CHAPTER X.MISCELLANEOUS SIGNS.

Image not available: SUN IN SPLENDOUR. (Badge of Richard II.)SUN IN SPLENDOUR.(Badge of Richard II.)

forms a prominent charge in the arms of the Distillers’ Company. TheSun in Splendour, used as a badge by Richard II., is here shown. The engraving is taken from an illuminated manuscript in the Harleian Collection, wherein the badge is painted on the sail of a ship. Larwood and Hotten suggest that theRising Sunwas, perhaps, adopted as a sign “on account of the favourable omen it presents for a man commencing business.” TheSunat *Thaxted seems to have existed since the year 1786 at least, for it is mentioned in theChelmsford Chroniclefor January 20th in that year. TheSunInn at Romford bears the monogram “T.W.L.” and the date 1632. TheSun Innin Church Street, Saffron Walden, was once a house of note, but is now a private residence. It was probably built about 1625. The devices, more grotesque than elegant, which adorn its many gables, make it one of the best remaining Essex examples of houses adorned with parge work. In 1646, when it was probably the chief inn in the town, it lodged no less important an individual than Oliver Cromwell. His portrait, painted on the tiles at the side of a fire-place, was found during some recent restorations, and is now in the Museum. It was, doubtless, covered up at the Restoration.[92]Until about forty years ago there stood beside the main road to Colchester, just outside the parish of Kelvedon, an inn known as theSun. It is still a curious old house, worthy of notice from the passer-by, but up to the date named it, and even the furniture it contained, exhibited all the characteristics of a sixteenth century house. Its carved woodwork, however, was sold and afterwards accidentally burned and its furniture scattered. The pictorial sign-board of theRising Sunat Castle Hedingham is very grotesque. It is here represented

Image not available: RISING SUN. (At Castle Hedingham.)RISING SUN.(At Castle Hedingham.)

within the sign-iron of theBellat the same place (p. 158). TheRising Sunat Salcot is many times mentioned in the Rev. Baring-Gould’sMehalah. It is therein (ii. p. 4) thus described:—“At the end of the village stands a low tavern, the Rising Sun, a mass of gables. Part of it (the tavern drinking-room) is only one storey high, but the rest is a jumble of roofs and lean-to buildings, chimneys and ovens—a miracle of picturesqueness.” As previously stated (pp. 147 and 83) the sun enters into two very absurd combinations, aSun and Anchorat Steeple, and aSun and Whaleboneat Latton. Both of these are, in all probability, impaled signs. TheStarappears on Essex sign-boards eight times. Its use is probably due to the fact that in mediæval times

Image not available: STAR.STAR.

Image not available: MULLET.MULLET.

it was the symbol of the Virgin Mary, and that it forms the crest of the Innholders’ Company; but it is very probable that in Essex the sign of theStaroften represents themullet argentwhich formed one of the chief badges of the De Veres, Earls of Oxford, and also the most prominent charge in the family arms (see p. 70).[93]It was probably first adopted by Robert, the third Earl, who died in 1221. It appears on his seals and on his monument at Hatfield Broad Oak. Thenceforth it was borne by all his descendants. Mr. Elliot, in the interesting article already quoted (p. 70), says that at the Battle of Barnet, in 1471, the defeat of the Lancastrians is attributed to a mistake made by the Earl of Warwick’s men; who, in the morning mist, took the badge of the Earl of Oxford’s men for the Yorkist badge of the Sun in Splendour. They accordingly shot at their friends, who, suspecting treachery, cried “Treason!” and fled from the field. Mr. Elliot adds that “this badge is frequently found on houses and churches in this county and Suffolk.” It is in every way probable that it was often put upon the former as a sign. In Heraldry the star, orétoile, is represented with six wavy points and not pierced in the centre, as here shown, thus distinguishing it from the mullet, which has five straight points and is usually pierced. The latter is said originally to have represented, not a star, but a spur-rowel. It appears from the parish registers,[94]that there was also aStarat Grays in 1724. At Ilford there is a coffee-shop with the sign of theMorning Star, probably to indicate that it is open early for working men. A beer-house at Witham, however, has the same sign. Mr. King finds in ancient deeds mention of aStar—either inn, shop, or tenement—at Rochford in 1693. There are now beer-shops of the same name at Ingatestone, Woodham Ferris, and elsewhere, while aNorthern Starexists atRomford. At Brightlingsea there is aStar of Denmark(whatever that might be), and anOld Staroccurs at Good Easter. Twice, also, as elsewhere mentioned (p. 79), we meet with theStar and Fleece, namely, at Kelvedon and Romford; while theStar and Garter, representing the Insignia of the Order of the Garter, occurs at Chelmsford and at Newport. An advertisement in theChelmsford Chroniclefor February 10, 1786, refers to theStarat Writtle, and another in the same journal for March 31st following refers to theStarat Dunmow, at both of which places the sign still exists. TheStarat Kelvedon, perhaps identical with theStar and Fleecenow existing there, is mentioned in the issue for the 29th of December in the same year. The *Star and Anchorwhich appeared at Colchester sixty years ago was in all probability an impalement. Mr. E. W. 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 theBlack Mullet. It may or may not have been an inn at the time. The sign may have been set up originally as a contrast to the silver mullet of the De Veres.

