in the arms of ,leeds4 ,an example has existed at ,kelvedon for over forty years1 and another was in existence a few years since4 ,another emblem of the woollen trade is the ,,woolpack1 of which1 as already stated 7p4 #ci71 we have six examples1 arranged in an almost straight line across the county1 namely1 at 99,romford1 ,ingatestone1 ,chelmsford1 ,witham1 99,coggeshall1 and 99,colchester4 ,three1 at least1 of these were in existence sixty years since1 at which time there was another at ,bocking4 ,it is recorded in ,bufton's ,diary#fd that on ,may #a1 #afic1 at ,coggeshall1 8,ye soldiers set up a ,maypole at ye ,,woolpacke doore40 ,the ,,woolpack is a device which appears commonly on the tokens of the seventeenth century4 ,it is met with at ,billericay1 ,dunmow1 ,castle ,hedingham 7twice71 ,braintree1 ,bocking1 ,witham1 and ,colchester4 ,the sign of the ,,woolpack1 it should be noticed1 is still1 or was lately1 to be seen at the three last-named places4 ,the sign of the ,,shears1 as pointed out elsewhere 7p4 #da71 is another relic of the now departed woollen trade4 ,from the middle of the seventeenth to the end of the eighteenth century1 the spinning1 carding1 and weaving of wool formed the staple industry in most of the larger towns and villages of ,eastern ,england4 ,several prominent families of the district in former days owed their wealth to this trade4 ,in the neighbourhood of ,hedingham it is said that several old houses1 of which remnants only now exist1 were once 8wool-halls10 combining a residence for the merchant with a warehouse for his wools1 worsteds1 and 8pieces40 ,very high wages were earned by the workpeople1 even by children and old persons4 ,it has been estimated that1 at the middle of last century1 not less than #bj1jjj hands in and around ,colchester were employed in the woollen trade2 but by the end of the century the number had sunk to less than #h1jjj4 ,many old persons still living can remember their parents' or grand-parents' accounts of the festivities on ,st4 ,blaize's ,day1 the #crd of ,february1 when there were processions in medival fashion1 with shepherdess and lamb1 and men and women spinning and weaving1 accompanied by a great deal of noise and fun1 bell-ringing and band-playing1 ribbons and banners1 roystering and drinking4 ,in the evening bonfires were lit upon the hills to commemorate 7as the common people thought7 the name of their patron1 ,st4 ,blaize4 ,the weaving of bunting for ships' flags lingered in and around ,sudbury until about twenty years ago1 but has now quite died out in ,east ,anglia4 ,the ,,ram1 at ,north ,woolwich1 perhaps1 represents the crest of the ,clothworkers' ,company4#fe ,our six examples of the sign of the ,,lamb may1 or may not1 have had an heraldic origin4 ,they probably represent the ,lamb with the flag of the ,apocalypse2 but this was used as a crest by the ,merchant ,taylors' ,company4#ff ,the farthing issued in #afed by 8,tho4 ,lambe at ,bvttls ,gate in ,colchester0 bears a ,holy ,lamb couchant1 and that of 8,joseph ,lamb of ,lee ,leigh1 #affd10 bears the same device4 ,in both cases a rebus or pun on the name of the issuer is1 of course1 intended4 ,the ,,lambs at 99,colchester and 99,romford are both at least sixty years old4 ,probably the sign was first set up as an emblem of the woollen trade4 ,the five instances in which the ,lamb occurs in conjunction with a ,lion have already been noticed 7p4 #fc71 and attention has also been drawn to the fact 7p4 #bc7 that some1 at least1 of our ,,ships are probably intended for sheep4 ,the ,,shoulder ,,of ,,mutton1 which occurs both at ,great ,totham and ,fordham1 probably represents the joint so often brought to table4 ,the ,,bear occurs by himself only twice1 namely1 at ,buttsbury 7where he is at least forty years old71 and at ,romford4 ,the ,,bear at ,buttsbury is mentioned in the ,stock parish registers in #afgc4 ,forty years ago there were also ,,bears at ,colchester and ,great ,baddow4 ,we are probably more indebted to the old custom of bear-baiting for this sign than to ,heraldry4 ,larwood and ,hotten say that it was originally adopted by ale-houses as a pun on the word 8beer40 ,if so1 the pun was a very weak one4 ,the ,,white ,,bear is to be seen at ,galleywood and at ,stanford ,rivers4 ,at the latter place he has existed at least since #aghi1 and is represented on a board over the door1 but not upon the swinging sign-board1 as a ,polar ,bear picking his way over blocks of ice4 ,the sign of the ,,white ,,bear is not a modern one4 ,it was used in the seventeenth century1 and both of our ,essex examples are over forty years old4 ,the ,queen of ,richard ,,iii4 used a ,white ,bear as her badge1 and this perhaps originated the sign4 ,of the ,,elephant ,,and ,,castle1 a very old device1 we have two instances in ,essex1 one at ,harwich1 and the other at ,colchester4 ,neither seems to have been in existence twenty years ago4 ,most probably they are named after the famous old coaching inn at ,newington ,butts2 but they may have originally been cutlers' signs4 ,the elephant with a castle on his back 7as he was generally represented in the ,middle ,ages7 formed the crest of the ,cutlers' ,company4#fg ,at ,great ,baddow1 ,rayleigh1 and elsewhere the device serves as a beer-house sign4 ,the ,,goat ,,and ,,boots on 99,east ,hill1 ,colchester1 though over forty years old1 is a sign which is not noticed in the ,history of ,sign-boards4 ,it is1 doubtless1 a corruption of the not-uncommon sign of the ,,goat ,,in ,,boots1 which appears to be a caricature of ,welshmen1 and not a corruption of the ,dutch description of ,mercury1 der goden boode 7the gods' messenger71 as is often stated4 ,we have in ,essex no example of the not-uncommon sign of the ,,goat ,,and ,,compasses1 which is usually supposed to be a corruption of the ,puritan motto1 8,god encompasses us40 ,this explanation1 however1 is not sound4 ,the motto could never have been represented pictorially upon the sign-board1 and we know that pictorial representation was the sole aim and object of the sign in olden times4 ,probably the sign is merely a compound one2 or it may represent the arms of the ,cordwainers' ,company#fh in a corrupted form4 ,to this origin may be certainly traced the sign of the ,,three ,,goats' ,,heads1 which1 however1 does not occur in ,essex4 ,the ,,squirrel',s ,,head at ,squirrel's ,heath1 ,romford1 has no doubt some connection with the locality4 ,it was not in existence forty years ago4 ,the sign of the ,,three ,,squirrels1 which is not found in ,essex1 has been in use for over two centuries4 ,the sign of the ,,sea ,,horse1 which has existed at 99,colchester for at least sixty years past1 is not noticed by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,very likely it commemorates the capture in the ,colne1 and subsequent exhibition in the town1 of some such strange creature as a seal or porpoise1 which vulgar belief set down as a 8sea horse40 ,the sign of the ,,dolphin occurs four times in the county1 namely1 at 99,colchester1 99,chelmsford1 ,maldon1 and 99,romford4 ,the animal also figures as a beer-house sign at ,stisted1 ,goldhanger1 c4 ,the houses bearing it may have taken their sign from the many representations of the dolphin in private coats of arms2 but1 most likely1 they have simply been called after the famous ,,dolphin ,inn which existed in ,london for several centuries1 and is said to have been occupied by ,louis1 the ,dauphin of ,france1 who1 in #abaf1 came over to contest the ,english crown with ,king ,john4 ,it was once adorned with fleurs-de-lys1 dolphins1 and other ,french cognizances4 ,the dolphin formed the badge of the ,dauphins of ,france1 just as the three ostrich feathers form the badge of our own ,princes of ,wales4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not notice the sign of the ,,whalebone of which ,essex possesses four examples1 namely1 at ,woodham ,ferrers1 99,colchester1 ,fingringhoe1 and ,white ,roothing4 ,that at the latter place has apparently been in existence for at least a century1 as it is mentioned more than once in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle in the year #aghf1 while the one at ,colchester figured in the list as the ,,old ,,whalebone forty years ago4 ,the ,,fishbone1 however1 spoken of by ,larwood and ,hotten as being 8rarely met with as a public-house sign10 though frequently used by dealers in rags and bones1 is probably the same sign under a different name4 ,in the museum at ,saffron ,walden there has been1 for nearly fifty years past1 a large whale's scapula1 which is said formerly to have hung as a sign in one of the streets of that town4 ,mr4 ,joseph ,clarke believes it was displayed at the ,,king',s ,,head1 and it has on it an almost illegible letter ,r1 probably part of the monogram ,g4 ,r42 but more likely it formed the sign of the ,,whalebone at some house not now in existence1 or not under that name4 ,of the ,,sun ,,and ,,whalebone which has existed at ,latton since #aghi at least1 the authors so frequently quoted say that 8it may have originated from a whalebone hanging outside the house or it may indicate that the landlord had laid the foundation of his fortune as a rag merchant40 ,more probably1 however1 its origin was the impalement of two distinct signs4 ,the sign-board is not pictorial4 ,this sign was very fully discussed in ,notes and ,queries in #ahfb 7#crd series1 vol4 i4 pp4 #bej1 #cce1 #cei1 #cig1 #dai1 and #dgc74 ,several most profound speculations were advanced to account for it1 but they were all more or less far fetched4 ,the ,,whalebone at ,chadwell ,heath has now disappeared1 though a beer-shop so named existed there until about the year #ahgj4 ,from it1 in all probability1 our four existing houses of this name1 as well as the ,,sun ,,and ,,whalebone at ,latton1 have taken their designation2 for the sign is a very uncommon one in the adjoining counties1 and does not appear at all in ,london4 ,the house in question originally took its name from two whale's jaw-bones 7not rib-bones1 as is commonly supposed7 set up in the form of an archway over the road close at hand4 ,local tradition says that the bones were those of a whale that was stranded in the ,thames near ,dagenham during the great storm that prevailed on the night preceding ,september #c1 #afeh1 when ,oliver ,cromwell died4 ,this was1 perhaps1 the case1 as 8,ye ,whalebone0 is marked against the tenth milestone from ,london on the map of the high-road from ,london to ,harwich1 given in ,ogilby's ,itinerarium ,angli1 published in #afge1 only seventeen years after the whale is said to have been stranded4 ,also in ,dr4 ,howell's ,ancient and ,present ,state of ,england1 first published in #afgh1 it is stated 7#fth ,ed4 p4 #bfc7 that1 8near about this time #afeh1 there came up the ,thames as far as ,greenwich a whale of very great length and bigness40 ,daniel ,defoe1 too1 in his ,tour through the whole ,island of ,great ,britain1 first published in #agbd1 says 7vol4 i4 p4 #c7 the ,,whalebone was 8so called because the rib-bone of a large ,whale1 taken in the ,river of ,thames1 was fixed there in #afeh1 the year ,oliver ,cromwell died1 for a monument of that monstrous creature1 it being at first about ,eight and ,twenty ,foot long40 ,the ,,whale',s ,,bone is also marked on ,andrew and ,drury's ,map of ,essex1 published in #aggg4 ,that a storm of most unusual magnitude did rage on the night in question1 is certain4 ,prideaux1 in his ,introduction to ,history 7#afhb71 speaks of 8that most horrid tempestuous night which ushered in this day on which ,cromwell died40 ,pepys also mentions the storm4 ,nor is it anything new for whales and similar animals to appear in the ,thames4 ,in ,sir ,richard ,baker's ,chronicles of the ,kings of ,england 7p4 #dbe71 published in #afhd1 it is recorded that on the #aith of ,january1 #afjf1 8a great ,porpus was taken at ,west ,ham1 in a small creek a mile and a half within the land2 and within a few days after a ,whale came up within eight miles of ,london1 whose body was seen divers times above the water1 and was judged to exceed the length of the largest ship in the ,river3 but when she tasted the fresh water and scented the land1 she returned again into the sea40 ,on the morning of ,april #ca1 #ahgi1 too1 a whale alarmed some fishermen by his spouting near ,hole ,haven4 ,many other records might be cited4 ,it is1 however1 a curious circumstance that in ,m4 ,j4 ,farmer's ,history of ,waltham ,abbey1 published in #agce1 there is given as an appendix 8,the ,inquisition taken the #agth of ,king ,charles ,i4 #afdb of a ,perambulation of ,waltham ,forest in the ,county of ,essex10 in which occurs the following passage3--,the ,forest boundary runs 8from ,great ,ilford directly by the same ,king's ,high ,way leading towards ,rumford1 to a certain ,quadrivium 7or way leading four ways71 called the ,four ,wants1 where late was placed and yet is a certain side of a whale1 called the ,whale bone40 ,from this it would appear that the spot was known as the ,whalebone long before ,cromwell's death4 ,possibly1 however1 there is an error in the above date1 ,charles ,i4 being inserted instead of ,charles ,,ii4 ,a good deal of discussion upon the subject took place several years ago in the pages of ,notes and ,queries4 ,in #ahga 7p4 #d71 8,g4 ,s40 wrote that he had often seen whales' bones set upright in ,holland for cattle to rub against1 and that he 8was once struck with the same in a large park between ,ingatestone and ,chelmsford4 ,the owner was a ,dutch gentleman1 who had introduced this sensible idea into ,england40 ,other correspondents wrote that they knew of whales' bones having been set up in various parts of ,england4 ,later on 7p4 #aie71 ,mr4 ,j4 ,perry1 of ,waltham ,abbey1 wrote that-- 8,there is 7or was lately7 a pair of whale's ribs placed over the old toll-gate at ,chadwell ,heath1 near ,romford1 ,essex1 which form a kind of ,gothic arch across the roadway4 ,they must have been there for a considerable period1 as it is beyond the memory of any of the good old country-folks living in the locality to tell when first erected4 ,at a little distance from the toll-house occurs a similar pair1 set up over the carriage entrance to a residence40 ,afterwards 7#ahgh1 p4 #cig7 8,s4 ,p40 wrote as follows3-- 8,when ,i was a boy1 there stood by the roadside1 about two miles west of ,romford1 at the east end of the long straggling village of ,chadwell ,heath1 and on the left hand going from ,london1 a tremendous pair of bones1 forming an arch4 ,the bases were deeply rooted in the earth1 but even then the space spanned was considerable4 ,near by was a toll-house1 with its bar1 known from the adjacent relic as #8,whalebone ,gate4' ,i think1 too1 if ,i remember rightly1 there stood near the spot a road-side inn called by the sign of #8the ,,whalebone4' ,my father1 an ,essex man1 long since dead1 used to tell me that he had it from his grandfather1 that the bone was the upper should be lower jaw of an immense whale1 which had been cast ashore about three miles to the south of the spot1 on the north bank of the ,thames1 at ,dagenham1 while the ,great ,storm was raging on the night that ,oliver ,cromwell died4 ,in course of time1 toll on suburban roads was abolished2 the toll-house and gate were cleared away2 and the jaw was appropriated to serve as an entrance arch to the front garden of a neighbouring suburban villa--the rural residence1 ,i believe1 of a ,whitechapel pork-butcher--an edifice known1 and still indicated on suburban maps of a tolerably modern date1 as #8,whalebone ,house4' 444 ,what became of the worthy tradesman ,i have above alluded to1 ,i do not know4 ,probably his house is still standing1 but ,i am unable to identify it now by its former title or peculiar gate4 ,i am under the impression that what remains of the relic has been transferred to its original site2 for ,i was past the spot where1 so far as my memory serves me1 it formerly stood1 on ,july #beth in this year4 ,half the arch 7i4e41 one bone7 stood upright1 still deeply rooted in the earth1 but alone1 forgotten and deserted1 by the side of the high road in a fallow field4 ,no one in the neighbourhood seemed to know anything about it or its history40 ,to this1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,sparvel-,bayly1 of ,billericay1 wrote 7#ahgi1 p4 #eh73-- 8,in the little village of ,east ,tilbury in ,essex1 situate on the banks of the ,thames1 and not far from ,romford1 is a house known as #8,whalebone ,cottage1' in front of which is an arch composed of the jawbones of a huge whale4 ,from their weather-worn appearance they may possibly have belonged to that alluded to by ,s4 ,p40 ,in reply to this1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,phillips 7p4 #cch7 stated that-- 8,the jawbones spoken of by ,mr4 ,sparvel-,bayly as being at ,east ,tilbury1 #8not far from ,romford' 7it is twelve miles from ,romford as the crow flies71 cannot be identical with those mentioned by ,s4 ,p41 whose account ,i can corroborate1 so far as knowing the jawbones he mentions1 forty years ago1 when travelling on the box-seat of the old ,colchester ,coach alongside a coachman of the ,mr4 ,weller sort1 of some sixty-five summers4 ,the two bones were then in existence on the north side of the road near the tenth milestone1 and two miles the ,london side of ,romford1 in front of a roadside public-house with the sign of the #8,,whalebone1' which my coachman said used to be the resort of the many highwaymen that once infested ,chadwell ,heath close by4 ,he spoke of his being told when a boy that the bones had been there from the time of ,cromwell40 ,from the foregoing1 it is clear that there were formerly two pairs of bones set up near together2 indeed1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,perry distinctly says there were4 ,one pair has now entirely disappeared4 ,the other pair still stand 7although ,s4 ,p4 seems to have overlooked them71 as described1 over the entrance of an adjoining house1 known to this day as 8,whalebone ,house0 or 8,lodge10 and marked as such in local directories4 ,there is also in the immediate vicinity a 8,whalebone ,farm10 as well as a 8,whalebone ,lane40 ,the bones 7of which an illustration is here given7 are of the following dimensions3-- ,feet4 ,inches4 ,height out of ground 7along curve7 #ae #f ,circumference 7at base7 #c #c 8 7near top7 #b #j ,breadth at base 7flat inner side7 #a #e 8 7round outer side7 #a #aj ,illustration3 ,,gateway ,,at ,,whalebone ,,house4 7,chadwell ,heath47 ,if1 as seems probable1 the bones are those of the ,greenland whale 7,balna mysticetus71 it is extremely unlikely that the creature which owned them was ever stranded in the ,thames4 ,the following letter from ,prof4 ,w4 ,h4 ,flower1 ,f4,r4,s41 is of much interest4 ,he says-- 8,pairs of the lower jawbones of the ,greenland whale1 erected usually as gate-posts1 occur in many parts of the eastern counties1 especially in the neighbourhood of the old whaling-ports--the ,thames1 ,yarmouth1 ,hull1 ,whitby1 c4 ,they have all been brought from the ,arctic ,seas by whalers1 at any time since #afaa1 when the first ships left ,england for the ,spitzbergen whaling1 which 7with the ,baffin's ,bay whaling7 has been carried on with more or less success ever since1 though now confined to ,peterhead and ,dundee4 ,i very much doubt ,defoe's #8#bh feet long4' ,twenty feet1 following the curve1 is the maximum of the ,greenland whale1 and no other whale has such large jaws4 ,i also doubt the story of the creature being stranded1 because1 if so1 it cannot have been a ,greenland whale--a species which never visits our shores40 ,larwood and ,hotten1 in common with nearly all heraldic writers1 innocently treat of whales and dolphins as fishes1 as they were commonly supposed to be in the ,middle ,ages4 ,a writer in ,all the ,year ,round1 so lately as the year #ahgi1 commits the same absurd error4 ,it will here be necessary to ask pardon of modern men of science for discussing1 under the heading 8,zoology10 certain monstrous beasts which1 though unknown to us in these enlightened times1 were accredited with a material existence by the ancient heralds1 and others who wrote in the dark days of several centuries ago4 ,such imaginary creatures as dragons1 griffins1 unicorns1 and the like1 are1 of course1 here referred to4 ,illustration3 ,,dragon4 ,the ,,dragon in his own proper colour 7whatever that may be7 does not occur in the county2 but we have four examples of the ,,green ,,dragon1 situated respectively at ,shenfield1 ,black ,notley1 99,saffron ,walden1 and ,waltham ,abbey4 ,sixty years ago there were also ,,green ,,dragons at 99,colchester and elsewhere4 ,it is very easy to account for the origin of the use of the ,dragon as a sign1 but it is not so easy to say why he should so often be green4 ,the ,,green ,,dragon1 however1 has been a common sign for over two centuries4 ,as the badge and supporter of the arms of many of our sovereigns1 he was generally red1 though occasionally black or golden4 ,the ,dragon appeared on the standard of the ,saxons1 and was used as a badge by several early ,princes of ,wales4 ,it formed one or other of the supporters of the arms of ,henry ,,vii41 and of all the ,tudor sovereigns except ,queen ,mary4 ,it appears also in the heraldic bearings of many private families4 ,there can1 therefore1 be very little doubt as to its heraldic derivation1 although it was formerly used as a chemist's sign1 in which case its origin was probably non-heraldic4 ,perhaps1 as the ,rev4 ,h4 ,l4 ,elliot writes1 the strange colour in which this monster usually appears on sign-boards is due to the fact that a ,green ,dragon1 holding in his mouth a bloody hand1 was a badge of ,william ,herbert1 ,lord ,steward1 created ,earl of ,pembroke in the time of ,edward ,,vi4 ,the ,,george ,,and ,,dragon is a sign which occurs eight times in ,essex4 ,this very common sign has increased greatly in popularity since the institution of the ,order of the ,garter1 of which a representation of ,st4 ,george killing a dragon forms the pendant2 but the fact that several of our recent kings have borne the name of ,george has no doubt had a good deal to do with its adoption4 ,the legendary act of ,st4 ,george1 the patron-saint of ,england1 is alluded to in the following amusing little rhyme3-- 8,to save a mayd1 ,st4 ,george the ,dragon slew-- ,a pretty tale1 if all that's told be true4 ,most say there are no dragons1 and 'tis sayd ,there was no ,george2--let's hope there was a mayd40 ,a representation of ,st4 ,george killing the ,dragon appears on the token issued by ,j4 ,lark of ,coggeshall in #affg4fi ,there are also in ,essex three examples of the sign of the ,,griffin1 situated respectively at ,great ,canfield1 ,halstead1 and ,danbury4 ,the ,,griffin at ,danbury1 an ancient and well-known inn1 is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,may #i1 #aghh4 ,it is also several times prominently alluded to 7ii4 p4 #agd1 iii4 pp4 #acj and #add1 and iv4 p4 #ff7 in ,mr4 ,joseph ,strutt's ,essex and ,herts ,romance of ,queenhoo ,hall1 published in #ahjh4 ,although in former ages people firmly believed in the existence of griffins1 the animal has never yet been seen except in ,heraldry4 ,consequently it is only natural to assign the origin of its use as a sign to that art2 but griffins appear upon the escutcheons of so many families that it is now quite impossible to say in whose honour it made its first appearance upon the sign-board4 ,illustration3 ,,griffin4 ,the ,,unicorn appears as a public-house sign at ,west ,ham and at ,romford4 ,at the latter place the house is situated in ,hare ,street1 and is at least a century old1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,march #b1 #aghg4 ,a unicorn rampant is depicted on the farthing tokens of ,william ,alldred of ,colchester1 and a unicorn passant on those of 8,will4 ,anger of ,mvch ,clafton 8 ,clacton in ,esex1 #afed40 ,the original use of the ,,unicorn as an inn-sign may be attributed to the fact that it was formerly a common chemist's sign1 and is one of the supporters of the arms of the ,apothecaries' ,company1 or to the fact that it now forms the sinister supporter of the ,royal ,arms4 ,much interesting information as to the ancient belief in its existence1 and the power of its horn as an antidote to all poison1 is given in the ,history of ,sign-boards4 ,illustration ,illustration ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,ornithological ,,signs4 ,ornithological signs stand next in turn for notice4 ,they are fairly numerous1 and many are of strictly heraldic derivation4 ,illustration3 ,,spread ,,eagle4 ,the ,eagle appears in one form or another on nineteen ,essex sign-boards4 ,on seven occasions a simple ,,eagle is intended4 ,twenty years ago1 however1 there were but three4 ,ten times the sign of the ,,spread ,,eagle occurs1 and the same device is depicted on the tokens issued by ,john ,millbank of ,colchester in #affe1 and by ,samuel ,wall of ,witham in #affh4 ,the ,,spread ,,eagle at ,harwich1 which is a house still extant1 is referred to in the issue of the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,march #ca1 #aghf4 ,at ,little ,bardfield a carved and gilded ,,spread ,,eagle is set up on the top of a post before the inn4 ,the sign is truly heraldic1 inasmuch as the bird does not seem to require to use its legs1 but stands upon its tail4 ,in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,march #b1 #aghg1 there appears an advertisement stating that a 8,main of ,cocks0 was to be fought on the #gth of that month at the 99,,spread ,,eagle in ,prittlewell1 between the ,gentlemen of that place and the ,gentlemen of ,great ,wakering4 ,eagles occur so frequently in ,heraldry that there can be no doubt whence the sign of the ,,eagle is derived2 and the fact that the bird is1 more often than not1 described as 8spread10 goes far to confirm its heraldic derivation4 ,an eagle was displayed upon the ensign of the ,roman emperors1 and has since formed one of the chief ,illustration3 ,,eagle ,,and ,,child4 cognizances of the sovereigns of ,germany1 ,russia1 ,prussia1 ,austria1 ,france1 c4 ,edward ,,iii4 bore a crowned eagle as his crest1 and ,henry ,,iv4 adopted a spread eagle as one of his badges4 ,the bird is also of very frequent occurrence in the armorial bearings of private families4 ,the ,,eagle at ,snaresbrook is a well-known old hostelry1 and is a very favourite ,bank ,holiday resort of 8#8,arry and #8,arriet0 from the ,east ,end of ,london4 ,the ,,eagle ,,and ,,child1 which is to be seen at ,shenfield and ,forest ,gate1 is not uncommon elsewhere1 and will be at once recognized as the crest of the ,stanleys1 ,earls of ,derby1 which represents an eagle carrying off a child1 as told in the well-known legend1#gj and as here depicted4 ,in a curious collection of miscellanea relating to signs formed by a ,mr4 ,g4 ,creed1 and now preserved in the ,british ,museum1 it is stated that in the parlour of the last-named inn there is 7or was in #ahej7 framed 8a ,,ms4 bit of ,doggrell10 commencing as follows3-- ,the ,essex ,flats too ,knowing for the ,yorkshire ,sharps4 8,an ,essex ,landlord of some fame1 ,whose honesty deserves a name1 ,near to the ,forest hangs his sign1 ,a house well known for ,bowls of wine4 ,it represents a lovely boy1 ,such as would give a father joy2 ,beside him 7don't say 'tis absurd7 ,stands the majestic kingly ,bird1 ,and both are named and known together1 ,as birds are known that's of one feather40 ,the rest of the poem1 which is long1 