In Saltley in Birmingham was a pub called the Gate. The pub was 'interesting' and has been demolished. An island was built on the junction where the pub was and a mock gate set up on it in honour of the old pub. The general area has been called Saltley Gate for years. In fact, during the industrial unrest under Edward Heath in the early 70s, police and strikers clashed in the area in an incident that has gone down in history as the Battle of Saltley Gate.
The Elephant and Castle in Wolverhampton used to be iconic, at the junction of Stafford Street and Cannock Road. It had a blue elephant built into its exterior. It was demolished in cloak and dagger fashion in 2001:
http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac....t/elephant.htm
Waes hael!
and someone nicked the elephant
MILD:
You're right about the area of the Elephant and Castle being named after a pub. But it wasn't the pub you provided the link to. The original Elephant and Castle was at Newington Butts, and was a classic late victorian edifice of grandeur and splendour. The only photograph that I've seen is of the interior, and doesn't (I suspect) do it justice, but I've seen the plans of all four floors, and it is clear that it must have been very impressive. It's been long demolished now, tragically.Originally Posted by oldboots
I see that Andy has mentioned The Blind Beggar, which is perhaps more infamous than iconic (murder of George Cornell). You could certainly add The Ten Bells (Jack the Ripper) and the Magdala (Ruth Ellis) to the list.
Sounds like a new search field alongside real ale and juke box - "Murder committed here". We could have added the Lethbridge Arms in Bishop's Lydeard (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/33166/), whose address aptly enough is Gore Street, to the list.
Mark Girouard's book "Victorian Pubs" has the floor plans, a picture of part of the bar back in the 50s or early 60s and two design drawings of the outside (I should have checked the address in there as well).
If its crimes in pubs you want I've got a thickish book about the crimes committed in York's pubs, mainly horse thieves, card sharps and faithless whores. I'm sure Dick Turpin was arrested in a pub near Selby, but I can't find its name. Near Thirsk is the Busby Stoop with its ghost, cursed chair and associations with bloody murder, the crossroads here is also named after the pub.
Yes, it was Mark Girouard's book in which I saw the photo and plans. For those who are not familiar with this book, it is a tour de force of the history and make up of the classic Victorian pub. It's centred on London though.Mark Girouard's book "Victorian Pubs" has the floor plans, a picture of part of the bar back in the 50s or early 60s and two design drawings of the outside (I should have checked the address in there as well
.
Also The Swiss Cottage has an area of London named after it, although on here it says it's in Hampstead, it's also a poor pub.
http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/23756/
Around Manchester the iconic pub has to be The Circus Tavern http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/25820/
Although to be honest there's quite a few around here.
Peveril of the Peak, Marble Arch, Briton's Protection, Mr Thomas' to name a few.
A pub is for life not just for Christmas
The Bakers Arms in Leyton, East London, springs to mind.
It appears on the front of some London buses as the destination, but it too is a very poor pub.
Ah, yes, been in there a few times over the years, not so often now since A34 improved and no need to cut across for M5 northwards. True about stopping off point for motorists, especially in my Ford Anglia, it needed a rest once it had crawled up Birdlip hill.
Last edited by Farway; 22-07-2010 at 12:51.
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