AS the quaint art of Heraldry has given to us many, if not a majority, of our most interesting signs, it is only reasonable that signs of this class should be treated first.

In all respects the most purely heraldic sign we have in Essex is the Fleur-de-Lys, which occurs at Widdington. As a sign, this was formerly much more common than at present. Eight of the Essex tokens are described as having borne it. Two of these were issued in Colchester, two in Billericay, and one each in Chelmsford, Coggeshall, Stock, and Witham, the issuer at the latter place being John Jackson, clothier, in 1669. There was formerly a house of this name at Waltham Abbey. In the parish register the burial of a landlord, on May 8, 1684, is recorded as follows:—“Edward Clarke, att y^e flower de luis.” Mr. H. W. King, too, finds mention in ancient deeds of a “Flower de Luce” at Maldon in 1658, and again in 1690, but whether an inn, shop, or dwelling-house, there is, as usual, no evidence to show. As it is sometimes varied into the Three Fleurs de Lys, the most reasonable conclusion is that it is taken from the arms of France, as formerly quartered with those of England, but a fleur-de-lys was also used as a badge by Edward III. In former times, too, it was an emblem of the Virgin Mary. In London at the present day the sign occurs once only, namely, in Fleur-de-Lys Street, E. Below are depicted four of the many forms taken by this device on early shields of arms.

No less than 116 of our present public-houses (or 8·5 per cent.) are named after the arms of some family, place, city, country, or trade. Those obviously named after some place within the county will be first noticed. To commence with, however, we will mention the Royal Arms at Silvertown.[12] The same device appears on a token inscribed “Theophilus Harvey, in Manitree, 1669.” Next we have the Essex Arms.[13] There are now four examples, though forty years ago there were five. At Springfield, too, there is a beer-house of this name. Then we have a *Colchester Arms,[14] which is, of course, situated at Colchester. It is at least forty years old. The Colchester Arms also appear on the halfpenny token of Alexander Satterthwaite, of Colchester, dated 1668. The Borough Arms at Maldon are, of course, the arms of that town.[15] The Abbey Arms at Plaistow doubtless represent the arms of the neighbouring Abbey of Barking.[16] Sixty years ago there was a Harwich Arms[17] at *Harwich. Then we have the Hutton Arms at Hutton, the Chadwell Arms at Chadwell Heath, the Berechurch Arms at Lexden, the Romford Arms (beer-house) at Romford, the Colne Valley Arms at Birdbrook, and the Royal Essex Arms at Braintree, all of which coats the heralds would probably be unable to find entered at Heralds’ College. The last-named is an especially strange device. It is probably an impaled sign, due to a combination of the Royal Arms and the Essex Arms.

Many other of our “arms” are named after places outside the county. Probably in many cases a new landlord has named his house after the place he came from. Such are the Cambridge Arms, the Cuckfield Arms, the Dartmouth Arms, the Denmark Arms, the Dorset Arms, 2 Durham Arms, the Falmouth Arms, the Ipswich Arms, the Liverpool Arms, the Northumberland Arms, the Odessa Arms, the Lilliput Arms (in the Lilliput Road, Stratford), the Tower Hamlets Arms (at Forest Gate), and the Kent Arms at North Woolwich, a parish belonging to Kent, though situated on the north side of the river. Twenty years ago there was also a Sussex Arms in existence. The City Arms at Canning Town presumably represent the arms of the City of London.[18] The dagger in the City arms commemorates the slaying of Wat Tyler by Sir William Walworth, in 1381. The weapon used is still in the possession of the Fishmongers’ Company. The Sutherland Arms at Wakes Colne seems from the printed list to have been corrupted from the Sunderland Arms within the last twenty years. An example of both forms occurs in London at the present time. It is most probable that some of these signs have not taken their names direct from the counties or towns mentioned, but from the titles of noblemen who have become prominent for political or other reasons. This has been almost certainly the case with the Cambridge Arms, the Durham Arms, and the Liverpool Arms.

