Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1500 to 1899. A house built circa 1600, located on the northern side of Dover Street. It is timber framed with brick and a tiled Mansard roof. Now a public house.

Monument Types

• HOUSE (HOUSE, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1500 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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Description from record TR 15 NE 54:
No 52 Dover Street [TR 15225749 - sited from HHR map] Grade II. 16thc timber-framed building refaced. (1) Timber-framed 16th century two bay jettied house. (2)

The Canterbury UAD states that the building of 52 Dover Street used to be an inn, and the earliest reference found for it is in Pigot's Directory for 1832-34 where it is named Beehive Inn, Dover Street with William Tapley as innkeeper and Pigot's for 1840 giving Benjamin Agas as innkeeper. It is shown on the 1st edition O. S. map of 1874. In the 1878 Canterbury Directory Henry Roberts is listed as innkeeper and in Steven's Directory for 1882 the licensee is Edward Kenwood. Six years later the licensee had changed hands again and Bedwells Directory lists W. J. Parker.

Kelly's Directory 1931 lists the Beehive Public House with Emily Leemar as licensee. The public house is still listed in the Kelly's Directory for 1967, but subsequently it closed. Today (2002) it is the 'Kudos' Chinese Restaurant. (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 944 DOVER STBRET (North East Side)
No 52 TR 1557 SW 9/173 TR 1557 NW 5/173 3.5.67.
II
2. C16 timber-framed building refaced. 2 storeys painted brick, Old tiled mansard roof with 2 dormers, Brick modillion cornice. Ist floor has 2 3 light C19 casements. 0verhang. C19 bar front and recessed doorcases. Rear extension shows traces of timber framing and brick infill. There is a tradition that the French architect, Mansart, stayed in Canterbury and introduced the mansard roof here.
Listing NGR: TR1522457498 (10)

Historic England archive material: BF031662 50-51 DOVER STREET, CANTERBURY

<1> DOE (HHR) City of Canterbury Kent Sept 1973 87 (OS Card Reference). SKE40146.

<2> Hist Builds Survey Cant City Council/RCHME 57023 5 of 6 (OS Card Reference). SKE43853.

<3> Bedwells, 1889, Bedwells Directory of Canterbury (Article in serial). SKE29988.

<4> Steven's Directories, 1882, Steven's Directory of Canterbury and Neighbourhood, with Faversham, Herne Bay, Whitstable and all villages within a circuit of six miles from Canterbury. (Article in serial). SKE29959.

<5> Pigot & Co., 1832, Pigot & Co's. Commercial Directory (Article in serial). SKE29960.

<6> Pigot & Co., 1840, Pigot & Co's. Royal, National and Commercial Directory and Topography of the County of Kent (Article in serial). SKE29962.

<7> Kelly's Directory, 1931, Kelly's Directory of Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay, & with map (Article in serial). SKE29963.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1874, 1st Edition Map of Canterbury 1874 (Map). SKE30106.

<9> Enderby, H. M., 1950, The Inns of Canterbury Parts I & II, Lecture to the Canterbury Archaeological Society (Unpublished document). SKE29964.

<10> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading