DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Saturday, 10 September, 2022.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1871

Monk's Head

Closed June 2022

22 Constitution Hill

Snodland

01634 240477

https://whatpub.com/monks-head

Monk's Head 2009

Above photo 2009 by Chris Whippet Creative Commons Licence.

Monk's Head 2013

Above photo 2013 by N Chadwick Creative Commons Licence.

Monk's Head 2022

Above photo 2022.

Monk's Head sign 1986Monk's Head sign 2002

Above sign left, December 1986, sign right, May 2002.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

 

John Charles Allard is first mentioned as being a beer retailer in the 1930 Kelly's directory, but no name was given to the premises.

 

Monk's Head licenses 1948

Above photo showing licensees George and Maria Stevenson in 1948. Kindly sent by Audrey Walker.

 

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Amy Tregenna, 10 September 2022.

The Freemasons Arms is last pub standing in Snodland, Malling, as The Monk's Head closes its doors.

A town has been left with just one pub after an historic haunt closed its doors.

The "Monk's Head," in Snodland, has recently closed indefinitely, and left the "Freemasons Arms" as the only pub.

The Monk's Head, in Constitution Hill, is reportedly closed long-term as of June this year, although no time-frame has been given for a possible re-opening.

The pub dates back to the 1860s, when a man named George Barden moved to Snodland from a pub in Larkfield, which was also named the "Monk's Head."

The pub was used to host the Hearts of Oak Benevolent Society, which was a medical club in the town, recorded in 1869.

Men from across the village would pay an entrance fee to join the club, and would then receive benefits in the event of sickness, death, or a wife's death.

The pub also hosted, in 1876, a branch of the Odd Fellows Lodge, an international fraternity similar to the Freemasons.

Barden's successor, Alban Burgess, was the landlord until 1893, when he moved to the "Bricklayers Arms" until his death in 1915.

Frank Victor Vickery was the landlord from 1970 to 1974, and had previously been the licensee at the "Papermakers Arms," just down the road.

Now that the penultimate pub is closed indefinitely, the "Freemasons Arms" in Ham Hill is the only place for locals to grab a pint.

As Snodland's last pub standing, the Freemasons Arms has accomplished quite a feat.

The pub began its life in 1753, (I have traced it back to 1742, Paul Skelton) but it was known as the "Bell" until 1794, when its landlord John Herbert renamed it the "Freemasons Arms."

Ambrose Gowar, the landlord here from 1854 to 1881, came from a family of pub landlords. He was the son of Richard Gowar, who became landlord of the "Rising Sun" at Holborough in 1847.

And Ambrose's nephew, also named Richard Gowar, was the landlord at the "Bull," from 1878 to 1894.

Ambrose's widow Maria, then continued running the place after he passed away in 1882, until 1887.

 

LICENSEE LIST

Last pub licensee had BARDEN George 1871-1886 (age 50 in 1871Census)

BURGESS Alban 1887-1893 Next pub licensee had

WOODBINE Henry 1893-1911 (age 36 in 1901Census)

CLIFFORD Herbert Ernest 1912-1917

HATCH Rebecca 1918

HATCH Henry 1919-1925

HATCH Rebecca 1926

ALLARD Charles John 1927-1940 (age 46 in 1939)

STICKINGS Alfred 1941

STEVENSON George Joseph 1942-1948

RICHARDS Ernest 1949

BARDEN Horace Frederick John 1950-1957

TOMLIN Leonard Charles 1958-1961

HACKNEY Robert Albert M. 1962

SPICKETT Jack Edward 1S63-1968

SPICKETT Lillian May 1969

Last pub licensee had VICTOR Frank "Victor" 1970-1974

 

CensusCensus

 

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

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