THE signs which still remain to be treated of defy all efforts to classify them. All classification, indeed, when applied to this subject, is very vague and unsatisfactory. The following will, therefore, be spoken of as “Miscellaneous Signs,” and will be taken in any order found most convenient. Those already noticed under other headings will not be referred to again, and many are not of sufficient interest to be worth noticing. The great majority are uninteresting modern vulgarisms, while very few are of heraldic origin.

Many signs of this class are named after places or towns, or after objects of local or general celebrity. Such are theAlbion, theBalmoral Castle, theWindsor Castle, theWalmer Castle, theTrossachs Hotel, theBridge Hotel, theGibraltar Tavern, theGraving Dock Tavern, theHigham Hill Tavern, theHallsville Tavern, theCambridge Hotel, theCommon Gate, theLondon Tavern, theDock House Tavern, theForest Gate, theForest Glen, theTown of Ayr, theTrafalgar Tavern, the *Waterloo Tavern(at Colchester), theTidal Basin Tavern, theHalf-way Tavern(at Southchurch), theNorfolk Inn, theGround Rent Tavern, theBrick and Tile Innat Copford, twoBritish Inns, twoCanteens, twoFlags, twoUnion Flags, twoFountains, theStoresat Willingale Doe (beer-house), theGolden Houseat Forest Gate, anIvy Chimneys(beer-house) at Theydon Bois, theRed Houseat Ilford, twoGuns, twoHopes(one atSouthend being at least sixty years old), theImperial Tavern, theLocomotive, theNew Mill, theOld Mill, twoPier Hotels, twoPunch Bowls, theQuart Pot, theRed Tape Tavern, severalRoyal Standards, theTelegraph, theTemple, theThatched House, theOld Thatched House(a very old inn at Epping), theWarren Inn, theTollhouse, theWaggon, and theWaggon and Horses, all of which are probably less than forty years old. It is doubtful whether a single one of these signs could claim an heraldic origin. Most of them lie upon the outskirts of London. There are now fourAlma Taverns, though twenty years ago there was but one. The name, of course, commemorates the battle of Alma, but why fresh inns should be thus named so long after the event, is by no means obvious. There is aBowling Greenat Elmstead, near Colchester, and sixty years ago there was another at Dunmow.

TheWindmill, which is an ancient sign, occurs no less than eight times within the county. In most cases houses have adopted this sign on account of there being a windmill adjacent to them. At Romford there has been for at least sixty years anOld Windmill and Bells, which is doubtless an impaled sign.

At Laindon there is aFortune of War, well known as a meet of the Hounds. Larwood and Hotten do not notice the sign, though there are several examples of it in London. TheTitle Deed Tavernis a small house of recent origin at Buckhurst Hill. Thirty years ago the ground on which it stands was unenclosed forest. At Hornchurch there is an inn with the strange sign of theGood Intent, which is not mentioned by Larwood and Hotten. It was opened as a beer-shop, some fifty years ago, by the father of the present landlord, who had been so far an unfortunate man. In opening his new house with good intentions for the future, he thus appropriately named it, and his hopes appear to have been realized, as his house still remains. There is a beer-house with the same name at Waltham Holy Cross. At Springfield there is anEndeavour, which presumably derived its name from some similar circumstance. There are beer-houseswith the mottoLive and Let Liveat Little Canfield, Theydon Bois, and Chadwell Heath. Another at Pitsea was, within the recollection of Mr. King, thus inscribed:

