4 Church Street

St. Pauls

Canterbury

Above engraving, circa 1850. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above map 1874 identified by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo, date unknown taken from Historic Canterbury web site www.machadoink.com This also shows the "Monastery Inn" by the lamp post on the left.

Above photo, showing a Fascists march past the pub in 1936.

Above photo, showing a Fascists march past the pub in 1936.

Above photo, 1952, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo, circa 1957, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo, circa 1961, kindly sent my Tim Timson.

Above photo, circa 1961, kindly sent my Tim Timson.

Above photo taken by Edward Wilmot in 1965.

Above photo circa 1970, kindly sent by Elvira Parton.

Above photo circa 1976, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above picture from Google showing the former "Duke's Head" taken in March 2009.

Above photo taken and sent by Rory Kehoe, August 2017.

There was a "Duke of Cumberland" in Church Street prior to 1692 when it was known as the "Rose." It is assumed this is the same public house that is mentioned in Brewers Rigden's rent book in 1804 under the name the "Duke's Head." In that year Robert Lawrence the licensee paid a rent of £11 6s. 0d and continued paying the same till 1822 when it went up to £12. 12s. 0d. In 1806 he also paid 18s. land tax.

On 3rd May 1967 it gained a Grade II listed building status where the descriptions stated the following:- "A C16 timber framed building restored and with some timbers renewed. 3 storeys. Overhanging gable with 2nd floor window in it. 3 sashes with-some glazing bars intact. The 1st floor projects on the protruding ends of the floor joists. Modern pub front."

I am informed by someone who will remain anonymous that in the 1960 and 70s the locals used to call this the "Shaker's Arms" and the beer there was a good 10% cheaper than anywhere else and the last landlord of the pub was known as "Shaky Phil". Reason being, so I am told is that the poor licensee suffered from Parkinson's and couldn't fill a full pint without spilling most of it, Phil used to serve deliberate short measure pints, as that way no beer was spilled.   and he charged less for them. Correspondingly, a "pint" of Fremlin's 3-Star at the pub was charged (in 1970) at 2/- (two shillings - 10p!) rather than the normal price for the time, which was around 2/3d (11p) Not sure what "Weights and Measures" would have made of this if they had known.

The pub closed in 1975 to become a restaurant.

From a paragraph which appears in a pamphlet on the history of St. Paul's, although Rory Kehoe isn't convinced this is accurate. "...Latimer's had originally been set up in 4, Church Street in 1972. This had been the "Spread Eagle" pub and when Tony Abbott was unable to demolish it (the City Council slapped a conservation notice on the building) another use for it was found. Later, Latimer's moved to an old warehouse around the corner and used it as a furniture store..." Rory goes on to say... Whilst I don't dispute the dates, this pub was very definitely the Duke's Head/Shaker's Arms. It went on to be Reid's restaurant c.1974/75.