The Bird Bolt and Chip Axe

I’ve been thinking about pubs… well, thinking about pub names! My family has had a long association with pubs, being landlords (of the Portland Arms and the Fitzroy), living in them, being in them, drinking in them, meeting friends and future spouses! I know there is another side to pub associations, a darker side – people drinking too much, spending too much, getting into other difficulties… but that in a way is life. Pubs in my life have been positive, happy, fascinating places…

I’ve been thinking about the names of pubs – I’m interested in names in gen real, and pub names are always interesting, even the dull ones are interesting because they are dull. I have been looking at the names of pubs in Cambridge, Cambridge of the past, and pubs which are mostly long gone. Here is a random selection, of typical pub names, which I have grouped together (although some could be in more than one group!) Before the war Cambridge although a city and a city with one of the most prestigious universities in the world, was very much a country town for its ordinary inhabitants – hence the number of pubs with rural names.

Arms

• Fitzwilliam’s Arms
• Osborn Arms
• Salutation
• University Arms

Food

• Grapes x2
• Haunch of Mutton

Things

• Bell x6
• Bell and Crown
• Bleeding Heart
• Cross Keys
• Crown
• Crown and Woolpack
• Hoop
• Half Moon x2
• Harp

Places

• Albion
• Fort St George
• Fountain
• Globe x2
• House of Commons
• New Inn

Ships and transport

• Anchor x2
• Coach and Horses x3
• Royal Oak
• Ship

Rural

• Barley Mow
• Bird Bolt x2
• Bowling Green
• Chip Axe
• Hearts Ease
• Hop Bind
• Little Rose
• Nine Pins
• Rainbow
• Sun

Sayings

• First and Last