does not merit reproduction4 ,this house is marked on ,jean ,roque's ,map of ,ten ,miles round ,london1 published in #agda4 ,the ,,falcon occurs three times1 namely1 at ,southend1 ,littlebury1 and ,wivenhoe4 ,twenty years ago one of these figured in the list as the ,,new ,,falcon1 and sixty years since there was another in the ,high ,street at 99,braintree4 ,a farthing token showing a bird holding a sceptre1 and issued by 8,john ,parker at the ,falken in ,wevenhoe10 is described by ,boyne4 ,taylor 7see p4 #bh7 also mentions this ,parker in #afcf4 ,as the sign of the ,,falcon still exists at ,wivenhoe it is probably the same house kept more than two centuries ago by ,john ,parker1 especially as the same house is mentioned again in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #ac1 #aghf4 ,at the end of last century there was an inn with the sign of the ,,falcon close against the ,cross at ,waltham4 ,two illustrations of it1 published respectively in #aghg and #agia1 are preserved in ,mr4 ,creed's collection4 ,they show the sign-board 7a pictorial one1 inscribed with the name of the landlord--,sibley7 suspended from a beam which extends across the road4 ,above this beam is hung a bunch of grapes within an iron frame1 as here shown4 ,the sign has now been altered to that of the ,,great ,,eastern4 ,illustration3 ,,falcon4 7,at ,waltham ,cross in #aghg47 ,the ,,old ,,falcon ,inn1 which formerly existed at ,castle ,hedingham1 though now reduced to a mere beer-shop1 was once evidently a very good house4 ,its beams and rafters are very massive1 and bear the crest and badge of the ,earls of ,oxford1 like not a few other old houses in the vicinity4 ,the sign is probably identical with that of the ,,hawk1 which occurs at ,battles ,bridge4 ,its origin may have been the ancient sport of hawking2 but1 more probably1 it has an heraldic derivation4 ,a falcon volant forms part of the arms of the ,stationers' ,company1 and it was probably adopted by booksellers on this account4 ,both ,edward ,,iii4 and ,richard ,,ii4 used a falcon as one of their badges1 and the ,,falcon ,,holding ,a ,,sceptre1 which1 as just mentioned1 existed at ,wivenhoe in the seventeenth century1 was presumably derived from one of the badges of ,queen ,elizabeth1 a falcon crowned1 holding a sceptre4 ,it is1 however1 by no means improbable that the particular instance of the sign of the ,,falcon in ,falcon ,square1 ,castle ,hedingham 7which happens to be triangular671 may be a relic of the ancient family of the ,hawkwoods1 who resided in the adjoining parish of ,sible ,hedingham4 ,sir ,john ,hawkwood1 the famous soldier who became so prominent in the ,italian wars of the fourteenth century1 was buried in ,florence1 but upon the beautiful crocketted canopy of the monument erected to him in the south aisle of ,sible ,hedingham ,church1 his badge 7871 a ,hawk or ,falcon1 is carved several times1 with other devices4 ,illustration3 ,,white ,,swan4 7,the ,badge of the ,de ,bohuns47 ,the ,swan1 including several variations in colour1 c41 is a very common ,essex sign1 and appears in thirty-eight different places2 while1 forty or fifty years ago1 it seems to have been even commoner4 ,thirty-two times he occurs as a simple ,,swan2 at ,harwich he appears as a ,,new ,,swan2 at ,rayne and ,roydon 7where he is at least one hundred years old7 as a ,,black ,,swan2 at ,chelmsford as an ,,old ,,swan2 and at ,epping and ,west ,ham as a ,,white ,,swan4 ,the ,,swan now existing at ,brentwood is1 apparently1 at least a century old1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,march #bd1 #aghf4 ,the fondness of the bird for liquid 7though of a purer kind than that usually supplied at public-houses7 is said to have been the reason for its very common adoption as a public-house sign2 but the custom is equally likely to have had an heraldic origin4 ,kings ,henry ,,iv4 and ,v4 both used a swan among other badges1 and the same device formed part of the coat of arms of the ,de ,bohun and other families4 ,the annexed wood-cut of the swan proper1 ducally gorged and chained or1 which formed the badge of the ,de ,bohuns1 is taken from the central spandrel of the canopy of the brass in ,westminster ,abbey to ,alianore ,de ,bohun1 ,duchess of ,gloucester1 who died in #acii4 ,it is also very probable that the white swan which formed the badge of the great ,de ,mandevilles1 once ,earls of ,essex1 has had something to do with the abundance of this sign in the county4 ,in ,tavern ,anecdotes 7p4 #bda7 it is stated that in #ahbe the landlord of the 99,,swan at ,stratford recommended the charms of his house in the following poetic strain3-- 8,at the ,swan ,tavern kept by ,lound ,the best accommodation's found1-- ,wine1 ,spirits1 ,porter1 ,bottled ,beer1 ,you'll find in high perfection here4 ,if in the garden with your lass ,you feel inclined to take a glass1 ,there ,tea and ,coffee of the best ,provided is1 for every guest4 ,and1 females not to drive from hence1 ,the charge is only fifteen pence4 ,or1 if disposed a ,pipe to smoke1 ,to sing a song or crack a joke1 ,you may repair across the ,green1 ,where nought is heard1 though much is seen2 ,there laugh and drink1 and smoke away1 ,and but a moderate reckoning pay1 ,which is a most important object ,to every loyal ,british subject4 ,in short1 the best accommodation's found ,by those who deign to visit ,lound40 ,in ,mr4 ,chas4 ,golding's ,list of ,essex ,tokens1#ga pieces inscribed 8,abel ,bond at ye ,,white ,,swan in ,stratford1 ,his ,halfe ,penny10 and 8,john ,chandler a ,,swan in ,stratford1 ,j4 ,c40 are mentioned4 ,the still-existing ,,swan at ,baythorn ,end1 ,birdbrook1 appears to be over two centuries old4 ,in the parish register is the following entry3 8,martha ,blewitt1 ye wife of nine husbands successively1 buried eight of ym1 but last of all ye woman dy'd allsoe1 was bury'd ,may #gth1 #afha40 ,a slab in the ,church shows that ,martha ,blewitt was landlady of the above inn4 ,in ,cromwell's ,excursions through ,essex 7i4 p4 #ag7 it is stated that 8,the ,,swan1 a very large and famous inn1 anciently stood in the road near the farm called ,shakestones40 ,the view of ,romford given in ,wright's ,history of ,essex 7#ahca1 ii4 p4 #dce7 shows the graven sign of the ,,white ,,swan ,inn1 projecting from the front of the building exactly as it does now4 ,it appears from an old ,manor ,roll#gb that in #aegb there was a 8tenement called the ,,swan0--not necessarily an inn--in ,coggeshall4 ,the sign still exists there--namely1 in ,east ,street--though possibly not at the same house4 ,it is1 however1 again mentioned in #afgh in ,bufton's ,diary4#gc ,mr4 ,king finds mention in ancient deeds of a ,,swan--either inn1 shop1 or tenement--at ,prittlewell in #afeb4 ,in the ,records of the ,house of ,gurney 7p4 #eci7 there is mention of 8a messuage or tenement heretofore called or known by the name or sign of the ,,swan1 situate in the parish of ,st4 ,mary1 ,maldon10 in the seventeenth century4 ,perhaps the 99,,swan ,inn still existing in the ,high ,street is the same house4 ,in #afgh there was a ,,black ,,swan at or near ,audley ,end4 ,poor ,robin 7see p4 #ff7 mentions it in his ,perambulation from ,saffron ,walden to ,london4 ,after his acquaintances had drunk heavily with him at the ,,rose ,,and ,,crown1 ,saffron ,walden1 whence he started1 he says-- 8,yet would my jovial friends on me attend1 ,part of my ,journey unto ,audley ,end1 ,by them called ,ninevah1 but no great city1 ,though too much sin may be there1 more's the pity4 ,there at the sign 7of such a thing1 ,i think1 ,as never swam on pond or river's brink7 ,of a ,black ,swan1 ,i entered in4 99 99 99 99 99 ,yet although of this sign there's no such thing1 ,it was a sign there was good drink within40 ,of the well-known ,,old ,,four ,,swans at ,waltham ,cross ,mr4 ,e4 ,walford1 in ,greater ,london 7vol4 i4 p4 #cic71 writes as follows3-- 8,it is undoubtedly an old building2 but it is questionable whether it can properly lay claim to the antiquity that is locally assigned to it2 for in it1 according to tradition1 the body of ,queen ,eleanor remained for the night preceding its solemn entry into ,london4 ,salmon considers this inn to have been the original manor-house of the honour of ,richmond2 and ,gough says that it #8bears marks of great antiquity in the forms of its chimneys1 and the quantity of chestnut timber employed about it4' ,a large signboard1 supported on tall posts1 placed on the opposite sides of the way1 swings across the road1 having on it the inscription1 #8,ye ,olde ,foure ,swannes ,hostelrie1 #abfj4'0 ,david ,hughson1 in his work on ,london 7vol4 ii4 p4 #cci71 says of this house1 that in #ahje it was a good specimen of the old style of house1 8consisting of three sides1 sometimes of four1 with an entrance by a square aperture in the front1 into the quadrangle4444 ,it is the manor-house of the manor of ,theobalds1 and was formerly the residence of a natural son of ,henry ,,viii41 whom he created ,earl of ,richmond40 ,in the parish register of ,waltham ,holy ,cross1 or ,waltham ,abbey1 there is the following entry3 8,julii1 #afab1 ,margarett1 the daughter of ,edward ,scarlett of ,cestrehunt1 was buried #bf daye1 dwelling at the signe of ,ye ,old ,swanne in ,waltham ,cross40 ,in days gone by this inn was a well-known posting-house1 and more recently it numbered ,charles ,lamb among its patrons4 ,the ,,swan ,,with ,,two ,,necks was formerly the sign of a private house in ,head ,street1 ,colchester1 once occupied by ,miles ,gray1 the celebrated bell-founder4 ,in his day he was quite the head of his craft4 ,bells founded either by him or his son and successor ,miles1 who died in #afhf1 are still found in many belfries throughout ,essex4 ,in his will1 dated ,may #ag1 #afdi1gd he bequeaths unto his wife ,dorothy all the 8rents1 issues1 p'fits1 cominge1 growinge1 and arisinge out of the east end of the capitall messuage or tenement1 lately burned downe1 scituate and beinge below ,head ,gate1 in ,colchester aforesayd1 commonly called or knowne by the name of the ,swann wth two ,neckes10 c4 ,it is commonly supposed that the word 8necks0 has been corrupted from 8nicks10 swans having formerly been marked by nicks or notches on the bill4 ,the ,rev4 ,stephen ,weston1 in the ,archologia for #ahab1 states that the king's swans were formerly marked by two nicks1 as shown in the two illustrations given below1 which represent the royal swan-marks of ,henry ,,viii4 and ,edward ,,iv4 respectively4 ,these1 he says1 were not afterwards understood1 and the double-headed two-necked swan was invented4 ,larwood and ,hotten1 however1 doubt this derivation1 chiefly because the nicks would have been so small when represented on the sign-board as to be of no practical use as a distinctive sign4 ,illustration3 ,,swan ,,bills ,,with ,,two ,,nicks4 7,after ,yarrell47 ,illustration3 ,,swan ,,with ,,two ,,necks4 7,after ,larwood and ,hotten47 ,the ,,cock is a very ancient and very common sign4 ,larwood and ,hotten say that it was already in use in the time of the ,romans4 ,we have no less than eighteen examples of the simple ,,cock1 and an ,,old ,,cock occurs at ,sheering4 ,the ancient and well-known ,,cock ,hotel at ,epping finds frequent mention in the numbers of the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for the year #aghf4 ,taylor 7see p4 #bh7 also mentions it by name as long ago as #afcf4 ,it is a very old house1 though now re-fronted with brick4 ,the ,rev4 ,wm4 ,cole1 in his voluminous ,,mss4 in the ,british ,museum1 says that on the #bfth of ,october1 #aggd1 he 8arrived at ,epping in the dusk of the evening1 and lodged and dined late at the ,,cock ,inn40 ,the ,,cock ,inn still existing at ,stock is several times mentioned in the parish registers1 namely1 in #afcd1 #afci1 and #afic4 ,on the latter occasion1 8a stranger who died at the ,cock1 being a poor man1 was buried by the constables1 ,november #bj40 ,the ,,cocke ,inn at ,great ,coggeshall 7not now existing7 was once a house of good standing4 ,in #afad ,james ,i4 granted it to ,henry ,eades1 and in #afaf to ,peregrine ,gastrell and ,ralph ,lounds4#ge ,not improbably in this case the sign was derived from the arms of the ,abbey of ,coggeshall4#gf ,the ,,cock1 near the ,church at ,waltham ,abbey1 is a very ancient inn4 ,it finds frequent mention in the old parish registers4 ,the marriage of ,john ,broadly1 of the ,,cock ,inn1 is recorded as early as ,february1 #aeii4 ,in #affb there was a ,,cock at ,chelmsford1 which does not appear to be in existence now4 ,it is mentioned as being 8on the hither side of the bridge0 7i4e41 the side nearest to ,romford7 in the ,account of the ,murder of ,thomas ,kidderminster1 already referred to4 ,this was probably the same inn mentioned by ,foxe in his ,book of ,martyrs when he says that 8one ,richard ,potto the elder1 an inn-holder1 dwelling at the sign of the ,cocke1 did much trouble0 ,george ,eagles1 who was martyred in #aeeg4 ,for the prevalence of this sign we have probably to thank the barbarous old custom of cock-fighting1 as is obvious in the case of the sign of the ,,fighting ,,cocks1 which occurs at ,little ,sampford and ,wendens ,ambo1 and the ,,game ,,cock at ,chadwell ,heath4 ,but the cock is also by no means an uncommon heraldic bearing1 and several combinations into which the bird enters have probably had an heraldic origin4 ,for instance1 the sign of the ,,cock ,,and ,,crown1 which existed at ,colchester forty years back1 may have represented one of the badges of ,henry ,,viii41 which was a white cock crowned1 with the cypher ,h4,r4 ,the same king also often used a white cock crowned1 as one of his supporters4 ,at the same time it may simply have been an impaled sign of very modern date4 ,in any case it is very rare4 ,the ,,cock ,,and ,,bell1 which appears at ,high ,easter1 ,writtle1 and 99,romford1 is an apparently meaningless sign1 and is probably an impalement4 ,the last-named example seems1 however1 to have been in existence for at least a century1 as it is mentioned in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,september #ad1 #agfd4 ,in ,wright's ,history of ,essex the inn itself is depicted4 ,taylor1 too1 probably refers to this house in his ,catalogue of ,tavernes when he mentions a ,,cock at ,romford in #afcf4 ,the example at ,writtle has an old pictorial sign-board representing a resplendent1 though faded1 cock1 with a bell over his head4 ,the ,,cock ,,and ,,magpie1 which has existed since #aghi at least on ,epping ,green1 is probably called after a celebrated ,london tavern of the same name4 ,the sign is identical in its origin with that of the ,,cock ,,and ,,pie4 ,by the latter name is known some wine and spirit vaults of repute which for over a century have been established on 99,north ,hill1 ,colchester4 ,several more or less likely meanings for the sign have been suggested1 but the authors of the ,history of ,sign-boards consider it to be a corrupted sign4 ,they believe that it originally represented the ,,peacock ,,pie1 formerly a very favourite dish4 ,when the dish went out of fashion the sign became abbreviated into the ,,cock ,,and ,,pie2 and as that appeared meaningless1 it was in time corrupted into the ,,cock ,,and ,,magpie1 in both of which forms we still have it4 ,forty years ago the sign of the ,,magpie existed at ,great ,warley1 and there is now a ,,peacock at ,canning ,town4 ,a rebus upon the name of the issuer1 ,richard ,cock of ,colchester1 occurs on a farthing token dated #afeh4 ,the ,,raven as a sign is found at ,berden4 ,it was a badge of the old ,scotch kings1 and may have been set up as a ,jacobite symbol4 ,the ,,blackbirds1 which occurs at ,bulmer1 and the ,,three ,,blackbirds1 which occurs at ,leyton1 are1 doubtless1 two signs which were identical in their origin1 and are probably connected with the ,,raven1 the ,,three ,,ravens1 the ,,three ,,crows1 and the ,,three ,,choughs1 all of which are fairly common in other counties1 and are supposed by ,larwood and ,hotten to typify ,charles1 ,james1 and ,rupert4 ,it is1 however1 just as likely that they represent the modern version of some family coat of arms4 ,many such coats bear three birds1 which might1 with almost equal correctness1 be referred to any of the species just mentioned4 ,various doves and pigeons have already been spoken of 7p4 #ch71 but there still remains to be mentioned the curious sign of the ,,rainbow ,,and ,,dove1 which is to be found at ,north ,weald4 ,in the list of signs in #aghi 7p4 #g7 it appears as the ,,rainbow merely4 ,the sign is apparently quite meaningless1 unless it typifies the rainbow and dove which figure in the account of 8the ,flood0 7,genesis1 chaps4 viii4 and ix474 ,the ,,nightingale at ,wanstead is another inn-sign which does not seem to be mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,it is at least forty years old1 and1 doubtless1 takes its name from1 or gives its name to1 ,nightingale ,square1 in which it stands4 ,the sign of the ,,owl1 which has existed at ,high ,beech since #aghi at least1 is spoken of in the ,history of ,sign-boards as occurring only once elsewhere1 namely1 at ,calverley1 near ,leeds4 ,a bird 7presumably a ,,finch7 occurs on the halfpenny token of ,john ,finch of ,halstead1 who was probably a maltster1 as the other side of his token bore the representation of a ,,malt-,,scoop4 ,the ,,bird ,,in ,,hand occurs five times in ,essex1 namely1 at ,braintree1 ,halstead 7twice71 ,coggeshall1 and 99,stratford4 ,there are also beer-houses so called at ,goldhanger and ,chelmsford4 ,mr4 ,g4 ,f4 ,beaumont of ,coggeshall states that the 99,,bird ,,in ,,hand at that place was formerly known as the ,,thorough ,inn1 because there was a right of way or thoroughfare through it from ,earl ,street to ,church ,street4 ,he also mentions1 as a curious coincidence1 that a short time since the name of the tenant was ,joseph ,bird1 and that of the owner ,richard ,bird ,holmes4 ,the same gentleman contributes to the ,coggeshall ,almanac for the present year an interesting 8,programme of a ,procession1 exhibited by the ,weavers of ,coggeshall1 on ,wednesday1 the #aeth of ,june1 #agia10 and which was to 8set out precisely at eight o'clock from the ,,bird ,,in ,,hand40 ,the idea of the sign is suggested by the proverb-- 8,a bird in hand is better far1 ,than two that in the bushes are40 ,the device is to be seen on some of the trade tokens of the seventeenth century4 ,the sign of the ,,feathers at ,hatfield ,broad ,oak is clearly identical with that of the ,,plume ,,of ,,feathers at ,loughton2 indeed1 the former appears in ,mr4 ,creed's list 7p4 #g7 as having been the ,,plume ,,of ,,feathers in #aghi4 ,the house at ,loughton is also mentioned in the same list1 so that both are at least a hundred years old4 ,both1 of course1 now at least represent the badge of our ,princes of ,wales4 ,ostrich feathers have been among the devices of our kings and princes from very early times2 and the pretty tale of how the ,black ,prince took them from the ,king of ,bohemia1 whom he killed in the battle of ,creci1 is a pure delusion4 ,as the ,rev4 ,h4 ,l4 ,elliot points out1 8,single feathers1 differenced in various ways1 were used as badges by the kings and the ,beauforts before the ,wars of the ,roses4 ,henry ,,vi4 used two feathers in saltire1 the sinister argent1 surmounted of the dexter or1 as here depicted1 as one of his badges40 ,illustration3 ,,plume ,,of ,,feathers4 7,badge of the ,prince of ,wales47 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,feathers4 7,badge of ,henry ,,vi47 ,twenty years since a house at ,stanstead bore the sign of the ,,bell ,,and ,,feathers1 which is a combination not mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,it was probably merely an impaled sign1 as it was formerly the ,,bell simply1 and has now returned to its old name1 under which it will be hereafter referred to4 ,the sign of the ,,ph,,nix now only occurs at ,rainham1 though there was another example at ,billericay forty years since4 ,the sign was formerly often set up by chemists1 but other tradesmen also used it4 ,the fact that a phnix forms the crest of the ,blacksmiths' ,company 7p4 #cb7 has1 perhaps1 had something to do with bringing the bird into favour as a sign4 ,this completes our list of ornithological signs4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,v4 ,,piscatory1 ,,insect1 ,,and ,,reptilian ,,signs4 444 8,ye ale-house painted signs40 ,,shakespeare3 ,titus ,andronicus1 ,act iv41 ,scene #c4 ,this class of signs--or rather combination of several small groups1 taken together for the sake of convenience--is1 naturally1 very far from a large one4 ,it contains1 indeed1 only four signs1 all told4 ,the ,,fish ,,and ,,eels1 which is a very strange device appearing at ,roydon1 is our only existing sign connected with fish1 although ,,two ,,fishes appeared on the tokens of the two ,william ,wildmans 7father and son7 of ,saffron ,walden1 issued in #afef and #affg respectively4 ,the former spells the name ,saffron ,wallding4 ,the sign1 perhaps1 originated in the arms of the ,fishmongers' ,company4#gg ,larwood and ,hotten do not notice the ,fish and ,eels1 although this house has displayed the sign since #aghi at least4 ,it may be a meaningless impalement4 ,only two signs occurring in the county are in any way connected with insects4 ,these are the ,,fly ,,and ,,bullock1 already described 7p4 #fg71 and the ,,beehive1 which occurs five times1 namely1 at ,great ,baddow1 ,witham1 ,horkesley1 ,ilford1 and ,lambourne4 ,the sign is generally represented 7as at ,witham and ,baddow7 by an old straw hive1 or skep1 with a great many bees1 volant1 counter-volant 7as heraldic writers say71 around it1 probably to indicate that a busy trade is carried on within4 ,it is recorded#gh in the ,barking parish register1 that in #afec1 8,francis1 the sonne of an ,ethiopian1 born at the ,,beehive10 was baptised4 ,under this heading must be noticed a sign which1 although it does not occur in ,essex1 is1 nevertheless1 connected with the county4 ,this sign is the ,,essex ,,serpent1 which still exists in ,king ,street1 ,covent ,garden2 and1 when ,larwood and ,hotten wrote1 there was also another example in ,charles ,street1 ,westminster4 ,those gentlemen think that it was1 perhaps1 originally set up 8in allusion to a fabulous monster recorded in a catalogue of wonders and awful prognostications contained in a broadside of #agjd1gi from which we learn that #8,before ,henry the second dyed1 444 a ,dragon of marvellous bigness was discovered at ,st4 ,osyph in ,essex4' ,had we any evidence that it is an old sign1 we might almost be inclined to consider it as dating from the civil war1 and hung up with reference to ,essex1 the ,parliamentary ,general2 for1 though we have searched the chroniclers fondest of relating wonders and monstrous apparitions1 we have not succeeded in finding any authority for the ,st4 ,osyph ,dragon1 other than the above-mentioned broadside40 ,another reference to the same unwelcome visitor is1 however1 to be found in ,dr4 ,howell's ,ancient and ,present ,state of ,england 7#agab71 wherein it is recorded 7p4 #ge7 that 8,at ,st4 ,osyphs in ,essex was seen a dragon of marvellous bigness1 which by moving burned houses40 ,the dragon is also mentioned in ,sir ,richard ,baker's ,chronicles of the ,kings of ,england1 published in #afhd4 ,it is1 nevertheless1 fairly certain that the sign has no reference to the ,st4 ,osyth dragon2 for there is a much more likely origin4 ,in the ,british ,museum ,library may be seen a highly remarkable tract of the year #affi1 entitled1 ,the ,flying ,serpent1 or ,strange ,news out of ,essex3 being a true relation of a ,monstrous ,serpent which hath divers times been seen at a parish called ,henham on the ,mount1 within four miles of ,saffron ,walden4 ,showing the length1 proportion1 and bigness of the ,illustration3 ,,the ,,flying ,,serpent4 7,facsimile of ,original47 ,serpent1 the place where it commonly lurks1 and what means hath been used to kill it4 ,also a discourse of other ,serpents1 and particularly of a ,cockatrice killed at ,saffron ,walden10 c4#hj ,the truth of the statements contained in the tract is attested by the ,churchwarden1 the ,constable1 the ,overseer of the ,poor1 and four ,householders4 ,the title-page bears no author's name1 and the imprint of the copy in question is partially destroyed2 but there can be little doubt that it is one of the many curious productions of 8,poor ,robin10 whose ,perambulation from ,saffron ,walden to ,london has already been noticed 7p4 #ff74ha ,in addition to an awe-inspiring portrait of the beast1 here reproduced1 the tract contains a very amusing1 though now highly absurd1 account of the first discovery of the serpent1 the nature of its habitat1 the means taken to kill it1 and other details1 as set forth in the title4 ,doubtless the appearance of the tract caused sufficient talk and attracted enough attention to induce some enterprising publican or other tradesman to set up the ,,essex ,,serpent as a sign2 or perhaps some former ,,griffin or ,,green ,,dragon was rechristened under that name in order to attract customers4 ,that it is a fairly old sign is certain4 ,gough1 in his ,british ,topography1#hb after alluding to the pamphlet just spoken of1 says3 8,mr4 ,oldys who died in #agfa says there is a public-house in ,king ,street1 ,covent ,garden1 called the ,essex ,serpent1 and having a serpent painted on its sign40 ,sussex had a 8strange and monstrous ,serpent 7or ,dragon70 in #afad1 as may be learned from a very curious old pamphlet of that date1 entitled ,true and ,wonderful1 republished in the ,harleian ,miscellany4#hc ,essex can boast of a reptilian sign which probably exists nowhere else1 a beer-house keeper at ,ingatestone having1 for some inscrutable reason1 selected the ,,viper--a device not noticed by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,botanical ,,signs4 ,the next great class of signs which will be noticed includes those which are derived from the ,vegetable ,kingdom4 ,these may be called 8,botanical ,signs40 ,though not so numerous as the ,zoological ,signs1 they are1 nevertheless1 fairly common2 but only a comparatively small number can be traced back to an heraldic origin4 ,those signs will be noticed first which are obviously derived from some prominent tree or trees growing close to the houses called after them4 ,these seem generally to be of very modern origin1 as they figure but sparsely in the list printed forty years ago4 ,most of them1 it will be noticed1 are in the vicinity of ,london4 ,there is a ,,bay ,,tree at ,stratford1 a ,,chestnut ,,tree at ,walthamstow1 an ,,elms at ,leytonstone1 a ,,fir ,,trees at ,wanstead1 a ,,four ,,ashes at ,takeley1 a ,,grove ,tavern at ,walthamstow1 a ,,holly ,,bush at ,leyton1 and another at ,loughton1 a ,,holly ,,tree at ,forest ,gate1 and a ,,may ,,bush at ,great ,oakley4 ,the sign of the ,,willows appears at ,willingale ,doe4 ,there is also on the list a ,,three ,,ashes at ,cressing1 and another at ,chelmsford1 while forty years since there was another at ,rochford1 a ,,yew ,,tree at ,great ,horkesley1 and another at ,felstead 7beer-house71 a ,,three ,,elms at ,chignal ,st4 ,james 7which has three elm trees in front of it71 and no less than seven ,,cherry ,,trees in different parts of the county1 although forty years ago only four were in existence4 ,the ,,thorn ,,inn at 99,mistley seems to have been in existence since #aghf at least1 as it is mentioned in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,february #bdth in that year4 ,its