As it's time for students to take up their university places I thought it appropriate to mention a pub with a university theme, namely The Eagle in Cambridge.
The eagle is rich in both heraldic and religious symbolism. Many pub names arose through a church connection or as a way to ingratiate the landlord with the local ruling family, so it's no wonder that many bear the sign of the eagle. It might represent the Resurrection on a former religious house or form part of the coat of arms of the lord of the manor, making it a popular choice country wide.
The world's most scientific Eagle stands adjacent to Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. The Enigma cryptographer and father of modern computer science, Alan Turing, was a visitor to The Eagle during his years at the university. It was also the local for researchers at the Cavenish Laboratory who were working on the structure of DNA.
In 1953, Crick and Watson held a press conference at The Eagle to announce that they had unlocked the secrets of DNA, work for which they were awarded a Nobel prize with Maurice Wilkins. The event is commemorated with a Blue Plaque outside the pub.
Why not buy A Book About Pub Names for more information on this and other popular pub signs?
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