The Eagle and Child

[Lalwendë]

Seeing as there's been mention lately of Tolkien's beloved pub, the Eagle and Child, I thought that it might be interesting to post something of the legend surrounding the name.

The extraordinary story of The Eagle and Child, the crest of the Stanleys, is associated with the house of Lathom. Its outline is as follows :-Sir Thomas Lathom, the father of Isabel, afterwards the wife of Sir John Stanley, having this only child, and cherishing an ardent desire for a son to inherit his name and fortune, had an intrigue with a young gentlewoman, the fruit of which connexion was a son. The lord of Lathom contrived to have the infant conveyed by a confidential servant to the foot of a tree in his park frequented by an eagle, and he and his lady, taking their usual walk, found the infant as if by accident. The old lady, considering it a gift from heaven brought hither by the bird of prey and miraculously preserved, consented to adopt the boy as their heir.

"Their content was such, to see the hap,
That the ancient lady hugs yt in her lap
Smoths it with kisses, bathes yt in her tears,
And unto Lathom House the babe she bears."

The name of Oskatel was given to the little foundling, Mary Oskatel being the name of his mother. From this time the crest of the Eagle and Child was assumed; but, as the old knight approached the grave, his conscience smote him, and on his death. bed he bequeathed the principal part of his fortune to Isabel, his daughter, now become the lady of Sir John Stanley, leaving poor Oskatel, on whom the King had conferred the honour of knighthood, only the manors of Irlam and Urmston, near Manchester, and some possessions in the county of Chester in which county he settled and became the founder of the family of Lathom of Astbury.

Why was I interested enough to look this up? It has always intrigued me that a pub in Oxford should bear this name, as the legend and the family mentioned in it are Lancastrian. I also often find it fascinating that Tolkien chose to spend so much time in a pub with such an unusual name, one which requires a legend to explain its name. Did he choose this pub as a meeting place for the Inklings? And if so, did the name have anything to do with it? Somehow, it would be difficult to imagine him drinking in a Red Lion or Railway Tavern. Maybe another 'Downer can explain this? Or perhaps they know of other Eagle and Child pubs or connections?

Hope this is the right area for this topic by the way.