sign is1 obviously1 connected with the old name of the place1 which was ,mistley ,thorn4 ,in the ,very ,young ,lady's ,tour from ,london to ,aldborough and ,back 7#ahjd1 see p4 #cg7 occurs the following3 8,our first stage is to ,mistley2 we stop at the ,thorn1 ,and shall see the fine sights which that village adorn40 ,there is a ,,round ,,bush 7beer-shop7 at ,purleigh4 ,at ,havering there is an ,,orange ,,tree1 and in the 99,cattle ,market at ,braintree there is another house with the same name4 ,the latter has been in existence for at least forty years4 ,at ,chelmsford1 too1 near the ,new ,london ,road1 there is a beer-shop known as the ,,orange ,,tree4 ,inquiry has shown that the house was built some years ago by a woman who had saved sufficient money for the purpose out of dealing in oranges4 ,she named her beer-shop the ,,orange ,,tree1 a name which it has since retained1 though it has long since passed out of her hands4 ,there are ,,walnut ,,trees at ,little ,horkesley and ,great ,waltham 7beer-house74 ,in #affb there was another house of the same name at 8,mile-end ,green0 7probably ,mill ,green1 ,writtle1 or ,mile ,end ,green1 ,great ,easton71 as mentioned in the ,account of the ,murder of ,thomas ,kidderminster1 already referred to 7p4 #ef74 ,there is some doubt as to whether or not the sign of the ,,oak1 which occurs three times1 namely1 at ,halstead1 ,messing1 and ,great ,saling1 and that of the ,,old ,,oak1 which occurs at ,romford1 ought to be included in this catalogue4 ,these signs may be1 and probably are1 identical with that of the ,,royal ,,oak1 which occurs eighteen times in different parts of the county1 and of course commemorates the incident of ,king ,charles ,,ii4 hiding in an oak tree1 though it is certainly strange that this comparatively trivial incident should have continued to be so long and so frequently commemorated4 ,it is also a very common beer-house sign4 ,the ,,oak1 too1 is put to the same use at ,braintree4 ,the following very unpoetical production1 by ,h4 ,jopson1 the landlord1 is displayed in the tap-room of the ,,royal ,,oak at ,saffron ,walden3 8,as customers come1 and ,i do trust them1 ,i lose my money1 likewise my custom2 ,though chalk is cheap1 say what you will1 ,chalk won't pay the brewer's bill2 ,so ,i must try to keep a decent tap1 ,for ready-money and no strap40 ,the ,,theydon ,,oak at ,theydon ,garnon until last year bore upon one side of its sign-board a very good representation of the fine old oak from which it takes its name1 and close to which it stands4 ,the ,,king',s ,,oak at ,high ,beech is a sign which is probably quite distinct from the ,,royal ,,oak4 ,the author of ,nooks and ,corners in ,essex says that the house takes its name 8from an old stump near thereto1 formerly called ,harold's ,oak40 ,this1 however1 is probably an error1 as the large old oak which stands on the green before the house has long been known as the 8,king's ,oak40 ,local tradition says that ,henry ,,viii41 while hunting in the forest on the day on which ,ann ,boleyn was beheaded1 rested under this tree while waiting to hear the gun1 fired from the ,tower1 which announced the death of the ,queen4 ,other localities also claim the oak under which the king listened1 but this is as likely as any other to be the right one4 ,the ,,king',s ,,oak is marked on ,cary's ,map of ,fifteen ,miles round ,london 7#aghf71 and also on ,andrew and ,drury's ,map of ,essex 7#aggg74 ,there was formerly an ,,oaks in ,stifford4 ,it now serves as three cottages1 standing opposite the school4 ,at it1 in the beginning of last century1 the churchwardens treated themselves to costly dinners4 ,in #agab1 for instance1 the records in the parish chest inform us that the 8vestory stood adjourned0 to the ,,oaks4 ,a ,,tree occurs upon the farthing token of 8,w4 ,spiltimber of ,hatfild ,broad ,oake10 doubtless in allusion both to the name of the issuer and to the old oak1 commonly called the 8,doodle ,oak10 from which the village takes its name4 ,at the same place a beer-house is still known as the ,,doodle ,,oak4 ,a public-house on ,shenfield ,common has1 for at least forty years1 borne the sign of the ,,artichoke4 ,this is one of the very last productions of the vegetable kingdom which one would expect to find represented upon a sign-board2 but ,larwood and ,hotten1 who think it originally found a place there when first introduced1 say that 8it used to be a great favourite1 and still gives name to some public-houses40 ,another very extraordinary sign1 unnoticed in the ,history of ,sign-boards1 is the ,,cauliflower1 which appears at ,great ,ilford4 ,unless due merely to a landlord's caprice1 it is difficult to suggest any possible origin for it4 ,the present landlord1 in whose family the house has been for #abj years1 can give no information about the matter1 further than that the existing house was built forty-eight years ago1 the old inn having been pulled down to make room for the railway4 ,there is also a beer-house so called at ,rainham4 ,of the ,,bush1 which1 according to ,larwood and ,hotten 7p4 #d71 8must certainly be counted amongst the most ancient and popular of signs10 ,essex does not appear to have a single example4 ,the same authorities elsewhere 7p4 #bcc7 declare it to be 8the oldest sign borrowed from the vegetable kingdom10 and state that it came originally from the ,romans1 together with the common saying1 8,good wine needs no bush40 ,as late as the reign of ,james ,i4 many inns used it as their sign4 ,at ,bardfield1 and probably other towns in the county1 houses specially licensed for the sale of liquor at fair time still fasten branches of oak and other trees to their fronts as a sign1 a custom which is not unknown in other parts of the country4 ,it is without doubt a modern form of the ancient sign of the ,,bush4 ,it appears1 too1 in every way probable that the curious besom-like ornaments so often to be seen upon the ends of old sign-irons are also conventional representations of the same venerable device4 ,examples are to be seen in the drawings of the sign-irons of the ,,six ,,bells at ,dunmow 7p4 #afh71 and the ,,sugar ,,loaves at ,sible ,hedingham 7p4 #ci74 ,at ,theydon ,garnon there is a beer-house called the ,,garnon ,,bushes1 so named doubtless after a part of ,epping ,forest1 which goes by that name4 ,at ,hornchurch there is a beer-shop known as the ,,furze1 probable a unique sign4 ,the ,,tulip at ,springfield appears to be also unique4 ,possibly the landlord who adopted the sign was a cultivator of tulips4 ,the ,,barley ,,mow1 meaning a barley stack1 is an ancient sign which still occurs at ,stanstead and at 99,colchester4 ,doubtless it was first put up as a sign in honour of ,john ,barleycorn1 just as the ,,vine1 which occurs at ,great ,bardfield and ,black ,notley 7beer-house71 and the ,,grapes1 which occurs at ,colchester 7the latter being still the recognized sign of a vintner71 both undoubtedly found a place on the sign-board because they helped to supply the wherewithal for the worship of ,bacchus4 ,forty years since there was another ,,vine ,inn at ,thaxted4 ,the ,,hop-,,pole1 which is a sign occurring at ,good ,easter1 and the ,,hop-,,poles1 which is another occurring at ,great ,hallingbury1 both obviously found their place on the sign-board for the same reason4 ,there are also beer-houses with the sign of the ,,hop-,,poles at ,little ,hallingbury and ,roydon1 although the cultivation of hops has now ceased at those places4 ,hop-growing once flourished extensively in ,essex1 and these two signs are relics of the now almost relinquished industry4 ,at the beginning of this century they were grown at the ,hedinghams1 the ,maplesteads1 the ,colnes1 ,halstead1 ,wethersfield1 ,finchingfield1 ,great ,bardfield1 and ,shalford1 as well as at ,moulsham1 ,good ,easter1 ,roxwell1 ,chignal ,st4 ,james1 and other places round ,chelmsford4 ,fifty years earlier the cultivation of hops in the county was spread over a wider area1 though the number of acres grown was about the same4 ,at the present time the cultivation is all but discontinued4 ,until the year #ahhc there was a hop-ground adjoining ,skreen's ,park1 ,roxwell1 but it is now devoted to other purposes4 ,round the ,hedinghams1 however1 hops are still grown1 their cultivation having been introduced by a former ,mr4 ,majendie in #agib4 ,daniel ,defoe says1 in his ,tour through ,great ,britain1 that in #agbd1 hops were brought direct from ,chelmsford for sale at the great ,stourbridge ,hop ,fair4 ,the description of the ,,maypole at ,chigwell1 given by ,dickens in ,barnaby ,rudge1 will occur to every one4 ,it runs as follows3-- 8,in the year #agge1 there stood upon the ,borders of ,epping ,forest1 at a distance of about twelve miles from ,london--measuring from the standard in ,cornhill1 or rather from the spot on or near to which the standard used to be in days of yore--a house of public entertainment called the ,maypole2 which fact was demonstrated to all such travellers as could neither read nor write 7and sixty-six years ago a vast number1 both of travellers and stay-at-homes1 were in this condition7 by the emblem reared on the roadside over against the house1 which1 if not of those goodly proportions that maypoles were wont to present in olden times1 was a fair young ash1 thirty feet in height1 and as straight as any arrow that ever ,english yeoman drew4 8,the ,maypole--by which term henceforth is meant the house and not its sign--the ,maypole was an old building1 with more gable ends than a lazy man would care to count on a sunny day2 huge zig-zag chimneys1 out of which it seemed as though even smoke could not choose but come in more than naturally fantastic shapes1 imparted to it in its tortuous progress2 and vast stables1 gloomy1 ruinous1 and empty4 ,the place was said to have been built in the days of ,king ,henry the ,eighth2 and there was a legend not only that ,queen ,elizabeth had slept there one night while upon a hunting excursion1 to wit in a certain oak panelled room with a deep bay-window1 but that next morning1 while standing on a mounting-block before the door with one foot in the stirrup1 the virgin monarch had then and there boxed and cuffed an unlucky page for some neglect of duty4 ,the matter-of-fact and doubtful folks1 of whom there were a few among the ,maypole customers1 as unluckily there always are in every little community1 were inclined to look upon this tradition as rather apocryphal2 but1 whenever the landlord of that ancient hostelry appealed to the mounting-block itself as evidence1 and triumphantly pointed out that there it stood in the same place to that very day1 the doubters never failed to be put down by a large majority1 and all true believers exulted1 as in a victory4 8,whether these1 and many other stories of the like nature1 were true or untrue1 the ,maypole was really an old house1 a very old house1 perhaps as old as it claimed to be1 and perhaps older1 which will sometimes happen with houses of an uncertain1 as with ladies of a certain1 age4 ,its windows were all diamond-pane lattices1 its floors were sunken and uneven1 its ceilings blackened by the hand of time and heavy with massive beams4 ,over the doorway was an ancient porch1 quaintly and grotesquely carved2 and here on summer evenings the more favoured customers smoked and drank--ay1 and sang many a good song too1 sometimes--reposing on two grim-looking high-backed settles1 which1 like the twin dragons of some fairy tale1 guarded the entrance to the mansion4 8,in the chimneys of the disused rooms1 swallows had built their nests for many a long year1 and from earliest spring to latest autumn whole colonies of sparrows chirped and twittered in the eaves4 ,there were more pigeons about the dreary stable-yard and outbuildings than anybody but the landlord could reckon up4 ,the wheeling and circling flights of runts1 fantails1 tumblers1 and pouters1 were perhaps not quite consistent with the grave and sober character of the building1 but the monotonous cooing1 which never ceased to be raised by some among them all day long1 suited it exactly1 and seemed to lull it to rest4 ,with its overhanging storys1 drowsy little panes of glass1 and front bulging out and projecting over the pathway1 the old house looked as if it were nodding in its sleep4 ,indeed it needed no very great stretch of fancy to detect in it other resemblances to humanity4 ,the bricks of which it was built had originally been a deep dark red1 but had grown yellow and discoloured like an old man's skin2 the sturdy timbers had decayed like teeth2 and here and there the ivy1 like a warm garment to comfort it in its age1 wrapped its green leaves closely round the time-worn walls4 8,it was a hale and hearty age1 though1 still2 and in the summer or autumn evenings1 when the glow of the setting sun fell upon the oak and chestnut trees of the adjacent forest1 the old house1 partaking of its lustre1 seemed their fit companion1 and to have many good years of life in him yet40 ,the house indicated in the foregoing description still stands1 much as it was in the days of which ,dickens wrote4 ,it is1 however1 not the ,,maypole at ,chigwell4 ,dickens1 to suit the purposes of his tale1 made free use of that license usually allowed to poets and writers of fiction4 ,his description1 as above1 gives a very fair idea of the fine old hostelry known as the ,,king',s ,,head1 situate opposite the church in the village of ,chigwell1 where it has displayed the same sign since #aghi at least4 ,it was in what has since been known as the 8,chester ,room0 in this house1 that a portion1 at least1 of ,barnaby ,rudge was penned4 ,on the sign-board swinging over the door1 there is a large portrait of ,king ,charles ,i41 painted some years ago by ,miss ,herring4 ,at ,chigwell ,row1 about two miles distant1 there is a ,,maypole ,,inn1 with a maypole still before the door1 and on the site which ,dickens indicates2 but the foregoing description is 7as has been said7 that of the ,,king',s ,,head4 ,the present ,,maypole is an inn of no special pretensions1 and is not the same house that displayed the sign at least as early as #aghi4 ,a writer in ,notes and ,queries1#hd says that the following was formerly to be seen on the sign3-- 8,my liquor's good1 ,my measure's just1 ,excuse me1 sirs1 ,i cannot trust40 ,illustration3 ,,king',s ,,head ,,inn4 7,at ,chigwell47 ,over the fireplace was seen these lines3-- 8,all you who stand ,before the fire1 ,i pray sit down4 ,it's my desire ,that other folks ,as well as you ,may see the fire ,and feel it too40 ,an inscription upon the stable-door ran as follows3-- 8,whoever smokes tobacco here1 ,shall forfeit sixpense to spend in beer4 ,your pipes lay by when you come here1 ,or fire to me may prove severe40 ,the only other sign of the kind now to be seen in ,essex is the ,,old ,,maypole at ,barkingside4 ,andrews and ,drury's ,map of ,essex1 however1 published in #aggg1 shows houses with this sign then existing at ,chigwell1 ,barking1 and ,collier's ,row4 ,a writer in the ,gentleman's ,magazine1 speaking of ,maypoles1 says1 8,the last in ,london was taken down in #agag1 and removed to ,wanstead in ,essex4 ,it was more than #ajj feet high1 and stood on the east side of ,somerset ,house40 ,the custom of celebrating ,mayday has now almost died out in the county1 except at ,saffron ,walden1 where1 every 8,garland ,day10 it is customary to see the ,high ,street of the town crowded during the morning with children1 each bearing a 8garland0 more or less tastefully arranged upon a hoop1 or in some other way4 ,they diligently visit all the houses asking for coppers1 which are generally given with liberality4 ,the ,,wheatsheaf1 as already stated 7p4 #cc71 appears as a sign no less than seven times in ,essex4 ,wheatsheaves form charges on the arms of at least three of the great ,trade ,companies1 namely1 the ,brewers' 7p4 #cb71 the ,bakers' 7p4 #cc71 and the ,inn-holders'4#he ,although the sign of the ,,bakers' ,,arms now only occurs once in ,essex1 two tokens issued in ,chelmsford1 one issued in ,braintree1 and several issued in ,colchester1 bear the arms of the ,bakers' ,company2 and as there are now houses displaying the sign of the ,,wheatsheaf in each of those places1 and all of them have existed for at least forty years1 it is quite possible that they are the same establishments kept1 two centuries ago1 by the issuers of the tokens4 ,as a beer-house sign1 too1 the ,,wheatsheaf is still common4 ,the ,,crown ,,and ,,thistle1 which occurs at ,great ,chesterford1 is a rather uncommon sign4 ,it1 of course1 represents the royal badge of ,scotland1 a thistle1 imperially crowned4 ,illustration3 ,,rose ,,and ,,thistle4 7,badge of ,james ,i47 ,few will be surprised to learn that the ,,rose is very common as a sign4 ,a rose imperially crowned is now the national badge of ,england2 white and red roses formed the cognizances of the rival factions of ,york and ,lancaster in the 8,wars of the ,roses20 the same flower1 under different forms1 served as the badge of nearly all the ,english sovereigns from ,edward ,i4 to ,anne2 and it is one of the very commonest 8vegetable0 charges known in ,heraldry4 ,the fact that1 while the sign of a simple ,,rose occurs only three times in ,essex1 namely1 at ,southchurch1 ,peldon1 and ,west ,mersea1 the ,,rose ,,and ,,crown occurs as many as twenty-five times1 clearly shows the heraldic origin of the sign1 most of our kings and queens having worn the rose crowned4 ,the ,rose and the ,thistle combined together in a very absurd heraldic style1 and crowned1 were used as a badge by ,james ,i4 to typify the union of the two kingdoms of ,england and ,scotland4 ,on the beautiful chapel of ,henry ,,vii4 at ,cambridge the rose and crown are repeated innumerable times1 together with the king's other badges1 a portcullis and a fleur-de-lys1 both of them crowned4 ,a rose crowned also appears on the token of 8,iohn ,freeherne iunior1 in ,witham1 #affg40 ,the authors of the ,history of ,sign-boards say 7p4 #abd73 8,hutton1 in his ,battle of ,bosworth1 says that #8upon the death of ,richard ,,iii41 and consequent overthrow of the ,york ,faction1 all the sign-boards with white roses were pulled down1 and none are to be found at the present day4' ,this last part of the statement1 we believe1 is true40 ,the rose in the sign of the ,,rose ,,and ,,crown at ,thaxted is1 nevertheless1 painted white1 though this is certainly unusual4 ,on ,cary's and other old maps of ,essex1 published about a century ago1 may be seen marked two houses1 presumably inns1 known as the ,,white ,,rose and the ,,red ,,rose1 situated near one another on the edge of ,epping ,forest4 ,neither of these signs appear in ,essex at the present day1 nor do ,larwood and ,hotten mention them4 ,there is also a ,,white ,,rose in ,castle ,street1 ,leicester ,square1 ,london4 ,the ,,rose ,,and ,,crown at ,saffron ,walden has long been the principal inn in the town4 ,one of the earliest references to it in the ,corporation records occurs in #afed1 when #bs4 were expended 8,for #a ,quart of canary at the ,rose when ,moulton and ,douglas suffered40 ,in #affj1 #bs4 #d;d4 was 8,spent at the ,rose and ,crown when ,captain ,turner sent about the town armes40 ,in the following year1 and again in #afhb1 the name appears again2 while in the years #afhi1 #agjd1 #agji1 and #ahai1 the ,corporation seems to have expended various sums at 8the ,,rose0 7undoubtedly the same house7 upon certain special occasions4 ,it was from this house1 too1 that 8,poor ,robin0 started on his ,perambulation from ,saffron ,walden to ,london in #afgh 7see p4 #ff71 as shown by the following extracts4 ,he says3-- 99 99 99 99 99 8,thus1 having shown you when1 in the next place ,i'll show you whence1 my journey ,i did trace4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was from the ,rose and ,crown1 where ,mr4 ,eve ,doth keep a house like to an ,under ,sheriff2 ,there is good ,sack1 good ,french wine and good ,beer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there1 at my parting1 some kind friends of mine1 ,would needs bestow on me a quart of wine1 ,where1 with stout drinking1 ere my parting hour1 ,that quart was made at least a three or four4 ,yet would my jovial friends on me attend1 ,part of my journey unto ,audley ,end40 ,the ,mr4 ,eve mentioned herein is undoubtedly the same landlord mentioned in the ,saffron ,walden ,mayor's ,book in #afhj1 when the ,corporation 8,pd4 ,mr4 ,eves for wine at ,illustration3 ,,rose ,,inn ,,at ,,peldon 7after the earthquake74 the ,dinner1 c41 when the ,king came to ,audley ,end1 when we delivered the ,address--#e #bs4 #j;d40 ,the ,,rose at ,peldon appears to be at least a century old1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,may #e1 #aghf4 ,the inn plays a rather conspicuous part in the ,rev4 ,baring-,gould's ,mehalah1 wherein 7ii4 p4 #eh7 it is described as 8an old-fashioned house with a vine scrambling over the red tile roof1 and an ancient standard sign on the green before the door1 bearing a rose painted the size of a gigantic turnip40 ,few houses suffered more severely from the earthquake of ,april #bb1 #ahhd1 than this4 ,an illustration of its appearance immediately after that event is here given4 ,mr4 ,king finds mention in ancient deeds of a ,,rose ,,and ,,crown--either inn1 shop1 or tenement--at ,rochford in #afic4 ,in the ,stock parish registers it is recorded that on ,august #bc1 #afgf1 8,richard ,barnes1 a citizen of ,london1 dwelling 7as he sayd7 in the ,minories1 taken sick in travell1 dyed in ye highway neare ye house called ye ,rose1 and was burried at ye p'ishes charge40 ,presumably this ,,rose was not an inn4 ,a ,,rose appears on the token1 dated #afgj1 of ,thomas ,guyon of ,coggeshall1 but no house with that sign now exists there4 ,the ,,rose ,,and ,,crown at ,rochford is referred to in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,april #ad1 #aghf4 ,the sign of the ,rose of ,denmark occurs at ,canning ,town4 ,its origin is not obvious4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not refer to the sign4 ,illustration ,illustration ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,human ,,signs4 444 8,and make my image but an ale-house sign40 ,,shakespeare3 ,,henry ,v41 ,part ,,ii41 ,act iii41 ,scene #b4 ,the next class of signs to be treated of is that which includes those derived from 8,man and ,his ,parts10 as the old books on ,heraldry have it4 ,such signs may be styled 8,human ,signs40 ,they are numerous1 though usually of but very slight interest2 and1 as might be expected1 very few are of heraldic origin4 ,in speaking of them it will not be necessary to give much more than a mere list4 ,the numerous 8heads0 obviously indicate a portrait once to have been the sign2 and most of these portraits represent persons of very modern fame4 ,many ,human ,signs have already been noticed under the heading 8,arms10 and elsewhere1 and it will be quite unnecessary to refer to them again4 ,by no means a few of our inns are named after personages who have made themselves eminent either in the political1 military1 literary1 or social worlds4 ,the mere mention of these will call to mind many historical events of importance during the last two centuries4 ,thus our six examples of the ,,duke ,,of ,,wellington1 our two of the ,,wellington1 and our six of the ,,duke',s ,,head1 remind us of the hero of ,talavera and ,salamanca--the ,duke of his day--who died in #aheb4 ,a ,,duke',s ,,head1 however1 which existed at ,hatfield ,broad ,oak in #aghi1 evidently commemorated some other and earlier ,duke1 perhaps one of the ,dukes of ,york4 ,there is also a ,,duke ,,of ,,wellington 7beer-house7 at ,bocking4 ,the ,,admiral ,,rous at ,galleywood1 where ,chelmsford ,races are held1 commemorates the father of modern ,english racing1 who died only a year or two ago4 ,the ,,oliver ,,twist at ,leyton was doubtless set up in honour of the popular ,dickens1 who well deserves further sign-board honours4 ,the same may be said of another great ,englishman1 who is commemorated only by the ,,shakespeare',s ,,head at ,canning ,town4 ,in various parts of the county we meet with two examples of the ,,earl ,,of ,,essex1 one of the ,,duke ,,of ,,norfolk1 three of the ,,grosvenor1 one of the ,,lord ,,henniker1 and one of the ,,clifton1 all of which were unquestionably set up in honour of great titled families4 ,statesmen are represented by two examples of the ,,earl ,,of ,,derby1 one of the ,,lord ,,stanley1 one of the ,,lord ,,palmerston1 two of the ,,clarendon1 and one of the ,,pitt',s ,,head4 ,,lord ,,denman alone seems to have been selected to represent the legal profession4 ,among great military commanders1 we have the ,,marquis ,,of ,,granby 7represented by three examples71 the ,,lord ,,raglan 7by three71 the ,,lord ,,gough 7by one71 the ,,marlborough',s ,,head 7by three--one of which is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle in #agfd1 while another at ,maldon1 not now existing1 is mentioned in the same paper on ,march #b1 #aghg71 and the 99,,blucher',s ,,head 7by one at ,romford74 ,the ,,king ,,of ,,prussia still figures as a sign at 99,stratford4 ,prominent ,indian officers seem to be well represented4 ,thus we have a ,,general ,,havelock 7very modern71 a ,,sir ,,colin ,,campbell1 and a ,,sir ,,john ,,lawrence4 ,sign-writers seem to have been unable to keep pace with the rapid promotion of these gentlemen4 ,for instance1 the first became ,sir ,henry ,havelock so long ago as #aheg2 the second became ,lord ,clyde in the same year1 and died in #ahfc2 while the third was created ,lord ,lawrence in #ahfi1 and died in #ahgi4 ,eminent naval commanders are commemorated by four examples of the ,,lord ,,nelson1 one of the ,,nelson',s ,,head1 and one of the ,,lord ,,napier4 ,sixty years ago1 too1 there was a 99,,duncan',s ,,head at ,colchester4 ,it was doubtless in honour of ,admiral ,duncan1 who died in #ahjd4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not notice this sign4 ,the ,,rodney at ,little ,baddow is a house well known to the worshippers of 8,st4 ,lubbock0 and to other holiday-keepers in the neighbourhood of ,chelmsford4 ,it1 of course1 commemorates ,admiral ,lord ,rodney1 who died in #agib4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king writes3 8,the taking of ,porto ,bello in #agci1 and the popularity of ,admiral ,vernon at the time1 caused many ,,vernon',s ,,heads4 ,one formerly existing at 99,rochford is now demolished and has ceased to be4 ,either entirely new inns were thus named1 or else old signs were abolished to make way for the portrait of the new favourite4 ,probably there were often similar changes for the sake of popularity40 ,one of the most notable signs in the county belonging to this class is the ,,sir ,,wilfrid ,,lawson at ,woodford4 ,it will be quite unnecessary to state that this is not an ordinary inn-sign4 ,a ,conservative politician would be more likely to deliver himself of an oration in praise of ,mr4 ,gladstone and his virtues1 than a publican to erect a sign to the honour of ,sir ,wilfrid ,lawson4 ,the house which exhibits this sign is a ,coffee ,tavern erected by an ardent abstainer and opened by ,sir ,wilfrid in ,may1 #ahhc4 ,the following amusing lines were penned by a member of the company present at the opening4 ,they are1 it is said1 still to be seen in the house4 8,all hops abandon1 ye who enter here2 ,the wicked ,wilfrid haunts this ,watery ,cavern2 ,no wine1 no whisky1 nor even bitter beer1 ,flow through the channels of this ,coffee ,tavern4 ,the steaming coffee