“Live and let liveWhod a though it;”

which was intended to mean “who would have thought it?” but the landlord’s orthographical knowledge was very imperfect. TheHavering BowerInn, situated in Ann Street, Shadwell, close to Bow Station, is a house connected with, though not situated in, Essex. Why an inn of this name should appear thus fifteen miles at least from the place from which it takes its name, is not very clear.

In the Roman Road at Colchester appears the sign of theRoman Urn. One would conclude that the house had been named after some Roman urn that had been dug up on its site, did it not figure in the list years ago as theRoman Arms. Possibly, however, this is a misprint, although the sign of theRoman Armsdoes actually occur elsewhere, namely, in the Roman Road, London, E. Mr. Walford, inGreater London(vol. i. p. 385), says that there is another example of the sign of theRoman Urnjust over the county boundary at Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire. “It is to be seen embedded in the front of the inn in Crossbrook Street. The urn was found on the spot many years ago, but its date is far from certain.” Messrs. Larwood and Hotten do not allude to the sign, which is certainly very uncommon.

One of our very strangest signs—that of theCoal Hole—occurs at Leigh. It has only appeared there within the last few years, and Mr. H. W. King is of opinion that it is probably named after the once-well-knownCoal HoleTavern in the Strand. At the same place another beer-house is known as theUnited Brethren, probably after a Friendly Society there; but their club-house is now the Crooked Billet.

The sign of theNew Inn, which is the commonest sign in Devonshire, and occurs no less than one hundred and four times in that county, is only twice met with in Essex, butthere is also a beer-house so called at Romford. Evidently the Conservative nature of the majority of Essex folk leads them to prefer thingsold, instead of new. At Plaistow there is aGreen Gate, and forty years since there was a *Blue Postsat Witham, in both of which cases the colour of the portals probably served the same office as a sign in distinguishing the house. Neither sign is mentioned in theHistory of Sign-boards, though the former is certainly a century old, as it is mentioned in an advertisement in theChelmsford Chroniclefor January 5, 1787, and the latter is referred to in another advertisement on the 23rd of the following month. It was an old house of good standing, as it is also mentioned in theVery Young Lady’s Tour from London to Aldborough and Back(1804, see p. 37). The writer says:

“Travellers frequently boast of the charms of an inn,But the Blue Posts at Witham’s the best I have seen,The rooms are so clean, so delicious the diet,The landlord so civil, so spruce, and so quiet,The servants all round so desirous to please,That you find yourself here most completely at ease.So we supp’d, and we slept, and we breakfasted too,And then bid to Witham a parting adieu.”

The house was closed as an inn some time since, and is now a china shop, kept by a prominent Witham teetotal advocate. Its door-posts are still painted blue. Sixty years ago there was another inn of this name at *Colchester. No Essex inn now displays the sign of theGate, but there are beer-houses of that name at Saffron Walden, Bardfield, and Dagenham. At the two last-named places the houses bear the following very unpoetic couplet:—

“This Gate hangs high, and hinders none,Refresh and pay and travel on.”

At Wanstead there is aRed House, presumably so called from its colour. In 1789 there was anEpping PlaceInn at Epping, and aBush-fair Houseat Latton. TheEssex Inn, No 41, Aldgate High Street, London, E., is, without doubt, so named because it forms the stopping-place of many hay-carters and other travellers by road from Essex up to town.

Railways are referred to thirty-one times in all on Essexsign-boards, although, as might be expected, mention is very rarely made of railways among the signs of forty years ago. Thus we have five examples of theRailway Inn, one of theRailway Arms, two of theRailway Bell, seven of theRailway Hotel, and sixteen of theRailway Tavern.

