Commander Kelly: Ye Olde Fighting Cocks

Monday, June 1, 2015

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks
St. Albans, UK

About fifteen minutes outside of London by rail is the ancient town of St. Albans. This town was founded by the Romans and is noted for it Cathedral and school. It is also home of Ye Olde Fighting Cocks -- the oldest pub in England as verified by Guiness. There has been a public house on this site since around 793.

St. Albans Cathedral

It is a short amble from St. Albans Cathedral to Ye Olde Fighting Cocks. A general rule that has served me well in England and throughout Europe is that, wherever you find a church a pub cannot be far away. Underground tunnels link the Cathedral and the beer cellar; monks get thirsty too!

The Ye Olde Fighting Cocks pub that a visitor can see today was built in the 11th century.

During the English Civil War (1642 - 1651) Oliver Cromwell is reputed to have spent a night at this pub.

Cock fighting was a national sport in England for 600 years from Henry II until the nineteenth century. Public executions and bear baiting were also once popular entertainments in England. Queen Elizabeth I, for example, is said to have appreciated bear baiting far more than Shakespeare. In 1849 cock fighting was banned in England.

But that has not prevented the looney left from raising a fuss about the name of this historic pub.

Commander K. at Ye Olde Fighting Cocks

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks made national news here in Britain recently when PETA challenged the pub name insisting that they change it to "Ye Olde Clever Cocks". A spokesperson for PETA said, "Changing the name would reflect today's rejection of needless violence and help celebrate chickens as the intelligent, sensitive and social animals they are." You just can't make this stuff up! Here is the link...http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/11629471/Peta-demands-Britains-oldest-pub-changes-its-name-to-show-compassion-for-animals.html

According to polls most Britons do NOT seem to agree with the maunderings of the publicity hungry activists from PETA. The folks I met at the pub were not in the least miffed by PETA's feather-brained maneuvers. They were delighted by the attention for their establishment.