and the fragrant tea ,are ready1 where each eye can plainly see 'em2 ,tea-total1 then1 let each incomer be1 ,and while #8,te-total' let him sing ,te ,deum40 ,on the map of the road between ,london and ,harwich1 given in ,ogilby's ,itinerarium ,angli1 published in #afge1 a house--presumably an inn--called the ,,monk',s ,,head is shown on the east side of the road1 exactly opposite ,new ,hall ,park4 ,there can be no doubt that this sign represented1 not the head of an ecclesiastic1 but that of ,general ,monk1 the great promoter of the ,restoration1 although he had been created ,duke of ,albemarle some fifteen years before4 ,after the ,restoration1 ,new ,hall was purchased by1 or for1 ,general ,monk1 and he lived there1 as ,morant says1 8in very great splendour1 to the diminution of his estates40 ,he died in #afgj1 and was succeeded by his son4 ,forty years ago there was a ,,friar',s ,inn in ,fryer's ,street1 ,chelmsford1 but it has now disappeared4 ,at ,rayleigh there is a ,,paul ,,pry 7beer-house74 ,at ,widford a beer-house keeper has adopted as his sign that modern1 though distinguished1 ,essex worthy1 ,,sir ,,evelyn ,,wood4 ,another at ,waltham ,abbey has selected the ,,sultan4 ,others1 at ,saffron ,walden and ,waltham ,abbey respectively1 do honour to the ,,old ,,english ,,gentleman4 ,probably these latter have in their minds the hero of the song1 rather than any gentleman in particular4 ,at ,theydon ,garnon there is a ,,merry ,,fiddlers1 which displays no less than three sign-boards4 ,at ,becontree ,heath there is a beer-shop with the same sign4 ,the landlord of the former states that1 although he has endeavoured to unearth the meaning of his sign1 he has hitherto failed4 ,he adds1 however1 that1 previous to his own occupation1 the house had been in one family for many generations1 and that for long it displayed a pictorial sign-board representing ,,three ,,fiddlers1 but these have of late given place to the present sign4 ,what particular three fiddlers are meant1 is difficult to explain4 ,the house bore merely its present name of the ,,merry ,,fiddlers in #aghi4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not mention the sign4 ,at ,abbots ,roothing there is a ,,coopers 7beer-house71 a sign which is doubtless the same as that of the ,,coopers' ,arms4 ,at ,willingale ,doe there is a ,,ferry ,,man4 ,probably he has retired from business and settled there1 as it is hard to discover any ferry at that place4 ,about sixty-five years ago 99,,bishop ,,blays1 the patron saint of wool-combers1 appeared as a sign at ,colchester4 ,it was a most appropriate sign in that town in the seventeenth century1 when it was an important seat of the woollen trade4 99,,neptune appears beside his 8native element0 at the ,hythe1 ,colchester4 ,sixty years ago there was a 99,,jolly ,,sailor at ,harwich1 a 99,,sailor',s ,,return at ,grays1 and a 99,,mariner at ,colchester4 ,these signs were all appropriate enough1 being situated in maritime places1 but the same cannot be said of the 99,,three ,,mariners which appeared at ,chelmsford at the same period4 ,sixty years ago1 too1 there was to be seen at ,colchester the curious sign of the 99,,sailor ,,and ,,ball1 which ,larwood and ,hotten do not mention4 ,probably it was not an impaled sign1 but took its name from some game of ball played by sailors4 ,numerous other signs are connected with ,royalty4 ,thus we have two examples of the ,,albert1 one of the ,,royal ,,albert1 one of the ,,albert ,,house1 one of the ,,king ,,of ,,prussia 7formerly a very common sign71 one of the ,,queen ,,adelaide 7which is at least forty years old71 one of the ,,queen ,,elizabeth1 four of the ,,prince ,,alfred1 one of the ,,duke ,,of ,,cambridge1 two of the ,,duke ,,of ,,edinburgh 7neither of which existed twenty years ago71 one of the ,,clarence 7of course commemorating the ,,duke ,,of ,,clarence1 afterwards ,king ,william ,,iv471 three of the ,,duke ,,of ,,york 7probably commemorating the second son of ,george ,,iii41 who died in #ahbg1 though one or more of the earlier ,dukes of ,york may also be intended71 five of the ,,royal ,,inn1 one of the ,,queen1 one of the ,,queen ,,victoria1 ten of the ,,victoria1 one of the ,,royal ,,sovereign1 one of the ,,royal ,,arms1 one of the ,,royal ,,forest ,,hotel1 one ,,royal ,,steamer1 one ,,royal ,,essex ,,arms1 five of the ,,royal ,,hotel1 eighteen of the ,,royal ,,oak1 one of the ,,old ,,royal ,,oak1 one of the ,,king',s ,,oak1 four of the ,,royal ,,standard1 three of the ,,queen',s ,,arms1 nineteen of the ,,queen',s ,,head1 seventeen of the ,,king',s ,,arms1 forty-nine of the ,,king',s ,,head1 one of the ,,old ,,king',s ,,head1 twelve of the ,,prince ,,of ,,wales1 one of the ,,princess ,,of ,,wales1 one of the ,,prince ,,albert ,,victor1 one of the ,,princess ,,alice1 two of the ,,princess ,,alexandra1 one of ,,william ,,the ,,conqueror 7at ,widdington71 two of ,,william ,,the ,,fourth1 and two of ,,king ,,william ,,the ,,fourth1 one of which is placed at a 8four-want-way0 at ,leaden ,roothing1 and forms a landmark well known to every one who rides to hounds or travels by road in 8,the ,roothings40 ,the ,,king ,,william and the ,,king ,,william ,,iv4 are both common beer-house signs1 probably because the act authorizing the opening of these houses was passed in his reign4 ,the beer-retailers of the time1 when casting about for a sign1 naturally selected the sovereign of their day4 ,in the first form the sign occurs at ,bocking1 ,springfield1 c41 and under the latter at ,braintree1 ,chigwell1 and elsewhere4 ,the ,,prince ,,of ,,wales1 too1 is a very common beer-house sign1 as also the ,,victoria1 the ,,queen ,,victoria1 the ,,queen',s ,,head1 and the ,,queen',s ,,arms4 ,,prince ,,alfred is commemorated on a beer-house sign at ,chigwell4 ,at the same place is a ,,british ,,queen 7beer-house71 by which probably is intended ,queen ,boadicea1 who received her last overthrow in the neighbourhood4 ,the ,,prince ,,of ,,orange still figures as a beer-house sign at ,chelmsford4 ,the sign of ,,prince ,,of ,,wales' ,,head existed at ,harwich in #agfd1 as it is mentioned in a number of the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for that year2 and a ,,royal ,,mortar 7whatever that might be7 was to be seen at ,colchester twenty years ago4 ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten mention the strange sign of the 99,,three ,,queens1 which was1 until lately1 to be seen at ,moulsham4 ,they surmise that it was suggested by the common sign of the ,,three ,,kings1 of which we have no example in ,essex1 unless the ,,three ,,travellers1 which occurs near ,romford1 and is apparently unique1 be another form of it4 ,the three kings represent the three wise men or ,magi from the ,east4 ,a writer in ,notes and ,queries 7#ast ,series1 vol4 viii4 p4 #fbg7 says that the following rhyme was formerly appended to the sign of a ,,victoria beer-shop at ,coopersale3-- 8,the ,queen some day ,may pass this way ,and see our ,tom and ,jerry2#hf ,perhaps she'll stop ,and stand a drop ,to make her subjects merry40 ,on the other side of the sign-board were some different lines which the writer had forgotten4 ,the sign of the ,,king',s ,,head is by no means of modern introduction4 ,it occurs on the seventeenth century tokens of ,robert ,adson of ,colchester in #affh1 of ,thomas ,bribrist of ,felstead 7no date71 and of ,thomas ,livermer of ,wethersfield1 and it is mentioned in advertisements in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,march #aj1 #aghg1 as then occurring at ,prittlewell and ,stebbing4 ,as the sign still exists at all these places1 except ,felstead and ,wethersfield1 it is at least probable that the same houses which were known by it in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are known by it now4 ,the famous ,,king',s ,,head1 opposite the church at ,chigwell1 so well described by ,dickens in ,barnaby ,rudge under the name of the ,,maypole1 has been already spoken of 7p4 #aac74 ,it is a long1 large1 plastered building1 with many gables1 and projecting upper storeys--evidently dating from the era of the ,stuarts or earlier4 ,arthur ,young1 in #agga1 declares that 8of all the cursed roads that ever disgraced this kingdom in the very ages of barbarism1 none ever equalled that from ,billericay to the ,,king',s ,,head at ,tilbury40 ,in #afgh a ,,king',s ,,head at ,rickling formed a house of call for ,poor ,robin on his ,perambulation from ,saffron ,walden to ,london4 ,after recounting how he fared at the ,,black ,,bull at ,newport1 he says-- 8,we having dined and joined a pint or two1 ,then forwards on my journey ,i did go2 ,and first came unto a town called ,rickling1 ,where for to stay ,i made no stickling1 ,but presently at the ,king's ,head fell a tippling1 ,where of ,compounding ,dick#hg ,i there heard tell40 ,the ,,king',s ,,head on the ,balkern ,hill1 ,colchester1 is an ancient and memorable inn1 though the present house is not very old4 ,at the time of the surrender of the town to ,fairfax1 in #afdh1 it was a general rendezvous of the noblemen and gentry of the ,royalist party4 ,foxe1 too1 in his ,book of ,martyrs mentions that 8at the ,,kinge',s ,,head in ,colchester1 and at other innes in the sayd towne1 the afflicted ,christians had set places appointed for themselves to meet at40 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king has kindly informed the author that the ,,king',s ,,head1 now existing at ,leigh1 is not the same house as one which existed there under the same name in the eighteenth century4 ,the latter is traceable 7writes ,mr4 ,king7 as a private house from #afga to about #agbj1 being described in #agjb as a 8messuage and shop40 ,between #agah and #agbc it was rebuilt1 as in the latter year it is spoken of as a new house1 and is described as an inn with the sign of the ,,queen',s ,,head4 ,in #agdj it is described as 8the ,,angel1 heretofore the ,,queen',s ,,head40 ,in #agff it is described as 8the ,,king',s ,,head1 heretofore the ,,queen',s ,,head1 afterwards the ,,angel40 ,it then became a private house1 as it has ever since remained4 ,it was probably soon after this1 about #agff1 that the present ,,king',s ,,head at ,leigh assumed that name4 ,these three changes1 all within the short space of fifty years1 or less1 are very interesting4 ,they seem to suggest that the house was first named the ,,queen',s ,,head in honour of ,queen ,anne2 but that1 when she died in #agad1 the same sign 7perhaps slightly altered7 was made to do duty for some time as an ,,angel1 and still later was changed to the ,,king',s ,,head1 probably on the accession of one of the ,georges4 ,at ,harold ,wood there is a ,,king ,,harold1 which is no doubt connected with the name of the place4 ,at ,nazing1 which was one of the estates with which ,harold endowed the neighbouring ,abbey of ,waltham1 there has been for at least a century past a ,,king ,,harold',s ,,head4 ,the ,,george1 which occurs seventeen times in ,essex1 is another royal sign4 ,in some instances it doubtless represents ,st4 ,george1 our patron saint1 disconnected from his dragon2 but1 more probably1 it has usually been set up--at least1 of late--in honour of our ,hanoverian kings4 ,there is1 however1 abundant evidence that even as early as the very beginning of the seventeenth century1 ,st4 ,george1 the ,patron ,saint of ,england1 had already appeared on the sign-board without his usual antagonist the ,dragon4 ,thus1 8,blague1 the merry host of the ,,george at ,waltham10 figures prominently in ,the ,merry ,divel of ,edmonton1 published in #afag--;a curious play1 which ,kirkman attributed to ,shakespeare4 ,the scene is partly laid in ,waltham ,forest4 ,poor ,robin1 too1 in his ,perambulation also mentions a ,,george at ,bishops ,stortford in #afgh4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king also finds evidence in ancient deeds that the ,,george at ,leigh was an inn as early as #afhj1 but the house itself is probably somewhat earlier4 ,in #aggg it is described as 8now and for some time past known as the sign of the ,george40 ,it had ceased to be an inn by #ahja1 though then and long afterwards described as 8a messuage called the ,george10 the words 8known by the sign of0 being omitted4 ,it was also a brewery4 ,mr4 ,king also finds evidence in other ancient deeds of the existence of a ,,george at ,rayleigh in #afbc1 but whether an inn1 shop1 or private house1 does not appear4 ,the 99,,george at ,epping 7perhaps identical with the ,,george ,,and ,,dragon which now occurs there7 is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle in #agfd2 while the ,,george at ,halstead and the 99,,george at ,witham 7perhaps both identical with the well-known houses now existing under the same name at each of those places7 are frequently referred to in advertisements in the same paper for #aghf1 the latter as being then to let4 ,a small stone slab1 let into the front of the ,,george ,,and ,,dragon ,inn at ,wanstead1 bears the following inscription3-- 8,restorat4 #aheh4 ,r4 ,c4--,in memory of ye ,cherrey ,pey as cost a ,guiney1 ye #agth of ,july1 #ageb4 ,that day we had good cheer1 ,i hope to so do many a year4--,david ,jersey40 ,the ,,george ,,and ,,dragon also occurs eight times elsewhere in the county1 as well as on several beer-house signs4 ,at ,chelmsford there is an ,,old ,,george 7beer-house74 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king also finds mention in early deeds of a house known as the ,,george ,,and ,,tankard at ,shopland in #aegi4 ,it is not stated that it was an inn1 but from the sign there can be very little doubt that it was4 ,the appearance of an apparently impaled sign at so early a date is certainly very remarkable4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not notice this device4 ,various military signs occur at places where there are barracks4 ,for instance1 there are at ,colchester houses with such signs as the ,,bugle ,,horn1 the ,,artillery-,,man1 the ,,rifleman1 the ,,dragoon1 the 99,,fencers 7a sign which is at least forty years old1 though it is not mentioned by ,larwood ,illustration3 ,,grenadier4 and ,hotten71 an ,,ordnance ,,arms1 and a ,,royal ,,artillery2 whilst at ,great ,warley there is a ,,horse ,,artillery and a ,,soldier',s ,,hotel1 which seems to have been the ,,soldier',s ,,hope forty years ago4 ,at ,waltham ,abbey there is a ,,volunteer2 there are ,,riflemen at ,colchester and ,black ,notley 7beer-house72 at ,kelvedon ,hatch there is a ,,guardsman1 at ,rettendon a ,,life ,,guards1 and at ,leyton a ,,grenadier4 ,the figure of a ,grenadier1 here reproduced1 is taken from the ,gentleman's ,magazine for ,december1 #ahde 7p4 #eia71 to which it was contributed by the late ,mr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,repton1 ,f4,s4,a41 formerly of ,springfield4 ,a ,,soldier is represented on three different farthing tokens issued by ,john ,allen of ,braintree1 one of which bears the date #afeg4 ,all bear his initials1 but one has the inscription1 8,turne a penny10 in the place of the name of the issuer4 ,on these tokens the orthography is decidedly peculiar4 ,thus1 ,braintree is twice spelled 8,brantre0 and once 8,brantry10 while ,essex is twice spelled 8,esex0 and once 8,esaxes40 ,among the more miscellaneous of ,human ,signs we meet with a ,,crown',s ,,inn at ,ongar1 a ,,forester at ,coggeshall1 a ,,forester',s ,,inn at ,plaistow1 an ,,ancient ,,foresters at ,hatfield ,broad ,oak 7all1 of course1 connected with the 8ancient order071 three ,,freemasons' ,,taverns1 several ,,freemasons' ,,arms1 a ,,merry ,,fiddlers at ,theydon ,garnon1 eight examples of the ,,cricketers 7against five in #ahfb71 two of the ,,cricketers' ,,arms1 a ,,jolly ,,cricketers1 a ,,jolly ,,fisherman1 a ,,jolly ,,sailor1 a ,,sailor',s ,,return1 two ,,welcome ,,sailors1 an ,,old ,,welcome ,,sailor1 a ,,three ,,travellers 7perhaps representing the three wise men from the ,east71 and a ,,minerva at ,southend1 which1 as ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king has ascertained1 was recently christened by its owner after a barge of the same name that he possessed4 ,at ,chigwell there has been for at least a century past a house with the sign of the ,,three ,,jolly ,,wheelers 7whatever they might be74 ,there are ,,travellers' ,,friends at ,moulsham and ,woodford ,wells 7the former being at least forty years old71 as well as a beer-house of the same name at ,epping2 ,,travellers' ,,rests at ,forest ,gate and ,wethersfield 7the latter being a beer-house72 ,,britannias at ,canning ,town1 ,barking1 ,southend1 and ,hornchurch 7beer-house72 and ,,two ,,brewers at 99,stratford1 ,springfield1 ,high ,ongar1 and ,chigwell 7beer-house74 ,this is a sign once common1 but now becoming rare4 ,they were usually represented carrying a barrel of beer between them1 slung on a pole4 ,there are ,,woodmen at ,halstead1 ,elmdon1 ,waltham ,abbey1 ,stanford ,rivers1 ,thundersley1 ,romford1 c41 all but the first two being beer-houses4 ,the ,,three ,,mariners is an odd sign which occurs at ,colchester and at ,moulsham 7,chelmsford74 ,at the latter place it seems to have existed for at least a century1 being referred to in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #bg1 #aghf4 ,in the garden of the ,,adam ,,and ,,eve at ,west ,ham 7p4 #cg7 stands the remains of an old stone arch1 now almost the only remaining portion of the ancient abbey of ,stratford ,langthorn4 ,in the kitchen are 7or were lately7 a coffin1 a seal1 some coins1 and some urns dug up in an adjoining field towards the end of last century4 ,the ,,essex ,,head1 in ,essex ,street1 ,strand1 ,london1 ,w4,c41 probably commemorates the ,earl of ,essex1 who was a favourite of ,queen ,elizabeth1 rather than the county of that name4 ,it clearly either takes its name from1 or gives its name to1 the street in which it stands4 ,the inn was established in the last century4 ,on the ,forest1 near ,high ,beech1 is a beer-shop known as the ,,dick ,,turpin',s ,,cave4 ,it clearly takes its name from a hole in the ground not far distant1 commonly spoken of as 8,dick ,turpin's ,cave40 ,the 8cave0 7if such it ever was7 is now thickly overgrown with trees and brushwood4 ,it is well known that ,messrs4 ,dick ,turpin and ,co4 especially haunted the neighbourhood of ,epping and ,hainault ,forests1 and until the end of last century it was not considered safe to traverse the roads thereabouts unless well armed4 ,it may very well be1 therefore1 that the famous highwayman did1 at some time or other1 use this hole as a place of refuge4 ,the ,,hercules at ,newport 7the only example in ,essex of this rather uncommon sign7 has already been mentioned 7p4 #fe71 also the tradition that the ,,bull1 which stood opposite to it1 was by it compelled to close its doors4 ,with regard to this inn ,mr4 ,c4 ,k4 ,probert of ,newport sends an interesting note4 ,he says3 8,the ,,hercules stands next to the old ,vicarage4 ,now we know it was a common custom among village clergymen to take their pipe and pot at the village inn1 as mentioned in the old song1 which says3 #8,at the sign of the ,horse1 ,old ,spintext1 of course1 ,each night takes his pipe and his pot1 ,o'er a ,jorum of 8nappy10 ,contented and happy1 ,there sits this canonical sot1' c41 c4 ,further1 it is my belief that the ,,hercules was started in opposition to the ,,bull1 our ,pastor 7being the most learned individual in the place at the period7 probably suggesting the classical name1 in reference to the seventh labour of ,hercules--the slaying of the ,cretan ,bull40 ,forty years ago there existed at ,colchester a ,,maltster',s ,,inn1 a ,,mariner',s ,,inn1 and a ,,neptune2 at ,stratford a ,,chinaman1 and at ,tendring a ,,crown ,,and ,,blacksmith1 the latter being1 perhaps1 an impaled sign signifying that the landlord of the ,,crown was also a blacksmith4 ,it will be most convenient to treat of the sign of the ,,angel1 which occurs eleven times in ,essex1 among ,human ,signs1 although an angel is commonly accounted to be something more than human4 ,an ,,angel occurs on the seventeenth-century tokens of 8,francis ,aleyn at the ,angell in ,brentwood10 of 8,georg ,silke at the ,angell in ,rvmford10 of ,francis ,dilke1 also of ,rumford1 of ,william ,hartley of ,colchester1 and of ,george ,taylor of ,ilford in #affe4 ,as the sign still exists at the two last-named places1 the probabilities are that the two houses bearing it are identical with those from which the tokens were issued a couple of centuries ago4 ,the ,,angel at ,ilford was formerly a posting-house of great importance2 but1 like its neighbour1 the ,,red ,,lion1 and all the other once-busy inns on this great highway from ,london into the ,eastern counties1 it is now sadly decayed from its old importance1 though still a house of high standing4 ,its massive sign-post and ornamental sign-iron date from at least a century ago4 ,probably it was at this house that1 on ,august #ah1 #affb1 ,pepys1 8while dinner was getting ready1 practised measuring of the tables and other things1 till as he says ,i did understand measure of timber and board very well40 ,this he did that he might know how to detect fraud on the part of those who bought timber for the navy4 ,taylor 7see p4 #bh7 in #afcf mentions ,,angels at ,romford and ,brentwood1 which do not now exist4 ,the 99,,angel in the ,high ,street at ,colchester is1 perhaps1 the modern representative of the ,,angel mentioned in one of the ,corporation records 7see p4 #fb7 as being an 8auncyent inne0 in #afjc4 ,there are beer-houses with the same sign at ,braintree1 ,bocking1 and elsewhere4 ,in the ,corporation records of ,saffron ,walden for the year #afde it appears that the sum of #fs4 #b;d4 was expended upon 8a pottle of sack1 #c qts4 of claret and white wine burnt1 for the committee1 when they sat at the ,,angel40 ,this is probably the same house which continued to exist in ,gould ,street up to about fifty years ago1 when it was kept by one ,butterfield1 who was also a barber1 and who displayed the following rhyme upon his sign-board3 8,rove not from pole to pole1 but call in here1 ,where nought exceeds the shaving1 but the beer40 ,the pole referred to is1 of course1 the barber's pole4 ,the couplet was1 however1 not original4 ,the ,,angel1 which still continues to exist at ,kelvedon1 is referred to in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,december #bi1 #aghf4 ,it is also stated in the ,bufton ,,mss4#hh that on the #bjth of ,october1 #afib1 ,king ,william ,,iii4 8stayed and dined at the ,,angell10 at ,kelvedon4 ,doubtless he was on his way to ,holland1 vi ,harwich4 ,larwood and ,hotten say 7p4 #bff7 that this sign 8was derived from the ,salutation2 for1 that it originally represented the ,angel appearing to the ,holy ,virgin at the ,salutation or ,annunciation1 is evident from the fact that1 even as late as the seventeenth century1 on nearly all the trades-tokens of houses with this sign1 the ,angel is represented with a scroll in his hands2 and this scroll we know1 from the evidence of paintings and prints1 to contain the words addressed by the ,angel to the ,holy ,virgin3 #8,ave ,maria1 gratia plena1 ,dominus tecum4' ,probably at the ,reformation it was considered too ,catholic a sign1 and so the ,holy ,virgin was left out1 and the ,angel only retained40 ,the supporters of the arms of ,richard ,,ii4 were also two angels1 blowing trumpets4 ,the ,,angel ,,and ,,harp at ,church ,end1 ,dunmow1 is a strange sign which does not appear to be noticed by the authors so often quoted4 ,probably it is a modern1 though by no means inappropriate1 impalement1 as it appears in the list of sixty years ago simply as the 99,,harp4 ,the sign of the ,,black ,,boy occurs seven times in the county1 namely1 at ,chelmsford1 ,wrabness1 ,bocking1 ,weeley1 99,coggeshall1 ,wivenhoe1 and ,great ,bromley4 ,at the latter place it seems to have existed since #aghf1 as a sale is advertised to take place at the ,,black ,,boy in ,great ,bromley1 in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,march #crd in that year4 ,there is also a beer-house of this name at ,danbury1 and the large brick house in the ,high ,street at ,epping1 lately occupied by that eminent naturalist1 ,henry ,doubleday1 was an inn with this sign before the ,doubleday family acquired it about #aggj4 ,the ,,black ,,boy now existing at ,chelmsford is not the same house that went under that name during the last and previous centuries1 though standing on the same site4 ,the old inn ranked as a coaching-inn of the first importance4 ,it was pulled down in #aheg1 having been fairly run off the road by the opening of the railway in #ahdc4 ,two wooden bosses1 taken from the ceiling of one of the rooms1 and now to be seen in the ,chelmsford ,museum1 are carved1 respectively1 with the ,blue ,boar of the ,de ,veres 7to which family the house probably once belonged71 and the red and white rose combined4 ,mr4 ,john ,adey ,repton1 ,f4,s4,a41 formerly of ,springfield1 writing to the ,gentleman's ,magazine in ,may1 #ahdj1 sends sketches of these two bosses1 which were duly inserted4 ,he says3 8,there is a tradition that ,richard ,,iii4 was hunting in the forest1 and being missed by his courtiers was afterwards found at this house4444 ,the beam is massive1 being not less than #af inches wide4 ,the room1 although only #i feet high1 was originally a hall #bh feet long1 but subsequently reduced to #ah feet by a partition1 leaving a passage to the inn4 ,yet this partition1 from the style and character of the panels1 appears to have been added so early as the reign of ,henry ,,viii4 ,the doors to the buttery-hatch1 c41 may still be traced on the wall of the passage40 ,writing again to the same ,magazine in ,december1 #ahde1 ,mr4 ,repton says3 8,i send you a sketch of a ,chambermaid4 ,the figure is now at the ,white ,hart1 ,chelmsford1 having been recently removed thither from the ,black ,boy4 ,it was formerly the custom in ancient family mansions to introduce a painting which represents a housemaid holding a broom in her hands1 which was cut out of a board1 and generally placed in a passage or at the top of the stairs4 ,the earliest specimens ,i have seen are of the date of ,charles ,i41 or the early part of ,charles ,,ii4444 ,the enclosed specimen is of a later period1 having the ,fontaine head-dress which prevailed about the time of ,william ,,iii4 or ,queen ,anne4444 ,sometimes the figure of a soldier1 like a sentry1 was exhibited in like manner4444 ,such a figure is on the staircase of the ,bull at ,dartford4 ,another1 of which ,i send you a sketch see p4 #abi1 is at the ,black ,boy in ,chelmsford40 ,mr4 ,chancellor of ,chelmsford writes that-- 8,in #adbd when ,chelmsford ,church was largely built ,john ,de ,vere1 #abth ,earl of ,oxford1 was at the head of that family1 having succeeded to the title in #adae4 ,from his known adherence to the ,house of ,lancaster1 he may be presumed to have been a person of some importance1 and as a consequence in constant communication with the ,court4 ,undoubtedly1 therefore1 he would journey to and from ,hedingham ,castle1 his baronial seat1 to ,london1 many times in the course of the year2 and as it would appear that the old hostelry1 known as the ,black ,boy1 in this town1 belonged to the ,de ,vere family1 it is a very fair presumption that ,chelmsford was not only a halting-place for the ,earl and his retainers upon the occasion of their journeys1 but probably used as an occasional residence2 and as he lived in almost royal state1 his comings to and fro would be a matter of as much importance to the then townsfolk as a visit