SARACENS HEAD INN Pubs of Dover

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Barry Smith

Saracen's Head Inn

New Street

Biggin Street

According to Jo Harman this pub used to be called the "Horseshoe" when Thomas Challis had it in 1613. The name changed to the "Saracen's Head" by 1730 and from the passage below it seems also had been rebuilt by this year as well. I am wondering whether the new building caused the change of name also, but reading between the lines I would guess it changed name before being demolished and rebuilt.

From the Kentish Post or Canterbury News-Letter, November 4-7, 1730. Kindly sent from Alec Hasenson.

The Saracen’s Head Inn in Dover, now in the occupation of Robert Arthur, having been pulled down, is now rebuilt.

From the Kentish Post or Canterbury News-Letter, March 20 to 23, 1751. Kindly sent from Alec Hasenson.

Advert for a Cock Match at Mr. John Gibson’s, at the Saracens’s Head in Dover.

From the Dover Telegraph, price 7d. 30 November 1833.

Last week we gave an account of a simple fellow who had been swindled by a trick with a lock off a dogs collar, at Maidstone fair, and we now have to record a similar cheat played off at the Saracen's Head in this town.

On Wednesday a poor labourer from Hythe, named Figg entered the above house accompanied by a stranger. Soon after they were seated two other fellows entered the room, when the former produced a lock, which he stated he could not open and gave it to Mr Figg, who opened it three or four times with ease; the other however pretended that it had not been opened and that he would bet him any money he could not open it. Figg being conscious that he had opened it, offered to bet all the money he had about him, 2l. 14s that he would open it again: the stakes were deposited in the hands of one of the confederates, and another lock or the same lock with a spring, was delivered to poor Figg, who not being able to open it, the stakes were then decided to belong to, and delivered over accordingly, to the man of the locks, Figg was then induced to accompany one of the fellows into the fair, who soon gave him the slip, and the whole party decamped, leaving the poor dupe with pockets to let.

From the Dover Telegraph, price 7d. 5 July 1834.

William Finn and William Beer, (well known at Dover as Blucher Beer,) two ill-looking fellows, were indicted for stealing , on the 3rd June last, two fowls, at Alkham, the property of Elizabeth Holmes. There were two other counts, charging them with stealing a fowl belonging to William Horton, and one from Ambrose Cullen, of the Saracen's Head Inn, Dover.

The case was fully proved, and the chairman immediately sentenced the prisoners to seven years' transportation.

It was said to be there, on the corner with New Street in 1613 and mentioned the same address in 1823 (Pigot's directory). The 1824 Pigot's directory mentions it as "Saracen's Head, (& posting Inn) with an Elizabeth Walter & Sons". It would be more accurate to say the forerunner of New Street. I have heard this used to be the principle Market-house in the area around and before 1771.

Phineas Constable, a twenty one year old milkman, died in 1842. Like all of us, his heart must have stopped beating. The inquest at these premises decided that he must have died by a visitation from god. That seems to have been a fairly common, and convenient, summing up at that time.

It was converted into a coffee tavern in 1880 and was then referred to as a temperance hotel. Cheap buns and tea were offered workmen to keep them out of the pubs.

In 1893, Biggin Street at that point was eighteen feet wide which meant that this house and its neighbours had to be removed to widen the thoroughfare, and so the building was again demolished, but never to return as a drinking establishment; alcoholic or not.

LICENSEE LIST

ARTHUR Robert 1730+

GIBSON John 1751+

GIBSON Mary 1771 Apr

SHARP William 1771 Apr+

MARSH Henry 1792-1811

HART Edward 1823-28+

AUSTEN Edward 1832-39

PREBBLE Richard 1839-40+

PREBBLE P. T. 1839-47

TAPPENDEN John 1852

BOWLES William N. 1858

TAYLOR John 1859-64

WEST Edward 1867 end

BURROWS Robert 1867-68 end

COVENEY D. 1868

PAIN E. 1874

BALL John 1875

TYLER George Townsend 1875 end

REYNOLDS Thomas 1877

COUNSELL John 1879 end

BOWDEN William Roger 1879-80 end

BROOME Samuel 1880

To Temperance Hotel

LEFEVRE T 1895

From the Pigot's Directory 1823

From the Pigot's Directory 1824

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 1862

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

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