The following signs are, with equal clearness, derived from trades or employments pursued within the county. Many of them are, doubtless, derived directly from the arms of the London Trade Companies. Of the Blacksmiths’ Arms[19] we have examples situated respectively at Little Clacton and at North Weald. The Blacksmiths’ Arms also appear on the halfpenny tokens of “Will Todd, Blacksmith of Epping,” 1668, and of William Thompson of South Benfleet (no date). The Blacksmiths’ Arms, at Little Clacton, appears to have existed since 1786 at least, as it is referred to in an advertisement in the Chelmsford Chronicle for March 17th in that year. Not improbably the Hammer and Pincers crossed, which appeared on the halfpenny of Will Willis of Romford, in 1667, constituted a blacksmith’s sign. The Brewers’ Arms[20] occur as a sign at Woodham Ferris and *Colchester. The Three Tuns, of which we have examples at Newport, *Dunmow, and Waltham Abbey, all of them being at least forty years old, are certainly derived from the arms either of the Brewers’ Company or the Vintners’ Company.[21] Three Tuns are depicted on the token issued by William Harman, of Chelmsford, in 1657. The Three Tuns which formerly existed at *Chelmsford was long a well-known inn. The Rev. R. E. Bartlett finds it mentioned in the parish registers in 1619, when “a chrisome son of Robt. Ogden of Chelmsford, Vintner, at the 3 Tunnes, and of Susan his wife, was buried the XXX day of December, being Thursday.” Taylor also mentions it in his Catalogue of Tavernes, published in 1636. Sixty years ago there was a house of this name at *Braintree, and in 1789 that at Waltham Abbey was spelled Three Tons. The Bakers’ Arms[22] occur on the tokens some thirteen times, either as the Bakers’ Arms, a Hand and Scales, a Pair of Scales, or a Pair of Scales and a Wheatsheaf. The Bakers’ Arms now only appears as an inn-sign at Leyton, but there are beer-houses of this name at Buttsbury and Waltham Abbey. Our common modern sign of the Wheatsheaf is also probably derived from the arms of this Company. There are seven examples in the county, situated respectively at Wrabness, *Chelmsford, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Braintree, Stow Maries, High Ongar, and Ardleigh. There are also beer-houses of this name at Loughton, Theydon Bois, Waltham Abbey, Hatfield Peverell, Kelvedon, Rettendon, Writtle, Hornchurch, &c. A house at Castle Hedingham, known as the Wheatsheaf, though now a beer-shop merely, appears once to have been a very good private residence. The Wheatsheaf at *Chelmsford seems to have been in existence since 1786 at least, as it is mentioned in the Chelmsford Chronicle on January 13th in that year. Likewise the still-extant sign of the Maid’s Head (to be noticed hereafter) is probably derived from the arms of the Mercers’ Company,[23] which appear on the undated farthings of “Thomas Bvrges, Est Street, Covlchester,” and “Clement Pask of Castell Heninhame.” The Masons’ Arms[24] occur at *Moulsham. The Gardeners’ Arms[25] appear at Wakes Colne and Loughton (beer-house). The Wheelers’ Arms[26] (? Wheelwrights’ Arms) appear at

