The cabinet · 1958
A direction you can drink
A signpost gave Bishops Finger its name.
Bishops Finger first appeared in 1958. Its name points towards Canterbury.
The brewer says it recalls a finger-shaped Kentish signpost on the Pilgrim’s Way, directing travellers towards Thomas Becket’s shrine. An old direction became a beer name.
The particular signpost has not yet been located. The naming story survives on the label. It is an invitation to look at the ordinary roadside objects that can carry a much older journey.
Sources & research notes · 3 records
The signpost account is an attributed company tradition. Its exact location and surviving status remain unverified.
Follow the evidence
- Post-warShepherd Neame · company history · accessed 2026-10-07
- Bishops FingerShepherd Neame · company product/history page · accessed 2026-10-07
- The Millennium brewhouse windowsShepherd Neame · company heritage interpretation · accessed 2026-10-07