WE all know about the glorious history of York pubs. That there were 365, one for each day of the year. That the 19th and 20th centuries were a boom time for pubs. That this irritating cult for changing their names is a modern phenomenon.

Think again. All these preconceptions are off the mark. Perhaps we don't know all about the history of York pubs. But one man does - leading city historian Hugh Murray.

Hugh is now sharing his encyclopaedic knowledge with everyone through his book, A Directory Of York Pubs 1455-2003. This endlessly fascinating reference work contains 1,350 entries for licensed premises, as well as 243 pictures of York pubs past.

Among the countless facts the book contains are these. The maximum number of public houses, or rather licenses issued in York, was 263, achieved in 1663 (it is Norwich which boasted 365, or a pub for every day of the year).

Even though York expanded dramatically in the 19th and 20th centuries, for most of that time new licences were rarely granted without the surrender of one from elsewhere. So the total number of pubs remained steady.

As for changing the name of a pub, well that's gone on for ever. Some pubs even had two names at once.

The Dog And Gun in Hungate was also known as the Sportsman: possibly the illiterate regulars could not read the name and gave it their own after seeing a dog and gun on the pub sign.

The Cannon on Museum Street was listed as the Gun on an Ordnance Survey map of 1851, presumably because the mapmaker had been given its nickname by a local.

In the old days, pubs were renamed for good local reasons: after a nag that won the owner a big payout at York Races, for example, or in honour of a local hero.

This is how the Adelphi in Micklegate was renamed the Railway King in honour of George Hudson in 1971.

But then it fell victim to the national chains, becoming Edwards and more recently the Reflex.

"This type of change is made without any reference to local or historic tradition and to promote a national image by having standard names wherever in the country they appear," writes Hugh.

He wants something to be done about it. "I would like to see some more protection of the historic names. Chris Smith, when he was Culture Secretary tried to get it done," he said.

"But it's almost impossible to set the criteria. Historical precedent shows pubs have changed their names through the years, usually for good reasons.

"I can't believe that the change from the Bay Horse to 18 Cert was for a good reason."

Hugh has been collecting information about York's licensed trade for years. The book's dedication gives a clue as to why he finally compiled the directory: "For Ken and Rita Booth".

Ken was in the YAYAS (Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society) when Hugh joined. Together with another member, Robin Bell, they would go on a Friday night pub crawl.

"Ken was a collector of old photographs. Most of the photographs in the book are from his fantastic collection.

"His wife Rita used to give illustrated talks with them."

When Rita died in 1993 they talked about doing a pub book as a memorial to her. "It has become a memorial to Ken too because he died in January 2002."

Hugh's directory covers all the pubs in Greater York. It begins in 1455 as that is the date of the earliest recorded York pub sign, the George in Coney Street.

His book traces the development of the licensed trade from the days when there were three distinct groups: ale houses, selling ale; taverns, selling wine; and inns offering accommodation but also offering refreshment such as ale and wine. A 1553 Act limited the number of taverns: with eight, York was allowed more than any other place outside London.

There have always been fears about the drunkenness engendered by these establishments.

As part of his groundbreaking poverty report, Seebohm Rowntree had an unnamed but dingy pub watched for 17 hours one Saturday in 1900. This noted that 550 people entered the pub: more shocking still, of the 258 men, 158 stayed for more than 15 minutes. "Rowntree took these figures to indicate that this was a pub in which 'social drinking' with an element of treating was carried on," Hugh notes.

More than just treating went on in several York pubs. In 1870, the landlord of the Beehive in Peter Lane was charged with harbouring prostitutes after 18 were found on the premises. Similar discoveries were found in other disorderly public houses.

And you couldn't leave your valuables lying around. During a dice game in the Dragon, Lopp Lane, in 1484, John Tynley left a piece of gold on the board and went outside to urinate. On his return the gold had gone, so he stormed off to complain to the Lord Mayor.

In 1902, the Chief Constable of York, JAS Burrows, made a list of pubs that he felt were so poor as to merit a visit from the licensing magistrates. Only two survive: the Minster Inn, which was then rebuilt on the opposite side of Marygate; and the Beeswing, Lawrence Street.

During his research, Hugh developed a new theory as to why the Trafalgar Bay, in Nunnery Lane, is so called. It is the only pub in Britain with this name, and it had been assumed to mark Lord Nelson's victory at Trafalgar.

But the map on the pub sign depicts Trafalgar as it actually is - a headland not a bay.

It was a custom in the 19th century to prefix or suffix the name of a racehorse by its colour: and there was a bay colt called Trafalgar which won two valuable challenge matches at York in 1807.

So Hugh believes it might have been a victorious horse, rather than a battle, which gave us this unique name.

Walmgate is legendary for its pubs. While only two remain, the directory lists no fewer than 61 separate names for pubs, including the Blue Bell, which was up and running in 1795 and closed in 1958.

"In the 19th century, there are massive concentrations of pubs around Shambles, St Saviourgate, Fossgate, Walmgate - where there were markets of various kinds," Hugh said.

That also accounts for the Phoenix in George Street, which was originally known as the Labour In Vain.

Until the advent of the caf-bars, Hugh had drank in every York pub. His favourites include the Blue Bell, Fossgate, the Minster Inn, and the Nag's Head, Micklegate, before the Micklegate Run arrived.

He is still a fan of the good old fashioned local. "Pubs are grand social places when they are for regulars - as opposed to a place designed only to move as much beer as possible."

A Directory Of York Pubs 1455-2003 by Hugh Murray is published by Voyager, price £12.95. It is available at the Barbican Bookshop, Fossgate, Ken Spelman Bookshop, Micklegate and the national book stores

Updated: 10:14 Monday, November 10, 2003