Locals say the inn stands where an old trading post once traded with coastal boats — hence the herring motif. An old rhyme warns 'Mind the hoop above the fire, for trinkets stolen by the tide will call for pay'; some say the trinket hoop keeps wayward spirits from taking toys and tools in the night. The inn is known in nearby villages as a neutral ground: fists are frowned upon, but deals and debts are often sealed with a mug of ale and a handshake across Marta's long oak table.