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9 Cannon Street
The Royal Oak public house was the main stage coach station in Dover in the early 1780's and was situated just opposite St. Mary's Church.
Coaches used to leave for London at 4am and 6 am. It was removed when the street was widened in 1890. |
By kind permission of Dover Library. ILL/611.
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A view of Cannon Street between 1875 and 1895 showing right to left
Amos, Ladies Outfitter and Ironmonger, Philpotts Royal Oak hotel and
stables opposite Standens Draper and Cabinet maker business, and
Colonnade prior to demolition: old Dover disappearing for widening
before the turn of the century.
It is believed that the "Royal oak" had existed there since the Stuart
days, and that it was named after the oak in which Charles II hid
himself. These features disappeared in the widening of Cannon Street in
1893. Prior to that date the street was both crooked and narrow, and in
earlier days it had been narrower still, the footway on the east side
previous to the rebuilding of the church in 1843 having passed over a
part of the churchyard, and after the rebuilding that part was
permanently added to the street. The Royal Oak Rooms, at the back of the
"Royal Oak" Inn, Cannon Street, were used for many years for public
meetings, balls and banquets. The Dover Corn Market, also, was held
there, and the "Royal Oak" yard was the "putting-up" place of coaches,
omnibuses and carriers' vans - a rendezvous for country folk such as no
longer exists in Dover. The Deal coaches made the "Royal Oak" yard their
terminus until they ceased to run on the opening of the Dover and Deal
Railway in 1881.
Information taken from John Bavington Jones' book "A Perambulation of
the Town, Port and Fortress of Dover", 1906. (Reprint in The South Kent
Gazette, July 25th, 1979.) |
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Above photo, by kind permission of Dover Library, ILL/609.
Cannon Street in the 1890's before widening showing Chidwicks, tobacconist,
Sutton's toy shop, Royal Oak Hotel, Wright Brothers, ironmongers, Harts,
outfitters and pawnbrokers - on the corner of Market street - and,
opposite Standen's, draper and cabinet maker, with colonnade labelled
Lot 1. |
The picture to the left shows a watercolour by Tucker of Cannon
Street and the Royal Oak in about 1850.
Showing the Colonnade on the left, demolished in the 1890s for road
widening. Next to the Royal Oak is Chidwick's the tobacconist's shop.
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I doubt if an oak stood on this site for Charles to hide in but its
origin was said to be in the time of the Stuarts. Alterations in January
1980 disclosed an old fourteenth century doorway which suggested a priest's
residence associated with the church opposite.
Its rooms were used for meetings and concerts as well as trade and its
extensive yard, with livery stables, was used by coaches and vans. The
populace of the surrounding villages congregated here and coaches from
Eythorne and Nonington ran every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, returning the
same day. Two operators ran coaches from Whitfield, both on Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays, making the round trip. Coaches from Folkestone
arrived here every day except Wednesday and Sunday, returning the same day.
Coaches for Deal left the inn every day and the London coaches left daily at
four a.m. and six p.m. stopping at Canterbury, Sittingbourne, Rochester and
Dartford.
We know of its presence in 1770 but its demise, like so many others, was
the result of a road widening. That had already been started in 1858, when
the frontages between New Street and the inn had been set back. The
remaining properties on that side were removed in 1893. On completion of
that widening the "Metropole Hotel" arrived, that building being commenced
in 1895.
Compensation and purchase price paid by Dover Corporation for the inn,
its store and yard, equalled £8,935.2s.6d.
A "Royal Oak Tap" was present from 1841 to 1847 but I do not know what
its association was, if at all, with other houses of like name. This was
situated in Market Street.
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From the Dover Telegraph, Saturday February 8th 1834.
Valuable Freehold Mills, Capital, Messuage and Garden, Farm and
Lands, at Buckland, near Dovor.
TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION BY
MR. GEORGE HARRISSON,
At the Royal Oak Inn, Dovor, on Saturday, the 5th March, 1834,
between the hours of One and Three in the afternoon., (by order of the
Commissioners under a Fiat of Bankruptcy against Mr. William Kingsford.)
ALL THOSE FREEHOLD CORN AND PAPER MILLS, Capital Messuage, Garden,
Farm and Lands, situated in the Parish of Buckland, in the County of
Kent, and late in the occupation of the said Bankrupt.
Particulars will be given in future Adverticements, an information
may be obtained of Mr. Surrage, Solicitor, Sandwich; Messrs. Shipdem and
Ledger, Mr. Kennett, and Mr. E. Elwin, Solicitors, Dovor; and of the
Auctioneer, Barton Farm, near Dovor.
Dovor, February 6th, 1834.
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From the Dover Telegraph, 26 September 1840. A Temperance Tea party
was held on Thursday afternoon at the Royal Oak Rooms, to which a
Teetoal meeting was appended, in the same place in the evening. Though
enlivened only by the circling teacup, the speakers exhibited a great
deal of spirit in their several addresses; and portrayed in
strong terms the ill effects of intoxicating drinks, and the beneficial
results of Teetotalism. Several signatures were added to the list of
members.
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From the Dover Telegraph, 26 December 1840. On Wednesday last a female
servant at the Royal Oak, while at work in the hall, fell down and broke
her arm. We understand another woman, one day this week, had her leg
broken in Snargate Street.
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From the Kentish Post or Canterbury News-Letter,
April 18-21, 1753. Kindly sent from Alec Hasenson.
Advert: George Adams, late Master of the Dover Caravan,
has taken the Royal Oak near the Market Place in Dover.
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From the Kentish Gazette, June 9-12, 1770. Kindly sent from Alec Hasenson.
Sale of Household furniture at the Royal Oak in Dover, June 18, 1770.
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From the Kentish Gazette, November 6 – 10, 1789. Kindly sent
from Alec Hasenson.
Auction of a "Freehold Messuage", November 11, at
the sign of the Royal Oak in Dover.
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LICENSEE LIST
ADAMS George 1753+
GIBSON Mary 1771+
MECROW Henry 1805-23
MOWLL William Rutley 1823-45
    
EPPS John 1826 (Middle St)
SCHILLING or SHILLING Mrs 1841 (Royal Oak Tap)
GIBSON G. 1842 (Royal Oak)
HUDSON G. 1844-47
 (Royal Oak Tap
Market Street)
MOWLL Mrs 1845
MOWLL W. R. 1847-53
PHILPOTT Richard William 1858-65
PHILPOTT Stephen 1865-72
PHILPOTT Richard William 1874-82+
HAXELL A. 1885
ADAMS John 1894-95 (Royal Oak Bar)
From the Pigot's Directory 1823
 From the Pigot's Directory 1824
From Batchellor's New Dover Guide 1828
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 the Post Office Directory 1874
From the Post Office Directory 1882
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