Bristol pub History
The Elephant Pub was originally built in the 17th century and in 1853 was listed as the ‘Elephant Wine and Spirit Vaults and Slate Billiard Rooms’.
The building was demolished in 1863 when St Nicholas Street was widened but was rebuilt by architect Henry Masters and completed in 1867. It first appeared in the Street/Trade Directories held at Bristol Records Office in 1866.
Since being re-built this Bristol pub has had numerous names including The Elephant Inn, The Elephant Tavern, The Ivory and The Market Place but has always traded as a pub.
There are several plausible theories to explain the elephant theme and how the pub got its name:
Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the East India Company lost control of India and under the Government of India Act 1858, the British Crown assumed direct administration of India - the British Raj. Queen Victoria was appointed Queen Empress of India and India and all things Indian became very fashionable. The Western world was fascinated by ‘the mysterious East’ and one image considered typically Indian is the elephant.
Closer to home, in 1868 The Maharajah of Mysore, India gifted Zebi, a wild-caught female Asian elephant, to Bristol Zoo. At the time Zebi was the largest Asian elephant in captivity and has since made it into the Guinness Book of Animal Records because of this. People flocked to Bristol Zoo to see Zebi which further increased interest in these animals.
Another theory is that the name and emblem could be related to the already popular pub name ‘The Elephant & Castle’ of which there have previously been two in Bristol. This name has been attributed to a corruption of ‘Eleanor of Castile’ on the incorrect assumption that her title in Spanish was ‘La Infanta de Castile’ but it is more likely that the name was taken from the Coat of Arms of the guild / trade association known as the Worshipful Company of Cutlers, established in London in the 13th century producing and repairing weapons and knives. Arms were first granted to the Company in 1476, and in 1622 they were granted a crest which features two elephants and three crossed-swords, a helmet and a smaller elephant and castle. The elephant probably relates to the ivory used in hafting swords, knives and other weapons and this crest first gave rise to a pub of the same name on the site of an old cutler's in Newington, London. This in turn gave its name to the entire area of Elephant and Castle.
This Bristol pub was taken over in early 2010 by Bar-Inns Trading Ltd and, following an extensive & sympathetic refurbishment, reopened for business in June 2010. The pub now has a 50 cover dining room upstairs available as a private hire function venue and seating for 60 in the bar area.
We plan to open our new roof terrace in spring 2012
Please go to Contact page to make a booking.
English Heritage