of the sovereign in the present day4444 ,we can readily believe that so powerful and wealthy a man would be the first applied to for aid4 ,that he did assist1 is proved by the fact of his shield1 charged with the mullet1 being carved in the spandrel of the west door of the tower2 and his crest1 the boar1 being introduced in the apex of the arch of the same door2 this latter corresponds with the carved boar which formed part of the ceiling of an apartment in the old ,black ,boy see p4 #ga4 ,for five centuries did this mighty family rule it most royally over many parts of the country1 their riches being immense1 and their power and influence being second only to the sovereign2 and yet now a cubic foot of stone in our parish church1 and a cubic foot of oak deposited in our museum1 are all that remain in this town to remind us of the ,de ,veres40 ,a good view of this famous old inn is given in ,ryland's view of ,chelmsford ,high ,street1 engraved in #agfb1 and reproduced as the frontispiece of this volume4 ,from it1 in all probability1 our six other ,essex ,black ,boys have taken their name1 as the sign is unusually common in the county4 ,it stood at the corner of ,springfield ,lane and the ,high ,street4 ,the ,ipswich ,express1 in speaking of the closing of this ancient house1 which1 as it remarked1 had been 8for centuries one of the oldest inns on the road10 remarked as follows3-- 8,there are not only pleasant recollections of #8slippered ease1' but historical associations1 connected with the old ,inn4 ,here royal heads have rested1 and warriors have halted as they hurried off to draw the sword on fields of military renown4 ,within its rooms1 martyrs have passed the last night of life1 in the fiery days of religious persecution1 on their way to the fatal stake4 ,in the old war1 its roof often resounded with the mad jollity of prizemen and privateers1 who had just brought their rich booty into ,harwich1 and1 as they posted off to ,london1 had halted at the well-known hostelry to make merry with their gains4 ,a quarter of a century ago1 between forty and fifty stage-coaches passed its door daily1 most of which pulled up1 if they did not pause1 to allow the travellers to partake of the provision made for them2 while numberless pairs of post-horses stood saddled in its capacious stables40 ,dickens mentions this house in ,pickwick ,papers 7#ast ,edition1 p4 #afa71 when ,mr4 ,weller1 ,senior1 relates how he transported ,messrs4 ,job ,trotter and ,charles ,fitz-,marshall from 8the ,black ,boy at ,chelmsford 444 right through to ,ipswich40 ,mr4 ,chancellor has ascertained that1 in a deed dated #afdb1 this inn is described as 8heretofore known by the name or sign of the ,,crown or ,,new ,,inn1 or the ,,king',s ,,arms1 and later as the ,,black ,,boy40 ,that it was the ,,black ,,boy in #afcf is certain1 for ,taylor1 8the ,water ,poet10 in his ,catalogue of ,tavernes1 mentions it as one of the chief inns in the town at that time4 ,in #affj1 the ,rev4 ,r4 ,e4 ,bartlett finds it recorded in the ,chelmsford registers that 8,andrew ,speller1 a dumb man1 who lived at the ,black ,boy in ,chelmsford1 was buried the #b day of ,august40 ,it has probably retained the same sign ever since4 ,this frequent change at so early a date is very interesting4 ,it seems to indicate 7as ,mr4 ,chancellor suggests7 that1 on the house passing out of the hands of the ,de ,veres1 it became an inn1 and that1 although it may have displayed the sign of the ,,crown 7see p4 #aff71 it was commonly known as the ,,new ,,inn4 ,afterwards1 for some reason1 it came to be styled the ,,king',s ,,arms1 and still later the ,,black ,,boy1 though why1 it is not apparent4 ,at the time of his demise1 this 8,old ,boy0 7as he may be familiarly styled7 was1 therefore1 at least #bej years old4 ,it might be thought strange that having existed so long1 and having begat the seven sons already mentioned1 he never grew into a 8,black ,man10 but died as he had so long lived1 a 8,black ,boy06 ,a ,,black ,,boy formerly existed in ,saffron ,walden1 as shown by the following entries in the ,corporation records3--8,march #bgth1 #afhb1 #8,spent at the ,black ,boy #ab pence1'0 and a little later #ds4 #f;d4 was 8spent at the ,black ,boy with the ,chamberlains when we assessed the fines on the ,quakers40 ,in the ,waltham ,abbey parish register is the following entry3--8,judith ,sutton1 from ye ,blacks1 ,bur4 ,may #bf1 #agdj40 ,this was probably the ,,black ,,boy ,inn that formerly stood in ,town-mead ,lane4 ,the ,,black ,,boy is a sign of venerable antiquity4 ,from the first it has been largely used as a tobacconist's sign4 ,the crest of the ,tobacco-pipe ,makers' ,company1 incorporated in #affc1 was a demi-,moor1 while the supporters were two young ,moors proper1 wreathed about the loins with tobacco leaves vert4 ,a black ,saracen's head1 too1 was the badge of ,lord ,cobham in the time of ,edward ,,iv41 and also of ,sir ,john ,harlwyn4 ,essex contains at the present time no less than twenty-seven houses showing the sign of the ,,green ,,man4 ,the ,,green ,,man at ,leyton is mentioned in the ,trials of ,swan and ,jeffries in #ageb1 while the ,,green ,,man at ,leytonstone is mentioned by ,daniel ,defoe in his ,tour through ,great ,britain1 first published in #agbd1 and is also marked on ,roque's ,map of ,ten ,miles round ,london1 published in #agda4 ,it is recorded in the ,gentleman's ,magazine 7vol4 xxiii4 p4 #adh7 that ,charles1 ,earl of ,tankerville1 died of an apoplectic fit at the ,,green ,,man on ,epping ,forest on the #adth of ,march1 #agec1 as he was travelling to ,london4 ,old maps of the latter half of last century show quite a number of ,,green ,,men round ,epping and ,hainault ,forests1 showing the connection even then existing in the minds of men between the sign-board ,,green ,,men and foresters4 ,in ,mr4 ,creed's list of signs round ,epping in #aghi1 ,,green ,,men are named at the following places3 ,epping1 ,waltham ,abbey1 ,moreton1 ,stanford ,rivers1 ,magdalen ,laver1 ,harlow1 and ,roydon4 ,evidently this sign was very common a century ago4 ,although this device has a two-fold origin1 it is rather difficult to account for its great prevalence in the present day4 ,originally1 no doubt1 the sign represented the green-clad morris-dancers that played an important part in the shows and pageants of medival times2 but1 when these went out of date and were forgotten by the common people1 the sign was made to represent a forester in his coat of green4 ,as early as the seventeenth century the sign had come to be connected with that celebrated forester1 ,robin ,hood1 as is shown by the designs on many of the tokens1 which represent the outlaw accompanied by his friend ,little ,john4 ,at ,elsenham and at ,high ,beech the sign now takes the name of the ,,robin ,,hood1 while ,,robin ,,hood ,,and ,,little ,,john occur in combination at ,brentwood1 although in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #bj1 #aghf1 the house is spoken of simply as the ,,robin ,,hood4 ,at ,high ,beech1 as is often the case1 the following couplet is appended to the sign3-- 8,if ,robin ,hood be not at home1 ,step in and ask for ,little ,john40 ,mrs4 ,f4 ,b4 ,palliser says1#hi 8,queen ,anne bore1 as one of the supporters of her arms1 one of the savage men1 wreathed with ivy and bearing clubs1 of ,denmark1 since designated and adopted for an inn-sign as the ,,green ,,man40 ,this1 however1 is probably not the only origin of the sign4 ,at the present day the sign is generally represented on ,essex signboards by a gamekeeper in a green velveteen coat4 ,at ,grays there is a ,,green ,,man ,,and ,,bell 7beer-house71 which is doubtless an impaled sign4 ,a beer-shop at ,great ,chesterford displays a pictorial sign--evidently of some age--representing1 apparently1 the ,,man ,,and ,,plough4 ,a rustic in a green smock-frock stands at the handle of his plough1 politely touching his hat to passers-by4 ,at ,chelmsford and ,dunmow the principal inn in each of the two towns has for its sign the ,,saracen',s ,,head4 ,the former is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #f1 #aghf4 ,it is also many times named in the ,trials of ,swan and ,jeffries in #ageb1 on account of a robbery having been committed there4 ,it also finds mention in ,mr4 ,joseph ,strutt's ,essex and ,herts romance1 entitled ,queenhoo ,hall1 published in #ahjh4 ,the hero of the tale says 7ii4 p4 #agi7 that 8on my arrival at ,chelmsford1 ,i went to one of the principal inns1 distinguished by the sign of the ,saracen1 or ,man ,quintain1 where ,i took some small refreshment40 ,other examples1 making five in all1 occur at ,danbury1 ,braintree1 and ,thaxted4 ,though not described by ,boyne1 tokens1 bearing a representation of a ,saracen's head1 and issued by ,john ,havers at the house of that name in ,thaxted1 are still extant1 showing the house and its sign to be of considerable antiquity4 ,mr4 ,joseph ,clarke1 ,f4,s4,a41 of ,saffron ,walden can recollect that1 many years ago1 the sign-board bore the representation of a man's head with a very ferocious countenance1 but the sign-board is not now pictorial4 ,the sign owes its origin 7largely1 at least7 to the ,crusades4 ,it was formerly much more common than now4 ,the ,,maid',s ,,head at ,thorpe-le-,soken is1 in all probability1 not a sign put up by some enamoured publican4 ,as a general rule the sign1 wherever it appears1 has been derived from the arms of the ,mercers' ,company1 already given 7p4 #cc74 ,sir ,william ,parr1 ,k4,g41 and also his grand-daughter1 ,queen ,catherine ,parr1 both bore the same device as a badge4 ,but in the case of the example at ,thorpe there can be little doubt that the sign is a really ancient one1 and that it represents the crest of the ,d',arcy family1 ,barons of ,chiche1#ij to whom1 in #aeea1 ,edward ,,vi4 granted the manor of ,thorpe and neighbouring lands1 which long afterwards remained in the family4 ,the same sign often occurs elsewhere as the ,,maiden ,,head4 ,there was apparently a house of this name 7not necessarily an inn7 at ,chelmsford in the seventeenth century1 as the ,rev4 ,r4 ,e4 ,bartlett finds the following entry in the parish registers3--8#afbj1 ,matthew ,prentys of ,chelmsford1 husbandman and householder at the ,maidenhead in ,chelmsford1 was buried the xiiii4 of ,may1 being ,sunday40 ,the ,,village ,,maid1 which occurs at ,bradfield1 is a very modern sign1 and is not mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,probably the landlord set it up in honour of some damsel of his acquaintance4 ,the ,,mermaid1 though only a semi-human sign1 is most conveniently noticed here4 ,there is no example of it now existing in the county1 though it occurs on the farthing token of ,michael ,arnold of ,colchester4 ,as a sign it used formerly to be not uncommon4 ,the 99,,silent ,,woman is the name of a public-house1 with a truly pictorial sign1 at ,widford4 ,the signs of the ,,good ,,woman and the ,,quiet ,,woman1 which occur occasionally in other counties1 are identical with this1 and1 all alike1 constitute a piece of unwarrantable slander on the fair sex1 being intended to convey the idea that a woman can only be silenced by being deprived of her head4 ,larwood and ,hotten say 7p4 #dee73 8,there is a very curious example of this sign at ,widford1 near ,chelmsford1 representing on one side a half-length portrait of ,henry ,,viii41 on the reverse1 a woman without a head1 dressed in the costume of the latter half of the last century1 with the inscription ,forte ,bonne4 ,the addition of the portrait of ,henry ,,viii4 has led to the popular belief that the headless woman is meant for ,anne ,boleyn1 though probably it is simply a combination of the ,,king',s ,,head and ,,good ,,woman40 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,silent ,,woman ,,at ,,widford4 ,the inscription on the sign-board is1 presumably1 intended to be the ,french for 8,very ,good10 but it is spelled 8,fort ,bon10 and it has been 8,fort ,bone40 ,a writer in ,once a ,week 7,n4 ,s41 ii4 p4 #dhg7 says3 8,the ,essex tradition is that ,st4 ,osyth1 when the convent was attacked by the ,danes ,a4,d4 #fce1 fled down the park to a thicket1 since called #8,nun's ,wood1' where she was overtaken1 and her head cut off2 and that on the spot where the head fell1 a spring of water burst forth1 which flows to this day4 ,another local tradition asserts that on one night in each year ,st4 ,osyth revisits the scene of her former abode1 walking with her head under her arm4 ,it is this legend which probably gave rise to the sign of the #8,good ,woman1' at ,widford1 near ,chelmsford1--of whom1 by the way1 ,i may remark that she is currently said to be the only good woman in ,essex40 ,larwood and ,hotten say that the sign was largely used by oilmen1 which makes it very probable that the device has some reference to the 8heedless virgins0 who had no oil in their lamps when the bridegroom came--heed and head having formerly been pronounced alike1 according to those authors4 ,the sign is not uncommon on the ,continent also4 ,a writer in ,notes and ,queries 7,fifth ,series1 vol4 iv4 p4 #ccg7 very ingeniously explains the origin of this sign4 ,he says3 8,in the days of old it was la bone fame1 with a meaning the same as that of la bonne renomme in later times4 ,according to ,virgil1 ,fame walks on the earth while her head is concealed in the clouds-- #8,ingrediturque solo1 et caput inter nubila condit4' ,consequently la bone fame was represented by a headless woman--at times1 no doubt1 very roughly drawn4 ,by degrees the word fame dropped out of the ,french language1 and then people read la bonne femme1 correcting what they deemed an orthographical error4 ,but then arose the question why should the #8good woman' have no head8 ,the explanation was1 of course1 suggested by some hen-pecked cynic at the wineshop40 ,on the high road between ,braintree and ,chelmsford1 and in the parish of ,great ,leighs1 stands an inn with the strange sign of the ,,st4 ,,ann',s ,,castle4 ,on the map of the road between ,chelmsford and ,bury1 given in ,ogilby's ,itinerarium ,angli1 published in #afge1 the words 8,st4 ,ann's0 appear against a house beside the high road at ,leighs and on the site of the present inn4 ,it appears from this that the word 8,castle0 is a modern addition to the name1 perhaps connected with the adjacent ruins of ,leighs ,priory4 ,the house is1 however1 marked as the ,,st4 ,,ann',s ,,castle on ,greenwood's map of ,essex1 published as long ago as #ahbd4 ,in ,white's ,gazetteer of ,essex it is stated that there formerly stood upon the spot a hermitage1 known as ,st4 ,ann's1 8where pilgrims rested on their way to and from the shrine of ,st4 ,thomas ,becket4 ,at the ,dissolution1 in #aega1 it was given to ,thos4 ,jennings1 and its site is now occupied by an inn1 called the ,st4 ,ann's ,castle1 and said to be the oldest licensed public-house in ,england40 ,morant says of it in #agfh1 8#8,tis now converted into an ale-house40 ,probably it had become an inn much earlier1 for ,taylor1 in #afcf1 mentions one ,will4 ,chandler as being a keeper of 8innes at ,plashie and ,st4 ,annes40 ,according to ,g4 ,w4 ,johnson's ,history of ,great ,totham1 it is stated that a hill at that place 8seems to have been dedicated to the ,virgin ,mary1 for at its base is a small public-house known now #ahca1 and as far back as memory can go1 as the ,,virgin',s ,,tavern40 ,the sign is not now in existence4 ,in speaking of the ,,lame ,,dog1 which does not occur as a sign in this county1 ,larwood and ,hotten say that it is sometimes accompanied by the following couplet3 8,stop1 my friends1 and stay awhile ,to help the lame dog over the style40 ,they continue 7p4 #dej73 8,sometimes1 as at ,bulmer1 ,essex1 we see a somewhat similar idea expressed by a ,,man ,,struggling through a globe--head and arms protruding on one side1 his legs on the other--with the inscription1 #8,help me through this world4'0 ,this sign is not now to be seen at ,bulmer4 ,a ,,hand occurs on the halfpenny token issued by ,lawrence ,brown1 junior1 of ,wickham1 in #affi2 a ,,hand ,,and ,,glove on that of ,henry ,cordall of ,chelmsford in #afeh2 a ,,hand ,,and ,,pen on that of ,samuel ,cox of ,coggeshall2 and a ,,hand ,,and ,,ball on that of 8,d4 ,g40 issued at 8,the ,hand and ,bowle in ,barking0 in #afej4 ,in #afge1 a house of some kind displayed the sign of the ,,cross ,,and ,,hand at ,marks ,tey 7see p4 #afc74 ,although the hand does not now appear1 either singly or in combination1 on any ,essex sign-board1 it is not uncommon in other counties4 ,its use is attributable to the fact that early sign-painters often represented it issuing out of a cloud to perform some action or support some object4 ,this brings to a close the list of human signs now occurring in the county of ,essex4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,nautical ,,signs4 ,the small class which will next receive notice contains what may be called 8,nautical ,signs40 ,essex supports quite a considerable fleet of ships upon its sign-boards4 ,these are of widely different builds1 and are very variously rigged4 ,most of them are1 of course1 situated near the coast2 but others are1 strange to say1 far inland4 ,the author would be guilty of great impropriety did he not speak first of ,,noah',s ,,ark--the greatest feat of early ship-building on record4 ,as a sign1 it was to be seen at ,kelvedon twenty years ago1 but is now non-existent4 ,an ark or1 on the top a dove argent1 holding in the beak an olive-branch vert1 forms the crest of the ,shipwrights' ,company1 incorporated in #afje4 ,as already stated1 no less than twenty-two ,,ships are to be found in different parts of the county4 ,the surmise that some of these are intended to represent sheep has been elsewhere advanced 7p4 #bc74 ,mr4 ,king finds evidence in ancient deeds of no less than three different houses at ,leigh which have formerly borne the sign of the ,,ship4 ,the existing example was probably converted into an inn about the end of last century4 ,it was a private house in the middle of the century4 ,another inn is first spoken of as the ,ship in #agbh4 ,in #agcb1 it was 8known by the sign of the ,ship10 but before #agef1 when it was spoken of as 8formerly known by the sign of the ,ship10 it had ceased to be an inn4 ,the third and probably the earliest house of this name was a private residence in #agef1 having formerly been called the ,,ship4 ,a ,,ship is depicted on the tokens of 8,william ,martin at the ,key 8 ,quay in ,barking10 and of 8,thomas ,pollard at the ,ship in ,plaistowe10 #affh1 and the ,,ship at 99,colchester is several times mentioned in the advertisements appearing in the various numbers of the ,chelmsford ,chronicle issued during ,february1 #aghf4 ,the first and last are1 perhaps1 identical with the houses of the same name still existing at those places4 ,in addition to the foregoing we have five ,,old ,,ships4 ,if ,mr4 ,plimsoll were informed of this fact it would probably cause him some alarm2 but he would be reassured on learning that1 with one exception1 all are some distance inland4 ,they are situated respectively at ,west ,thurrock1 ,debden1 ,chelmsford1 ,aveley1 and ,rochford4 ,the 99,,old ,,ship at the last-named place must be in very unseaworthy condition1 for it was described as old in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #bg1 #aghf4 ,there is also a 99,,new ,,ship at ,rochford--doubtless a house started in opposition to the ,,old ,,ship at the same place4 ,the sign of the 99,,ship ,,and ,,anchor1 which occurs at ,maldon1 is a combination the meaning of which will be at once apparent4 ,the ,,ship ,,and ,,shovel at ,rippleside1 ,barking1 is at least forty years old4 ,it is probably in some way connected with ,sir ,cloudesley ,shovel1 as there is a portrait of that gentleman in the inn4 ,the sign also occurs elsewhere1 namely1 in ,steel ,yard1 ,st4 ,thomas' ,street1 ,london1 ,s4,e4 ,an old newspaper cutting says a house known as the ,,ship ,,and ,,shovel 8is situated near to ,dagenham ,beach1 in ,essex1 eleven miles from ,london1 where ,parish and ,hadbrook fought a hard battle of #da rounds1 on the #acth of ,march1 #ahbj1 which terminated in favour of ,parish in thirty-eight minutes4 ,the ,,ship ,,and ,,shovel was the house of call for that day40 ,there is a ,,lobster ,,smack at ,canvey ,island1 a ,,fishing ,,smack at ,barking1 an ,,oyster ,,smack at ,burnham1 and a ,,smack at ,leigh1 concerning which ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king writes1 that it was no doubt so named when the oyster-fishery flourished there in the last century4 ,there is not now a smack belonging to the port4 ,the house itself was for centuries a private residence of persons of good account4 ,the sign of the ,,peter ,,boat1 which also occurs at ,leigh1 is apparently unique4 ,a peter-boat was a sort of fishing-vessel1 sharp both stem and stern1 and half-decked1 with a spritsail1 instead of a mainsail and boom4 ,mr4 ,king states that the inn derives its name from the fact that 8all the fishing-boats at ,leigh were formerly peter-boats4 ,but1 out of a fleet of #abj or more fishing-boats here now1 only one peter-boat1 ,i am told1 remains1 and that ,i have not seen4 ,the house itself1 of the descent of which ,i have a complete record since #afde1 is built of timber and is of the middle of the seventeenth century or earlier4 ,the present owners have held it since #affb1 the landlord who now keeps the inn being about the sixth in direct descent4 ,it is first mentioned as known by the sign of the ,peter-boat in #ageg4 ,the then owner had come into possession in #agci1 and had so named the house between those years40 ,at ,vange there is a ,,barge1 at ,north ,woolwich an ,,old ,,barge ,,house1 at ,forest ,gate a ,,steamship1 and at ,chelmsford a ,,royal ,,steamer 7probably an impaled sign74 ,the ,barge here mentioned was formerly the ,,man ,,with ,,seven ,,wives1 as ,mr4 ,king can recollect4 ,at the time it belonged to a man named ,wife4 ,presumably his family numbered seven individuals4 ,there is also a beer-house of the same name at ,rettendon1 up to which place the river ,crouch is navigable for barges4 ,the ,,packet occurs at 99,harwich and 99,manningtree4 ,sixty years ago there was another example at 99,colchester4 ,the sign of the ,,ferry-,,boat occurs at ,walthamstow1 ,north ,fambridge1 and ,canewdon4 ,another house of the same name has recently disappeared from the county1 as also a ,,ferry ,,house4 ,sixty years ago the sign of the ,,wherry 7not noticed by ,larwood and ,hotten7 occurred at 99,mistley4 ,the sign of the ,,hoy still occurs at ,tollesbury and at ,south ,benfleet4 ,mr4 ,king remarks that one would naturally expect to find this sign at the latter place1 8as a long succession of hoymen carried on a lucrative business there4 ,the ,,hoy is now pictorially represented on the sign-board by a barge1 though the house is still called the ,,hoy2 and a trade in hay1 straw1 and corn is still carried on in two or three barges40 ,the sign is not referred to in the ,history of ,sign-boards4 ,the following epitaph upon a ,hoyman appears in the churchyard at ,south ,benfleet4 ,though not a very scholarly production1 it is said to be the work of a former rector of the parish4 8,james ,mathews1 ,ob4 ,july #ad1 #agbh4 ,sixty-three years our ,hoyman sailed merrily round1 ,forty-four lived parishioner where he's aground1 ,five wives bare him thirty-three children--enough3 ,land another as honest before he gets half40 ,a hoy was a one-masted1 sloop-rigged coasting vessel1 formerly much used4 ,it is extremely difficult to suggest any likely origin for the sign of the ,,plough ,,and ,,sail1 which occurs no less than four times in the county1 namely1 at ,tollesbury1 ,east ,hanningfield1 ,paglesham1 and ,maldon4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not allude to it4 ,the two first are each at least forty years old4 ,at first one might suppose it a meaningless impalement of two distinct signs1 the ,,plough and the ,,sail1 but it does not appear that the latter figures as a sign1 either singly or in combination with any other article except a plough1 in any part of ,england4 ,moreover1 it is hardly likely that the two signs would appear impaled four times in ,essex1 while the combination is 7with one exception7 unknown in all other counties of ,england4 ,an examination of the lists of signs in thirty of the principal counties of ,england will show that it does not occur in any of them1 with the exception of the adjoining county of ,suffolk1 wherein the sign occurs twice4 ,it appears probable1 therefore1 that the sign has some local significance1 though it is difficult to say exactly what4 ,several gentlemen have offered suggestions as to its origin4 ,it has been thought to be a corruption of the 8,plow and ,flail0 7and therefore doubly agricultural71 or a representation of the old toast of 8,agriculture and ,commerce0 7represented by a plough and a ship71 but the most likely suggestion seems to be one put forward by the ,rev4 ,h4 ,l4 ,elliot1 who thinks it is intended as an appeal for the custom of thirsty souls working both on land and sea4 ,all our ,essex examples1 except that at ,hanningfield1 are upon the coast4 ,the same gentleman suggests that the sign may be a corruption of the 8,plough-tail0 or handle1 which ,edwards1 in his ,words1 ,facts1 and ,phrases1 says is probably derived from the ,anglo-,saxon stail1 a handle4 ,the word is still in use1 meaning a handle1 in ,warwickshire and other parts of the country4 ,an appeal to the readers of ,notes and ,queries has so far thrown no light on the meaning of this sign4 ,forty years ago there was a ,,ship ,,and ,,excise ,,office at ,waltham ,abbey and a ,,privateer at ,harwich4 ,at ,wivenhoe there is a ,,ship ,,at ,,launch4 ,forty years ago it was known as the ,,ship ,,launch4 ,this large fleet of sign-board ships is1 however1 supplied with only eighteen ,,anchors2 and1 as some of these may represent the symbol of ,hope1 the supply must be regarded as very inadequate4 ,one of them1 belonging to ,barking1 is described as a ,,blue ,,anchor4 ,another of the same description used formerly to exist on ,canvey ,island1 but it appears to have been lost in some storm during the last forty years2 while another at ,mersey1 which is mentioned in the ,rev4 ,baring-,gould's ,mehalah1 has also disappeared1 unless it be identical with the ,,anchor still existing at that place4 ,the ,,anchor at ,canewdon seems to have existed there since at least #aghg1 as it is mentioned in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for the #eth of ,january in that year4 ,at ,grays there is an ,,anchor ,,and ,,hope4 ,the ,,crown ,,and ,,anchor1 the emblem of the ,royal ,navy1 occurs at ,aveley and ,braintree2 and the ,,sun ,,and ,,anchor1 which is probably nothing but an impaled sign1 occurs at ,steeple4 ,a token is extant bearing an ,,anchor1 the initials 8,r4 ,s4 ,i410 and the inscription1 8,at the ,anker1 in ,lee ,leigh1 #affd40 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king writes3#ia 8,this is undoubtedly the token of ,robert ,sayer and ,joan his wife1 shopkeepers1 at this precise date4 ,the ,,anchor was their shop sign4 ,there was no inn of that name4 ,joan ,sayer survived her husband and died in #afhi40 ,most of our ,,anchors are situated upon the sea coast1 but there are not a few inland--at ,ingatestone1 ,chelmsford1 ,abbots ,roothing1 c4 ,in #aghi there was one at ,chipping ,ongar4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,astronomical ,,signs4 ,astronomical signs