| There are in Burslem two Bull's
Heads, The Bull's Head Inn, St.John's Square Burslem and The Old
Bull's Head Inn, Waterloo Road, Burslem.
The house in St. Johns's Square existed as long ago as 1696, and probably long before this. The present building is an old one with a quaint inglenook in the smokeroom and some fine old beams. The present beam dated 1698 is an exact copy of an old on which had to be removed. The house has recently been restored and modernised under the direction of Messrs. Scrivener, and the smokeroom and lounge have been fitted with good modern panelling in keeping with the style of the house. It is no doubt the alehouse in St. John's Square kept by William Allen about 1750. Perhaps the sign may refer to the ancient and cruel sport of bull baiting once very popular in these parts, which took place in the square. More probably, however, it is connected with the arms of the Worshipful Company of Butchers. The heralds describe these as az. two axes saltire wise arg., between two roses arg. as many bull's heads coupled of the second, attired or. In plain English this means a blue shield divided into four parts by two steel (butcher's) axes, two of the divisions holding each a white rose, the other two each a bull's head, cut off at the neck and with horns of gold. Possibly the butchers of Burslem formerly congregated at this House. It still caters especially for the business men of the town.
Inns and Beerhouses of Stoke-on-Trent Index
questions/comments? email: Steve Birks |
Actually
the first named of these two houses is the older. The Old Bull's Head
was so called, however, at least as long ago as 1851. Apparently it
dates from the laying out of Waterloo Road in the early 19th
century. 