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Hopbine and Barley Ear pub sign © Museum of Cambridge

11 – 12 Fair Street, The Hopbine and Barley Ear, The Hopbine

History of the Hopbine and Barley Ear

The Hopbine and Barley Ear signed displayed at the Museum of Cambridge is by Richard Hopkins Leach, 1794 – 1851.  It shows three agricultural workers sharing a barrel of beer; on the reverse is a hop garden.

However, it is believed that the man on the horse is Richard Cobbett, the radical MP who is thought to have instigated the ‘Swing Riots’ in 1830. In these agricultural workers rioted against low wages and mechanisation.

Government action was harsh; 1976 prisoners were tried and 505 transported, mostly to Australia.

Commentary on Leach’s The Hopbine and Barley Ear ©Museum of Cambridge

The Hopbine, Fair Street, 1967

11 – 14 Fair Street, Feb 1971 (MoC28B/71)

7 – 10 Fair Street, Feb 1971 (MoC 28a/71)

7 – 10 Fair Street, Sep 1974 with Hopbine pub (MoC 37/75)

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This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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