fall naturally into another small class1 which will be treated of next4 ,in ,essex we have six examples of the sign of the ,,half ,,moon1 which may represent either crescents taken from some one's arms or else the emblem of temporal power4 ,the ,,half ,,moon at 99,chelmsford1 a small1 though ancient1 house1 possesses a quaint and truly pictorial sign-board4 ,at #id1 ,great ,suffolk ,street1 ,london1 ,s4,e41 there has been for three-quarters of a century1 at least1 a house with the most extraordinary sign of the ,,moonrakers4 ,it is all but impossible to conceive any origin for so strange a device4 ,it is just possible1 however1 that the sign may have some connection with a tale told of the inhabitants of the town of ,coggeshall1 about whom so many similar stories are told4 ,one fine night1 so says the tale1 certain of the natives of that celebrated town observed what they took to be a fine round cheese floating on the surface of a pond4 ,thereupon1 it is further stated1 they procured rakes and endeavoured to draw the supposed cheese to land4 ,nor did they discover1 until they had been some time so engaged1 that their cheese was merely the reflection of the moon in the water6 ,the ,,sun is met with twelve times and the ,,rising ,,sun nine times4 ,the use of the sun as a sign is very ancient1 both in ,england and on the ,continent4 ,a rising sun formed one of the badges of ,edward ,,iii41 and shining suns were used as badges by several other ,english sovereigns4 ,a sun also ,illustration3 ,,sun ,,in ,,splendour4 7,badge of ,richard ,,ii47 forms a prominent charge in the arms of the ,distillers' ,company4 ,the ,sun in ,splendour1 used as a badge by ,richard ,,ii41 is here shown4 ,the engraving is taken from an illuminated manuscript in the ,harleian ,collection1 wherein the badge is painted on the sail of a ship4 ,larwood and ,hotten suggest that the ,,rising ,,sun was1 perhaps1 adopted as a sign 8on account of the favourable omen it presents for a man commencing business40 ,the ,,sun at 99,thaxted seems to have existed since the year #aghf at least1 for it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #bjth in that year4 ,the ,,sun ,inn at ,romford bears the monogram 8,t4 ,w4 ,l40 and the date #afcb4 ,the ,,sun ,,inn in ,church ,street1 ,saffron ,walden1 was once a house of note1 but is now a private residence4 ,it was probably built about #afbe4 ,the devices1 more grotesque than elegant1 which adorn its many gables1 make it one of the best remaining ,essex examples of houses adorned with parge work4 ,in #afdf1 when it was probably the chief inn in the town1 it lodged no less important an individual than ,oliver ,cromwell4 ,his portrait1 painted on the tiles at the side of a fire-place1 was found during some recent restorations1 and is now in the ,museum4 ,it was1 doubtless1 covered up at the ,restoration4#ib ,until about forty years ago there stood beside the main road to ,colchester1 just outside the parish of ,kelvedon1 an inn known as the ,,sun4 ,it is still a curious old house1 worthy of notice from the passer-by1 but up to the date named it1 and even the furniture it contained1 exhibited all the characteristics of a sixteenth century house4 ,its carved woodwork1 however1 was sold and afterwards accidentally burned and its furniture scattered4 ,the pictorial sign-board of the ,,rising ,,sun at ,castle ,hedingham is very grotesque4 ,it is here represented ,illustration3 ,,rising ,,sun4 7,at ,castle ,hedingham47 within the sign-iron of the ,,bell at the same place 7p4 #aeh74 ,the ,,rising ,,sun at ,salcot is many times mentioned in the ,rev4 ,baring-,gould's ,mehalah4 ,it is therein 7ii4 p4 #d7 thus described3--8,at the end of the village stands a low tavern1 the ,rising ,sun1 a mass of gables4 ,part of it 7the tavern drinking-room7 is only one storey high1 but the rest is a jumble of roofs and lean-to buildings1 chimneys and ovens--a miracle of picturesqueness40 ,as previously stated 7pp4 #adg and #hc7 the sun enters into two very absurd combinations1 a ,,sun ,,and ,,anchor at ,steeple1 and a ,,sun ,,and ,,whalebone at ,latton4 ,both of these are1 in all probability1 impaled signs4 ,the ,,star appears on ,essex sign-boards eight times4 ,its use is probably due to the fact that in medival times ,illustration3 ,,star4 ,illustration3 ,,mullet4 it was the symbol of the ,virgin ,mary1 and that it forms the crest of the ,innholders' ,company2 but it is very probable that in ,essex the sign of the ,,star often represents the mullet argent which formed one of the chief badges of the ,de ,veres1 ,earls of ,oxford1 and also the most prominent charge in the family arms 7see p4 #gj74ic ,it was probably first adopted by ,robert1 the third ,earl1 who died in #abba4 ,it appears on his seals and on his monument at ,hatfield ,broad ,oak4 ,thenceforth it was borne by all his descendants4 ,mr4 ,elliot1 in the interesting article already quoted 7p4 #gj71 says that at the ,battle of ,barnet1 in #adga1 the defeat of the ,lancastrians is attributed to a mistake made by the ,earl of ,warwick's men2 who1 in the morning mist1 took the badge of the ,earl of ,oxford's men for the ,yorkist badge of the ,sun in ,splendour4 ,they accordingly shot at their friends1 who1 suspecting treachery1 cried 8,treason60 and fled from the field4 ,mr4 ,elliot adds that 8this badge is frequently found on houses and churches in this county and ,suffolk40 ,it is in every way probable that it was often put upon the former as a sign4 ,in ,heraldry the star1 or toile1 is represented with six wavy points and not pierced in the centre1 as here shown1 thus distinguishing it from the mullet1 which has five straight points and is usually pierced4 ,the latter is said originally to have represented1 not a star1 but a spur-rowel4 ,it appears from the parish registers1#id that there was also a ,,star at ,grays in #agbd4 ,at ,ilford there is a coffee-shop with the sign of the ,,morning ,,star1 probably to indicate that it is open early for working men4 ,a beer-house at ,witham1 however1 has the same sign4 ,mr4 ,king finds in ancient deeds mention of a ,,star--either inn1 shop1 or tenement--at ,rochford in #afic4 ,there are now beer-shops of the same name at ,ingatestone1 ,woodham ,ferris1 and elsewhere1 while a ,,northern ,,star exists at ,romford4 ,at ,brightlingsea there is a ,,star ,,of ,,denmark 7whatever that might be71 and an ,,old ,,star occurs at ,good ,easter4 ,twice1 also1 as elsewhere mentioned 7p4 #gi71 we meet with the ,,star ,,and ,,fleece1 namely1 at ,kelvedon and ,romford2 while the ,,star ,,and ,,garter1 representing the ,insignia of the ,order of the ,garter1 occurs at ,chelmsford and at ,newport4 ,an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,february #aj1 #aghf1 refers to the ,,star at ,writtle1 and another in the same journal for ,march #cast following refers to the ,,star at ,dunmow1 at both of which places the sign still exists4 ,the ,,star at ,kelvedon1 perhaps identical with the ,,star ,,and ,,fleece now existing there1 is mentioned in the issue for the #bith of ,december in the same year4 ,the 99,,star ,,and ,,anchor which appeared at ,colchester sixty years ago was in all probability an impalement4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,w4 ,bingham of ,castle ,hedingham is in possession of documentary evidence showing that during the latter part of last century the present vicarage at that place was known as the ,,black ,,mullet4 ,it may or may not have been an inn at the time4 ,the sign may have been set up originally as a contrast to the silver mullet of the ,de ,veres4 ,illustration ,illustration ,,chapter ,x4 ,,miscellaneous ,,signs4 ,the signs which still remain to be treated of defy all efforts to classify them4 ,all classification1 indeed1 when applied to this subject1 is very vague and unsatisfactory4 ,the following will1 therefore1 be spoken of as 8,miscellaneous ,signs10 and will be taken in any order found most convenient4 ,those already noticed under other headings will not be referred to again1 and many are not of sufficient interest to be worth noticing4 ,the great majority are uninteresting modern vulgarisms1 while very few are of heraldic origin4 ,many signs of this class are named after places or towns1 or after objects of local or general celebrity4 ,such are the ,,albion1 the ,,balmoral ,,castle1 the ,,windsor ,,castle1 the ,,walmer ,,castle1 the ,,trossachs ,,hotel1 the ,,bridge ,,hotel1 the ,,gibraltar ,,tavern1 the ,,graving ,,dock ,,tavern1 the ,,higham ,,hill ,,tavern1 the ,,hallsville ,,tavern1 the ,,cambridge ,,hotel1 the ,,common ,,gate1 the ,,london ,,tavern1 the ,,dock ,,house ,,tavern1 the ,,forest ,,gate1 the ,,forest ,,glen1 the ,,town ,,of ,,ayr1 the ,,trafalgar ,,tavern1 the 99,,waterloo ,,tavern 7at ,colchester71 the ,,tidal ,,basin ,,tavern1 the ,,half-,,way ,,tavern 7at ,southchurch71 the ,,norfolk ,,inn1 the ,,ground ,,rent ,,tavern1 the ,,brick ,,and ,,tile ,,inn at ,copford1 two ,,british ,,inns1 two ,,canteens1 two ,,flags1 two ,,union ,,flags1 two ,,fountains1 the ,,stores at ,willingale ,doe 7beer-house71 the ,,golden ,,house at ,forest ,gate1 an ,,ivy ,,chimneys 7beer-house7 at ,theydon ,bois1 the ,,red ,,house at ,ilford1 two ,,guns1 two ,,hopes 7one at ,southend being at least sixty years old71 the ,,imperial ,,tavern1 the ,,locomotive1 the ,,new ,,mill1 the ,,old ,,mill1 two ,,pier ,,hotels1 two ,,punch ,,bowls1 the ,,quart ,,pot1 the ,,red ,,tape ,,tavern1 several ,,royal ,,standards1 the ,,telegraph1 the ,,temple1 the ,,thatched ,,house1 the ,,old ,,thatched ,,house 7a very old inn at ,epping71 the ,,warren ,,inn1 the ,,tollhouse1 the ,,waggon1 and the ,,waggon ,,and ,,horses1 all of which are probably less than forty years old4 ,it is doubtful whether a single one of these signs could claim an heraldic origin4 ,most of them lie upon the outskirts of ,london4 ,there are now four ,,alma ,,taverns1 though twenty years ago there was but one4 ,the name1 of course1 commemorates the battle of ,alma1 but why fresh inns should be thus named so long after the event1 is by no means obvious4 ,there is a ,,bowling ,,green at ,elmstead1 near ,colchester1 and sixty years ago there was another at ,dunmow4 ,the ,,windmill1 which is an ancient sign1 occurs no less than eight times within the county4 ,in most cases houses have adopted this sign on account of there being a windmill adjacent to them4 ,at ,romford there has been for at least sixty years an ,,old ,,windmill ,,and ,,bells1 which is doubtless an impaled sign4 ,at ,laindon there is a ,,fortune ,,of ,,war1 well known as a meet of the ,hounds4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not notice the sign1 though there are several examples of it in ,london4 ,the ,,title ,,deed ,,tavern is a small house of recent origin at ,buckhurst ,hill4 ,thirty years ago the ground on which it stands was unenclosed forest4 ,at ,hornchurch there is an inn with the strange sign of the ,,good ,,intent1 which is not mentioned by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,it was opened as a beer-shop1 some fifty years ago1 by the father of the present landlord1 who had been so far an unfortunate man4 ,in opening his new house with good intentions for the future1 he thus appropriately named it1 and his hopes appear to have been realized1 as his house still remains4 ,there is a beer-house with the same name at ,waltham ,holy ,cross4 ,at ,springfield there is an ,,endeavour1 which presumably derived its name from some similar circumstance4 ,there are beer-houses with the motto ,,live ,,and ,,let ,,live at ,little ,canfield1 ,theydon ,bois1 and ,chadwell ,heath4 ,another at ,pitsea was1 within the recollection of ,mr4 ,king1 thus inscribed3 8,live and let live ,whod a though it20 which was intended to mean 8who would have thought it80 but the landlord's orthographical knowledge was very imperfect4 ,the ,,havering ,,bower ,inn1 situated in ,ann ,street1 ,shadwell1 close to ,bow ,station1 is a house connected with1 though not situated in1 ,essex4 ,why an inn of this name should appear thus fifteen miles at least from the place from which it takes its name1 is not very clear4 ,in the ,roman ,road at ,colchester appears the sign of the ,,roman ,,urn4 ,one would conclude that the house had been named after some ,roman urn that had been dug up on its site1 did it not figure in the list years ago as the ,,roman ,,arms4 ,possibly1 however1 this is a misprint1 although the sign of the ,,roman ,,arms does actually occur elsewhere1 namely1 in the ,roman ,road1 ,london1 ,e4 ,mr4 ,walford1 in ,greater ,london 7vol4 i4 p4 #che71 says that there is another example of the sign of the ,,roman ,,urn just over the county boundary at ,cheshunt1 in ,hertfordshire4 8,it is to be seen embedded in the front of the inn in ,crossbrook ,street4 ,the urn was found on the spot many years ago1 but its date is far from certain40 ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not allude to the sign1 which is certainly very uncommon4 ,one of our very strangest signs--that of the ,,coal ,,hole--occurs at ,leigh4 ,it has only appeared there within the last few years1 and ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king is of opinion that it is probably named after the once-well-known ,,coal ,,hole ,tavern in the ,strand4 ,at the same place another beer-house is known as the ,,united ,,brethren1 probably after a ,friendly ,society there2 but their club-house is now the ,crooked ,billet4 ,the sign of the ,,new ,,inn1 which is the commonest sign in ,devonshire1 and occurs no less than one hundred and four times in that county1 is only twice met with in ,essex1 but there is also a beer-house so called at ,romford4 ,evidently the ,conservative nature of the majority of ,essex folk leads them to prefer things old1 instead of new4 ,at ,plaistow there is a ,,green ,,gate1 and forty years since there was a 99,,blue ,,posts at ,witham1 in both of which cases the colour of the portals probably served the same office as a sign in distinguishing the house4 ,neither sign is mentioned in the ,history of ,sign-boards1 though the former is certainly a century old1 as it is mentioned in an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #e1 #aghg1 and the latter is referred to in another advertisement on the #bcrd of the following month4 ,it was an old house of good standing1 as it is also mentioned in the ,very ,young ,lady's ,tour from ,london to ,aldborough and ,back 7#ahjd1 see p4 #cg74 ,the writer says3 8,travellers frequently boast of the charms of an inn1 ,but the ,blue ,posts at ,witham's the best ,i have seen1 ,the rooms are so clean1 so delicious the diet1 ,the landlord so civil1 so spruce1 and so quiet1 ,the servants all round so desirous to please1 ,that you find yourself here most completely at ease4 ,so we supp'd1 and we slept1 and we breakfasted too1 ,and then bid to ,witham a parting adieu40 ,the house was closed as an inn some time since1 and is now a china shop1 kept by a prominent ,witham teetotal advocate4 ,its door-posts are still painted blue4 ,sixty years ago there was another inn of this name at 99,colchester4 ,no ,essex inn now displays the sign of the ,,gate1 but there are beer-houses of that name at ,saffron ,walden1 ,bardfield1 and ,dagenham4 ,at the two last-named places the houses bear the following very unpoetic couplet3-- 8,this ,gate hangs high1 and hinders none1 ,refresh and pay and travel on40 ,at ,wanstead there is a ,,red ,,house1 presumably so called from its colour4 ,in #aghi there was an ,,epping ,,place ,inn at ,epping1 and a ,,bush-,,fair ,,house at ,latton4 ,the ,,essex ,,inn1 ,no #da1 ,aldgate ,high ,street1 ,london1 ,e41 is1 without doubt1 so named because it forms the stopping-place of many hay-carters and other travellers by road from ,essex up to town4 ,railways are referred to thirty-one times in all on ,essex sign-boards1 although1 as might be expected1 mention is very rarely made of railways among the signs of forty years ago4 ,thus we have five examples of the ,,railway ,,inn1 one of the ,,railway ,,arms1 two of the ,,railway ,,bell1 seven of the ,,railway ,,hotel1 and sixteen of the ,,railway ,,tavern4 ,twenty years ago there was an ,,abbey ,,gate in ,stanwell ,street1 ,colchester1 doubtless named after the beautiful gateway of ,st4 ,john's ,abbey1 which still stands4 ,at the same time there was a ,,betting-,,stand at ,galleywood1 where the ,chelmsford ,races are held1 as well as an ,,exchange ,,inn and a ,,chelmer ,,inn1 both at ,heybridge4 ,there is a ,,mark',s ,,gate in ,markgate1 ,dagenham2 and a ,,marsh ,,gate at ,stratford4 ,eight ,essex inns are named after the great ,,globe itself1 while the ,,world',s ,,end appears1 at last1 to have been discovered near ,tilbury ,fort4 ,this is a very proper name1 if1 as has been thought1 ,tilbury is derived from two ,saxon words1 ,til1 end1 and burgh1 city1 i4e41 the city at the end of the river road4 ,a beer-house keeper at ,paglesham1 however1 seems also to consider that the ,,world',s ,,end is situated in the vicinity of his house4 ,probably both are equally right and equally wrong4 ,the ,,globe at 99,epping is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #ac1 #aghf4 ,at ,bocking there is a beer-house known as the ,,dial1 a device not named by ,larwood and ,hotten4 ,at the same place there is a ,,park ,,end beer-house1 and at ,felstead another1 known as the ,,pye',s ,,bridge tavern4 ,a beer-house at ,chigwell styles itself the ,,retreat4 ,at ,waltham ,abbey is a ,,flower ,,pot4 ,a beer-house at ,inworth is known as the ,,new ,,times1 while another not far off styles itself the ,,old ,,times1 probably out of rivalry4 ,at ,great ,baddow a beer-house appears as the ,,new ,,found ,,out4 ,at ,chelmsford there is a ,,united beer-house1 and a ,,cornucopia at ,southend4 ,no less than forty-two ,essex inns display the sign of the ,,bell4 ,bells were set up as signs as early as the fourteenth century4 ,the origin of their use in this way is probably due largely to our national fondness for bell-ringing1 but partly also to the great veneration in which bells were held in superstitious times4 ,advertisements which appeared in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle refer to the inns with the sign of the ,,bell at ,castle ,hedingham1 ,sible ,hedingham1 and ,purleigh on ,january #fth1 ,july #ba1 #aghf1 and ,march #b1 #aghg1 respectively4 ,these houses all exist at the present day4 ,the ,,bell at 99,saffron ,walden1 though it does not now exist1 must formerly have been a house of some standing1 for it is fairly often referred to in the records of the ,corporation4 ,it is mentioned1 for instance1 in #afdb1 in #afde1 and in #afej4 ,in #affd #cs4 was 8paid at the ,bell when the ,quakers were committed10 and in #agad #ds4 #d;d4 was 8spent at the ,bell when ,lord ,suffolk took the oaths40 ,tokens are extant1 issued by 8,will4 ,mason at the ,,bell in ,thaxtead1 #affb10 though the sign does not now exist there4 ,the ,,bell at ,castle ,hedingham1 still a first-class hostelry1 was a house of considerable note in the old coaching days4 ,it was a stopping-place for the 8,old ,bury ,coach10 which passed through the town4 ,the building is ancient and extensive1 though now much cut up and divided4 ,the spacious kitchen is roofed with massive timber1 black with age4 ,in the large room upstairs have been held for many years the annual meetings of the once-famous ,hinckford ,hundred ,conservative ,club4 ,in times past these meetings regularly formed the subject of a leader in the ,times1 and addresses were delivered by ,disraeli and other prominent ,conservative statesmen1 but the club has now lost its old importance4 ,the ornamental sign-iron is represented elsewhere 7p4 #aej74 ,of the ,,bell at ,leigh1 ,mr4 ,king writes that he has no particular account1 but he believes 8it has been an inn for probably a century1 and that it was pulled down to make way for the railroad1 but rebuilt on part of the same site40 ,the present rectory at ,west ,tilbury was once an inn with the sign of the ,,bell4 ,the house was built by a speculator about the year #aghj1 and opened as an hostelry for the accommodation of the gentry that always crowded to the ,fort during war time4 ,six years later1 however1 it had to be closed1 and about the beginning of this century it was purchased for the sum of #gjj by the ,rev4 ,sir ,adam ,gordon1 ,bart41 who then held the living1 and presented to the parish as a rectory4 ,a certain number of ,bells frequently appear on a sign-board4 ,in such cases the peal of bells in an adjacent belfry is generally alluded to1 as may be seen on reference to the ,rev4 ,h4 ,a4 ,cockey's ,list of ,essex ,rings4 ,in #affb there was a house with the sign of the ,,one ,,bell at ,romford4 ,it is mentioned in the ,account of the ,murder of ,thomas ,kidderminster1 already referred to 7p4 #ef74 ,taylor also1 in #afcf1 mentions a ,,bell at ,romford1 probably the same house4 ,the sign of the ,,five ,,bells occurs at ,vange and ,colne ,engaine4 ,at the latter place there are five church bells1 but at the former only one1 although there may formerly have been more4 ,there was another example of the sign at ,bocking forty years ago1 when perhaps there were only five bells there4 ,now1 however1 there are six1 and the sign of the ,,six ,,bells 7probably the same house7 appears there1 as also at ,dunmow and ,great ,waltham4 ,at the former place there are six bells1 but at the latter eight4 ,at ,boreham a beer-house is known as the ,,six ,,bells1 that being the number at that place4 ,at ,mashbury is a cottage still known as the ,,bells4 ,in a ,,ms4 dated #agfa it is spoken of as the ,,five ,,bells1 and was probably then an inn with that sign1 though no church in the immediate vicinity has that number of bells4 ,the sign of the ,,eight ,,bells appears at 99,saffron ,walden1 ,great ,tey1 ,belchamp ,walter1 and ,bures ,hamlet1 at all of which there seem to be peals of eight bells4 ,in addition to these1 we have a ,,new ,,bell at ,harwich1 and two ,,railway ,,bells1 one near the station at ,maldon1 and the other in ,trinity ,street1 ,halstead4 ,the bell also enters into numerous combinations1 most of which are impalements1 and therefore quite meaningless4 ,thus we have a ,,bell ,,and ,,anchor at ,canning ,town1 a ,,coach ,,and ,,bell 7a sign not referred to in the ,history of ,sign-boards7 at ,romford1 the ,,old ,,windmill ,,and ,,bells1 also at ,romford1 and examples of the ,,cock ,,and ,,bell at ,high ,easter1 ,writtle1 and ,romford4 ,the latter has apparently been in existence since #aghf1 as it is mentioned in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,january #acth in that year4 ,twenty years ago there was a ,,bell ,,and ,,feathers at ,stanstead1 which seems now to have returned to the use of its former sign1 which was a ,,bell simply 7see p4 #ajb74 ,though the fact is not mentioned by ,boyne1 tokens with the following inscriptions are extant3 8,george ,perrin at ye ,bell in ,stanstead4 ,his ,half ,peny4 #affi40 ,the same house and the same landlord are also mentioned in ,poor ,robin's ,perambulation1 already referred to 7p4 #ff74 ,the writer 7one cannot say poet7 says3 8,from ,ugley ,i next way to ,stanstead travell'd1 ,upon a plain highway1 well ston'd and gravelled4 ,this town of ,stanstead1 for distinction's sake1 ,doth unto itself the name ,montfitchet take1 ,from the ,montfitchets1 once ,lords of great fame1 ,and who erewhile were owners of the same4 ,there at the ,bell1 at my old friend ,george ,perrin's1 ,we drank and tippled like unto a herring2 ,for there is ale and stale beer1 strong and mighty1 ,will burn i' the fire like unto aqua vit1 ,and that the reason is1 as you may know1 ,that this ,bell's liquor makes men's clappers go40 ,in #ahfh there was a ,,clapper at ,woodham which1 perhaps1 belonged to one or other of the bells just mentioned4 ,the ,,castle is a frequent ,essex sign1 occurring thirteen times in all4 ,it is an ancient sign1 which is thought by ,larwood and ,hotten to have originated in the fact that anciently entertainment was to be had at the castles of the great1 as at an inn4 ,in later times the custom arose of naming inns after particular castles1 and it is easy to see that the example of the sign now found at ,hadleigh1 and the two examples now existing at 9999,colchester1 originated in this way4 ,sixty years ago there was another at 99,saffron ,walden1 which was1 of course1 named after the old castle there4 ,not improbably1 in some cases1 the sign may have been derived from the arms of the ,masons' ,company4#ie ,a castle is represented on the seventeenth century token of ,thomas ,hewes of ,castle ,hedingham--being1 of course1 the fine old castle of the ,de ,veres at that place4 ,mr4 ,king finds mention in some old deeds dated #afic of the ,,castle ,,at ,,trimme at ,rochford in that day4 ,this was probably an inn-sign1 but perhaps that of a shop or tenement4 ,it was doubtless so called from the ancient castle of the ,de ,lacys1 built in #abbj1 at ,trim in ,ireland1 which figured in the ,civil ,war4 ,as this castle does not appear to have had any connection with ,essex1 the most probable conclusion is that the sign was set up by some one who was present at the surrender of the castle to ,cromwell in #afdi4 ,the following advertisement appeared in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle on ,march #b1 #aghg3 8,,cocking4 ,on ,friday1 ,march #ith1 will be fought a ,main of ,cocks1 at the sign of the ,,castle1 ,great ,oakley1 for ,two ,guineas a ,battle1 and ,five the odds2 where the company of all gentlemen and others will be esteemed a favour1 by their humble servant ,william ,rayner4 ,the ,cocks to be pitted at eleven o'clock1 and a good ordinary to be provided at two40 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king writes3 8,the present ,,castle at ,hadleigh changed its name 7though remaining at the same house7 late in the last1 or early in the present1 century4 ,it was formerly the ,,blue ,,boar1 and old people persistently called it so within my memory1 in spite of the change4 ,i have also found evidence of this change in some old ,court ,rolls4 ,this kind of change is not infrequent4 ,i conceive that the ,,blue ,,boar may have been the sign of the inn for centuries1 but the ,,castle was1 ,i suppose1 thought more attractive to the many visitors to the old ,castle40 ,the ,,chequers is a sign of great interest and antiquity4 ,it is very common in ,essex1 as it appears no less than twenty times1 including one ,,old ,,chequers4 ,it is equally common as a beer-house sign4 ,robt4 ,bowyer kept the ,,chequers at ,bardfield in the seventeenth century1 as shown by his token1 but no house now exists there under that name4 ,mr4 ,creed's list 7p4 #g7 shows inns with this sign at ,epping1 ,nazing1 ,waltham ,abbey1 ,high ,laver1 and ,nettleswell in #aghi4 ,the ,,chequers at ,roxwell seems to have existed since #aghg1 as it is referred to in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,february #bnd in that year4 ,as a sign it is said to be found even among the ruins of ,pompeii1 and1 according to ,larwood and ,hotten1 it 8is1 perhaps1 the most patriarchal of all signs40 ,the same writers say 7p4 #dhh7 that in ,england it is 8said to represent the coat of arms of the ,earls de ,warrenne and ,surrey1 who bore chequy1 or and azure1 and in the reign of ,edward ,,iv4 possessed the privilege of licensing ale-houses40 ,the old money-changers used boards divided up into squares like a modern chess-board1 and the sign of the ,,chequers may have originated1 partly1 