Blue Anchor Bay Quiz

[sandpiper]

There are quite a few Bays in the Bristol Channel that are (or were) known by the name Blue Anchor Bay. How many can you name? And does anyone else know why they got their name?

[ishtar]

I'll guess.

I think the anchor part comes from (obviously) the fact that you can anchor there, so I'm guessing the Blue part comes from the cliffs around the Bristol Channel? I think teh rocks are the Blue Lias, hence, Blue anchor.

[sandpiper]

Wrong... though not a million miles away. It's to do with the colour of something other than rocks, something there's no shortage of in the BC!

[ishtar]

Well, it's not water, that's brown. Is it language?

[sandpiper]

I'll give it to you - they are all named for the distinctive blue marl (mud) which is often found on the anchor after it is retrieved. It's quite common in the Bristol Channel, which is why there are a good few bays know as or that used to be know by that name.

[sandpiper]

And pubs!!

[ishtar]

Ah, I must have been close then. I reckon the Blue mud comes from the Blue rocks I mentioned. Never knew that though. I've heard of red marl, and of green marl, but never blue marl.

Cheers.

[ishmael]

The Blue Anchor Bay and Blue Anchor Pub? Not really sure that this pub name has anything to do with local geology. I think your association between sailors pulling up muddy anchors, local geology and place names may be somewhat tenuous to say the least. The pub name ‘The Blue Anchor' is not related just to the Bristol Channel but appears to be common throughout the country and a quick trawl, oops excuse the pun, through the internet will reveal pubs all over the place, but particularly in London and the South West, with the name ‘The Blue Anchor'

The suggestion that the pub in Aberthaw was named after distinctive blue marl is pushing it a bit as in geological terms ‘Blue Anchor Formations are green and grey bedded mudstones with nodular evaporiteand subordinate impure limestones and dolomites'. The geology of the area from Ogmore to Porthkerry is shown on the British Geological Survey, Sheet 262 and part 261. No Blue Anchor formation in the area at all. The name must not be confused with ‘Blue Lias' which is a mixture of limestone and mudstones. This, however, is still not ‘blue' to the extent that you would call it blue. ‘Bluestone' in terms of geology generally means any foreign stones as in the Bluestone of Pembroke, but again I think you would be hard pushed to find a person who would actually say the stone was the colour blue. Pulling up the anchor in Aberthaw and describing it as ‘blue' may have more to do with the quality of beer sold in a very good pub than anything to do with the geology of the area. Anyway if the name was associated with a local geological formation the number of pubs bearing the name would be relatively few. That's the boring bit over with.

As a seafaring man I would suggest its more likely to be associated with simply being a good anchorage. A ship at anchor would have flown a blue flag with a white diagonal cross, as in the St Andrews flag of Scotland, representing the letter ‘M' and the code ‘My vessel is stopped and making no way'. A vessel anchored would therefor fly a blue flag and the name may simply be a derivation from being it being a ‘blue flag anchorage'. Bearing in mind the tides in the Bristol Channel and the need for a good anchorage the means by which the name ‘Blue Anchor Bay' may be arrived at is relatively simple. Aberthaw as a harbour was built around 1813. This, however, would suggest that the name was a relatively recent derivation whereas the pub has there much longer. Its therefore more likely that the bay is named after the pub as opposed to the other way round.

The ‘Blue Anchor' was also a sign or symbol associated with the separation of Catholics during the 1600's and it is more likely that ‘The Blue Anchor' for a pub sign was simply a surreptitious way of saying to us illiterate beer drinkers ‘followers of the Pope should go to the pub down the road'. There are similar Blue Anchor pubs all over the south-west, the south and the Home Counties, many of which are a long way from the sea and mud.

Interestingly The Blue Anchor Inn in the village of Blue Anchor also suggests that the name is derived from hauling up muddy anchors. But there it is more likely that the village is named after the pub. But there is also a Blue Anchor in Helston which is probably on of the oldest pubs in the country and whilst it is still associated with the sea the pub is also associated with dissolution of the monasteries. The Blue Anchors in Hammersmith, Chancery Lane, Aintree and Tadworth I expect are all worth a good night out, but I do not recommend standing at the bar and suggesting after a few pints that the name of their pub is related to mud in the Bristol Channel.

As The Blue Anchor in Aberthaw dates back to the late 1300's it is unlikely that it started off with the name ‘The Blue Anchor'. Pubs associated with the name Blue Anchor often appear to be of some considerable age and the name of an old pub is more likely to have political connotations and associations than that of hauling up muddy anchors. It may be now politically incorrect to suggest that the name of your local pub has anything to do with religious or political differences so keep away from the Lamb and Flag, The Saracens Head, Red Lion, White Lion, Kings Arms, Royal Oak etc. Where is the pub called ‘The Fouled Anchor'? Mind you ‘The Plough and Furrow' would be a good name for a pub in Ilfracombe after a particularly rough night there last summer anchored in 'The Range'..... Why's it called that?

Mines a pint. Cheers.

[ishtar]

Well, mine was just a guess, and getting 'Blue' from the Lias was just that. OK, knowing that those rocks appear both sides of the channel helped, but it was still a guess. I like the Blue flag idea. Interesting stuff, nevertheless. Cheers.

[sandpiper]

I live in Rhoose (right next to Aberthaw) and got the information about the blue mud from a information board whilst walking near the old limeworks at the old East Aberthaw port (used to be known as blue anchor bay). Interestly I've just checked the website of the Blue Anchor Pub in Aberthaw, and they give the same story. www.blueanchoraberthaw.com/BA_history.html
I'm only going on the information provided by the tourist board, or heritage or whoevers sign it was.