Twenty years ago there was anAbbey Gatein Stanwell Street, Colchester, doubtless named after the beautiful gateway of St. John’s Abbey, which still stands. At the same time there was aBetting-standat Galleywood, where the Chelmsford Races are held, as well as anExchange Innand aChelmer Inn, both at Heybridge. There is aMark’s Gatein Markgate, Dagenham; and aMarsh Gateat Stratford. Eight Essex inns are named after the greatGlobeitself, while theWorld’s Endappears, at last, to have been discovered near Tilbury Fort. This is a very proper name, if, as has been thought, Tilbury is derived from two Saxon words,Til, end, andburgh, city,i.e., the city at the end of the river road. A beer-house keeper at Paglesham, however, seems also to consider that theWorld’s Endis situated in the vicinity of his house. Probably both are equally right and equally wrong. TheGlobeat *Epping is mentioned in theChelmsford Chroniclefor January 13, 1786. At Bocking there is a beer-house known as theDial, a device not named by Larwood and Hotten. At the same place there is aPark Endbeer-house, and at Felstead another, known as thePye’s Bridgetavern. A beer-house at Chigwell styles itself theRetreat. At Waltham Abbey is aFlower Pot. A beer-house at Inworth is known as theNew Times, while another not far off styles itself theOld Times, probably out of rivalry. At Great Baddow a beer-house appears as theNew Found Out. At Chelmsford there is aUnitedbeer-house, and aCornucopiaat Southend.

No less than forty-two Essex inns display the sign of theBell. Bells were set up as signs as early as the fourteenth century. The origin of their use in this way is probably due largely to our national fondness for bell-ringing, but partly also to the great veneration in which bells were held in superstitious times. Advertisements which appeared in theChelmsford Chroniclerefer to the inns with the sign of theBellat Castle Hedingham, Sible Hedingham, and Purleigh on January 6th, July 21, 1786, and March 2, 1787, respectively. These houses all exist at the present day. TheBellat *Saffron Walden, though it does not now exist, must formerly have been a house of some standing, for it is fairly often referred to in the records of the Corporation. It is mentioned, for instance, in 1642, in 1645, and in 1650. In 1664 3s. was “paid at the Bell when the Quakers were committed,” and in 1714 4s. 4d. was “spent at the Bell when Lord Suffolk took the oaths.” Tokens are extant, issued by “Will. Mason at the [Bell] in Thaxtead, 1662,” though the sign does not now exist there. TheBellat Castle Hedingham, still a first-class hostelry, was a house of considerable note in the old coaching days. It was a stopping-place for the “Old Bury Coach,” which passed through the town. The building is ancient and extensive, though now much cut up and divided. The spacious kitchen is roofed with massive timber, black with age. In the large room upstairs have been held for many years the annual meetings of the once-famous Hinckford Hundred Conservative Club. In times past these meetings regularly formed the subject of a leader in theTimes, and addresses were delivered by Disraeli and other prominent Conservative statesmen, but the club has now lost its old importance. The ornamental sign-iron is represented elsewhere (p. 150). Of theBellat Leigh, Mr. King writes that he has no particular account, but he believes “it has been an inn for probably a century, and that it was pulled down to make way for the railroad, but rebuilt on part of the same site.” The present rectory at West Tilbury was once an inn with the sign of theBell. The house was built by a speculator about the year 1780, and opened as an hostelry for the accommodation of the gentry that always crowded to the Fort during war time. Six years later, however, it had to be closed, and about the beginning of this century it was purchased for the sum of £700 by the Rev. Sir Adam Gordon, Bart., who then held the living, and presented to the parish as a rectory. A certain number of Bells frequently appearon a sign-board. In such cases the peal of bells in an adjacent belfry is generally alluded to, as may be seen on reference to the Rev. H. A. Cockey’sList of Essex Rings. In 1662 there was a house with the sign of theOne Bellat Romford. It is mentioned in theAccount of the Murder of Thomas Kidderminster, already referred to (p. 56). Taylor also, in 1636, mentions aBellat Romford, probably the same house. The sign of theFive Bellsoccurs at Vange and Colne Engaine. At the latter place there are five church bells, but at the former only one, although there may formerly have been more. There was another example of the sign at Bocking forty years ago, when perhaps there were only five bells there. Now, however, there aresix, and the sign of theSix Bells(probably the same house) appears there, as also at Dunmow and Great Waltham. At the former place there are six bells, but at the latter eight. At Boreham a beer-house is known as theSix Bells, that being the number at that place. At Mashbury is a cottage still known as theBells. In a MS. dated 1761 it is spoken of as theFive Bells, and was probably then an inn with that sign, though no church in the immediate vicinity has that number of bells. The sign of theEight Bellsappears at *Saffron Walden, Great Tey, Belchamp Walter, and Bures Hamlet, at all of which there seem to be peals of eight bells. In addition to these, we have aNew Bellat Harwich, and twoRailway Bells, one near the station at Maldon, and the other in Trinity Street, Halstead. The bell also enters into numerous combinations, most of which are impalements, and therefore quite meaningless. Thus we have aBell and Anchorat Canning Town, aCoach and Bell(a sign not referred to in theHistory of Sign-boards) at Romford, theOld Windmill and Bells, also at Romford, and examples of theCock and Bellat High Easter, Writtle, and Romford. The latter has apparently been in existence since 1786, as it is mentioned in theChelmsford Chroniclefor January 13th in that year. Twenty years ago there was aBell and Feathersat Stanstead, which seems now to have returned to the use of its former sign, which was aBellsimply (see p. 102). Thoughthe fact is not mentioned by Boyne, tokens with the following inscriptions are extant: “George Perrin at yeBell in Stanstead. His Half Peny. 1669.” The same house and the same landlord are also mentioned in Poor Robin’sPerambulation, already referred to (p. 66). The writer (one cannot saypoet) says:

