CHEQUERS INN Pub of Ightham

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Wednesday, 25 September, 2024.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1828-

Chequers

Closed 2011

Ightham

Above postcard, circa 1905, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard date unknown, with kind permission from Eric Hartland.

Above postcard, circa 1907, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard, circa 1908, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard, circa 1913. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard circa 1920, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard, date unknown. Kind permission from Eric Hartland.

Above photo 1957. Marquis Grimaldi, (center), pretender to the throne of Monaco who runs the "Chequers," chats with two of his villager customers, local undertaker Fred Morley (left), and librarian W.G. MacDonald.

The Marquis is known as "George" to the villagers, and his wife, the Marquise, is known as "Kay". They have two daughters, aged ten and eleven. The Marquis says his grandfather spent most of the family fortune establishing the line of descent, and that the line has been recognized by the College of Arms in England. The Marquis says it would take "Too much" money to press the claim to the throne, indicating no threat to Monaco.

Above postcard, circa 1971, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above photos, date 2011.

Also been known as "Ye Olde Chequers" at some time before they decided to drop Ye Olde bit.

I am informed the pub was up for sale in 2011 as shown in the top picture, and was boarded up a couple of months later as shown from the bottom one. It now appears closed, May 2014.

Above photo, May 2014, kindly sent by Erik Hartland.

Above sign 1978.

Local knowledge, further pictures, and licensee information would be appreciated.

I will be adding the historical information when I find or are sent it, but this project is a very big one, and I do not know when or where the information will come from.

All emails are answered.

From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, 5 October 1861.

Endorsement of Licenses.

The licence of the "Chequers Inn," Ightham, refused at the previous sitting (the annual licensing day) to the then landlord, Mark Holland, was now endorsed to John Luxford.

Kent Times, 12 April 1862.

WEST MALLING. Petty Sessions.

Assemb/y Rooms, Monday. Before J. W. Stratford, Esq., in the chair, the Hon. and Rev. Sir F. J. Stapleton, Admiral Randolph, Col Fletcher. Capt. Cheere, J, Savage, S. L. Lucas, and M. H. Dalison, Esqrs.

Several alehouse licenses were transferred, viz., the "Chequers," Ightham, from Robert Holloway to Henry Briggs.

From the https://www.mirror.co.uk By Karen Rockett, 8 November 2015.

Len Goodman snaps up a village pub for a cool £1 million and turns it into his home.

The Strictly judge has finally won planning permission to turn the boozer into a family home.

Strictly judge Len Goodman has bought a Grade II-listed village pub and turned it into his home.

He won planning permission to convert the 15th century Chequers Inn at Ightham, Kent.

It has a colourful history. As well as a coaching inn it has been a counting house, post office, auction room, coroner's office, trading post and even jail.

Len, 71, was spotted limping in the village after recent knee surgery which forced him to sit in a special chair on the show.

But once he is fit the 4,000 sq ft of living space in his home - thought to be worth around £800,000 - will give him and his wife, dance teacher Sue Barrett, plenty of room to waltz.

And the house's former use as a pub is not totally lost. It still has a beer cellar if Len fancies a tipple.

LICENSEE LIST

STREETER William 1828+ (father of William of the "Spring Tavern" in Wrotham.)