Good Easter. The Bricklayers’ Arms[27] occur three times, namely, at Colchester, Stondon, and Bocking (beer-shop). The Royal Hotel at Purfleet is famed for its whitebait. Until recently it was known as the Bricklayers’ Arms, evidently, as Mr. Palin thinks,[28] because the Bricklayers’ Company formerly worked the huge chalk quarries close at hand. The Butchers’ Arms[29] occur at Wimbish, Felstead, Stambourne, and Woodham Ferris (beer-shop). Probably the Bull’s Head, the Boar’s Head, and the Fly and Bullock, to be noticed hereafter, are all connected with the arms of this Company, which appear on the halfpenny of “John Harvey of Rochfoord” in 1668. The Carpenters’ Arms[30] occur eight times in the county, and also often serve as a beer-house sign. One near Chelmsford is kept by a carpenter, as is, doubtless, often the case. There can be no doubt that the Compasses, which occurs six times, and the Three Compasses, which appears twice, are derived from the arms of this Company. A house near Waltham Abbey, now known by the latter form of the sign, seems in 1789 to have been called the Compasses merely. The Axe and Compasses at Arkesden is probably a modern, but certainly an appropriate, combination; or the axe may be intended for one of the adzes in the arms of the Coopers’ Company, for the Coopers’ Arms[31] themselves appear at Chadwell Heath, Aldham, Chelmsford, and Romford, the last two being beer-houses. Although the arms of the Cutlers’ Company[32] are not now to be seen on our sign-boards, there can be little doubt that the Two swords crossed, which appeared on the undated farthing of “Nathaniell Smith in Thacksteed,” were derived from the arms of that Company, Thaxted having formerly been a seat of the cutlery trade, as the name “Cutlers’ Green,” in the immediate vicinity, indicates. The Waterman’s Arms[33] was formerly a sign at Leigh, but whether of an inn or private house does not appear. Mr. H. W. King is able, by means of evidence obtained from old deeds, to give a complete account of the house which displayed this sign (and which was built about the time of Charles I.) from 1650; but there are earlier notices of it. Portions of it, built of oak, are still standing, but much altered. When it first became an inn does not appear. It is first mentioned as having been such in 1746, when it is described as “two tenements now and lately called the Waterman’s Arms.” Probably, therefore, it had even then ceased to be an inn, and had been divided into two dwelling-houses. Under the floor of one of the rooms, some years since, were found several small coins of Charles II., and a leaden tavern token, undated, but probably of the seventeenth century. On it was a hand or arm, pouring from a tankard into a cup or glass. Forty years ago there was a Poulterers’ Arms[34] at Chelmsford. Larwood and Hotten do not notice this sign.

Similarly, several other Companies, whose arms are not now to be found named upon our Essex sign-boards, appear to have given us signs which we still have. For instance, the sign of the Trowel and Hammer at Marks Tey (which is not mentioned by Larwood and Hotten) is in all probability derived from the arms of the Plasterers’ Company,[35] while the sign of Three Cups has, doubtless, been derived from the arms of the Salters’ Company.[36] Of this sign we have examples at Great Oakley, Maldon, Springfield, and *Colchester. The Three Cups at Colchester (commonly called the Cups), though not one of the oldest licensed houses in that ancient borough, was long a well-known coaching inn, and for upwards of half a century has been the leading hotel in the town. There is reason to believe that a small tavern known as the Queen’s Head stood upon the site in the days of Elizabeth; but a more commodious building was erected, as an inscription on the front stated, in 1792. That, however, had become too antiquated for its requirements, and was demolished in 1885. Upon its site has now been erected an extremely handsome building of brick and stone. Carved on one of the projecting windows are “three cups,” with pedestals, but they do not correctly represent the “covered sprinkling-salts” of the Salters’ Arms. These, however, are correctly represented, being carved in wood, and supported upon a sign-post, before the Three Cups at *Springfield, a house at least a century old, as it is mentioned in the Chelmsford Chronicle on March 30, 1787.

