Green Men & White Swans: The Folklore of British Pub Names - Hardcover

Simpson, Jacqueline

3.57

46 ratings by Goodreads

9781847945150: Green Men & White Swans: The Folklore of British Pub Names

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1847945155 ISBN 13: 9781847945150

Publisher: Random House Books, 2010

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From the King & Tinker, named after a traditional tale in which a disguised monarch surprises a local craftsman, to the Eagle & Child, commemorating 'the Lathom legend', many British pub names and signs are steeped in local legends and ancient beliefs.

In Green Men & White Swans, Jacqueline Simpson, one of the UK's leading folklorists, explores the stories behind the names, showing where they originated and tracing how they have evolved over the years. In the process, she reveals why the Green Man is sometimes depicted as a club-wielding giant with a girdle of leaves and sometimes as a Robin Hood figure, retells the dramatic tale of local Wiltshire hero Rattlebone, and describes the centuries-old custom that gives its name to the Silver Ball in St Columb. From there, she goes on to explain why you seem to be able to find a Red Lion, a Queen's Head or a White Horse in every part of the country, and why the recent fashion for apparently meaningless combinations involving slugs, toads, parrots and firkins actually has a precedent in history.

Enlightening, revealing and entertaining by turns, Green Men & White Swans is both an intriguing insight into the history of the British pub and a captivating journey through the country's legendary past.

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Review:

"An engaging and inquisitive narrative voice ... As well as being an enjoyable account of English folklore and history, the book provides an insight into the more esoteric behaviour that characterises English eccentricity" (Sunday Telegraph)

"In this enjoyable compendium, Simpson, a folklore expert, elucidates hundreds of mysterious pub names" (Financial Times)

"This book is both an intriguing insight into the history of the British pub and a captivating journey through the country's dramatic past" (Living North)

Book Description:

An enchanting guide to the stories and legends behind Britain's traditional pub names

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