1 Folkestone Road/Military Road

This interesting picture of the junction of Priory Place, Worthington Street and Military Road dates from about 1895. In the centre is the milk shop. Here it is pictured when the proprietor was C. Fry who, apart from selling milk products of the Priory Farm dairy, sold lemonade, soda and ginger beer. On the right is Ye Olde Red Cow Inn and yard which stood on the corner of Folkestone Road and Priory Place.

The original, "Ye Olde Red Cow Inn", was set back from the road with a yard.

It was there long before buildings appeared in Folkestone Road in 1843. It is known that in 1810 a piece of meadow land near the pub was used to form Priory Street.

We also know that in 1805 it was kept by a character known as 'Mighty Merit' and in 1791 by Thomas Starr, but the above passage from the Kentish Post pre-dates all other mentions of this pub.

Outward coaches to Ham Street, starting from the "London Hotel", picked up passengers here and in 1882, coaches from New Romney to the inn ran every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, returning the same day. It was rebuilt at the turn of the century, or possibly in 1895 when Priory Place was widened. At a sale in May 1910, when it held a thirty five year lease from January 1906, it realised £2,400 In 1912, when Lewis was the host, the motor and livery stables next door would no doubt be an accessory.

From an article in the Dover Mercury by Joe Harman. Originally published circa 2000. Travellers refreshed at Red Cow. IT IS now 30 years since the Red Cow, at the bottom of Folkestone Road, closed its doors and was demolished. We know it was there in 1792, when Thomas Starr was the landlord, and it may have dated from 1762, when Folkestone Road was formed. It was a stopping place for stagecoaches and had a yard and stables for that purpose. The inn was re-built in 1859 when Priory Street was laid out on meadow land. Another re-build took place in 1895 when Priory Place was widened. The yard was used for political meetings and I am told that Ramsay McDonald (twice prime minister) once addressed the public there.

This was just another closure as a result of redevelopment in June 1971. The town took possession that month and it was taken down in October the same year so that the road could be widened. The new York Street with dual carriageways opened to traffic on 10 December 1972 and now joins Folkestone Road at this point the dust having long settled.

Photos above and below are of the Red Cow during demolition. By kind permission of the over Library.

LICENSEE LIST

STARR Thomas. 1791

MERIT "Mighty" 1805

PIERCE John 1823-39+

HILL Johnathan 1840-42

LOOK William 1847-52

WAY Elias 1854

MARSH William B 1958

MIDDLETON Palmer before 1858

WILD or WYLDE George 1862

WAYTE Henry 1862 end

BROWNING Thomas 1866

RICHARDSON William George 1874-82+

HOBDAY Walter 1895-99+

MILES Charles 1901

BROOKER H C 1901 end

CHAPLIN George W 1903

PINK Frederick 1903-4 end

EXELL Charles 1904-5 end

BISHOP Thomas junior 1905-10 end

BARNETT Josiah Lewis 1910+

LEWIS Josiah 1912-13

LEWIS Mrs Anne 1914-24 end

STOCKLEY Herman 1924-8 end

HART William 1928-30+

DITTON Frederick James 1932-50+

DITTON P J 1939-Aug/53 (Dover Express)

O'NEILL Edwin Robert Aug/1953-56+ (Dover Express)

BESTE J G 1959-61

WILSON Harold 1962-71 end

MANBY Alan A B 1971

From the Pigot's Directory 1823

From the Pigot's Directory 1828-9

From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34

From the Pigot's Directory 1839

From the Pigot's Directory 1840

From Bagshaw Directory 1847

From Melville's Directory 1858

From the Post Office Directory 1874

From the Post Office Directory 1882

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895

From the Kelley's Directory 1899

From the Post Office Directory 1903

From the Post Office Directory 1913

From the Post Office Directory 1922

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1923

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1924

From the Post Office Directory 1930

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1932-33

From the Post Office Directory 1938

From the Kelley's Directory 1950

From the Kelley's Directory 1953

From the Kelley's Directory 1956