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February 1929.
THE HISTORIC INNS OF OLD TENTERDEN. THE QUEEN’S ARMS.
A famous and well-known house in Tenterden during the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries was that
bearing the above sign, but at the present day it does not exist. It is
generally supposed to have stood
opposite the Town Hall, a little to the eastward of that picturesque
black and white Tudor shop which is
such a conspicuous feature of Tenterden's broad and green High Street.
As early as 1632 this house was
designated the "Queen's Arms," but under date of October 12th, 1633, it
is recorded that Richard Forth and
Susan, his wife, were examined before the mayor and jurats, when they
confessed that the said Susan hath
and doth sell beerr in the house called the "Kinge's Armes" in Tenterden
by the allowance of her husband,
and do keep a common alehouse there; whereupiwn the fine of XXs. is set
and assessed according to the
statute. The next year September 16th, 1634, six thirsty souls,
including some from Rolverden, confessed
to tippling at the sign of the "King’s Arms," for which offence every of
them hath forfeited 3s. 4d. to the use
of the poor of the parish of Tenterden to be levied by distress.
By 1667 it was again known as the "Queen's Arms," and in that year the
then host was also fined XXs. for
being unlicensed. "and p'ticulerly for publiquely selling in ye said
house two Juggs of Beece on 4 ffeb. inst.
and taking 4d. for ye same."
Among the chamberlain's accounts are preserved various bills sent in
from the various houses when
festivities at the town's expense were incurred. A few notices of those
from the "Queen's Arms" are here
given. One item is for the entertainment of some poor seamen, and, being
a modest one at that, is here
transcribed from the original:—
Att ye Queenes Armes. When the seamen where here.
Left to paye for bere ............... 0 1 8
For bread and chese .............. 0 0 8 2-1
For fire and candel for ye gard 0 1 0
Total ...................................... 0 3 4 2-1
20 April 1696. Allowed. Robert Stace, Mayor Reeed. ve full of this bill
by mee, Jos. Greenland.
Another records a feast on a somewhat elaborate seale. and we may be
sure there was plenty of octivity
and excitement (especially in the kitchens) at the "Queen's Arms" on the
visit of the Governor of Dover
Castle and his retinue with their horses. This is lather too long to be
quoted in full, so a few of the principal
dishes only (in the original spelling) will be mentioned. It commences:—
July ye 30. 1696. A bill of what wos spent when the Governor came downe.
For a rib end rump of befe and dresing ... 00 15 00
for a leg of muton and dresing and saso 00 04 06
for 2 geese and dreeing and saso 00 05 00
for 6 duckes saso and dresing 00 08 00
for six chiken and dresing and saso baken and colefloure 00 09 06
forapel pastes, goosbere tarts, cheskrakes, custard 00 10 00
for bread 00 06 00
for wine 07 00 00
for beere 02 05 06
for 3 bottels brock 00 01 00
The total cost of this feast amounted to £14 13s. 8d., of which it will
be noticed that the wine consumed was
nearly half, and that the last item, for breakages, was a very small
one. This bill was allowed by the Mayor,
Jeremiah Curteis, and paid on August 23-d, 1697.
During the year 1702 and frequently on to 1721 the Courts of Sessions
were held at this house. At that of
July 9th. 1705.
Thomas Hughes, of the "Angel," was warned to keep his hogs from going
about the town, being a nuisance
to the highways and the inhabitants.
A few years later, on the occasion of peace being proclaimed and a long
war brought to a conclusion by the
signing of the Treaty of Utrecht, another feast was held at the "Queen’s
Arms," but this was strictly official
and reveals the class distinctions then prevailing, but the items shall
speak for themselves. The bill is
headed:—
May 15th, 1713. On p'claming peace.
In the Court Chamber, 19............ 0 19 0
Below stairs, 8 freemen ............ 0 5 4
More common p'sons, 18 ............ 0 0 0
Beer to ye Musq'trs .................. 0 5 0
More to ye Gren'dears snd Waggonrs ... 0 3 6
More Wine and Beer without doors 0 15 0
More Beer and Tobacco for musqrs 0 1 6
More for beer and backer, soger and lamonos. 0 2 5
The total amount come to £8 6s. 3 1/2d. but only £8 6s. was paid, and
this was accepted "in full of ye above
bill."
The Corporation appear to have held their Common Halla regularly at the
"Queen's Arms" from 1694 till
1708 or thereabouts, and at one of them held on January 2nd, 1695, it
was debated whether to expend £20
or only £15 in procuring a copy of the charter to replace that which was
lost in the fire. On September 15th
it was decreed that the charter should be exemplified in parchment. This
was done in 1700, and is now in
the possession of the Corporation. At a Common Hall on August 29th,
1708, the following order was
made:—
"The two keys belonging to the chest standing in the Court
Chamber at the signe of the "Queens
Armes" in Tenterden were deliver'd, vixt. one to the p'sent Mayor and
the other to the p'scnt Towne Clerk."
Probably with a view to relieve the quietude of a winter evening, a
wrestling match was held in the kitchen
of the "Query's Arms" on November 18th, 1704, when, unfortunately, one
man named William Jefferys, of
Tenterden, husbandman, was so injured that he died from the effects on
the 29th of the same month. A jury
of twenty-four was summoned and an inquest held at the house of the
deputy mayor on the following day,
the record of which, with signatures and seals, remains in perfect
condition. The coroner's records also
show that inquests were held at this house in 1706, 1711 and 1721; on
the latter occasion it was to enquire
into the death of a man through falling from a horse.
An inquisition was held at the "Queen's Arms" on June 8th, 1721, by
Georgo Stace. Esq., Mayor and
Coroner, with a jury of twenty-four. The following verdict was recorded:
"The said Samuel Startup, late
servant with with Mr. William Children, yesterday being tho seventh of
this instant, June, about six of the
clock in the afternoone, being then rideing on a certain sorrel ball
mare of the said Mr. Children at
Tenterden abovesaid, did p'sently receive a fall from the said mare in
the lands of the said William Children,
from which fall he received hurt and incontinently died, and that such
fall from the said mare then moveing
was the cause of the death of the said Samuel Startup.
This appears to be the latest reference to the "Queen's Arms" I have met
with, and at what date it ceased
to exist as an inn cannot at present be ascertained.
A.H.T.
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