The cat and fiddle is a popular British public house sign. The sign owes its origins to being a corruption of Caton le fidele which actually means Caton, governor of Calais, and not the cat and the fiddle! Research Cat and Fiddle
Fiddle-wood is the common name of Citharoxylon, a genus of trees or shrubs with some twenty species, natives of tropical America, of the natural order Verbenaceae. Some of the species are ornamental timber trees; several yield a hard wood valuable for cabinet making. Research Fiddle-wood
The Fiddler Crab of Calling Crab (Gelasimus arcuatus) is a genus of crustacean of the order Decapoda, family Ocypodidae. It gets its name from the male's distinctive larger claw which it has the habit of holding up as though beckoning or calling and makes him look as though he is carrying a fiddle and bow. Fiddler Crabs are solitary, shore-living animals which inhabit burrows around the coast of Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia. In Africa and Japan they are called the Calling Crab. Research Fiddler Crab
Muehlenbeckia is a genus of shrubs and sub-shrubs belonging to the family Polygonaceae. The genus includes the hardy New Zealand climbing plant
Muehlenbeckia complexa which bears curiously fiddle-shaped leaves. Research Muehlenbeckia
According to the reverend Cogham Brewer, writing around 1900, much of a nation's history, and more of its manners and feelings, may be gleaned from its public-house signs. A very large number of them are selected out of compliment to the lord of the manor, either because he is the 'great man' of the neighbourhood, or because the proprietor is some servant whom 'it delighted the lord to honour'; thus we have the Earl of March, in compliment to the Duke of Richmond: the Green Man or gamekeeper, married and promoted 'to a public'. When the name and titles of the lord have been exhausted, we get his badge of or his favourite pursuit, as the Bear and Ragged Staff, the Fox and Hounds. As the object of the sign is to speak to the feelings and attract, another fruitful source is either some national hero or great battle; thus we get the Marquis of Granby and the Duke of Wellington, the Waterloo and the Alma. The proverbial loyalty of our nation has naturally shown itself in our tavern signs, giving us the Victoria, Prince of Wales, the Albert, the Crown, and so on. Some signs indicate a speciality of the house, as the Bowling Green, the Skittles; some a political bias, as the Royal Oak; some are an attempt at wit, as the Five Alls; and some are purely fanciful. The following list will serve to exemplify the subject:
The Angel. In allusion to the angel that saluted the Virgin Mary.
The Bag Of Nails. A corruption of the 'Bacchanals'.
The Bear. From the popular sport of bear-baiting.
The Bear and Bacchus, in High Street, Warwick. A corruption of Bear and Bacillus-i.e. Bear and Ragged Staff, the badge of the Earl of Warwick.
The Bear and Hogged Staff. The badge of the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Leicester, etc.
The Bell. In allusion to races, a silver bell having been the winner's prize up to the reign of Charles II.
The Blue Boar. The badge of Richard III.
The Blue Pig (Bevis Marks). A corruption of the Blue Boar, the badge of Richard III.
The Boards Head. The badge of the Gordons, etc.
The Bolt-in-Tun. The punning heraldic badge of Prior Bolton, last of the clerical rulers of Bartholomew's, previous to the Reformation.
Bosom's Inn. A public-house sign in St. Lawrence Lane, London; a corruption of Blossom's Inn, as it was later called, in allusion to the hawthorn blossoms surrounding the effigy of St Lawrence on the sign.
The Bowling Green. Signifying that there are arrangements on the premises for playing bowls.
The Bull. The badge of Richard, Duke of York. The Black Bull is the badge of the house of Clare.
The Bull's Head. The badge of Henry VIII.
The Bully Ruffian A corruption of the Bellerophon (a ship).
The Castle. This, being the arms of Spain, formerly symbolised that Spanish wines were to be obtained within. In some cases, without doubt, it is a complimentary sign of the manorcastle.
The Cat and Fiddle. A corruption of Caton Fidele i.e. Caton, the faithful governor of Calais. In Farringdon (Devon) is the sign of La Chatte Fidele in commemoration of a faithful cat, Without scanning the phrase so nicely, it may simply indicate that the game of cat (trap-ball) and a fiddle for dancing were provided for customers.
The Cat and Mutton, Hackney, which gives name to the Cat and Mutton Fields.
The Cat and Wheel. A corruption of 'St Catherine's Wheel'; or an announcement that cat and balance-wheels were provided for the amusement of customers.
The Chequers. (1) In honour of the Stuarts, whose shield was 'checky', like a Scotch plaid. (2) In commemoration of the licence granted by the Earls of Arundel or Lords Warrenne. (3) An intimation that a room is set apart for merchants and accountants, where they can be private and make up their accounts, or use their 'chequers' undisturbed.
The Coach and Horses. This sign signified that the house was a posting-house, a stage-coach house, or both.
The Cock and Bottle. By some said to be a corruption of the 'Cork and Bottle', meaning that wine was sold there in bottles.
The Cow and Skittles. The cow is the real sign, and alludes to the dairy of the hostess, or some noted dairy in the neighbourhood. Skittles was added to indicate that there was a skittle ground on the premises.