In a curious poem, describing a journey from London to Aldborough and back, published in 1804,[37] the Three Cups at *Harwich—now known as the Cups—is thus alluded to:

Again, the Adam and Eve, which occurs at West Ham, as noticed hereafter, is a very old device as a sign. This example is forty years old at least. Messrs. Larwood and Hotten state (p. 257) that “our first parents were constant dramatis personÆ in the mediÆval mysteries and pageants;” but both they and Mr. Jewitt overlook the fact that the sign may with equal probability have been derived from the arms of the Fruiterers’ Company,[38] which appear on the halfpenny of Jasper Eve of Springfield in 1669. In this case, however, the device probably was intended as a rebus upon the name. The sign of the Three Pigeons is not improbably derived from the arms of the Tallow-chandlers’ Company,[39] since there is no other obvious source from which it can have come. Although Larwood and Hotten seem to regard it as being now a rare sign, there are two cases of it in Essex—one at Stratford, and the other at Halstead. As already stated, the occupation of the tallow-chandler is represented ten times on the Essex tokens of the seventeenth century, either by the arms of the Company, by a man making candles, or by a stick of candles. The latter device appears on the undated farthing of William Newman of Halstead, and may have some connection with the Three Pigeons which now exists there, and has certainly done so for at least forty years back. The Dove and Olive-branch, which is shown on the undated farthing of “George Evanes in Ingatestone,” is also probably a device taken from the arms of this Company. Other arms and emblems belonging to the great trade companies, and appearing commonly on the tokens of the seventeenth century, have now quite disappeared—at least so far as Essex is concerned. For instance, the Barber-Surgeons’ Arms[40] are to be seen on the halfpence of “Thomas Bvll of Mamvdine, 1669,” and of “Henry Carter, Chirvrgeon, in Manitree, 1669.” The Grocers’ Arms[41] occur, as already stated, no less than about twenty-five times, either as the Grocers’ Arms, a sugar-loaf, three sugar-loaves, one or more cloves, or a sugar-loaf and cloves combined. The Grocers’ Arms and an Escalop occur respectively on the two sides of the undated token of “George Nicholson in Tolshon Dacey in S.X.” The sign of the Three Sugar-loaves still occurs at Sible Hedingham, and has been in existence there for a century at least, as the house is mentioned in an advertisement in the Chelmsford Chronicle on March 9, 1787. It can hardly be called an heraldic sign, as the three sugar-loaves seem only to have been set up by grocers as an emblem of their business. At the present time the house has no sign-board, but the three sugar-loaves are suspended over the door as here shown. There is also a beer-house of the same name in Felstead parish.

The Woolpack, which occurs eight times on the Essex tokens of the seventeenth century, and six times in the county at present, will be noticed hereafter. It is, doubtless, derived from the arms of the Woolmen’s Company.[42] The Apothecaries’ Arms[43] appear on the tokens of “Isaac Colman, grocr, in Colchester, 1667,” and of Thomas Bradshawe of Harwich, in the same year. The Drapers’ Arms[44]

occur three times on the Essex tokens. The sign of the Three Crowns, which occurs four times in the county, as hereafter mentioned, is very probably derived either from the arms of the Drapers’ Company, or from those of the Skinners’ Company.[45] The signs of the Horseshoe and the Three Horseshoes (the former of which occurs three times in the county and the latter ten times) probably both owe their origin partly to the fact that horseshoes appear on the arms of the Farriers’ Company,[46] and partly to the old custom of fastening a horseshoe upon the stable-door or elsewhere in the belief that it would scare away witches. The Three Horseshoes now existing at Billericay seems to be at least one hundred years old, as it is referred to in the Chelmsford Chronicle on March 10, 1786. As a beer-house sign the Horseshoe occurs at Great Parndon, and the Three Horseshoes at Braintree, Waltham Abbey, High Ongar, and elsewhere. It appears from the parish registers of Grays that there was a Horseshoes there in 1724, and there was a Three Horseshoes at Great Parndon in 1789. The Clothworkers’ Arms[47] appear twice on the Colchester tokens, once on the farthing of “William Cant, in Hedingham Sibley, 1667,” and once elsewhere. The Shuttle on the tokens of “Moses Love, slaymaker, of Coggshall,” and “Nathaniell Cattlin of Safron Walden, 1668,” the Woman Spinning on that of “John Little in Movlshem, 1666,” and the pair of Shears on that of “James Bonvm in Stisted, 1670,” are all probably connected with the woollen trade which formerly flourished in Essex. In 1662 there was a house known as the Shears in Chelmsford. It is mentioned in the Account of the Murder of Thomas Kidderminster as being in “Colchester-lane,” which was probably what is now known as Springfield Lane. Littlebury was once another seat of the woollen trade. Until comparatively recently the 3rd of February used to be celebrated there, as related in a poem still occasionally to be met with, that being the day dedicated to Bishop Blaize, patron of workers in wool. Two huge pairs of shears, one of which is here represented, may still be seen carved on the old oaken north door of the church.

