Gargi Raut in Edgbaston
If you’ve ever watched a match at the Edgbaston stadium, while walking through the food stall area you will come across a bar called the ‘Bear and Ragged Staff. You also might have seen it stitched on several caps and jerseys. But what many don’t know is that the logo of a bear chained to a staff is more than just a symbol, it holds centuries worth of history and it’s been part of Warwickshire’s cricketing identity since the very beginning.
In the logo, the bear is standing besides a broken tree branch, which is known as the ragged staff. As unbelievable as it sounds, the roots of this emblem go all the way to the Middle Ages and the Earls of Warwick. According to folklore, one of the Earls killed a giant with nothing but a tree trunk and the tree trunk became a representation of strength, courage and loyalty, and the bear on the other hand had become a common symbol across the country.
The symbol of the Bear and Ragged Staff was officially adopted in 1885 when Warwickshire CCC moved into the Edgbaston stadium, and the club put on all its county caps and it has been a mainstay ever since.
The history of the Bear and the Staff also lives through the local pub situated inside the Edgbaston stadium. The pub is nothing short of an institution, it stands out with its rustic outlay, wooden benches and the famous symbol perched on the walls. Here, over pints of bitter or craft lager, stories have been shared between generations. From kids indulging in a friendly but fierce cricket match near the pub to the older generation reminiscing on Brian Lara’s legendary 501*, from discussion of Ashes drama under the grey skies to marvelling over Shubman Gill’s double centuries in the summer heat. The pub’s wooden beams and cricket memorabilia create an atmosphere where time feels elastic.
On match days, the Bear and Staff are greeted with long queues, with people patiently waiting to get their hands on the beer. For the locals, the pub is part of the routine of a Test match. For travelling fans, it’s about getting a piece of history served alongside your beer.
As people gather round the benches lined outside the pub, you can’t help but marvel at the history that the logo and the pub holds. One that dates back to the middle ages. But more than anything, it is a marvel steeped in folklore, fortified by sport, and shared over a drink.
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