The beginning of the pubs – Part 1

Dear friends of Training Centre “Raya” London, take a few minutes for our article, which will help you improve your English language learning and present you with some interesting facts.

All of you, probably, like to sit for a beer with friends in the picturesque English pubs. However, let’s see how they became the way they are now, and where in earlier centuries people could sit for a drink with a merry company.

Even before the Romans arrived on the Isles in the 1st century AD, the English brewed and enjoyed ale, the prototype of today’s beer. The Roman invaders came with weapons, but they also brought quite a few good things, such as a well-organized system of maintained roads, at the crossroads of which one could stop to have a rest and rest one’s horses, meet other travelers, and have a chat. That is how the so-called “tabernae” appeared on the roads, a Latin word that has become the familiar “tavern” today.

After the withdrawal of the Romans in the 5th century, the Anglo-Saxons started the “alehouses” – beer halls, which appeared as annexes to people’s houses.  People from nearby areas gathered there for a drink and a chat, and probably, fueled by alcohol, they got into more aggressive arguments. That`s why the authorities had to impose fines for disturbing the peace of visitors.

In the middle Ages, with the development of the Christian religion began the journeys of pilgrims in search of the purpose and God’s providence for life. At first the exhausted travelers found shelter in the monasteries, but soon the monks couldn`t manage to welcome and feed so many people, so new places had to be found where one could find a bed, warm food, company and a drink. In the 15th and 16th centuries, there were already so many “guesthouses”, especially in London, that their owners united in a guild that had its own rules and laws. It was called the Honorable Guild of Innkeepers. A 1577 survey found the following number of drinking establishments in England and Wales: 14,202 alehouses, 1,631 inns and 329 taverns, which meant that there was one drinking establishment for every 187 people.

However, let’s pay more attention to the inns! They often appeared in the countryside, usually along roads or at crossroads. Some modern inns have been in the same location for centuries. At these roadside inns, the exhausted travelers could enjoy a bed, food, and drink. They could also find care and fodder for their horses. This was the difference from the pubs and taverns. In some places, there were also rested horses for the mail carriers, with which they replaced their tired animals. Famous London inns include Saint George, Southwark, and the Tabard. Some of the current pubs use the word “Inn” in their name to denote the site of former inns.

Dear friends, we hope that this text was interesting for you. You can find its translation in the English version of our blog. Do not forget to switch from the button on the top right and check all unknown words, comparing with the Bulgarian version. We believe that all your efforts in English learning will be rewarded!

Author: Iveta Radeva