TheHistoryOf.net

It’s interesting to look at the history of pubs. The pub, which stands for “public house,” is clearly a British invention. It’s true that you’ll find pubs in the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries, but the original public houses were established in England.

Defining the “Pub”

When you travel through England, you’ll find inns, taverns and pubs. Inns are places where you may eat, drink and sleep, while a tavern is an establishment where you can eat and drink. A pub may serve food but the focus is on alcohol.

Additionally, the most common drink served in a pub is beer. These establishments also tend to be community and working-class based. That means that their prices when compared to taverns and inns tend to be lower.

When Did a Pub become a Pub?

The guidelines that define a pub are informal and general. And for this reason, it’s difficult to define when the pub first came into being. We do possess a basic timeline.

• 40- 90 CE: Romans establish taverns for travelers in Britain.
• 407: Last of Roman forces leave Britain; alehouses established by Angelo-Saxons. Each house made its own brew. These become meeting places for the common people.
• 965: King Edgar decrees there be one alehouse per village.
• 1600: Breweries established apart from alehouses. Beer brewing becomes commercial.
• 1700s: The 18th century sees the rapid expansion of drinking establishments in England.
• 1740: The Gin Craze takes over England. In London more than half of the 15,000 drinking establishments serve gin. Public drunkenness is out of control.
• 1751: A second Gin Act taxes and regulates the alcoholic drink.
• 1830: Beer Act is put into place in an attempt to curb drunkenness. Anyone could brew and sell beer or cider in their home after paying a one-time fee. Beer was seen as being benign and so the government encouraged its consumption.  
• 1838: Just eight years after the Beer Act 46,000 beer houses had opened.
• 1869: The Wine and Beerhouse Act stops the establishment of further beer houses and puts more controls on the industry.
• 1890s: Beer houses are in decline. Many apply for new licenses to become full public houses or pubs. 
• 2000: Some beer houses still exist but the majority are now pubs.

The Most Important Date

In the history of pubs when it comes to determining when the public house was established, King Edgar’s decree that was announced in 965 is very important. The king decided to limit the number of alehouses to one per village. Like today’s modern pub, these were places where the common folk met to discuss their day, make plans and debate current events. King Edgar’s decree attests to the power of pubs to attract the public and channel their energies.  

Today’s Pubs

Inside today’s pubs, you’ll find tables and chairs and a general serving area for brew. The bar is a raised area with a top that is 42” to 46” high. That means that the seats at the bar, such as Hillsdale bar stools, generally measure 28” to 33” high. These stools allow those at the bar to sit comfortably and enjoy their drink.  You may have noticed that kitchen bar stools tend to be lower, around 24” to 28”, since kitchen bars are around 37” to 42”.

Wherever you decide to enjoy your brew, the history of pubs has shown that people do so because they are drawn to the good drink and fine company. Enjoy your pint or bottle!

About the Author

David Dawson enjoys doing odd jobs around the house and making his own brew. He also likes collecting pub memorabilia. In his collection, he has two ornate vintage Hillsdale bar stools. One of his hobbies is refurbishing old kitchen bar stools and pub furniture.  David is a fan of football and darts and an accomplished snooker player.