alestake

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A stake having a garland or bush of twigs at the top of it, set up as a sign before an ale-house.
2. n. Also called ale-pole, ale-post.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A stake or pole projecting from, or set up before, an alehouse, as a sign; an alepole. At the end was commonly suspended a garland, a bunch of leaves, or a “bush.”