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The Union Inn, East Street, Rye, East Sussex  Telephone: 01797 222334

History of

   

   The Union Inn

Why The Union Inn?

If you look at the outside of the building you will see a painting of a rose, a thistle and a shamrock. This painting was discovered whilst redecoration of the front of the pub was being carried out. The painting was found under a similar painted board. No one knows how long the Painting has existed.

This painting provides a clue as to the name of the pub. The pub was first licensed in 1420 and is considered to be a fine example of medieval architecture.

The name The Union Inn probably came about in the early part of the 17th Century when James I (James VI of Scotland) united both England and Scotland under one Crown- hence The Union of the Crowns in 1603. (Ireland had been under the English crown to varying degrees since the 12th century, and Wales had been politically united with England in 1536.)

This Union is depicted on the wall of the Pub as a rose, a thistle and a shamrock. Interestingly, the emblem of Wales, a daffodil has been omitted.

Historically pubs were more than just places for socialising. They were meeting places and rallying points for supporters of various political and religious factions.

These factions often took the armorial badge of their leader as their symbol. It became common for inn-keepers to display the badge on a sign outside their premises to show allegiance to their cause and as a ‘signpost’ for travellers.

History of Pub Signs

The history of pub signs date back to the Roman times, when reliefs made of stone or terracotta were hung outside to denote the trade or profession of the occupants of the building. The sign of 'The Goat' suggested a dairy, and 'Bacchus' (the Roman God) a wine merchant. One of the first Roman tavern signs was the 'Bush'. The 'Tabernae' would also hang vine leaves outside to show that they sold wine - in Britain, as vine leaves are rare, small bushes were placed outside. Early pubs hung long poles or ale stakes, which might have been used to stir the ale, outside their doors. If both wine and ale were sold, then both bush and pole would be hung outside.

The naming of inns and pubs became common by the 12th century. With pub names came pub signs - since the majority of the population could not read or write. The pub signs were very simple, quite religious symbols such as 'The Sun', 'The Star' and 'The Cross', but later they became influenced by the coat-of-arms of the landowners on whose site the inn stood. In 1393, King Richard II passed an act which made it compulsory for pubs and inns to have a sign (his own emblem the 'White Hart' in London) in order to identify them to the official Ale Taster. Ever since then, pub names and signs have reflected British life at that time.

Ghosts

The Union Inn is arguably the most haunted Pub in Rye and there are many stories about ghosts and strange goings on!

 It is alleged that the building is haunted by the ghost of an unmarried mother who was killed when she fell down the cellar steps, but the previous owner of the 15th Century building often heard the sound of someone walking along an empty corridor upstairs.

 A seventeen year old girl has also been seen walking through the kitchen area. In 1993 researchers in spiritual phenomena witnessed banging and ‘laser- like flashes’ and the bar door to the kitchen opened and closed by itself. A few days later a medium described the ghost of a tall man wearing either a naval or customs uniform.