However, it was sometimes tricky to stay abreast of turbulent, not to say violent, political change; if a pub was named after one the wives of Henry the Eight, for example, it could be seriously, and dangerously, out of date in no time at all. Much simpler to call your pub ‘The Queen’s Head’ or ‘The Crown’, and always be up to date!

There is one particular ‘Queen’s Head’ on the A23 north of Brighton, which features a picture, not of Queen Victoria or any other monarch, as you would expect, but of Freddy Mercury, the late lead singer of the rock band, Queen and, of course, a gay icon.

Local nobility often had pubs named after them; sometimes the family’s heraldic coat of arms being depicted on the sign. Everybody’s favorite, of course, is ‘The Marquis of Granby’, an eighteenth century nobleman who purchased pubs for all of his non-commissioned officers who had been disabled during active service. As a result he died deep in debt, but one still finds public houses bearing his name and, doubtless, he has been the beneficiary of many a toast.

In some way, being featured on a pub sign has always been a sign that someone or something has ‘arrived’. Hence, as well as Monarchs, we find Generals and Admirals, battles won and lost, on land and sea, trades and occupations, famous actors and performers, race horses and every manner of sporting endeavour celebrated in pub names and pub signs.