Black A Moor Head (2) - sign, 96 Lancaster Road, Preston

Image: © P L Chadwick Taken: 1 Sep 2012

It seems this pub or inn has always had some variant of its present name since it was built around 1830. The Preston Chronicle of the 1st January 1831 had an advertisement saying that a new public house or inn called the "Blackmoor's Head" was to be let. The origins of the name are probably similar to those of public houses called the Saracen's Head and the Turk's Head, which are not uncommon. They are amongst the oldest around. The Saracens and the Turks were amongst the enemies faced by the Crusaders in early medieval times, and as people returned from the Crusades, inns were sometimes given these names. Early signs often showed a crusader knight holding the head of a Turk, which wouldn't be acceptable today. Later a more noble portrait, such as the one used here, was adopted in recognition of their fighting bravery. Probably these names have only survived because of long historical usage. The sign can also be a reference to the Barbary pirates that raided the coasts from the time of the Crusades until the early 19th century, and that may be the case here. The sign on this side has some paint spots missing, so I also photographed the other side, which unfortunately was partly in shadow. Image Image

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