In addition to the foregoing signs connected with trades and occupations, we have the following, though none of the employments named ever bore coats of arms. Most of them are modern vulgarisms, and need no further attention. There are Cricketers’ Arms at Manningtree, Danbury, and Rickling; Maltsters’ Arms at Willingale Doe, Lambourne (beer-house), and Colchester; Freemasons’ Arms at Brightlingsea and Braintree (beer-house); a Drovers’ Arms at Rayleigh; an Engineers’ Arms at Stratford; Thatchers’ Arms at Mount Bures and Rettendon (beer-shop), Tolleshunt D’Arcy, and Great Warley; a Volunteers’ Arms at Maldon; a Yachtsman’s Arms at Brightlingsea; a Slaters’ Arms at Chadwell Heath; a Moulders’ Arms (beer-shop) at Great Wakering; a Woodcutters’ Arms (beer-shop) at Eastwood; a Foundry Arms (beer-shop) at Hornchurch (of course named after Messrs. Wedlake’s foundry there); Labourers’ Arms at Great Baddow and Woodham Ferris (beer-shops); and an Odd Fellows’ Arms at Springfield (beer-house). Mr. H. W. King finds mention in ancient deeds of a house at Leigh, in 1682, with the sign of the Hambro’ Merchants’ Arms, but whether an inn, shop, or private residence does not appear, nor is there any subsequent mention of it. The owner, George King, is described as a mercer on some of his tokens, still extant, and also on his tombstone, now destroyed. Most probably, therefore, it was a shop-sign. It stood on the site of the present King’s Head. At High Ongar a beer-shop displays the sign of the Foresters’ Arms. Sixty years ago there was a Nelson’s Arms at *Colchester. At the same time, the Weavers’ Arms[48] formed a very suitable sign at *Colchester, and there were a *Joiners’ Arms, a *Tailors’ Arms, and a *Sawyers’ Arms at the same place. Of the latter, there is still an example (beer-house) at Magdalen Laver. In times past, probably, many other trades have had their “Arms,” though only sign-board ones.

Many other “arms” are borrowed from the names of illustrious persons, though there is some uncertainty about several in the subjoined list. The following will be at once seen to be named after well-known Essex landowners: such are, the Ducane Arms at Braxted, the Lennard Arms at Aveley, the Neville Arms at Audley End, the Rayleigh Arms at Terling, the Tower Arms at South Weald, the Wake Arms at Waltham Abbey (which is over forty years old), the Wilkes Arms at Wenden Lofts, and the Western Arms at Rivenhall, which figured as the Lord Western Arms forty years ago, when there was also a Petre’s Arms at Ingatestone. Other arms of this class, but not necessarily connected with the county, are the Camden Arms at Forest Gate, the Cowley Arms at Leytonstone, the Headley Arms at Great Warley, the Henley Arms at North Woolwich, the Laurie Arms at Romford, the Manby Arms and the Waddington Arms at Stratford, the Milton Arms at Southend, the Spencers’ Arms at Hornchurch, and the De Beauvoirs’ Arms at Downham, together with the Peto Arms, the Sidney Arms, the Sutton Arms, and two Napier’s Arms. Sixty years ago there was a *Theobald’s Arms at Grays. The De Beauvoirs’ Arms is at least forty years old. It seems to be locally known as “the Beavers.” Its sign is a pictorial one with the arms duly displayed. Larwood and Hotten describe the General’s Arms at Little Baddow as a “new-fangled, unmeaning sign,” through knowing nothing of its local significance. It appears that the house belongs to Lord Rayleigh, and the arms of the Strutt family—crest, motto, and all—are correctly depicted upon the sign-board. It takes its name from Major-General William Goodday Strutt, brother of the first Baron. After seeing much active service, in which he lost a leg and received many wounds, he was appointed Governor of Quebec, and died February 5, 1848.

