Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Dolphin Inn has a confusing history as there was another Dolphin Inn liscensed in Burgate Street in 1689. It still remains a public house today.

Monument Types

• WALL (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? (About) to 1900 AD? (About))
• INN (Present, Post Medieval to Unknown - 1832 AD?)

Full description

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The Canterbury UAD states that this inn was previously owned by George Beer & Rigdens/Fremlins Whitbread.

The present Dolphin is probably the third inn of that name on this site, so close to St. Radigan's Bath. There is sometimes confusion about dates because there was another Dolphin licensed in 1689 but that was in Burgate Street.

The Dolphin in St. Radigan's Street was mentioned in a licensing list in 1832 when the innkeeper was George Pepperday. In 1842 Henry Bird became the licensee and in 1853 he purchased the property at auction for £405. It had been listed in a Directory in 1838 as the New Dolphin, indicating perhaps, an earlier inn in the area or on the site. Yet a Directory of 1878 lists 118 taverns and Inns with no mention of Dolphin or New Dolphin. In 1888 the Directory mentioned the inn again as just Dolphin. Mr H Pocock was the innkeeper and a corn dealer. The Directory for 1902/3 lists 16 St. Radigan's Street, Dolphin, Alfred Sutton, Laming & Sons, builders and undertakers.

Some of the confusion concerning The Dolphin has been clarified by Whitbreads who retain deeds and other documents concerning the inn. They write:

The present building was rebuilt in 1927 shortly after the amalgamation of George Beer & Rigdens. However, this replaced an older property. This property was, in 1793, when sold to the Mayor and Commonalty of Canterbury, called 'The Bath House and Bath outhouses etc. …in the occupation of John Ladee of Canterbury, Leather seller, deceased, the late owner and proprietor'. The City Corporation continued to own the premises for the next 60 years being leased out by them to a variety of people and by 1827 its name had changed to The Dolphin. When George Beer acquired the public house in 1865 he also bought 2 cottages at the rear and the whole was demolished prior to the rebuilding. Where the existing building stands was originally the garden of the house which stood some way back from Water Lock Lane as it was called in 1827.

A desk based assessment of a nearby property stated that a wall forming the standing remains of the St Radigund's Baths formed part of the party boundary between the garden of the Dolphin Inn and the rear of 16 St Radigund's Street. (1)

An examination of the party wall between the Dolphin Public House and 16 St Radigund's Street in 2004 suggested that part of this wall was medieval in date and that the garden area of 17 St Radigund's Street is the location of the now demolished 18th century baths. (2)

Wilmot, E., 1988, Inns of Canterbury (Monograph). SKE29737.

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2004, Archaeological Desk Study: 16 St Radigund’s Street, Canterbury (Unpublished document). SKE53716.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2004, No, 16 St Radigund’s Street, Canterbury: An Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE53715.

Sources and further reading