Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

The Sun Inn was built by Christ Church Priory in 1437-38 in Sun Street, (by the Buttermarket in what is now known as Burgate), as a large Pilgrim's Hostel in the area of the medieval 'Rush Market'. Now the inn is comprised of three listed buildings in the Burgate.

Monument Types

• INN (Medieval to Modern - 1437 AD to 1931 AD)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

The Canterbury UAD states that The Sun Inn was built by Christ Church Priory in 1437-38 in Sun Street, (by the Buttermarket in what is now known as Burgate), as a large Pilgrim's Hostel in the area of the medieval 'Rush Market'. Amongst a body of documentary evidence relating to the construction of the Sun, there is a reference relating to John Goneld of Bury St. Edmund's, carpenter, who received livery from the Prior of Christ Church whilst he was making timberwork at 'le Sunne'.

The Chamberlain's Accounts of 1502 include an item, 'For a communication hadde with My Lorde Chief Justyce (Sir John Fyneux) with Maister Maire or, they went into Christ Church at the Sonne for a quart of wine, iid'.

In 1510-1517 the west end of the building was altered when the construction of Christ Church Gate entrance to the Cathedral was built.

The Sun Inn was immortalized by Charles Dickens in David Copperfield as the 'Little Inn' where Mr Micawber occupied a little room, and sat waiting 'for something to turn up'. In the 1908 Penny Guide it was advertised as the Sun Hotel, Sun Street and offered good stabling and served by the Margate Four-Horse Brakes daily; proprietress: Miss Pullen & Miss Davies. In the Official guide of 1924 it was no longer advertised as the Sun Hotel, instead part of the building had become The Cathedral Tea & Luncheon Rooms, but still offered rooms to let. In the Kelly's Directory for 1931, No. 35 was occupied by Wm James Pye, Jeweller; No. 36 by Houlden & Sons Drapers and No. 37 The Cathedral Tea Rooms H. E Mears.

Today (2002) the old building has been renovated and is occupied by Pizzaland (since 1986) and the Cathedral Gate Hotel. Building recording work was carried out by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust during 1986.

The Sun Inn is now compromised of three listed buildings;
35 Burgate (MKE 23998)
36 Burgate (MKE25243)
37 Burgate (MKE 25035)

15th century walls (TR 15 NE 1975) thought potentially to relate to the Sun Inn were excavated in 2016 as part of an evaluation at Canterbury Cathedral. (6)

A historic building and heritage assessment at the site in 2015 described the cellars of the Sun Inn as follows "The segmental chalk vaults over the cellars rose from low walls of roughly coursed flint. Patches of early brick in these walls probably relate, for the most part, to later repairs or alterations, although we cannot rule out that some may be original – for example at the quoins in the flint-work, where the cellar stairs descended at the rear. There was one such staircase under each end of the end bays, each with its own shallow chalk vault over – neatly intersecting the main cellar vault. Other original features of the cellarage are hard to determine, at present, due to the thick accumulation of white paint. Possibly, the vault was originally undivided down the length of the building" (from the original report, 7). A series of hearths were identified through patches of tiling along the walls, and the uppermost floors were thought to have originally been divided into three separate rooms which were recorded in 1649 AD documentary sources. The precise location of the original kitchen and larder is not yet known. The Inn was built between 1437-1438. (7)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1991, The Pilgrim Inns of Canterbury (Monograph). SKE30157.

<2> Hone, D., 1986, Interim Report on work carried out in 1986 by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust Nos 35-37 Burgate (Article in serial). SKE30158.

<3> Kelly's Directory, 1931, Kelly's Directory of Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay, & with map (Article in serial). SKE29963.

<4> Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, 1908, The Penny Guide to the City of Canterbury and to its Historic Port - Fordwich (Article in serial). SKE30135.

<5> Enderby, H. M., 1950, The Inns of Canterbury Parts I & II, Lecture to the Canterbury Archaeological Society (Unpublished document). SKE29964.

<6> Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd, 2016, Canterbury Cathedral Welcome Centre Archaeological evaluation report (Unpublished document). SKE52682.

<7> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2015, NUMBERS 35 TO 37 BURGATE CANTERBURY Historic building and archaeological assessment (Unpublished document). SKE56163.

Sources and further reading

Related records