For nearly 150 years, a mysterious brass bat has watched over patrons of Birmingham's historic Crown & Cushion pub, its true meaning lost to time and leaving generations of drinkers scratching their heads. Now, the fascinating secret behind this enigmatic pub symbol has finally been revealed.
The Puzzling Pub Sign That Baffled Birmingham
Perched high above the entrance to the Crown & Cushion on High Street, Deritend, the ornate brass bat has been a source of speculation and curiosity since the Victorian era. Unlike traditional pub signs featuring lions, eagles, or other heraldic creatures, this winged mammal seemed entirely out of place to modern eyes.
"It's been a talking point for as long as anyone can remember," explained local historian Joseph Smith, who has studied Birmingham's pub heritage for decades. "People would come in for a pint, spot the bat, and wonder what on earth it had to do with crowns or cushions."
The Brewing Connection That Cracked the Case
The mystery began to unravel when researchers discovered the pub's deep connections to the Mitchells & Butlers brewing empire. The bat, it turns out, was never part of the original pub name but served as the distinctive trademark of the former Holder's Brewery Company.
"Holder's Brewery used the bat as their logo, and when they owned the Crown & Cushion, they added their trademark to the building," revealed Joseph. "It was essentially Victorian-era branding - their way of marking their property and advertising their wares to the literate and illiterate alike."
A Symbol of Quality and Heritage
In the 19th century, breweries commonly used animal symbols to identify their properties, creating visual shorthand that transcended the need for reading ability. The bat joined other creature trademarks across Birmingham's brewing landscape, including Mitchells & Butlers' well-known eagle and Ansell's distinctive horse.
"These symbols were more than just logos - they were promises of quality," Joseph explained. "Regular pub-goers would know that a bat sign meant Holder's ale, just as they'd recognise other breweries by their animal emblems."
Surviving the Test of Time
What makes the Crown & Cushion's brass bat particularly special is its survival. While many such symbols disappeared as breweries merged or closed, this bat endured through Birmingham's transformation, wars, and countless changes in ownership.
"It's a direct link to Birmingham's industrial brewing heritage," said Joseph. "That bat has watched the city change around it since Queen Victoria was on the throne. It's survived bombings, redevelopments, and the closure of the brewery that placed it there."
The revelation solves one of Birmingham's longest-running historical puzzles, proving that sometimes the answers are hiding in plain sight - if you know where to look.