“From Ugley I next way to Stanstead travell’d,Upon a plain highway, well ston’d and gravelled.This town of Stanstead, for distinction’s sake,Doth unto itself the name Montfitchet take,From the Montfitchets, once Lords of great fame,And who erewhile were owners of the same.There at the Bell, at my old friend George Perrin’s,We drank and tippled like unto a herring;For there is ale and stale beer, strong and mighty,Will burn i’ the fire like untoaqua vitæ,And that the reason is, as you may know,That this Bell’s liquor makes men’s clappers go.”

In 1868 there was aClapperat Woodham which, perhaps, belonged to one or other of the bells just mentioned.

TheCastleis a frequent Essex sign, occurring thirteen times in all. It is an ancient sign, 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 great, as at an inn. In later times the custom arose of naming inns after particular castles, and it is easy to see that the example of the sign now found at Hadleigh, and the two examples now existing at **Colchester, originated in this way. Sixty years ago there was another at *Saffron Walden, which was, of course, named after the old castle there. Not improbably, in some cases, the sign may have been derived from the arms of the Masons’ Company.[95]A castle is represented on the seventeenth century token of Thomas Hewes of Castle Hedingham—being, of course, the fine old castle of the De Veres at that place. Mr. King finds mention in some old deeds dated 1693 of theCastle at Trimmeat Rochford in that day. This was probably an inn-sign, but perhaps that of a shop or tenement. It was doubtless so called from the ancient castle of the De Lacys, built in1220, at Trim in Ireland, which figured in the Civil War. As this castle does not appear to have had any connection with Essex, 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 1649. The following advertisement appeared in theChelmsford Chronicleon March 2, 1787:

“Cocking.On Friday, March 9th, will be fought a Main of Cocks, at the sign of theCastle, Great Oakley, for Two Guineas a Battle, and Five the odds; where the company of all gentlemen and others will be esteemed a favour, by their humble servant William Rayner. The Cocks to be pitted at eleven o’clock, and a good ordinary to be provided at two.”

Mr. H. W. King writes:

“The presentCastleat Hadleigh changed its name (though remaining at the same house) late in the last, or early in the present, century. It was formerly theBlue Boar, and old people persistently called it so within my memory, in spite of the change. I have also found evidence of this change in some old Court Rolls. This kind of change is not infrequent. I conceive that theBlue Boarmay have been the sign of the inn for centuries, but theCastlewas, I suppose, thought more attractive to the many visitors to the old Castle.”

