Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1100 to 1932

Monument Types

• SITE (Medieval to Modern - 1100 AD to 1932 AD)
• INN (Now, Post Medieval to Unknown - 1640 AD?)
• INN (Post Medieval to Modern - 1846 AD? to 1940 AD?)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 944 HIGH STREET (South West Side)
Nos 30 and 31 (County Hotel)
TR l457 NE 4/738
II
2. + Late mediaeval timber framed building on the site of the C12 stone house of Jacob the Jew, externally completely refronted in the early C20. Exterior of 3 storeys. Ground floor stone faced. Upper 2 floors of applied timbering with plaster infill. 3 projecting bay windows through both storeys with gables above. Hipped tiled roof. Ground floor has 2 mullioned and transomed windows with leaded lights and large round- headed arch. Side elevation to Stour Street tile hung. The interior contains the frame of a 3 storey jettied late mediaeval house with some original window openings, curved braces and dragon beams visible. There are remains of the C12 house in the cellar.
Listing NGR: TR1479357854

The Canterbury UAD mentions that an inn called The Prince Albert was located at 82 Stour Street, now the site of the County Hotel.
It is said that in 1840 Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg landed at Dover and visited the City of Canterbury. When such visitors arrived it was not unusual for the brewers to name or rename a public house. In 1846 the Licence List named Ann Roberts (widow) as innkeeper, and from 1847-1849 it was James George, 1887-1888 T. Atkins. This inn in Stour Street had previously been named THE LAMB, HOLY LAMB and MARQUIS OF GRANDBY and part of Stour Street early in the 19th century was called Lamb Lane. The PRINCE ALBERT was still there well into the 1940's but in later years the County Hotel extended well into Stour Street and the inn was demolished.

A photographt taken of the inn in the 1940's clearly shows at pavement level, the opening for the barrels to shoot down into the cellar. One reason for the demolition fo the Prince Albert Inn was acording to Kentish Gazette dated 12th September 1958, that the County Hotel had opened a new ballroom, converted out of the old PRINCE ALBERT in Stour Street. It was square in shape with an arched ceiling and a semi-sprung floor. The hotel manager, Peter Mason, said that the ballroom would be used for other activities than dancing and that it was already reasonably booked up. Pity about ALBERT.

The Canterbury UAD also mentions that sometime after the expulsion of the Jews from the Kingdom 1290, Jacob's the Jews House on the corner of High Street and Stour Street (then Hethenman Lane later Lamb Lane) and a Schola or Synagogue to the rear came into the King's possession (then valued at 18/4d per annum). Sommner states that the superstructure was rebuilt and the building became the Saracen's Head Inn, however, the stone floor and vaults of the former Jews House were retained, the stone floor used as ther floor to the inn and the vaults the cellar. Enderby suggests that the name of the inn was in commemoration of the Crusades. There were several inns of this name in the City.

Somner notes the Saracen's Head Inn in 1640. However in the 1703 later reprinted edition of Somner's works, Battley notes that by then the former Saracen's Head has become the new 'King's Head' Inn. The King's Head was used in the Licensing List of 1692 and there are many references to this important inn during the next two centuries. The inn is mentioned as King's Head in 1758 when a Roman building was found beneath the street in front of the inn. Hasted notes that the King's Head in the High Street is mounted on a vault part of the former Jew's House.

In 1830 it was used as a venue for the Railway Inauguration Dinner (celebrating the opening of the Worlds first passenger railway, between Canterbury and Whitstable). In the Directory for 1838 the inn was listed as the King's Head Tavern. By 1888 the former King's Head Tavern had been renamed Ye Old Vinter and in 1892 it was renamed The County Hotel, which it still (2003) remains, although it has been greatly enlarged to the rear over the past century.

Certainly by the 1830's if not before, the King's Head Tap and its associated coach yard and stables had been built to the rear of the inn with access via Stour Street. Previous to 1863 the licences for Taps was included in that of the Main House for the Aristocracy, whilst the Tap was for the coachmen and lesser mortals. The Directory for 1838 records that the King's Head Tap was kept by James Roberts.

The King's Head Tap was added to the rear of the King's Head Inn 30-31 High Street (formerly the Saracen's Head Inn) by at least the 1830's if not sometime before (perhaps as early as 1703?).

The King's Head Tap was built in addition to a coachyard and stables built to the rear of the King's Head Inn, with access via Stour Street (Lamb Lane), to serve the stagecoach drivers and less important traveller's and lesser local inhabitants, whilst the main inn catered for the aristocracy and other important cliental.

The Directory for 1838 records that the King's Head Tap was kept by James Roberts.

By 1892 the King's Head establishment had become the County Hotel. Subsequent expansion of the hotel premises has swallowed up the other buildings to the rear.

Somner, W., 1640, The Antiquities of Canterbury (Monograph). SKE30127.

Somner, W., 1703, The Antiquities of Canterbury (Article in monograph). SKE29736.

Hasted, E, 1799, The History of the Ancient and Metropolitical City of Canterbury. Vol 1. Canterbury (Article in monograph). SKE29735.

Hasted, E, 1799, The History of the Ancient and Metropolitical City of Canterbury. Vol 1. Canterbury (Article in monograph). SKE29735.

Ordnance Survey, 1874, 1st Edition Map of Canterbury 1874 (Map). SKE30106.

Enderby, H. M., 1950, The Inns of Canterbury Parts I & II, Lecture to the Canterbury Archaeological Society (Unpublished document). SKE29964.

Enderby, H. M., 1950, The Inns of Canterbury Parts I & II, Lecture to the Canterbury Archaeological Society (Unpublished document). SKE29964.

Wilmot, E., 1992, Eighty Lost Inns of Canterbury (Monograph). SKE29747.

Sources and further reading