Pub sign, the Swan with two necks, Lad Lane, London, famous coaching inn

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Illustration from The Great North Road: London to York, 2nd edition published in 1922. Illustrations by the author Charles George Harper (1863 – 1943) and from old time prints and pictures. One of the first really well-known inns of the City of London. Sited between Wood Street and Milk Street beside a short street called Lad Lane (In Present day Gresham Street) The name is a corruption of the phrase "swan with two nicks" referring to swans owned by the Vintners’ Company. Swans owned by the Vintners carried two nicks on their bill. The marking is still carried out annually on the Thames during Swan Upping. Nowadays Swans are identified by rings put on their legs instead of nicks.

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Size: 3202px × 2000px
Photo credit: © Historical Images Archive / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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