(St. Margaret's at Cliff)

All photos above by Paul Skelton 10 November 2007. The garden of the Smugglers used to be where the skittles was played. Unfortunately no sign of the alley any longer.

I (Paul Skelton) can remember playing Skittles on this alley quite a few times, and it always looked as if the alley was running up hill. I also believe I drank one of the last pints of Fremlins Tusker at this pub, although brewed by Whitbred at the time, it did taste very distinctive. I would also like to add that the team I was playing skittles for at the time recorded a record loss in the 1980's of being beaten by 98 skittles. I hasten to add our main team, including myself, were on holiday at the time and half the team kindly stepped into our shoes, so I wasn't playing that fateful match.

This is little about the history of the Smugglers Public House written by the author their Web Site, who lived opposite the Pub for 35 years in another house associated with the art of Smuggling.

The village of St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe Nr Dover, Kent is oozing with history, both back to the Norman days, where less than50 yards, from the Smugglers, stands one of the best examples of Norman churches, dating back to the year 1000AD. In addition to the Norman and Saxon links to St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe, the village was a centre of operations in the dark days of smuggling. In those days, circa 1700-1800AD, it involved huge quantities of illicit booze, mainly rum being smuggled, with St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe being at the centre for importation and distribution. Because of the village ties and, indeed this property, the Pub was renamed from it's previously known name of the Carriers Arms, to what it is known today, The Smugglers.

The Carriers Arms, as it was known before the Smugglers, had the typical two drinking areas, as most of the pre 1980's Public Houses did. As you enter the Smugglers, on the right was, the Private Bar. This was small and reserved for the 'Upper Class'. Although this area is now part of the main bar area, it can still be seen where the original dividing walls and entrance door were.

Carrying straight on, as you enter, another door allowed you access to the main Public Area bar, where the likes of most of the villagers, used to socialize and enjoy a pint.

Recent internal refurbishment over the past years, have seen several additional features added to the Smugglers.

Centre of the bar serving area, the traditional square or rectangular shaped bar was replaced with an oval bar, which is constructed in the shape of a 'large beer barrel'.

The restaurant, area itself, has been added by the present owners, which is light, airy and comfortable, in which to enjoy a relaxing meal from the extensive menu.

The garden area used to be the home to a skittles ally. The Smugglers skittle team, along with their dart teams, used to be a team to be reckoned with in years past, before they were disbanded. A selection of memorabilia photos and trophies are still displayed just outside of the restaurant area.

The garden has now been turned into partially the restaurant and also an outside seating area, where meals can also be served. The garden area can be covered if the weather turns cooler or inclement and can of course be the venue for weddings or other functions.

The Smugglers at St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe has recently applied and obtained a licence to enable weddings or civil ceremonies to be held on our premises.

Above information kindly reproduced from their web site at the following location:- http://www.thesmugglers-inn.co.uk

LICENSEE LIST