at least1 in these 8exchequers10 as they were called1 being hung up outside their places of business4 ,not improbably the sign also represents the 8chequer10 or board divided into squares1 and still used in some country inns for keeping a tally or record of the amount drunk by each regular customer4 ,as the sign is now painted it is almost as often lozengy as chequy4 ,in the year #agfd1 according to an advertisement of that date in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle1 the present ,,ipswich ,,arms at ,ingatestone was impaled with a ,,chequers1 forming the ,,ipswich ,,arms ,,and ,,chequers4 ,the sign of the ,,coach ,,and ,,horses1 which occurs thirteen times in the county1 has already been alluded to4 ,as might be expected1 it was considerably commoner forty years ago than now4 ,an inn of this name at ,chelmsford has a pictorial sign-board1 representing a number of gentlemen1 in the costume of fifty or sixty years ago1 riding on the top of a coach4 ,illustration3 ,,crooked ,,billet4 7,after ,larwood and ,hotten47 ,four houses in ,essex1 situated respectively at ,leigh1 ,barking1 ,chadwell ,heath1 and ,nazing1 now make use of the ,,crooked ,,billet as their sign4 ,twenty years ago another did so1 and there is still a beer-house so styled at ,felstead4 ,there is also an ,,old ,,crooked ,,billet at ,walthamstow1 and a ,,crown ,,and ,,crooked ,,billet 7doubtless merely an impaled sign7 at ,woodford ,bridge4 ,it is not by any means clear what this sign was derived from4 ,larwood and ,hotten confess that they 8have not been able to discover any likely origin2 it may have been originally a ragged staff1 or a pastoral staff4444 ,frequently the sign is represented by an untrimmed stick suspended above the door40 ,mr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,king writes that the sign existed at ,leigh in the earlier part of last century1 being used by a small house which still stands1 but is not the inn now displaying the sign in that town4 ,he says3 8,the first mention ,i find of the existing inn is an admission dated #agfe1 and referring to a certain tenement adjoining eastward to the lane leading to the ,,crooked ,,billet4 ,this previous house of the same name is a small plaster cottage4 ,it must have been a very mean little public-house4 ,at some period its sign was transferred to the present house in the main street1 which was formerly a gentleman's residence1 and on the same property as the cottage40 ,mr4 ,king adds3 8,i incline to think that the ,,crooked ,,billet was originally a fess dancett or a chevron--more probably the former--and that it is1 therefore1 an heraldic sign4 ,the sign in this town was originally a pictorial one1 and certainly it rudely represented the former4 ,now that it is written a different origin is assigned to it here2 but there are so many others that ,i rather incline to the heraldic origin4 ,they said here formerly that faggots were shipped from the wharf opposite the present house4 ,but so they were from other wharves40 ,the sign of the ,,cross might1 with equal probability1 be ascribed either to an ecclesiastical or an heraldic origin3 in the one it is the symbol of ,christianity1 and in the other it is a very common ordinary4 ,it came to be used very commonly as an heraldic charge at the time of the ,crusades4 ,the house with this name at ,mistley was1 however1 probably so called on account of its being situated at a 8four-want-way10 where two roads cross4 ,there is another example of the sign at ,boxted1 and in #ahbc there was a ,,red ,,cross at 99,colchester4 ,on the map of the road between ,london and ,harwich1 given in ,ogilby's ,itinerarium ,angli1 published in #afge1 a house--presumably an inn of importance--known as the ,,cross ,,and ,,hand1 is shown at ,marks ,tey1 and just forty-five miles from ,london4 ,salmon 7,history of ,essex1 p4 #fi7 quotes an ancient document1 describing the ceremonies connected with the annual making and presenting of the ,wardstaff in ,ongar ,hundred1 in which another house--probably an inn--with the sign of 8the ,,cross ,,with ,a ,,hand at the three wants in ,fiffield0 ,fyfield is mentioned4 ,in ,essex1 three or four roads meeting are spoken of respectively as the three or four 8wants40 8,the ,cross says ,jewitt whether golden1 red1 blue1 or otherwise1 was formerly a much more common sign than now40 ,several other ,essex signs are more or less ecclesiastical4 ,for instance1 the 99,,mitre at ,colchester is at least sixty years old4 ,very probably it was first so called after one or other of the several well-known taverns of the same name which formerly existed in ,london4 ,though it may have been derived from the fact that the ,abbot of ,st4 ,john's ,abbey1 at ,colchester1 was one of the twenty-eight mitred abbots1 and sat in the ,upper ,house of ,parliament4 ,the ,,cardinal',s ,,hat1 formerly a not uncommon sign1 was displayed by a house in ,bocking forty years since1 but has now disappeared4 ,at ,coggeshall1 one of the chief inns has long been known as the 99,,chapel ,,inn4 ,mr4 ,g4 ,f4 ,beaumont has kindly supplied the following information concerning it3 8,in the will of ,thomas ,halle of ,coksale1 dated ,jan4 #aeth1 #adii1 and proved ,feb4 #eth following1 is this ,bequest3--',i bequeath towarde the edifyng and making of a ,chapell within the said towne of ,coksale ,,xxs1 to be paid when the said ,chapell is in werkyng4' ,in the ,certificate of ,chantry ,lands 7#aedi7 is the following under ,coggeshall3--',item1 one olde ,chaple in the ,street there1 with a little ,garden1 which is worth by the year #ds4'0 ,mr4 ,beaumont adds3 8,by deed1 dated ,oct4 #gth1 #aehh1 a messuage called the old ,chapel was conveyed to the fullers and weavers of ,coggeshall4 ,the site of this building1 which was pulled down in #agie1 is now open ground1 on the west side of which is the ,,chapel ,inn40 ,the sign is probably unique4 ,the ,,cross ,,keys1 which represent the arms of the ,papal ,see1 appear five times on ,essex sign-boards1 namely1 at ,saffron ,walden1 99,colchester1 ,white ,notley1 ,dagenham1 and ,chadwell ,st4 ,mary1 while there is a beer-house so distinguished at ,north ,weald4 ,the ,cross ,keys have survived the ,reformation on account of their appearing also in the coats of arms of several ,english sees1 namely1 ,york1 ,cashel1 ,exeter1 ,gloucester1 and ,peterborough4 ,three pairs of keys crossed also form a prominent charge in the arms of the ,fishmongers' ,company 7see p4 #ajc74 ,sometimes the ,,cross ,,keys was used as a locksmith's sign1 as may be learned from the trade-tokens of the seventeenth century4 ,thus ,,three ,,keys are represented on the farthing of 8,thomas ,haven1 ,locksmith1 in ,chelmsford1 #affi10 and the ,,crossed ,,keys on that of 8,edward ,keatchener of ,dunmow1 ,locksmith40 ,the sign of the ,,crown is very common in ,essex1 occurring twenty-eight times altogether4 ,judging from ,mr4 ,creed's list 7p4 #g7 it was equally common in ,essex a century ago4 ,there is also an ,,old ,,crown at ,sandon4 ,as an emblem of ,royalty1 the badge of several of our ,kings and ,queens1 and as a very frequent heraldic bearing1 the ,crown is in every way likely to be common4 ,larwood and ,hotten 7p4 #aja7 say that it 8seems to be one of the oldest of ,english signs4 ,we read of it as early as #adfg1 when a certain ,walter ,walters1 who kept the ,crown in ,cheapside1 made an innocent ,cockney pun1 saying he would make his son heir to the ,crown1 which so displeased his gracious ,majesty1 ,king ,edward ,,iv41 that he ordered the man to be put to death for high treason40 ,the ,,crown at ,romford1 a once-famous hostelry1 built about three centuries ago1 was demolished in the spring of #ahha1 when fine specimens of ,tudor work1 and some massive beams beautifully carved1 were brought to light4 ,it was once of large size1 with frontages both to ,high ,street and what is now known as ,south ,street4 ,at the beginning of this century1 however1 having declined before younger rivals1 it was divided into shops4 ,later a considerable portion was pulled down to make room for a new bank4 ,this demolition1 and that of #ahha1 left nothing standing of the old house except a portion which still remains between the ,bank and the ,,white ,,hart ,hotel4 ,mr4 ,king learns from old deeds and from other sources that an inn with the sign of the ,,crown existed at ,leigh in the time of ,queen ,elizabeth1 when it was known as the 8,crown ,brewery0 or 8,crown ,house10 but it does not seem to have retained its existence later than the end of last century or thereabouts4 ,mr4 ,king believes that this was the inn referred to by 8,taylor the ,water ,poet10 in his ,catalogue of ,tavernes1 as being kept by a certain ,james ,hare in #afcf4 ,no doubt it was an inn also1 for1 as ,mr4 ,king remarks1 8all1 or nearly all1 inns formerly brewed their own beer40 ,he can trace it actually from #afai and practically from #aegj4 ,after it ceased to be an inn it was converted into a private house and bought by a certain ,francis ,marriage1 who after several law-suits resold it4 ,a ,,crown also appears on the token1 dated #affg1 of 8,abra4 ,langley1 iunior1 of ,colchester1 ,baymakr40 ,the ,,crown at 99,billericay 7a house not now existing7 is referred to in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for ,february #ag1 #aghf1 and the ,,crown at ,chesterford is referred to in the same newspaper on the #bnd of ,march1 #aghg4 ,daniel ,defoe1 in his ,tour through ,great ,britain1 published in #agbd1 also mentions the ,,crown at ,chesterford4 ,probably this is the house at ,little ,chesterford still known as the ,,crown4 ,the ,,crown ,,inn at ,brentwood1 which was mentioned by ,taylor in #afcf1 was closed many years ago4 ,in #agdj1 ,salmon1 who seldom noticed the inns1 wrote of it as follows in his ,history and ,antiquities of ,essex 7p4 #bfb73-- 8,the ,crown ,inn here is very ancient1 as appears from the buildings of the back part of it4 ,mr4 ,symonds in his collection saith he was informed from the ,master 7who had writings in custody to show it7 that it had been an ,inn #cjj years with this sign2 that a family named ,salmon held it two hundred years2 and that there had been eighty-nine owners1 amongst which were an ,earl of ,oxford and an ,earl of ,sussex40 ,the ,,crown at ,ilford finds mention in the ,barking parish register as early as #aeie4if ,fox1 in his ,book of ,martyrs1 says that ,george ,eagles1 who was martyred in #aeeg1 8was carried to the new inn1 called by the sign of the ,,crown1 at ,chelmsford0 7see p4 #acf74 ,the sign does not now appear there4 ,the ,builder of ,july #h1 #ahdh1 contains an illustration of a fine1 old1 timber-roofed hall at ,saffron ,walden4 ,its interior1 we are told1 was 8so completely hidden by the subdivision of walls and ceilings within it1 to adapt it to the necessities of a dwelling-house1 that until the demolition of the buildings in the spring of the present year all that could be seen were the carved heads of the ends of the hammer-beams4 ,these heads were beautifully and spiritedly carved1 and1 indeed1 the ornamentation of the entire hall was well and boldly cut4 ,it was of small dimensions4444 ,the buildings with which it was connected were old1 but no record of the history or occupation of the place is known1 except that about two centuries ago it was an inn1 the sign being the ,,iron ,,crown4 ,the ,hall appears to be of the time of ,henry ,,vii41 judging from its detail4 ,it may have been the hall of some wealthy tradesman1 for ,walden had many rich traders in the olden time4444 ,the ancient hall1 and the buildings with which it was connected1 have been pulled down in order to construct a new market-place4 ,the carved heads from the hammer-beams 7six in all7 have been preserved by the ,hon4 ,r4 ,c4 ,neville 7afterwards ,lord ,braybrooke7 in his museum at ,audley ,end40 ,the origin of this sign is very doubtful4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not notice it4 ,goldsmith1 in ,the ,traveller1 speaks of 8,luke's ,iron ,crown40 ,george and ,luke ,doza were two brothers who led a revolt against the ,hungarian nobles at the beginning of the sixteenth century4 ,they were defeated1 captured1 and cruelly tortured4 ,george1 not ,luke 7,goldsmith's memory must have been at fault71 had1 among other things1 a red-hot iron crown placed on his head4 ,john of ,leyden1 an ,anabaptist leader1 was also tortured to death in the same way in #aecf1 but it is difficult to imagine any connection between these incidents and the inn at ,saffron ,walden4 ,what was known as the 8,iron ,crown of ,lombardy10 was not a crown of torture1 but one of the nails used in the ,crucifixion1 beaten out into a thin rim of iron1 magnificently set in gold and adorned with jewels4 ,charlemagne and ,napoleon ,i4 were both crowned with it1 but it is hard to see what this had to do with the inn at ,saffron ,walden4 ,the sign of the ,,three ,,crowns occurs at ,rainham1 ,rowhedge1 ,north ,woolwich1 and 99,halstead4 ,the sign at the latter place was in existence forty years ago1 at which time another was also in existence4 ,in #affh1 ,anne ,ellis kept the ,,three ,,crowns 7not necessarily an inn7 at ,southminster1 as shown by tokens of hers1 still extant4 ,an ,,old ,,three ,,crowns also existed in the county in #aghf according to an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for the #eth of ,may in that year4 ,there are several sources from which the sign of the ,,three ,,crowns may have been derived4 ,they might be taken from the arms of the ,essex family of ,wiseman 7sable2 a chevron between three crowns argent71 or from the arms of ,chich ,priory 7or2 three ducal coronets1 gules1 two and one71 or from the arms of the ,drapers' or the ,skinners' ,companies1 which have already been given4 ,the signs of the ,,crown ,,and ,,thistle1 the ,,crown ,,and ,,crooked ,,billet1 and the ,,crown ,,and ,,anchor have all been previously noticed4 ,the ,,crown ,,and ,,sceptre1 which existed at ,chelmsford in #agfd1 as we learn from an advertisement in the ,chelmsford ,chronicle for that year1 was a sign which was doubly emblematic of ,royalty4 ,it was1 doubtless1 merely an impalement4 ,sixty years ago there was a 99,,crown ,,and ,,punch ,,bowl at ,colchester4 ,doubtless1 it too was merely an impaled sign4 ,illustration3 ,,leather ,,bottle4 7,at ,pleshey47 ,of the sign of the ,,leather ,,bottle we have three examples1 situated respectively at ,little ,laver1 ,blackmore1 and ,lexden4 ,the first-named has existed since #aghi at least4 ,there is also a beer-house so called at ,west ,hanningfield4 ,it is an old sign1 taken from the 8leathern bottels0 formerly used to hold liquor1 and1 as previously mentioned 7p4 #c71 is still to be seen on the cheques and over the door of ,messrs4 ,hoare's ,bank in ,fleet ,street4 ,a beer-shop at ,pleshey had on its sign-board until recently a faded1 but correct1 representation of the ,,leather ,,bottle4 ,under it1 and on another board1 is an inscription intimating that ,george ,philpott1 the landlord1 dispenses 8fine ,ale's and beer at #d;d4 per ,pott40 ,the sign-board has recently been re-painted1 and the bottle is not now so well represented as formerly4 ,below is a figure of the old board 7with the sign-iron of the ,,six ,,bells at ,dunmow 7p4 #aei771 its faded 8bottle0 having been restored from one of several still preserved in the ,museum at ,saffron ,walden4 ,the example at ,lexden had1 but has not now1 a pictorial sign4 ,the house is probably an old one under its present sign1 as it appears to have given the name of 8,bottle ,end0 to that part of the parish in which it stands--a name it seems to have long had1 it being marked on an old map published in #ahjb4 ,mr4 ,thos4 ,b4 ,daniell writes3 8,not every one has formed an opinion as to what a leather bottle was like4 ,my father--now over eighty years of age--remembers the pictorial sign of the ,,leather ,,bottle1 and says that when a boy he distinctly recollects a veritable leather bottle being purchased at a sale by his father4 ,it was a cylindrical belt of black leather1 very stout1 with two circular ends 7also of leather7 sewn in1 a double thickness of the same material over the bung-hole 7which received a cork for stopper7 and a short strap to carry it by4 ,its capacity was about a gallon1 and it was nothing like the skin bottles of the ,east1 as some might suppose40 ,portions of the ,rev4 ,baring-,gould's ,mehalah are laid at the ,,leather ,,bottle at ,mersey--a fictitious name1 unless there is a beer-house there with that sign4 ,at ,bardfield there is a beer-house with the sign of the ,,boot1 so distinguished unquestionably because the landlord is also a boot and shoe maker1 as a partly pictorial board over his door informs passers-by4 ,his pictorial sign-board is here depicted 7p4 #agj7 within the old sign-iron of the ,,bell ,inn at the same place4 ,immediately opposite to the ,,boot is another beer-house known as the ,,three ,,horseshoes1 because the landlord also carries on the trade of a farrier and blacksmith4 ,this is not an uncommon way of naming beer-houses and small inns4 ,the 99,,evening ,,gun 7which may be regarded as a military sign7 appeared at ,colchester sixty years ago4 ,illustration3 ,,boot4 7,at ,great ,bardfield47 ,in an agricultural county like ,essex it is in no way surprising that as many as eighteen inns should display the sign of the ,,plough4 ,at ,great ,chishall a model of a plough1 about half the usual size1 set up on the top of a pole1 serves as a sign4 ,the connection between the ,,plough ,,and ,,harrow1 which are combined to form a sign at ,leyton1 is at once apparent1 but not so the connection between the ,,plough ,,and ,,sail1 which is an incomprehensible combination1 occurring four times in the county1 and already treated of 7p4 #adf74 ,the sign of the ,,harrow occurs four times1 namely1 at ,north ,benfleet1 ,bulphan1 99,stratford1 and ,hornchurch4 ,there is also a beer-house so called at ,navestock4 ,it may have had an agricultural origin1 but is equally likely to represent1 in a corrupted form1 the portcullis1 which was a favourite badge of ,kings ,henry ,,vii4 and ,,viii41 as already pointed out 7p4 #bd74 ,another obviously agricultural sign is that of the ,,two ,,hurdles 7beer-house7 at ,beauchamp ,roothing4 ,the ,,drill ,,house 7beer-shop7 at ,stanford ,rivers1 too1 is probably another agricultural sign4 ,doubtless there is1 or used to be1 near it a house or shed in which a drill was kept4 ,the ,,drill ,,inn at ,romford is1 however1 probably a military sign4 ,at ,boxted there is a beer-house with the very strange and probably unique sign of the ,,wig ,,and ,,fidget4 ,inquiry has elicited the fact that the house was built about forty years ago by a man who was a ,whig in his political views4 ,his neighbours regarded him also as a 8fidgety man20 hence1 when the house was opened the people of the parish1 having regard to its owner's peculiarities1 named it the ,whig and ,fidget1 otherwise the ,fidgety ,whig4 ,in ,stapleford ,tawney is a beer-shop with the sign of the ,,mole ,,trap4 ,it is probably unique4 ,at ,loughton is a beer-shop known as the ,,bag ,,of ,,nails4 ,according to ,larwood and ,hotten1 a bag of nails1 with the spikes of the nails sticking through it1 was formerly a very common sign1 and may be seen on old tokens4 ,the sign seems1 in some cases at least1 to have been a corruption from the 8,bacchanals40 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,portcullis4 7,badge of ,henry ,,vii47 ,of the sign of the ,,hoops we have two examples1 one at ,littlebury1 the other at 99,saffron ,walden1 while a beer-house at ,buttsbury is so designated4 ,anciently signs were not always painted on a sign-board1 as now1 but were often carved in wood and suspended within a hoop1 from which custom many inns became known as the 8,something-on-the-,hoop10 and thus the sign of the ,,hoops arose4 ,the ,,welch ,,harp at ,waltham ,abbey1 probably taken from the arms of the ,principality of ,wales1 is presumably the modern form of the ,,harp1 which existed there in #aghi and long after4 ,at the same time1 and long after1 there was also a ,,harp at ,epping1 and twenty years since there was even a ,,jew',s ,,harp at ,waltham ,abbey4 ,the ,,still1 which has been used as a sign at ,barking for many years1 is very appropriate for a spirit-merchant4 ,it occurs on the arms of the ,distillers' ,company1 and is also depicted on the tokens issued at ,thaxted in #afff by ,william ,purchas1 and on those issued at ,witham three years later by ,george ,robinson4 ,the family of ,purchas was well known in ,thaxted two centuries ago4 ,samuel ,purchas1 the author of the quaint1 though celebrated1 book of travels known as ,purchas1 ,his ,pilgrimes1 was born there in #aegg4 ,another member of the family--very possibly a son of the ,william mentioned above--came to a very bad end4 ,he murdered his mother in a fit of drunkenness1 and was hung for it about the year #afce4 ,his 8,wofull ,lamentation0 on the occasion is to be found in a quaint broadside of about that date preserved in the celebrated collection known as the ,roxburghe ,ballads in the ,british ,museum4 ,a ,,last occurs on the token issued at ,braintree in #afgj by ,thomas ,mirrils1 who was doubtless a shoemaker4 ,a ,,pestle ,,and ,,mortar are depicted on the token issued at ,felstead in #affi by ,henry ,bigg1 who was probably an apothecary4 ,a ,,lime-,,kiln is represented on the halfpenny issued at 8,pvrflet ,limekill0 in #affi by ,samuel ,irons1 who was without doubt a lime-burner4 ,,three ,,hats are shown on the halfpenny tokens issued by 8,barge ,allen at the ,three ,hats at ,stebbing in ,essex10 and a ,,hat on those issued at ,stebbing in #affh by ,richard ,sayer1 who doubtless kept the same house4 ,the ,rev4 ,w4 ,h4 ,beckett of ,stebbing has inquired of the oldest inhabitants of the town 7two of them being over ninety7 without being able to hear of any tradition as to these signs4 ,both ,allen and ,sayer have been1 but are no longer1 ,stebbing names4 ,the ,,two ,,pipes crossed1 which appear on the tokens of ,samuel ,leader of ,saffron ,walden in #afec1 of ,william ,leader of 8,safforn ,wallding0 in #affh1 and of ,william ,martin of 8,brayntry10 the ,,three ,,tobacco-,,pipes1 which are represented on the tokens issued in #afff by 8,miles ,hacklvitt in ,bilrekey in ,essex10 and in #affh by 8,thomas ,warrin of ,waltham ,abby10 and the ,,roll ,,of ,,tobacco1 which is depicted on the token of 8,iohn ,king1 grocer1 in ,cooldchester10 were probably1 all of them1 more or less1 tobacconists' signs4 ,the latter1 indeed1 is a very common tobacconist's sign at the present day4 ,a ,,wooden ,,pail occurs on the token issued in ,moulsham in #afff by ,thomas ,joyce1 who was perhaps a cooper1 and a ,,bundle ,,of ,,yarn on that of 8,iohn ,hance of ,kelvedon1 clothier1 #affi40 ,at ,epping a large ,,kettle1 painted red and suspended before a house1 indicates that tea and hot water are obtainable within4 ,there still remain to be noticed several signs which are in use at the present day1 though they are not public-house signs4 ,several such have already been alluded to1 as1 for instance1 the ,,black ,,boy and the ,,tobacco ,,roll for a tobacconist1 and the ,,bunch ,,of ,,grapes for a vintner4 ,the ,,cow or a ,,calf1 too1 forms the recognized sign of a dairyman4 ,at ,witham a harness-maker displays a harnessed ,,horse',s ,,head1 life-size1 as his sign4 ,many similar instances of tradesmen1 other than publicans1 displaying signs indicative of their trades might be named throughout the county4 ,few public-house signs1 however1 are more familiar than the ,,three ,,golden ,,balls displayed by pawnbrokers4 ,the device is a truly heraldic one1 the balls being taken1 according to ,messrs4 ,larwood and ,hotten 7p4 #abh71 from-- 8,the lower part of the coat of arms of the ,dukes of ,medici1 from whose states1 and from ,lombardy1 nearly all the early bankers came4 ,these capitalists also advanced money on valuable goods1 and hence gradually became pawnbrokers4 ,the arms of the ,medicis family were five besants azure1 whence the balls formerly were blue1 and only within the last half century have assumed a golden exterior1 evidently to gild the pill for those who have dealings with #8my uncle'3 as for the position in which they are placed1 the popular explanation is that there are two chances to one that whatever is brought there will not be redeemed40 ,according to the same authors 7p4 #cda71 the ,,barber',s ,,pole dates from the time when barbers practised phlebotomy3 the patient undergoing this operation had to grasp the pole in order to make the blood flow more freely4 ,this use of the pole is illustrated in more than one illuminated ,,ms4 ,as the pole was1 of course1 liable to be stained with blood1 it was painted red3 when not in use barbers were in the habit of suspending it outside the door with the white linen swathing-bands twisted round it2 this1 in later times1 gave rise to the pole being painted red and white1 or black and white1 or even with red1 white1 and blue lines winding round it4 ,the ,,pole was also once a tooth-drawer's sign4 ,in some cases1 too1 it is probable that it was intended punningly to indicate the fact that the barber who displayed it attended to the needs of peoples' polls4 ,presumably it formed the sign of ,roger ,giles1 who is said to have circulated the following amusing advertisement in the neighbourhood of ,romford3-- 8,roger ,giles1 ,imperceptible ,penetrator1 ,surgin1 ,paroch ,clarke1 ,etc31 ,etc31 ,romford1 ,essex1 hinforms ,ladis and ,gentlemen that he cuts their teeth and draws corns without waiten a moment4 ,blisters on the lowest turms1 and fysicks at a penny a peace4 ,sells godfathers cordial and strap-ile1 and undertakes to keep any ,ladis nales by the year1 and so on4 ,young ,ladis and ,gentlemen tort the heart of rideing1 and the gramer language in the natest manner1 also grate ,kare takein to himprove their morals and spelling1 sarm singing and whisseling4 ,teaches the jews-arp1 and instructs young ,ladis on the gar-tar1 and plays the ho-boy4 ,shotish poker and all other reels tort at home and abroad4 ,perfumery in all its branches4 ,sells all sorts of stashionary1 barth bricks and all other sorts of sweetmeats1 including bees-wax1 postage stamps and lusifers3 likewise taturs1 roobub1 sossages1 and other garden stufs3 also fruits1 such as hardbake1 inguns1 toothpicks1 ile and tin ware1 and other eatables4 ,sarve1 treacle1 winegar1 and all other hardware4 ,further in particular1 he has laid in a stock of tripe1 china1 epsom salts1 lollipops1 and other pickles1 such as oysters1 apples1 and table beer1 also silks1 satins1 and hearthstones1 and all kinds of kimistry1 including waxdolls1 rasors1 dutch cloks1 and gridirons1 and new laid eggs evry day by me ,roger ,giles4 ,p4,s4--,i lectures on joggrefy40 ,two very quaint1 though modern1 tradesmen's signs are now to be seen in the town of ,thaxted1 one belonging to a sweep1 the other to a farrier4 ,the former is situated at the end of the town nearest ,dunmow1 and consists of a large picture representing a wide1 empty street of houses4 ,a chimney belonging to one of these houses is belching forth flame and smoke like a volcano1 and a man is just giving the alarm with much shouting and gesticulation4 ,at the opposite end of the town a farrier displays as his sign a device rudely cut out of tin or thin sheet-iron1 and representing a horse1 held by a boy1 and being shod by the man4 ,the affair evidently once formed a weather-cock1 and its appearance in its