Editing Elephant and Castle (section)

===The myths of the Infanta and the Cutlers' Company===
The popular and enduring idea that the inn itself derives its name from an English corruption of the phrase {{lang|es|La [[Infanta]] de [[Crown of Castile|Castilla]]}}, as a reference to [[Eleanor of Castile]], has been debunked by local historian Stephen Humphrey in his 2013 book ''Elephant and Castle, a History''.

After examining how the image of an elephant with a castle on its back has been popular for centuries and throughout Europe (the earliest example predating Queen Eleanor by 1,500 years), and pointing out the fact that the sign only begins to be used in the area about 500 years after Eleanor was alive, he states:

<blockquote>The story of Queen Eleanor in relation to the Elephant and Castle is therefore a myth. It is wildly anachronistic both in respect of the sign in general and in its specific use in Newington, and she has no connection with the sign or with the place.<ref name="Humphrey">{{cite book |author=Stephen Humphrey |title=Elephant and Castle, a History |date=15 July 2013 |publisher=Amberley Publishing |isbn=978-1848687806 |pages=21}}</ref></blockquote>

The author also refutes the claim that the pub name derives from the Cutlers' Company. First he notes:

<blockquote> The sign was adopted by the Cutlers' Company of the City of London, because of the use of ivory in the handles of cutlery. The Royal African Company of 1672 likewise used the sign due to the ivory trade. </blockquote>

Prior to the public house's appearance in the records in 1765, John Flaxman had been allowed to build a workshop on the site around 1642. Stephen Humphrey describes him as a smith or farrier. Thirty years later another farrier is cited as lessee of the site, which is now known as the White Horse. The building is first described as a public house called the Elephant and Castle with a licensee called George Frost in 1765, although this may not have been the year of opening. The author adds:

<blockquote> We can only say that the Elephant and Castle pub existed without doubt from 1765 and may have been founded under that name by George Frost as early as 1754. </blockquote>

Stephen Humphrey explains that George Frost's name appears in other manor and vestry records <blockquote> but he made no appearance in the records of the Farriers' Company and was not included among the apprentices of the Cutlers' Company. There is no evidence to connect him with the shoeing of horses, the cutlery trade or with another pub elsewhere before he arrived at Newington. The sudden appearance of the ancient sign under his proprietorship cannot be explained by his career. As with the vast majority of pub names, the choice in this case was probably a random one. </blockquote>