TheChequersis a sign of great interest and antiquity. It is very common in Essex, as it appears no less than twenty times, including oneOld Chequers. It is equally common as a beer-house sign. Robt. Bowyer kept theChequersat Bardfield in the seventeenth century, as shown by his token, but no house now exists there under that name. Mr. Creed’s list (p. 7) shows inns with this sign at Epping, Nazing, Waltham Abbey, High Laver, and Nettleswell in 1789. TheChequersat Roxwell seems to have existed since 1787, as it is referred to in theChelmsford Chroniclefor February 2nd in that year. As a sign it is said to be found even among the ruins of Pompeii, and, according to Larwood and Hotten, it “is, perhaps, the most patriarchal of all signs.” The same writers say (p. 488) that in England it is “said to represent the coat of arms of the Earls de Warrenne and Surrey, who borechequy, or and azure, and in the reign of Edward IV. possessed the privilege of licensing ale-houses.” The old money-changers used boards divided upinto squares like a modern chess-board, and the sign of theChequersmay have originated, partly, at least, in these “exchequers,” as they were called, being hung up outside their places of business. Not improbably the sign also represents the “chequer,” or board divided into squares, and still used in some country inns for keeping a tally or record of the amount drunk by each regular customer. As the sign is now painted it is almost as oftenlozengyaschequy. In the year 1764, according to an advertisement of that date in theChelmsford Chronicle, the presentIpswich Armsat Ingatestone was impaled with aChequers, forming theIpswich Arms and Chequers.

The sign of theCoach and Horses, which occurs thirteen times in the county, has already been alluded to. As might be expected, it was considerably commoner forty years ago than now. An inn of this name at Chelmsford has a pictorial sign-board, representing a number of gentlemen, in the costume of fifty or sixty years ago, riding on the top of a coach.

Image not available: CROOKED BILLET. (After Larwood and Hotten.)CROOKED BILLET.(After Larwood and Hotten.)

Four houses in Essex, situated respectively at Leigh, Barking, Chadwell Heath, and Nazing, now make use of theCrooked Billetas their sign. Twenty years ago another did so, and there is still a beer-house so styled at Felstead. There is also anOld Crooked Billetat Walthamstow, and aCrown and Crooked Billet(doubtless merely an impaled sign) at Woodford Bridge. It is not by any means clear what this sign was derived from. Larwood and Hotten confess that they “have not been able to discover any likely origin; it may have been originally a ragged staff, or a pastoral staff.... Frequently the sign is represented by an untrimmed stick suspended above the door.” Mr. H. W. King writes that the sign existed at Leigh in the earlier part of last century, beingused by a small house which still stands, but is not the inn now displaying the sign in that town. He says:

“The first mention I find of the existing inn is an admission dated 1765, and referring to a certain tenement adjoining eastward to the lane leading to theCrooked Billet. This previous house of the same name is a small plaster cottage. It must have been a very mean little public-house. At some period its sign was transferred to the present house in the main street, which was formerly a gentleman’s residence, and on the same property as the cottage.”

Mr. King adds:

“I incline to think that theCrooked Billetwas originally afess dancettéor achevron—more probably the former—and that it is, therefore, an heraldic sign. The sign in this town was originally a pictorial one, and certainly it rudely represented the former. Now that it is written a different origin is assigned to it here; but there are so many others that I rather incline to the heraldic origin. They said here formerly that faggots were shipped from the wharf opposite the present house. But so they were from other wharves.”

The sign of theCrossmight, with equal probability, be ascribed either to an ecclesiastical or an heraldic origin: in the one it is the symbol of Christianity, and in the other it is a very common ordinary. It came to be used very commonly as an heraldic charge at the time of the Crusades. The house with this name at Mistley was, however, probably so called on account of its being situated at a “four-want-way,” where two roads cross. There is another example of the sign at Boxted, and in 1823 there was aRed Crossat *Colchester. On the map of the road between London and Harwich, given in Ogilby’sItinerarium Angliæ, published in 1675, a house—presumably an inn of importance—known as theCross and Hand, is shown at Marks Tey, and just forty-five miles from London. Salmon (History of Essex, p. 69) quotes an ancient document, describing the ceremonies connected with the annual making and presenting of the Wardstaff in Ongar Hundred, in which another house—probably an inn—with the sign of “theCross with a Handat the three wants in Fiffield” [Fyfield] is mentioned. In Essex, three or four roads meeting are spoken of respectively as the three or four “wants.” “The Cross [says Jewitt] whether golden, red, blue, or otherwise, was formerly a much more common signthan now.” Several other Essex signs are more or less ecclesiastical. For instance, the *Mitreat Colchester is at least sixty years old. 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 London. Though it may have been derived from the fact that the Abbot of St. John’s Abbey, at Colchester, was one of the twenty-eight mitred abbots, and sat in the Upper House of Parliament. TheCardinal’s Hat, formerly a not uncommon sign, was displayed by a house in Bocking forty years since, but has now disappeared. At Coggeshall, one of the chief inns has long been known as the *Chapel Inn. Mr. G. F. Beaumont has kindly supplied the following information concerning it:

“In the will of Thomas Halle of Coksale, dated Jan. 15th, 1499, and proved Feb. 5th following, is this Bequest:—’I bequeath towarde the edifyng and making of a Chapell within the said towne of Coksale XX^s, to be paid when the said Chapell is in werkyng.’ In theCertificate of Chantry Lands(1549) is the following under Coggeshall:—’Item, one olde Chaple in the Street there, with a little Garden, which is worth by the year 4s.’ ”

Mr. Beaumont adds: “By deed, dated Oct. 7th, 1588, a messuage called the old Chapel was conveyed to the fullers and weavers of Coggeshall. The site of this building, which was pulled down in 1795, is now open ground, on the west side of which is theChapelInn.” The sign is probably unique. TheCross Keys, which represent the arms of the Papal See, appear five times on Essex sign-boards, namely, at Saffron Walden, *Colchester, White Notley, Dagenham, and Chadwell St. Mary, while there is a beer-house so distinguished at North Weald. The Cross Keys have survived the Reformation on account of their appearing also in the coats of arms of several English sees, namely, York, Cashel, Exeter, Gloucester, and Peterborough. Three pairs of keys crossed also form a prominent charge in the arms of the Fishmongers’ Company (see p. 103). Sometimes theCross Keyswas used as a locksmith’s sign, as may be learned from the trade-tokens of the seventeenth century. ThusThree Keysare represented on the farthing of “Thomas Haven, Locksmith, in Chelmsford, 1669,” andtheCrossed Keyson that of “Edward Keatchener of Dunmow, Locksmith.” The sign of theCrownis very common in Essex, occurring twenty-eight times altogether. Judging from Mr. Creed’s list (p. 7) it was equally common in Essex a century ago. There is also anOld Crownat Sandon. As an emblem of Royalty, the badge of several of our Kings and Queens, and as a very frequent heraldic bearing, the Crown is in every way likely to be common. Larwood and Hotten (p. 101) say that it “seems to be one of the oldest of English signs. We read of it as early as 1467, when a certain Walter Walters, who kept the Crown in Cheapside, made an innocent Cockney pun, saying he would make his son heir to the Crown, which so displeased his gracious Majesty, King Edward IV., that he ordered the man to be put to death for high treason.” TheCrownat Romford, a once-famous hostelry, built about three centuries ago, was demolished in the spring of 1881, when fine specimens of Tudor work, and some massive beams beautifully carved, were brought to light. It was once of large size, with frontages both to High Street and what is now known as South Street. At the beginning of this century, however, having declined before younger rivals, it was divided into shops. Later a considerable portion was pulled down to make room for a new bank. This demolition, and that of 1881, left nothing standing of the old house except a portion which still remains between the Bank and theWhite HartHotel. Mr. King learns from old deeds and from other sources that an inn with the sign of theCrownexisted at Leigh in the time of Queen Elizabeth, when it was known as the “Crown Brewery” or “Crown House,” but it does not seem to have retained its existence later than the end of last century or thereabouts. Mr. King believes that this was the inn referred to by “Taylor the Water Poet,” in hisCatalogue of Tavernes, as being kept by a certain James Hare in 1636. No doubt it was an inn also, for, as Mr. King remarks, “all, or nearly all, inns formerly brewed their own beer.” He can trace it actually from 1619 and practically from 1570. After it ceased to be an inn it was converted into a private houseand bought by a certain Francis Marriage, who after several law-suits resold it. ACrownalso appears on the token, dated 1667, of “Abra. Langley, iunior, of Colchester, Baymakr.” TheCrownat *Billericay (a house not now existing) is referred to in theChelmsford Chroniclefor February 17, 1786, and theCrownat Chesterford is referred to in the same newspaper on the 2nd of March, 1787. Daniel Defoe, in hisTour through Great Britain, published in 1724, also mentions theCrownat Chesterford. Probably this is the house at Little Chesterford still known as theCrown. TheCrown Innat Brentwood, which was mentioned by Taylor in 1636, was closed many years ago. In 1740, Salmon, who seldom noticed the inns, wrote of it as follows in hisHistory and Antiquities of Essex(p. 262):—