present position gives it a decidedly comical aspect4 ,none of our ,essex inns appear to have names quite as jocose as that of a small public-house to be seen on an unusually long1 straight1 and uninteresting road near the city of ,york4 ,it is called the ,,slip ,,inn1 and probably a good many do 8slip in0 to relieve the weariness of the way4 ,nor do our inn-keepers seem able to compete with one at ,leigh in ,lancashire1 who merely places over his door the pithy inscription3--8,my sign's in the cellar40 ,with this we will conclude our examination of 8,the ,trade ,signs of ,essex40 ,all that it is now possible to do towards bringing to light their much-obscured meanings and original significance1 has been done1 and it only remains for the author to express the hope that the reader will deem the result satisfactory4 ,,finis4 ,a ,,glossary ,,of ,,the ,,principal ,,heraldic ,,terms ,,used ,,in ,,the ,,foregoing ,,chapters4 ,affronte1 full-faced and fronting4 ,argent1 silver or white4 ,azure1 blue4 ,badge1 see p4 #ae4 ,besant1 a ,byzantine coin1 represented in ,heraldry as a round flat piece of gold1 without impress4 ,blazon1 the proper technical description of armorial bearings4 ,charge1 an heraldic bearing or emblem4 ,chequy1 a shield divided by horizontal and perpendicular lines into equal square spaces1 alternately tinctured4 ,chevron1 a charge resembling the rafters of a house4 ,colours1 azure1 gules1 vert1 sable1 or purpure4 ,couchant1 an animal lying down4 ,couped1 the head or limb of any animal cut off by an even line4 ,crest1 see p4 #ae4 ,dexter1 the right hand4 ,escutcheon1 a shield of arms4 ,escalop1 a fan-shell1 the pilgrim's badge4 ,fess1 a broad horizontal bar across the centre of a shield4 ,fess dancett1 an indented or zig-zag fess4 ,field1 the ground or surface of the shield4 ,guardant1 full-faced4 ,gules1 red4 ,impaled1 side by side on the same shield4 ,issuant1 coming out of4 ,lozengy1 a shield divided by transverse diagonal lines into equal lozenge-shaped spaces4 ,metals1 or 7gold7 and argent 7silver74 ,or1 gold4 ,ordinaries1 certain common heraldic charges1 such as the fess1 the pale1 the chevron1 c4 ,pale1 a broad perpendicular bar down the centre of the shield4 ,passant1 an animal walking past4 ,proper1 of natural colour4 ,quartered1 or quarterly1 a shield divided into four quarters4 ,reguardant1 looking back4 ,sable1 black4 ,saltire1 a broad cross of ,st4 ,andrew on the shield4 ,sejant1 seated4 ,sinister1 left hand4 ,statant1 standing4 ,supporters1 animals which support the shield 7see p4 #ad74 ,vert1 green4 ,volant1 flying4 ,illustration ,,index4 ,,note4--,an asterisk indicates that the sign named is not noted as now occurring or as having occurred1 in ,essex4 ,abbey ,gate1 #aeg4 ,adam and ,eve1 #cg1 #acj4 ,admiral ,rous1 #aba4 ,agricultural ,signs1 #agj4 ,albert1 #abd4 ,albert ,house1 #abd4 ,albion1 #aec4 ,alma ,arms1 #dd4 ,alma 7,tavern71 #aed4 ,anchor1 #g1 #adg4 ,anchor and ,hope1 #adg4 ,ancient ,foresters1 #acj4 ,angel1 #b1 #g1 #fg1 #abg1 #acb4 ,angel and ,harp1 #acc4 ,angel and ,trumpet199 #ah4 ,apothecaries' ,arms1 #ci4 ,archer and ,stag1 #di4 ,arms1 #ad1 #cj4 ,artichoke1 #aaj4 ,artillery-man1 #abh4 ,astronomical ,signs1 #adh4 ,axe and ,compasses1 #ce4 ,babe and ,tun199 #be4 ,badges1 #ae4 ,bag of ,nails1 #aga4 ,bakers' ,arms1 #cc1 #aae4 ,bald-faced ,stag1 #g1 #df4 ,bald ,hind1 #g1 #df4 ,bald ,stag1 #g1 #dg4 ,balmoral ,castle1 #aec4 ,barber's ,pole1 #b1 #agc4 ,barber-,surgeons' ,arms1 #ch4 ,barge1 #ade4 ,barley ,mow1 #aaa4 ,bay ,tree1 #ajg4 ,bear1 #ha4 ,beavers1 #bd1 #dc4 ,beehive1 #ajc4 ,beer-house ,signs1 #bf4 ,bell1 #g1 #ac1 #ajb1 #aej1 #aeg1 #afi4 ,bell and ,anchor1 #bb1 #aei4 ,bell and ,feathers1 #ajb1 #aei4 ,bell and ,neat's ,tongue199 #ba4 ,berechurch ,arms1 #ca4 ,betting ,stand1 #aeg4 ,bird in ,hand1 #aja4 ,bishop ,blays1 #abc4 ,blackbirds1 #ajj4 ,black ,boy1 #b1 #ab1 #ga1 #acc1 #agc4 ,black ,bull1 #g1 #fe1 #abf4 ,black ,dog1 #ge4 ,black ,horse1 #ef4 ,black ,lion1 #g1 #fj4 ,black ,mullet1 #aeb4 ,blacksmiths' ,arms1 #cb4 ,black ,swan1 #g1 #id4 ,blucher's ,head1 #aba4 ,blue ,anchor1 #adg4 ,blue ,boar1 #e1 #g1 #ac1 #fh1 #fi1 #afa4 ,blue ,boar's ,head1 #fh1 #gj4 ,blue ,lion1 #ac1 #fj4 ,blue ,posts1 #aef4 ,boar's ,head1 #cd1 #fi1 #gj4 ,booksellers' ,signs1 #b4 ,boot1 #afi4 ,borough ,arms1 #cj4 ,botanical ,signs1 #ajg4 ,bovine ,signs1 #fd4 ,bowling ,green1 #aed4 ,brewers' ,arms1 #cb4 ,brick and ,tile 7,inn71 #aec4 ,bricklayers' ,arms1 #cd4 ,bridge 7,hotel71 #aec4 ,britannia1 #acj4 ,british 7,inn71 #aec4 ,british ,lion1 #ei4 ,british ,queen1 #abe4 ,buck's ,horns1 #ej4 ,bugle ,horn1 #ea1 #abh4 ,bull1 #g1 #fd1 #aca4 ,bull and ,butcher199 #bc4 ,bull and ,crown1 #ba1 #fe4 ,bull and ,horseshoe1 #ba1 #eh1 #fe4 ,bullen ,butchered199 #bc4 ,bull's ,head1 #g1 #cd1 #fe4 ,bunch of ,grapes1 #agc4 ,bundle of ,yarn1 #agc4 ,bush1 #aaj4 ,bush ,fair ,house1 #g1 #aef4 ,butchers' ,arms1 #cd1 #fg4 ,calf1 #agc4 ,cambridge ,arms1 #ca4 ,cambridge 7,hotel71 #aec4 ,camden ,arms1 #db4 ,canine ,signs1 #ge4 ,canteen1 #aec4 ,cardinal's ,hat1 #afd4 ,carpenters' ,arms1 #cd4 ,cart and ,horses1 #eg4 ,castle1 #fh1 #afj4 ,castle at ,trimme1 #afj4 ,cat and ,fiddle199 #ba4 ,cauliflower1 #aaj4 ,cervine ,signs1 #df4 ,cetacean ,signs1 #hb4 ,chadwell ,arms1 #ca4 ,chaise and ,pair1 #eg4 ,chapel 7,inn71 #afd4 ,chatsworth ,arms1 #dd4 ,chelmer 7,inn71 #aeg4 ,chelmsford ,high ,street in #agfb1 #ab4 ,chequer1 #g4 ,chequers1 #afa4 ,cherry ,tree1 #ajg4 ,chestnut ,tree1 #ajg4 ,chinaman1 #aca4 ,chobham ,arms1 #dd4 ,city ,arms1 #ca4 ,clapper1 #afj4 ,clarence1 #abd4 ,clarendon1 #aba4 ,clifton1 #aba4 ,clothworkers' ,arms1 #dj4 ,coach and ,bell1 #bb1 #aei4 ,coach and ,horses1 #g1 #bb1 #bg1 #eg1 #afb4 ,coal ,hole1 #aee4 ,cock1 #g1 #ih4 ,cock and ,bell1 #bb1 #ii1 #aei4 ,cock and ,crown1 #ii4 ,cock and ,hoop199 #bb4 ,cock and ,magpie1 #g1 #ajj4 ,cock and ,pie1 #ajj4 ,colchester ,arms1 #cj4 ,colne ,valley ,arms1 #ca4 ,coloured ,signs1 #af4 ,common ,gate1 #aec4 ,compasses1 #g1 #ce4 ,coopers1 #abc4 ,coopers' ,arms1 #ce1 #abc4 ,cornucopia1 #aeg4 ,corrupted ,signs1 #bb4 ,cow1 #agc4 ,cowley ,arms1 #db4 ,crests1 #ae4 ,cricketers1 #acj4 ,cricketers' ,arms1 #da1 #acj4 ,crooked ,billet1 #afb4 ,cross1 #afc4 ,cross and ,hand1 #bb1 #adb1 #afc4 ,cross ,keys1 #ac1 #eh1 #afd4 ,crown1 #f1 #g1 #acb1 #acf1 #afe4 ,crown and ,anchor1 #adg1 #afh4 ,crown and ,blacksmith1 #bb1 #aca4 ,crown and ,crooked ,billet1 #bb1 #afb1 #afh4 ,crown and ,punchbowl1 #afh4 ,crown and ,sceptre1 #afh4 ,crown and ,thistle1 #aaf1 #afh4 ,crown's 7,inn71 #acj4 ,cuckfield ,arms1 #ca4 ,cups1 #cg4 ,dartmouth ,arms1 #ca4 ,de ,beauvoirs' ,arms1 #bd1 #db1 #dc4 ,decay of ,inns1 #h4 ,denmark ,arms1 #ca4 ,dial1 #aeg4 ,dick ,turpin's ,cave1 #aca4 ,dock ,house 7,tavern71 #aec4 ,doe1 #di4 ,dog1 #ge4 ,dog and ,chain1 #gf4 ,dog and ,gridiron199 #ba4 ,dog and ,partridge1 #bb1 #ge4 ,dog and ,pheasant1 #ge4 ,dog's ,head in ,pot1 #gf4 ,dolphin1 #hb4 ,doodle ,oak1 #aji4 ,dorset ,arms1 #ca4 ,dove and ,olive-,branch1 #ch4 ,dragon1 #hh4 ,dragoon1 #abh4 ,drapers' ,arms1 #ci4 ,drill ,house1 #agj4 ,drill 7,inn71 #aga4 ,drovers' ,arms1 #da4 ,ducane ,arms1 #db4 ,duke of ,cambridge1 #abd4 ,duke of ,edinburgh1 #abd4 ,duke of ,norfolk1 #aba4 ,duke of ,wellington1 #abj4 ,duke of ,york1 #abd4 ,duke's ,head1 #g1 #abj4 ,duncan's ,head1 #aba4 ,dun ,cow1 #ff4 ,durham ,arms1 #ca4 ,eagle1 #fg1 #ia4 ,eagle and ,child1 #c1 #ba1 #bb1 #ib4 ,earl of ,derby1 #aba4 ,earl of ,essex1 #aba4 ,eight ,bells1 #af1 #aei4 ,elephant and ,castle1 #ha4 ,endeavour1 #aed4 ,engineers' ,arms1 #da4 ,epping ,inns in #aghi1 #g4 ,epping ,place 7,inn71 #g1 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,castle1 #aec4 ,walnut ,tree1 #ajh4 ,warren 7,inn71 #aed4 ,waterloo ,arms199 #dd4 ,waterloo 7,tavern71 #aec4 ,waterman's ,arms1 #ce4 ,weavers' ,arms1 #db4 ,welcome ,sailor1 #acj4 ,wellington1 #abj4 ,welch ,harp1 #aga4 ,western ,arms1 #db4 ,whalebone1 #hc4 ,wheatsheaf1 #cc1 #aae4 ,wheelers' ,arms1 #cc4 ,wherry1 #ade4 ,white ,bear1 #g1 #af1 #ha4 ,white ,boar199 #gb4 ,white ,greyhound199 #b1 #ah4 ,white ,hart1 #b1 #g1 #ac1 #af1 #be1 #eb1 #fa1 #afe4 ,white ,heart1 #be1 #ee4 ,white ,horse1 #g1 #af1 #ah1 #ef4 ,white ,lion1 #f1 #g1 #af1 #ei1 #fj4 ,white ,rose1 #aag4 ,white ,swan1 #af1 #id4 ,wig and ,fidget1 #aga4 ,wilkes ,arms1 #db4 ,william ,,iv41 #abd4 ,william the ,conqueror1 #abd4 ,willows1 #ajg4 ,windmill1 #aed4 ,windsor ,castle1 #aec4 ,wolf1 #gg4 ,woman ,spinning1 #dj4 ,woodcutters' ,arms1 #da4 ,wooden ,pail1 #agb4 ,woodford ,wells1 #eg4 ,woodman1 #acj4 ,woolpack1 #e1 #ci1 #gi4 ,world's ,end1 #aeg4 ,yachtsman's ,arms1 #da4 ,yorkshire ,grey1 #ef4 ,illustration ,,unwin ,,brothers1 ,,the ,,gresham ,,press1 ,,chilworth ,,and ,,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the ,press1 and shortly will be ,published1 ,fcap4 #hvo1 about #bbe pages1 semi-flexible scarlet cloth1 #bs4 #f;d4 nett4 ,,durrant',s ,,handbook ,,for ,,essex4 ,a ,,guide ,,to ,the ,principal ,objects of ,interest in each ,parish in the ,county1 for the use of ,tourists and others1 ,,with ,,an ,,introduction1 ,treating of its ,,history1 ,,geology1 ,,area1 ,,population1 ,,literature1 ,,antiquities1 ,,worthies1 ,,natural ,,history1 ,,etc41 ,,etc41 ,,by ,,miller ,,christy1 ,author of 8,the ,trade ,signs of ,essex10 8,our ,empire10 8,the ,genus ,primula in ,essex10 8,manitoba ,described40 ,,with ,a ,,map ,,and ,,plans4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the book will be supplied post free on receipt of #bs4 in stamps to subscribers who send in their names before ,publication to the ,publishers1 ,messrs4 ,e4 ,durrant and ,co41 #ij1 ,high ,street1 ,chelmsford1 who will forward ,prospectus and order form on application4 99 99 99 99 99 ,chelmsford3 ,,edmund ,,durrant ,,and ,,co41 #ij1 ,,high ,,street4 ,london3 ,,simpkin1 ,,marshall1 ,,and ,,co41 ,,stationers' ,,hall ,,court1 ,e4,c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to be issued by ,subscription in the course of #ahhg4 ,the ,ancient ,sepulchral ,monuments of ,essex4 ,,by ,,fred4 ,,chancellor1 ,,architect1 ,f4,r4,i4,b4,a4 ,under this title it is proposed to publish a ,work containing ,illustrations1 with descriptive text1 of the principal ,altar ,tombs1 ,effigies1 ,mural ,tablets1 and other ,memorial ,monuments of a date prior to the year #agjj1 now to be found in the ,parish ,churches and other places in the ,county of ,essex4 ,the ,illustrations will all be drawn to scale from measurements taken on the spot1 with ,plans1 ,elevations and ,sections1 and1 where justified by their importance1 with details to a larger scale of the ,mouldings and ,ornaments1 and will include at least #aej ,plates of ,monuments to members of the following ,families3--,de ,vere1 ,bourchier1 ,botetort1 ,pointz1 ,marney1 ,fitzwalter1 ,ratclifife1 ,de ,horkesley1 ,waldegrave1 ,mildmay1 ,smyth1 ,swynborne1 ,salberghe1 ,wiseman1 ,fyndorne1 ,gilberd1 ,petre1 ,cammocke1 ,hawkwood1 ,southcotte1 ,everard1 ,d',arcy1 ,cooke1 ,stanley1 ,merry1 ,audley1 ,deane1 ,tryon1 ,sparrowe1 ,saunders1 ,harlakenden1 ,maynard1 ,guyon1 ,freshwater1 ,wentworth1 ,northwood1 ,maxey1 ,rich1 ,bendish1 ,capel1 ,luckyn1 ,honywood1 ,carew1 ,hervey1 ,conyers1 ,monox1 ,trafford1 ,tyrell1 ,cutte1 ,middleton1 ,salusbury1 ,bramston1 ,rudd1 ,kempe1 ,berners1 ,nivell1 ,montague1 ,bertie1 ,hicks1 ,webbe1 ,goring1 c41 c4 ,the ,letterpress of about #aej pages will include a description of each ,monument1 and1 when practicable1 a short biographical sketch1 with the ,family ,history1 ,heraldry 7if any71 and other curious information relating to the person or persons to whom the ,monument is erected1 and any other matter of ,architectural or ,antiquarian ,interest connected therewith4 ,the ,author has been led to undertake this work for the purpose of preserving correct illustrations of the numerous highly interesting ,monuments which still remain scattered about the ,county of ,essex in many of the old ,churches1 and elsewhere4 ,these old ,monuments1 from the nature of their construction and materials1 are necessarily of a perishable character1 and1 as a matter of fact1 we find that many of those which are mentioned by ,weever in his 8,funeral ,monuments0 have disappeared altogether2 it is therefore important that an accurate record should be taken of those which still remain without further delay4 ,many of them1 apart from their architectural beauty1 are immensely interesting from their historical associations2 it is hoped1 therefore1 that this work will commend itself to that increasing class who now make ,archology and everything connected therewith a favourite study4 ,the ,volume will be published rather larger than ,quarto ,imperial1 viz41 #af inches by #ab inches1 on toned paper4 ,the ,illustrations will be ,photo lithographed from the original ,drawings1 and the ,letterpress printed in large clear type4 ,the price of the ,book to ,subscribers will be #c #cs4 ,a limited number of copies will be printed4 ,immediately after publication the price will be raised to #d #ds4 ,for ,prospectus and order forms apply to the ,author1 or to ,messrs4 ,edmund ,durrant ,co41 ,publishers1 ,chelmsford4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to be published by ,subscription early in the year #ahhg4 ,,rays ,,of ,,light1 ,,for ,,sick ,,and ,,weary ,,ones4 8,unto you that fear ,my name shall the ,sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings40--,,mal4 iv4 #b4 ,i've found a joy in sorrow1 ,a secret balm for pain1 ,a beautiful to-morrow1 ,of sunshine after rain4 ,,compiled ,,by ,,edith ,l4 ,,wells4 ,with a ,preface ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,prebendary ,,hutton4 ,messrs4 ,edmund ,durrant ,co4 have the honour to announce that they will publish early in #ahhg a devotional book1 consisting of portions of ,scripture1 and suitable ,prayers and ,hymns very carefully selected from the works of many of our best known authors1 both ancient and modern2 the work has been compiled with great care by ,mrs4 ,h4 ,c4 ,,wells1 of ,broomfield ,lodge1 ,chelmsford4 ,the book will be well printed in clear type1 on good paper1 and strongly bound1 and will comprise about #daf pages4 ,the price of the book will be #fs41 but it will be supplied to subscribers who send in their names to the publishers1 ,messrs4 ,edmund ,durrant ,co41 ,high ,street1 ,chelmsford1 before publication1 at #ds4 #f;d4 per copy4 ,a specimen page and order form will be sent post free on application4 ,it is earnestly hoped that all who can will subscribe for one or more copies4 ,unless liberal support be given it is almost impossible to publish works of this character without pecuniary loss4 ,a limited number of copies only will be printed4 ,early application is therefore very necessary4 ,immediately after publication the price will be raised to #fs4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,messrs4 ,,edmund ,,durrant ,co4's ,publications4 ,,royal ,,illustrated ,,history ,,of ,,eastern ,,england3 ,civil1 ,military1 ,political1 and ,ecclesiastical1 including a ,survey of the ,eastern ,counties1 and ,memoirs of ,county ,families1 and ,eminent ,men of every period4 ,by ,a4 ,d4 ,,bayne1 ,esq41 ,author of 8,a ,history of ,norwich40 ,with many ,illustrations4 #b vols41 large #hvo1 cloth4 #bas4 ,,domesday ,,book ,,relating ,,to ,,essex4 ,translated by the late ,t4 ,c4 ,,chisenhale-,,marsh1 ,esq4 #dto1 cloth4 #bas4 net4 ,only a few copies unsold4 ,scarce4 ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,rochford ,,hundred1 ,,essex4 ,by ,,philip ,,benton1 ,esq4 ,now ,publishing in ,parts1 #f;d4 each4 ,vol4 ,i4 #aes4 #f;d42 ,vol4 ,,ii4 #ahs4 net4 ,,john ,,noakes ,,and ,,mary ,,styles2 or1 an ,essex ,calf's ,visit to ,tiptree ,races4 ,a ,poem in the ,essex ,dialect4 ,by the late ,,charles ,,clarke1 of ,totham ,hall4 ,with a ,glossary and ,portrait4 #f;d4 ,,sermons ,,by ,,the ,,late ,,ven4 ,,archdeacon ,,mildmay4 ,with a ,preface by the ,,bishop ,,of ,,st4 ,,albans4 #cs4 #f;d4 ,a ,,weak ,,faith3 ,how to ,strengthen ,it4 ,by the ,rev4 ,h4 ,d4 ,,burton1 #a;d4 #fs4 per #ajj net4 ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,eucharist4 ,by the ,same ,author4 ,price #b;d4 #abs4 per #ajj net4 ,a ,,first ,,catechism ,,of ,,botany4 ,by ,,john ,,gibbs1 ,author of 8,the ,symmetry of ,flowers40 ,second ,edition4 #f;d4 8,it deserves success40--,the ,educational ,times4 8,mr4 ,gibbs's book is of very considerable value1 and teachers and learners will be glad to have it40--,literary ,world4 8,it is done thoroughly40--,the ,school ,guardian4 ,,the ,,symmetry ,,of ,,flowers4 ,by the ,same ,author4 #d;d4 sewed4 ,,the ,,tithe ,,question3 ,a ,discussion of the ,objections ,made to the ,present ,tithe ,law4 ,by the ,rev4 ,s4 ,t4 ,,gibson1 ,b4,d4 ,second ,edition4 #f;d4 sewed4 ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,leading ,,facts ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,and ,,new ,,testament ,,history4 ,by the ,rev4 ,w4 ,j4 ,,packe1 ,m4,a41 ,vicar of ,feering4 #f;d4 sewed4 ,,confirmation2 or1 ,laying on of ,hands upon those that are ,baptized4 ,new ,edition1 #a;d4 sewed4 ,,durrant',s ,,handy ,,farm ,,labour ,,book4 ,new ,edition1 with ,daily ,diary 7commencing either ,monday or ,saturday74 #cs4 #f;d4 bound4 ,,forms ,,and ,,services ,,used ,,in ,,the ,,diocese ,,of ,,st4 ,,albans4 ,published by ,authority4 ,lists on application4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,edmund ,,durrant ,,co41 #ij1 ,,high ,,st41 ,,chelmsford4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,the ,history of ,sign-boards1 ,from the ,earliest ,times to the ,present ,day4 ,by ,jacob ,larwood and ,john ,camden ,hotten4 ,london1 #ahfg4 ,in this otherwise excellent work there is1 unfortunately1 no connection between the illustrations and the letterpress4 #b ,vol4 viii4 ,no4 #bg1 p4 #age et seq4 #c ,reprinted in #ahgb from the ,transactions of the ,devonshire ,association for the ,advancement of ,literature1 ,science1 and ,art4 #ic pp4 #hvo4 #d ,geneva3 ,grosset et ,trembley1 #ahgh1 #hvo1 #edb pp4 #e ,edited by le ,bibliophile ,jacob1 with appendix1 frontispiece1 #hd wood-engravings1 and a ,map of ,paris in the ,fifteenth ,century4 ,paris3 ,e4 ,dentu1 #ahhd4 #f ,paris and ,rouen1 #aheb1 #hvo1 #aca pp4 #g ,india proofs have also been struck off1 and may be obtained separately1 price #as41 from ,messrs4 ,edm4 ,durrant ,co41 ,chelmsford4 #h ,for an explanation of this1 and all other heraldic terms hereafter1 see the ,glossary of such terms1 given as an ,appendix1 at the end4 #i 8,supporters10 as explained in the ,glossary at the end1 are the animals represented as holding up or supporting the shields of arms of royal and other distinguished personages4 ,they are referred to in an amusing manner by the inimitably comic ,dickens1 who1 in ,little ,dorrit1 puts into the mouth of his by no means pleasant character1 ,flora ,finch1 the description of them quoted at the head of the following chapter4 #aj ,historic ,devices1 ,badges1 and ,war ,cries1 p4 #b4 #aa ,tokens ,issued in the ,seventeenth ,century1 c4 ,by ,william ,boyne1 ,f4,s4,a4 ,london1 #aheh4 #ab ,quarterly3 first and fourth1 gules2 three lions passant guardant in pale1 or1 for ,england1 c4 #ac ,these are commonly blazoned as follows1 but they belong equally to ,middlesex1 and in reality no county possesses arms3--,gules1 three seaxes proper1 hilts and pomels or1 points to sinister4 #ad ,gules2 two staves raguly and couped1 one in pale surmounted by another in fess1 both argent1 between two ducal coronets in chief or1 and the bottom of the staff enfiled with another of the last4 #ae ,azure2 three lions passant1 regardant1 in pale or4 #af ,azure2 three roses1 two and one1 in base1 or2 in chief as many lilies1 argent1 stalked and leaved vert2 all within a bordure gules charged with eight plates4 #ag ,gules2 a portcullis with chains pendant1 or1 nailed and pointed azure4 #ah ,argent2 a cross of ,st4 ,george2 cantoned in the first quarter1 a dagger erect1 gules4 #ai ,sable2 a chevron or1 between three hammers argent1 handled of the second1 ducally crowned of the last4 #bj ,gules2 on a chevron argent between three pair of barley garbs in saltire or1 three tuns sable1 hooped of the third4 #ba ,sable2 a chevron between three tuns argent4 #bb ,gules2 a balance between three garbs or2 on a chief1 a hand supporting the balance1 c4 #bc ,gules2 a demi-virgin couped below the shoulders1 issuing from clouds all proper1 vested or1 crowned with an eastern crown of the last1 her hair dishevelled and wreathed around the temples with roses of the second1 all within an orle of clouds proper4 #bd ,azure2 on a chevron between three towers argent1 a pair of compasses open sable4 #be ,a landscape1 the base variegated with flowers1 a man proper1 vested round the loins with linen argent1 digging with a spade1 all of the first4 #bf ,gules2 a chevron between three wheels1 or1 on a chief argent1 an axe lying fessways proper4 #bg ,azure2 a chevron or2 in chief a fleur-de-lys argent between two brick axes paleways of the second2 in base a bundle of laths of the last4 #bh ,more about ,stifford1 p4 #ie4 #bi ,azure2 two slaughter axes indorsed in saltire argent1 handled or1 between three bulls' heads couped of the second1 two in fess1 one in base2 on a chief argent1 a boar's head couped1 gules1 between two block-brushes vert4 #cj ,argent2 a chevron engrailed between three pairs of compasses1 extended1 sable4 #ca ,gyronny of eight1 gules and sable2 on a chevron between three annulets or1 a grose between two adzes azure2 on a chief vert1 three lilies slipped1 stalked and leaved argent4 #cb ,gules2 three pairs of swords in saltire argent1 hilts and pomels or1 two pair in chief and one in base4 #cc ,barry-wavy of six1 argent and azure2 on the middle bar a boat1 or2 on a chief of the second two bars in saltire1 of the third1 between two cushions of the first1 tasselled or4 #cd ,argent2 on a ,chevron between three storks gules1 as many swans proper4 #ce ,azure2 on a chevron engrailed or1 between two plasterers' hammers and a trowel argent in chief and a flat brush in base1 a rose1 c4 #cf ,per chevron1 azure and gules2 three covered sprinkling-salts argent4 #cg ,journal of a very young ,lady's ,tour from ,canonbury to ,aldborough1 through ,chelmsford1 ,sudbury1 and ,ipswich1 and back through ,harwich1 ,colchester1 c41 ,september #ac-ba1 #ahjd4 ,only #bd copies printed4 #af pp41 #hvo4 #ch ,azure2 on a mount in base vert1 the tree of paradise environed with the serpent between ,adam and ,eve1 all proper4 #ci ,per fess1 azure and argent2 a pale counter-changed2 three doves of the last1 each holding in the beak an olive-branch or4 #dj ,quarterly2 first and fourth sable2 a chevron between three fleams argent2 second and third per pale1 argent and vert1 c4 #da ,argent2 a chevron gules between nine cloves sable1 three1 three and three4 #db ,gules2 a woolpack argent4 #dc ,azure2 ,apollo proper1 a bow in left hand and an arrow in the right or1 supplanting a serpent argent4 #dd ,azure2 three clouds proper1 radiated in base1 or each surmounted with a triple crown or4 #de ,ermine2 on a chief gules1 three princes' crowns composed of crosses patte and fleurs-de-lys or4 #df ,argent2 three horseshoes sable1 pierced of the field4 #dg ,sable2 a chevron ermine between two habicks in chief argent and a teazle in base1 slipped1 or4 #dh ,azure2 on a chevron argent between three leopards' heads1 each having in the mouth a shuttle or1 as many roses gules1 seeded of the third1 barbed vert4 #di ,trans4 ,essex ,arch4 ,soc41 vol4 v4 p4 #gg4 #ej ,a once-famous coaching house mentioned by ,dickens in ,pickwick4 #ea ,dale's ,annals of ,coggeshall1 p4 #bfa4 #eb ,ibid4 p4 #bfe4 #ec ,barry nebule of six1 argent and azure2 on a bend gules1 a lion passant guardant or4 #ed ,argent2 three lions rampant azure1 armed and langued gules4 ,crest and supporters1 the same device in different positions4 #ee ,trans4 ,essex ,arch4 ,soc41 ,n4 ,s41 vol4 i4 p4 #aec4 #ef ,only a single copy is now known to exist of this remarkable production of the effusive ,walden poet and would-be wit1 ,robert ,winstanley4 #eg ,it is interesting1 too1 to note that tokens are still in existence1 inscribed 8,henry ,woodley1 #afeg1 at ,newport ,pond1 ,h4 ,w40 ,this1 in all probability1 was the 8,mr4 ,woo 4440 mentioned by ,poor ,robin4 #eh ,arms 7see p4 #cd74 ,crest3 ,on a wreath a ,flying ,bull argent1 wings endorsed or1 armed and hoofed of the last1 over the head a small circle of glory1 proper4 ,supporters3 ,two ,flying ,bulls argent1 winged1 armed and hoofed or1 over each head a small circle of glory1 proper4 #ei ,fifth ,series1 vol4 xii4 p4 #cbh4 #fj ,trans4 ,essex ,archological ,soc41 ,n4 ,s41 vol4 ii4 part iv4 p4 #cce4 #fa ,see post4 #fb ,trans4 ,essex ,arch4 ,soc41 vol4 ii4 p4 #abh4 #fc ,azure2 a fleece or2 on a chief of the last1 three mullets of five points of the first4 #fd ,dale's ,annals of ,coggeshall1 p4 #bfg4 #fe ,a mount vert1 thereon a ram statant4 #ff ,argent2 a royal tent between two parliament robes gules1 lined ermine2 on a chief azure1 a lion passant guardant or4 ,crest3 ,on a mount vert1 a lamb passant argent1 holding a banner of the last1 staff proper1 on the banner a cross patte gules within a glory of the third4 #fg ,an elephant argent1 armed or1 on his back a tower of the first1 the trappings1 c41 of the second4 #fh ,azure2 a chevron or1 between three goats' heads erased argent4 #fi ,it is worth mention here that in the ,account of the ,trials of ,john ,swan and ,elizabeth ,jeffries1 published in #ageb1 reference is made 7p4 #aj7 to a certain 8,john ,mills who resided at the ,,why ,,not ,,beat ,,dragon8 at ,mile ,end40 ,this most extraordinary sign1 however1 is just outside ,essex4 ,larwood and ,hotten do not allude to it4 #gj ,on a chapeau gules1 turned up ermine1 an eagle1 wings extended or1 preying on an infant in its cradle proper1 swaddled gules1 the cradle laced gules4 #ga ,lowestoft1 #ahfg4 #gb ,dale's ,annals of ,coggeshall1 p4 #afj4 #gc ,ibid4 p4 #bfa4 #gd ,vide ,trans4 ,essex ,arch4 ,soc41 ,n4 ,s41 vol4 iii4 part i4 p4 #gd4 #ge ,dale's ,annals of ,coggeshall1 p4 #gi4 #gf ,three ,cocks4 #gg ,azure2 three crowned dolphins in pale between two pairs of crowned lucies saltire2 on a chief1 three pairs of keys in saltire4 #gh ,trans4 ,essex ,arch4 ,soc41 vol4 ii4 p4 #abh4 #gi ,reprinted in ,notes and ,queries for ,january #ae1 #ahei4 #hj ,this amusing and curious tract has since been reproduced in facsimile1 illustration and all1 with an introduction by the author of this work4 ,it may be obtained from ,mr4 ,wm4 ,masland1 ,bookseller1 of ,saffron ,walden1 price #f;d4 #ha ,see a list of many of his effusions1 by ,mr4 ,h4 ,ecroyd ,smith1 in ,notes and ,queries for ,april #bh1 #ahhc 7p4 #cba74 #hb #aghj1 vol4 i4 p4 #cee4 #hc ,vol4 iii4 p4 #aji4 #hd ,first ,series1 vol4 x4 p4 #cb4 #he ,azure2 a chevron1 per pale and per chevron1 gules and argent counterchanged1 between three garbs or2 on a chief argent1 a ,st4 ,julian's cross sable4 #hf ,the use of the term 8,tom and ,jerry0 has already been mentioned 7p4 #bf74 #hg ,a usurer4 #hh ,trans4 ,essex ,arch4 ,soc41 vol4 i4 p4 #abe4 #hi ,historic ,devices1 ,badges1 c41 p4 #chf4 #ij ,a demi-woman1 hair flowing proper1 vested gules holding in the dexter hand three roses1 slipped and leaved vert4 #ia ,trans4 ,essex ,arch4 ,soc41 ,n4 ,s41 vol4 ii4 part iv4 p4 #djj4 #ib ,a view of the house is given in ,lord ,braybrooke's ,history of ,audley ,end and ,walden 7p4 #aec74 #ic ,quarterly1 gules and or2 in the first quarter a mullet argent4 #id ,palin's ,stifford1 p4 #hb4 #ie ,sable2 on a chevron between three castles argent1 a pair of compasses of the first4 #if ,trans4 ,essex ,arch4 ,soc41 vol4 ii4 p4 #abh4