If you visit Stourhead National Trust house and gardens, you may find yourself having a bit to eat at The Spread Eagle Inn.
![](https://i0.wp.com/needlemind.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/needle_the_spreadeagle.jpg?resize=714%2C1024)
![](https://i0.wp.com/needlemind.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/needle_theold_stone_eagle.jpg?resize=1024%2C682)
What did these images teach me?
The first known usage of the phrase “spread eagle” dates from 1550, and means exactly what it says – the depiction of an eagle with wings and legs splayed out.
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