Bear Inn, Oxford
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bear Inn (or just "The Bear") is one of the oldest public houses in Oxford, England, dating back to 1242. It stands on the corner of Alfred Street and Blue Boar Street, opposite Bear Lane in the centre of Oxford, just north of Christ Church.
The original Bear was a coaching inn on an adjacent site, closer to the High Street. It had previously been called Parne Hall and Le Tabard, but adopted its present name in the 15th century, after either a bear pit on site or the bear and ragged staff on the crest of Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick.
It was especially fashionable in the 17th century, when judges and royal commissioners were among the patrons. The heir to the throne in Denmark visited in 1652. When it closed in 1801, there were over thirty bedrooms, with stabling for a similar number of horses.
The present building was built in the early 17th century as the residence of the inn's ostler. It was converted into a separate tavern, The Jolly Trooper, in 1774, and took over the name of the Bear when the other inn closed.
A distinctive feature of the Bear is a collection of over 4,500 snippets of decorative ties, started in the 1950s, and given by customers (some famous) in exchange for a pint of beer. These are displayed in glass-fronted cases on the walls and even the (low) ceiling. The ties mostly indicate membership of clubs, sports teams, schools and colleges, etc.
[edit] References
- Honey, Derek S. An encyclopaedia of Oxford pubs, inns and taverns. Usk: Oakwood, 1998, p. 19.
[edit] See also
- Other Bear Inns