The Royal Arms are displayed in the undesirable neighbourhood of Silvertown. Although our present Queen has now reigned fifty years, the Queen’s Arms only appear three times on Essex sign-boards, against no less than seventeen King’s Arms. Probably the fact that the number of kings has been very much greater than the number of queens will fully account for this. There is, however, a Victoria Arms at Brentwood. It seems probable that during the last forty years many houses formerly known as the King’s Head have come to be called the King’s Arms, after the recent craze for “arms;” for the former sign was much commoner, and the latter much rarer, forty years since than now. It may be pointed out, for instance, that in Mr. Creed’s list of signs round Epping in 1789, the King’s Head appears six times, and the King’s Arms only once; also that the Queen’s Head appears twice, while the Queen’s Arms does not appear at all. This shows the great prevalence of “Heads” over “Arms” on the sign-boards of last century, and also that the present prevalence of Kings over Queens in the same situation was observable even then. Probably the two Queen’s Heads given, which were at Harlow and Fyfield respectively, represented the portrait of Queen Anne. A token was issued by William Drane at the King’s Arms (depicted in the field), in Waltham Abbey in 1668, and the same sign is mentioned in the Chelmsford Chronicle for 1786 as occurring at Halstead. The sign still exists at both those places; but it is, of course, difficult to say whether or not the houses are the same as those that displayed the sign in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries respectively. The sign of the King’s Arms at Waltham Abbey in 1668 can hardly have been more than eight years old at the time, as no one would have ventured to display such a sign during the time of the Commonwealth. Doubtless it was set up at the time of the Restoration in 1660 in honour of the new king, Charles II., for whose father, perhaps, this William Drane had fought.

Among the more miscellaneous “Arms” may be mentioned the Chatsworth Arms at Forest Gate, the Alma Arms (beer-house) at Navestock, the Chobham Arms at Stratford, together with a Liberty Arms, a Libra Arms, three Ordnance Arms, a Railway Arms, and a Roman Arms in the Roman Road, Colchester. The last-named sign has been corrupted within the last twenty years from the Roman Urn. Most of these extremely absurd signs have come into existence during the last few years. They serve to show how completely the original use of arms as signs has become disassociated from their present use. Another indication of the modern growth of “Arms” is to be found in the fact that they are very common as beer-house signs—beer-houses having only been instituted since the beginning of this century. Even forty years ago “Arms” were decidedly less common as signs than they are now. The list has of late been swelled by such stupid and unmeaning additions as the Alma Arms, Libra Arms, and Lilliput Arms, very few, if any, of which existed fifty years since.

To the above may be added the following, which appear in London, and are most of them modern and meaningless absurdities:—The Waterloo Arms, the Grand Junction Arms, the Paviors’ Arms, the Palace Arms, the Roman Arms (in the Roman Road, Bow, E.), the Mechanics’ Arms, and the Volunteers’ Arms. The Sol’s Arms, in the Hampstead Road, commemorated by Dickens in Bleak House, still exists under the same name. “Arms” in London are very frequently situated in streets of the same name, and these streets are usually named after persons, who, it may be presumed, own property in them. Altogether there are in London no less than 352 distinct signs consisting of “Arms” of some kind or other, not counting the number of times each particular sign is repeated. Thus, in London, “Arms” form rather more than twenty per cent. of all distinct signs.