The English pub, short for "public house," is in many cases a neighborhood institution beloved of local residents, although many also cater to tourists. Pubs primarily serve alcoholic beverages, sometimes of local origin, and often serve delicious meals. Entertainment, in the form of music or traditional games, may be offered. Pubs of the past have often been celebrated in English Literature, perhaps most notably by Dickens. However, they also continue to thrive today, adapting to modern times and tastes, while still retaining traditional aspects.

Pubs have a long and rich history in England. Travelers throughout the country often needed a place to stay and eat when on a journey. Some pubs eventually came under the protection of nobles, or even royalty. Today many, pubs continue to double as both inns and drinking establishments.

For those unfamiliar with English pubs, one of the more curious aspects of these establishments may be their names and the signs made to illustrate them. Originally designed to be recognizable to nonliterate citizens, the signs are often beautiful examples of folk art. Many of the names are quite unusual and may represent past ownership or patronage, or mis-statements of the original name. Some particularly colorful examples I have come across include: "The Rose Revived", "The Royal Saracen", "The Swan and Castle", "The Flitch of Bacon" and "The Crab and Lobster."

The pub stands by the gate of Framlingham castle, build in 1190 by Earl Bigod. Bigod rebelled against King John but the castle fell to the King in 1216. Bigod had been Earl of Norfolk and the castle remained attached to the Norfolk title for centuries. Evebtually howover King Edward VI granted it to his half-sister Mary and it was here that she organised the overthrow of Edward's successor, Queen Jane.

Today, many pubs serve meals to customers in addition to drinks. In the past, pub food has often consisted of traditional English dishes. While English cuisine has often been sharply criticized, I believe that when it is properly prepared much of it is truly delicious. Some pubs have turned away from serving traditional food and now offer a wide range of choices on their menus. English Food in general is transforming as many ethnic ingredients and techniques are blended with old practices. In fact, the May 1998 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine is exclusively devoted to food in London and has many exciting recipes.

The four most popular kinds of beer are Bitter, Pale ale, Porter and Stout.

Bitter is Englands national beer. Trditional bitter, or Real Ale, is unpasteurized and unfiltered and is served from a handpump. The beer is usualy served with a very thin layer of foam on top. Some breweris and brands worth mentioning are Young´s and Fuller´s and the classic Timothy Tailors Landlord.

Pale ale is bitter that's been bottled. Pale ale is connected to the city Burton on Trent where the Bass brewery began makin pale ale in 1777.

Porter was named after the "porters" in London. Porters were carriers and doormen in the 18^th century. Porter is a dark brown, somtimes almost black, beer.

Stout was originally called bitter stout and is the national beer of Ireland. The classic brand is Guiness.

Pub games provide entertainment for patrons. Games may be played by organized teams or on a more casual basis. Many pubs continue to offer and advertise games in order to attract business to their establishments.

The most successful pub game ever invented and now played world-wide. Its probable origins date back to the Middle Ages where it transpired into an indoor version of archery with the end of a barrel used as a target. Regional variations include the Yorkshire (or Manchester) board that has no treble ring and a twelve-bed board, once popular in the east-end of London, Essex and parts of Suffolk.

An Italian word referring to the black masks worn at masquerades, the game arrived in Britain from Italy in the early 1800's. Although 13 variations are listed, including games with nine and twelve-spot dominoes, the official league in this area play the 'fives and threes' rules although it is common to see 'windmill' being played in friendlies.

This game was brought over from the USA and marketed by boxing promoter Frank Warren during the 1970's. It differs to the American game in that British tables have smaller pockets though follows the American 'eight-ball' variation.