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Pubs, Inns and Beerhouses




Many of the old pubs and beer-houses of Deal and Walmer have long-since vanished.  A hundred years ago almost every street had at least one public house.

The Queen's Arms Inn and Lodging House was in the High Street in Deal.  It was run by the Robinson family from about 1835 to 1916.  For an interesting first-hand recollection of this establishment, written by Philip E Robinson, the grandson of the first Robinson tenant, click here.  It gives a fascinating insight into life in a seaside inn during the early years of the 20th century.

North Barrack Road in Lower Walmer had a public house at each end, and one a few yards along.  Only the Lord Nelson now survives, on the south-eastern corner at the junction with The Strand but, in 1898, there was also the Rising Sun at the junction with Cheriton Place and the Dolphin (formerly the Good Woman) on the north-western corner (junction with Blenheim Road).

In the short length of The Strand from Cheriton Road to Canada Road you can still drink in the Lord Clyde, the Lord Nelson, the RMA Club and the Lifeboat.

For a list of alehouses, etc., past and present, in Beach Street, click here
 

    Next to the bus station in South Street is the Walmer Castle.
The North Promenade still has The Forrester (left) by the Rowing Club at the north end.  Further south you can still drink in The Three Compasses, although the Pelican and the Star and Garter are no longer open for business.  Among the many beer-houses that lined the sea front were the Globe, the Antwerp, and the Scarborough Cat, all of which are now private dwellings
Just north of the pier is the Royal Hotel, the only building left on the seaward-side of the front.
Between King Street and Broad Street is the Clarendon Hotel.
    Dunkerley's Hotel, on the corner of Broad Street and Beach Street, has had several names over the years, including the Pier Hotel and the Sandwich Arms.
Just south of the pier, between Broad Street and South Street, are Dunkerley's Hotel (above), the King's Head (left) and the Port Arms (below).
On warm days throughout the year, you can sit outside and enjoy a meal or a drink and look out across the road at the sea.
The Bowling Green is on the corner of Bowling Green Lane and Middle Deal Road.  Like many of the pubs in Deal, this one serves meals.
    The Saracen's Head is on the corner of Alfred Square and College Road.
    The Alma on the corner of West Street and Union Road is always decorated with flowers throughout the summer.
    The Admiral Keppel is in Manor Road, opposite St Leonard's church, is probably one of the oldest pubs in the town.
    The Royal Marines Association Club is opposite Walmer Green and the Memorial Bandstand.
    The Deal Hoy is in Duke Street near the junction with West Street.  The spire of St Andrew's church can be seen above the trees.
    The timber-clad house next to the old North Deal lifeboat station was once the North Star.
    This neat cottage on the Strand, opposite the Walmer lifeboat station, was once the Alma.
    The Albion stood in Beach Street on the north corner of Silver Street.
    The Deal Cutter was on Beach Street.
    The Royal Exchange in Beach Street on the corner of Exchange Street.
    The Prince Albert on the corner of Middle Street and Alfred Square.
       
       
       
The sea is a hard task-master and the men who worked on it tended to be hard workers and hard drinkers. Consequently, in ports such as Dover and towns such as Deal with a large seafaring community, beerhouses, alehouses and licensed premises of all kinds proliferated.

On Beach Street there were a large number of such establishments, opening at any time from 4am and closing no later than 11pm.  The list below is derived from a survey done by the Deal History Society; the full list (covering the whole of the town) can be found in Deal Library.  Those marked * are still in operation (January 2007).
 

Last Known Name Previous Names Location First mentioned Closed
Admiral Rodney   east side - between Oak St and Brewer St    
Albion Inn  

west side - top of Silver Street

1863 1971
Amsterdam     1680 1837
The Bell     1661 1851
Bohemian Antwerp
Lord Keith
west side - next to Guildford House Hotel 1805 *
Clarendon Hotel Wine Shades (1870)
Royal Clarendon Hotel (1868)
Clarendon Commercial and Family Hotel (1860)
west side - opposite pier 1859 *
Crown   west side - north of Royal Hotel 1776  
The Cutter The Deal Cutter   1847  
Deal Lugger     1872  
Dunkerley's Hotel Pier Hotel (1871)
Sandwich Arms (1861)
west side - top of Broad St 1861 *
East India Arms   west side - corner of King St 1680  
The Forrester   west side - North End (The Marina) top of Dibden Rd   *
Fountain Inn The Row Barge east side - next to Royal Hotel 1661 1910
The Fox   east side 1869  
General Wolfe     1847  
Globe   South End 1674 1853
The Globe Hotel The Scarborough Cat west side - top of North St 1828  
Guildford House Hotel   west side - between Bohemian and Clarendon Hotel   c.2004
Hoop and Griffin Griffin and Trumpet west side - top of Griffin St    
Kings Arms   west side - top of Kings Arms Alley 1824  
Kings Head   west side - south end 1824 *
The Lifeboat Inn   west side - north end (The Marina) 1878  
The Napier Tavern   top of North St 1859  
The North Star   west side - North End (The Marina) 1840  
Pelican Fountain (1661)
Prince of Orange (1674)
Fleece (1719)
  1661 1838
Pelican   west side 1776 1980s
Port Arms   west side - top of South St 1672 *
Queen's Hotel South Eastern Hotel Prince Of Wales Terrace - opp. Castle 1878 1960s
Red Lion Red Lion (1720)
Royal Oak (1737)
Blue Bell (1769)
Deal Shallop (1789)
  1720 1853
Rose & Crown     1860  
Royal Exchange Hotel   west side - top of Exchange St 1797  
Royal Hotel Three Kings east side - north of pier 1661 *
The Seagull The Ship near the Clarendon Hotel   1857
The South Foreland   near Carter House 1854 1868
Sir Sydney Smith     1878  
Star and Garter   west side - top of Chapel St 1864 2005
Three Compasses New Inn west side - top of Brewer St 1661 *
The Sun Three Roebucks   1699 1851
Watermen's Arms     1866  
Yarmouth Packet     1828