“The Crown Inn here is very ancient, as appears from the buildings of the back part of it. Mr. Symonds in his collection saith he was informed from the Master (who had writings in custody to show it) that it had been an Inn 300 years with this sign; that a family named Salmon held it two hundred years; and that there had been eighty-nine owners, amongst which [were] an Earl of Oxford and an Earl of Sussex.”

TheCrownat Ilford finds mention in the Barking parish register as early as 1595.[96]Fox, in hisBook of Martyrs, says that George Eagles, who was martyred in 1557, “was carried to the new inn, called by the sign of theCrown, at Chelmsford” (see p. 136). The sign does not now appear there.

TheBuilderof July 8, 1848, contains an illustration of a fine, old, timber-roofed hall at Saffron Walden. Its interior, we are told, was “so completely hidden by the subdivision of walls and ceilings within it, to adapt it to the necessities of a dwelling-house, 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-beams. These heads were beautifully and spiritedly carved, and, indeed, the ornamentation of the entire hall was well and boldly cut. It was of small dimensions.... The buildings with which it was connected were old, but no record of the history or occupation of the place is known, except that about twocenturies ago it was an inn, the sign being theIron Crown. The Hall appears to be of the time of Henry VII., judging from its detail. It may have been the hall of some wealthy tradesman, for Walden had many rich traders in the olden time.... The ancient hall, and the buildings with which it was connected, have been pulled down in order to construct a new market-place. The carved heads from the hammer-beams (six in all) have been preserved by the Hon. R. C. Neville (afterwards Lord Braybrooke) in his museum at Audley End.” The origin of this sign is very doubtful. Larwood and Hotten do not notice it. Goldsmith, inThe Traveller, speaks of “Luke’s Iron Crown.” George and Luke Doza were two brothers who led a revolt against the Hungarian nobles at the beginning of the sixteenth century. They were defeated, captured, and cruelly tortured. George,notLuke (Goldsmith’s memory must have been at fault), had, among other things, a red-hot iron crown placed on his head. John of Leyden, an Anabaptist leader, was also tortured to death in the same way in 1536, but it is difficult to imagine any connection between these incidents and the inn at Saffron Walden. What was known as the “Iron Crown of Lombardy,” was not a crown of torture, but one of the nails used in the Crucifixion, beaten out into a thin rim of iron, magnificently set in gold and adorned with jewels. Charlemagne and Napoleon I. were both crowned with it, but it is hard to see what this had to do with the inn at Saffron Walden. The sign of theThree Crownsoccurs at Rainham, Rowhedge, North Woolwich, and *Halstead. The sign at the latter place was in existence forty years ago, at which time another was also in existence. In 1668, Anne Ellis kept theThree Crowns(not necessarily an inn) at Southminster, as shown by tokens of hers, still extant. AnOld Three Crownsalso existed in the county in 1786 according to an advertisement in theChelmsford Chroniclefor the 5th of May in that year. There are several sources from which the sign of theThree Crownsmay have been derived. They might be taken from the arms of the Essex family of Wiseman (sable; a chevron between three crowns argent), orfrom the arms of Chich Priory (or; three ducal coronets, gules, two and one), or from the arms of the Drapers’ or the Skinners’ Companies, which have already been given. The signs of theCrown and Thistle, theCrown and Crooked Billet, and theCrown and Anchorhave all been previously noticed. TheCrown and Sceptre, which existed at Chelmsford in 1764, as we learn from an advertisement in theChelmsford Chroniclefor that year, was a sign which was doubly emblematic of Royalty. It was, doubtless, merely an impalement. Sixty years ago there was a *Crown and Punch Bowlat Colchester. Doubtless, it too was merely an impaled sign.

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