During lockdown people are doing a daily alphabetical photo series on Facebook. So I’m joining in! I haven’t great photographic ability but I do, in my travels around the country, collect photos of pub signs. To me they are a history of the pub – a quintessential British phenomenon. Most of the ones I list I have been in and have some history.

Day 1 – A is for Albert.

I’m starting close by in Totnes with the Albert Inn. Most pubs with this name are celebrating the Prince but here they have chosen the scientist. Over the last few years they have had a very successful brewery. It’s a good local pub.

Day 2 – B is for Bell.

Lots of pubs by this name especially if they are near churches. The picture on the left is very local as it is the Bell at St Mary’s Brixham. The Church can be seen on the sign.

I have included this as it was the first pub I drank in when I moved with my family to Brixham over 50 years ago. In those days full of characters especially those fond of scrumpy. Not been in for a good few years now – last visits were to play darts or euchre.

Day 3 – C is for Chesterfield.

My home town but I left when I was 20 so didn’t drink in that many places before I left.

Two pubs in the town qualify- the longstanding Chesterfield Arms and the relatively Chesterfield Alehouse.

I must have walked past the Arms hundreds of times when I walked too and from school until I was 16 when the school moved buildings. It is a great family run pub – 10 real ales, quizzes, food etc. Always visit when back in my home town.

The Alehouse is a micro-pub converted from a shop – has 5 cask ales and also craft beers. Very much a locals place with limited hours but good beer.

Day 4 – D is for Devonshire – but not Devon!

Around North Derbyshire and parts of Yorkshire the Dukes of Devonshire have vast estates. A lot of pubs in those areas are the Devonshire Arms and would have (and still are) used by estate workers and families.

One such is the Devonshire Arms at Baslow – 10 miles from Chesterfield and on the edge of Chatsworth Estate. Really now more of a hotel and restaurant. We stayed many times on trips to Derbyshire.

Day 5 – E is for Exeter.

The picture is of the Exeter Inn at Ashburton -an unusually shaped sign!

 

Dating from 1130 certainly the oldest pub in Ashburton. Has been in the Good Beer Guide regularly but I believe it was closed for refurbishment before the crisis. 

Another Exeter Inn is in Derby – as I have mentioned in another post, the brewery tap for the Dancing Duck Brewery.

Day 6 – F is for Fat Cat.

Kelham Island near the centre of Sheffield is a haven for real ale drinkers. The Fat Cat is perhaps best known and is home to the Kelham Island Brewery whose Pale Rider was Champion Beer of Britain in 2004.

Close by is the equally good Kelham Island Tavern and there are 4 or 5 other good pubs nearby.

 

(There are other Fat Cats around Britain including Norwich and Ipswich)

Day 7 – G is for Gallaghers.

It would be tempting to go for George or Globe as they are very common pub names but Gallaghers in Birkenhead is a very unusual pub. The sign rather gives it away in that three quarters of the pub is a bar and the top end is a men’s hairdressers!

We were in on Saturday lunchtime on a stopover on our way to Liverpool. Great pub – lovely beer!

Day 8 – H is for ‘Hole in the Wall’

I have pictures of 5 pubs by this name. The closest would be Brixham but that has now changed its name back to the New Quay Inn. So I have chosen the one by Waterloo Station which is not a hole but a very good pub underneath Railway Arches.

Day 9 – I is for Isaac.

Not many pubs on my list beginning with I. I was going to pick the Industry in Chesterfield, but I have mentioned elsewhere that its railway engine sign is of a loco from the South East.

So the Isaac Merritt it is then.

Converted many years ago from a shopping arcade by Wetherspoons it has had a chequered career in my opinion. The real ales ranged from a wide range of good quality to a poor selection of indifferent beers – especially in the last couple of years. Sold by ‘Spoons and still bearing the same name. Its prices are similar and the beer OK.

Day 10 – J is for Jolly.

Lots of Jolly Pubs around including the Jolly Judge in Torquay and the rather good Jolly Porter near Exeter station but that was closed when I was last nearby. The picture is the Jolly Abbot in Newton Abbot. It was there a few years ago that CAMRA South Devon first chose the Queens Arms in Brixham (see Q) as the pub of the year.

Day 11 – K is for King.

Apart from the Kelham Island Tavern (see F) all my pub K’s are Kings – mostly Arms, Heads etc. So I have chosen a fairly local pub being the King William IV at Totnes.

Nice stained glass windows proclaim it as a hotel – and it does do B&B. Been in there off and on over many years – always a good pint to be had there.

Day 12 – L is for Laurel Inn.

This takes me back to Easter 1966 when I went on an ecology course from School for my Biology A-level. We stayed at the Youth Hostel at the wonderfully named Boggle Hole. We had free time after the evening meal but had to be in by 10 p.m.

A i mile walk along the cliff top to Robin Hood’s Bay where those who had been previously knew the Laurel In. A Cameron’s Brewery pub. A couple of pints each night – I was a couple of months short of 18!

Day 12 – M is for Mayflower

There are probably a few Mayflowers but I have chosen the one on the Thames at Rotherhithe. Claims to be the oldest pub in London and close to where the Mayflower left for Plymouth and returned after the voyage.

A lovely old pub. James and I sat on decking over the river with the Thames lapping through the boards.

Nearby is a museum dedicated to Brunels’ Thames Tunnel

Day 14 – N is for New Quay

I am a bit low on ‘N’ pubs but I have two New Quay Inns – Teignmouth and Brixham.

The picture is of the Teignmouth version – famous for it’s real ales.

My picture of the Brixham pub sign was when it was ‘ The Hole in the Wall).

Day 15 – O is for Olde.

Lots of ‘Old’ and ‘Olde’ in my collection but I’m going for the Olde Nags Head in Castleton, Derbyshire. Some good pubs in the town but this is one of the best. On our last lunch time visit we sampled some excellent real ales and a very nice sharing platter.

It’s a good bus ride as well and there are 4 caverns to choose from!

Day 16 – P is for Plume of Feathers

And also for Princetown which also has the Prince of Wales (one of many around the country!). The Plume has long been a favourite of walkers with its good food and beer, and places to bunk and camp. They did sell – and may still – St Austell HSD (Hicks Special Draught). Quite strong and nicknamed High Speed Death!

The Prince of Wales is also one of our go to pubs on the moor and was the original home of the Dartmoor Brewery (my picture has the old name) which is now not far away. Good lunches and pool with the boys which I usually lost.

Day 17 – Q is for Queens

Of Course – specifically The Queens Arms South Devon CAMRA Pub of The Year 2014 , 2016 & 2020 in Brixham. Now been my local for 9 years or so since the near closed corner pub was rescued by Chris Simmonds and turned into the award winning place it is now. If only we were drinking there tonight – but soon we hope.

Day 18 – R is for Royal Oak

Like the Red Lion a very common pub name. I have chosen one back in my home town of Chesterfield – which has at least 2 Royal Oaks.

Claiming to be the oldest pub in town – which is probably true – it dates from the 16th Century and is in an area called the Shambles. This is an old word for an area of butchers shops. When open it is a nice little pub though it has had periods of closure in the last few years.

Day 19 – S is for Ship.

There are many ‘Ships’ around the country. Sheffield for example and you can’t get much further from the sea! My ship is the Ship Inn Kingswear where I started drinking in 1968 when I moved to Devon. For many years until Colin retired as landlord it was a deserved fixture in the Good Beer Guide. I also must mention the Steam Packet – another vessel – round the corner where I have also spent many happy hours!

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