The Cross Keys. Common in the mediaeval ages, and in allusion to St Peter, or one of the bishops whose badge of it is - probably the lord of the manor or the patron saint of the parishchurch. The cross keys are emblems of the papacy, St Peter, the Bishop of Gloucester, St Servatus, St Hippolytus, St Genevieve, St Petronilla, St Osyth, St Martha, and St Germanus.
The Dog and Duck. Used to signify that the sport so called could be seen there. A duck was put into water, and a dog set to hunt it; the fun was to see the duckdiving and the dog following it under water.
The Elephant and Castle. Possibly to signify the war elephants formerly used by some foreign armies in which a box-like, canopied structure (called a howdah) was mounted of the elephant's back to accommodate the riders.
The Feathers. A contraction of the 'Plume of Feathers', meaning that of the Prince of Wales.
The Fox and Goose. To signify that there were arrangements within for playing the royal game of Fox and Goose.
St. George and the Dragon. In compliment to the patron saint of England, and his combat with the dragon.
The George and Cannon, A corruption of 'George Canning'.
The Globe. The badge of Alfonso, King of Portugal; and intimating that Portuguese wines were to be obtained within.
The Goat in Golden Boots. A. corruption of the Dutch Good in der Gouden Boots (the god Mercury in his golden sandals).
The Goat and Compasses. A Puritan sign, a corrupt hieroglyphic reading of 'God encompasses us'.
The Golden Cross. This refers to the ensigns carried by the Crusaders.
The Grecian Stairs. A corruption of 'The Greesen or Stairs' The allusion is to a flight of steps from the New Road to the MinsterYard.
The Green Man. The late gamekeeper of the lord of the manor turned publican. At one time these servants were dressed in green.
The Green Man and Still The herbalist bringing his herbs to be distilled.
The Hare and Hounds. In compliment to the sporting squire or lord of the manor.
The Hole-in-the-Wall. So called because it was approached by a passage or 'hole' in the wall of the house standing in front of the tavern.
The Iron Devil. A corruption of 'Hirondelle' (the swallow). There are numerous public-house signs referring to birds; as, the Blackbird, the Thrush, the Peacock, the Martin, Bird-in-the-Hand, etc.
The Three Kings. A public-house sign of the mediaeval ages, in allusion to the three kings of Cologne, the Magi who presented offerings to the infantJesus. Very many public-house signs of the mediaeval period had a reference to ecclesiastical matters, either because their landlords were ecclesiastics, or else from a superstitious reverence for 'saints' and 'holy things'.
The Marquis of Granby. In compliment to John Manners, eldest son of John, third Duke of Rutland - a bluff, brave soldier, generous, and greatly beloved by his men.
The Packhorse. To signify that pack-horses could be hired there.
The Palgrave's Head. A public-house sign formerly near Temple Bar, in honour of Frederick Palgrave of the Rhine.
The Pig and Tinder Box. A corrupt rendering of The Elephant and Castle; the 'pig' is really an elephant, and the 'tinder-box' the castle on its back.
The Pig and Whistle. Wassail is made of apples, sugar, and ale.
The Plum and Feathers. A corruption of the 'Plume of Feathers', meaning that of the Prince of Wales.
The Queen of Bohemia. In honour of Lady ElizabethStuart.
The Queer Door. A corruption of CoeurDore (Golden Heart).
The Ram and Teazle. In compliment of the Clothier's Company.
The Red Dragon. The badge of Henry VII or the principality of Wales.
The Rose. A symbol of England, as the Thistle is of Scotland, and the Shamrock of Ireland.
The Red Rose. The badge of the Lancastrians in the Civil War of the Roses.
The White Rose. The badge of the Yorkists in the Civil War of the Roses.
The Rose of the Quarter Sessions. A corruption of La Rose des Quatre Saisons.
The Salutation and Cat. The 'Salutation' (which refers to the angel saluting the Virgin Mary) is the sign of the house and the 'Cat' is added to signify that arrangements are made for playing cat or tipcat.
The Saracen's Head. In allusion to what are preposterously termed 'The Holy Wars'; adopted probably by some Crusader after his return home, or at any rate to flatter the natural sympathy for these Quixotic expeditions.
The Ship. In honour of Sir Francis Drake, the circumnavigator.
The Ship and Shovel. Referring to Sir Cloudesley Shovel, a favourite admiral in Queen Anne's reign.
The Seven Stars. An astrological sign of the mediaeval ages.
The Spread Eagle. The arms of Germany; formerly to indicate that German wines may be obtained within.
The Three Suns. The badge of Edward IV.
The Sun and the Rose. The badge of the House of York.
The Swan and Antelope. The badge of Henry V.
The Talbot. The arms of the Talbot family.
The Turk's Head. Alluding to the Holy Wars, when the Crusaders fought against the Turks.
The Unicorn. The Scottish supporter in the royal arms of Great Britain.
The White Hart. The badge of Edward II.
The White Lion. The badge of Edward IV, as Earl of March
The White Swan. The badge of Henry IV and of Edward III, also Anne of Cleves. Research Public-House Signs
Abbreviations
Research Cat and Fiddle
