If you've ever wondered how pubs got their often esoteric names then dipping into <i>Green Men & White Swans</i> should provide enlightenment
Choice
An engaging and inquisitive narrative voice ... As well as being an enjoyable account of local English folklore and history, the book provides an insight into the more esoteric behaviour that characterises English eccentricity
Sunday Telegraph
In this enjoyable compendium, Simpson, a folklore expert, elucidates hundreds of mysterious pub names
Financial Times
This book is both an intriguing insight into the history of the British pub and a captivating journey through the country's dramatic past
Living North
Why do British pubs have such curious names? What tales lie behind the Moonrakers, the Hooden Horse, the Derby Tup? And why does the Green Man come in different shapes and sizes?
In Green Men & White Swans, leading folklorist Jacqueline Simpson explores the fascinating stories behind pub names, uncovering the myths and legends, euphemisms and wordplays, heroes and even ghosts that have inspired pub landlords over the centuries. Spanning beloved locals from the Three Witches to the Three Nuns, from the Ashen Faggot to the Twa Corbies, this book is both an intriguing insight into the history of the British pub and a captivating journey through the country's dramatic past.
In Green Men & White Swans, leading folklorist Jacqueline Simpson explores the fascinating stories behind pub names, uncovering the myths and legends, euphemisms and wordplays, heroes and even ghosts that have inspired pub landlords over the centuries.