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Stembrook and Church Street
Dover
https://whatpub.com/roman-quay
This was erected on behalf of Charrington and opened on 31 July 1957. The
licence to make that possible was transferred from the late "Granville
Hotel" by then demolished. The name is applicable to the various old port
furnishings which were discovered and which now lay beneath the foundations.
The passage below is a letter in answer to a query
regarding the history of he site as an aid in the selection of a
suitable name for this proposed building.
27th January, 1956
G. W. Howkins, Esq.,
Manager;
Walmer Brewery,
Kent.
Dear Sir,
Proposed Public House at Stembrook.
Further to your visit of today; I have pleasure in forwarding the
promised list of items of interest centred around your building site in
Church St., Dover.
The walls of Roman Dover passed directly through the site and nearby
have been found examples of Roman baths, tiles, pottery and glass, a
quay or causeway of wood, sculpture and part of an Andernach lava
millstone. This area is generally assumed to be the site of the Saxon
Shore Fortress.
On the corner of Church St and Market Square once stood the Saxon church
of St. Peter. Later the "Antwerp Inn" was built on the site. Until
approximately 1900, this was still known as "Peter's Corner". During
excavations below this corner there have been found human remains, a
Runic memorial, pewter chalices and paten and a human head enclosed in a
stone receptacle. The latter is thought to be the head of the Duke of
Suffolk who was executed for high treason aboard a ship in the Channel
in 1450.
In Church St. once stood a house belonging to one "Granny Snow". This
was a known smugglers' haunt, complete with moveable panels and floors.
This house was taken down when Castle St. was built.
It is believed by most authorities that King Stephen (d. 1154) was
buried beneath the Saxon altar steps of St. Mary's church.
Local industry in the area was represented by a tannery and a
wheelwright.
In bygone days there could be found in the Market Square the Guildhall
or Court Hall the Town Cross, pillory and stocks and the old Town Gaol,
(which was once destroyed in a riot when a band of smugglers escaped to
Folkestone.) They had been taken prisoner by Lieutenant Lilburn,
commander of the Revenue Cutter "Lively".) It is also a fact that once,
Spanish pirates captured by privateers were sold in the Market Place as
slaves, for £100 each.
Apart from the "Antwerp Inn" the following public houses have now
disappeared from Dover. The "Ancient Druids" Inn was near your present
site until the last war and nearby was the "Butchers Arms". On the other
side of the Market Square was the "Garricks Head", named after a
great-nephew of the actor who worked nearby.
I hope that some of this information will serve to help you in your
selection of a name and if I can assist you further I shall be glad to
do so.
Yours faithfully,
Borough Librarian.
As history proves, the pub was eventually called the "Roman Quay".
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From the Dover Express 17 Aug 1998.
Landlord is jailed for handling stolen goods.
A FORMER Dover pub landlord has been jailed: for
handling stolen goods.
Paul Johnson, 38, now of Pavilion Road, Folkestone, was running the
Roman Quay in Church Street, when the offences took place in August last
year, Canterbury Crown Court was told on Tuesday.
Johnson who pleaded
guilty to four counts of handling was jailed for two months and told
by Judge Jonathan Langdon: "You were granted a licence by magistrates
to run a respectable public house and not to provide a service for
thieves."
Appearing with Johnson was co-defendant Kristian Edward, 20, of
Cherry Tree Avenue, Dover who admitted two counts of handling stolen
goods.
He was told by Judge Langdon "You helped assist this dishonest
publican but, bearing in mind the favourable report you have been given,
I feel I can deal with you by way of 40 hours community service and a
year's probation.
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From the Dover Express, 7 September 2000.
THE landlord of the Roman Quay, Lee 'Gus' Hathaway, revitalised his
pub's entertainment by inviting popular East End duo Chas and Dave along
to entertain customers.
Gus, 26, a Dover Rugby Club player, tracked down
the musical comedy duo, who agreed to do a turn at the pub.
The watering
hole quickly filled with people of all ages and it turned out to be a
brilliant fun event. Two signed autographs of the
duo were raffled, raising £85 for the Meningitis Trust.
Since Gus took
over the pub, in Church Street, 18 months ago he has been determined to
turn around its fortunes and image. Gus began his career in Canterbury
when he was 19, working at the Seven Stars pub and the Jolly Sailor: He
aims to bring more well known entertainers to the pub over the next few
months.
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From the Dover Mercury, 3 May, 2001.
Council's big sell off.
LAND and properties owned by Dover District Council, but leased to
others, are likely to be sold off if a recommendation before senior
councillors last night is accepted.
A special working group of councillors has been studying details of
council owned property and is making the recommendations to sell, as
there was "no reason for retention."
Earmarked for sale are: The Roman Quay at Stembrook, land at Astley
Avenue leased to Dover Marquee Company, properties in Sheridan Road and
231 Coombe Valley Road.
Industrial premises in Edgar Road, a factory and other premises in
Granville Street, several pieces of land at Poulton Close (in all about
2.5 acres), and land at Primrose Road, off Lewisham Road and the back of
houses in Milton Road.
But the working group suggests the council retains: Maybrook House in
York Street, the Riverside Centre in Maison Dieu Gardens, the community
centre at Roosevelt Road, the Nu-Age car park, 1-14 Upper Road at Guston,
land at Hobart Crescent, Coombe Farm, land at Abbey Road, and at the
back of Poulton Close.
Deals are being struck for the sale of the Wood Street multi-storey
car park (the Charlton Centre's car park), land off Lord Warden Square
and land at High Meadow above Tower Hamlets.
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From the Dover Mercury 12 July 2007.
Half century: Manager James Morgan and landlord Lee Hathaway toast 50
years of the Roman Quay.
DOAJ280607Quay2 Picture by ANDY JONES |
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Quay looks back over 50 years as a boozer.
A DOVER pub celebrated its half century this month with a series of
1950s themed events.
The Roman Quay, in Stembrook, opened its doors for
the first time in July 1957 and current landlord Lee Hathaway was keen
to mark the anniversary.
The pub hosted a karaoke night last Thursday
where regulars sang hits from the era, followed on Friday by singer
Karen Louise, who serenaded the crowd with popular 1950s tunes.
There
was also a fancy dress barbecue on Sunday, with pints charged at just
£1, equivalent to what punters at the time would have paid.
Mr Hathaway,
who dressed in an Elvis costume for the occasion said: "We felt it would
be appropriate to celebrate the anniversary with these events. It's a
bit of fun, but also a big milestone for us."
The pub also appeared on
a reality holiday programme on TV1 - Holiday Showdown - featuring a local
family, the Kents, who were forced to go on holiday with a cultured,
teetotal couple and their son to Egypt.
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From the Dover Mercury. 10 November 2005.
PUB PROCEEDS: Regulars benefit lifeboats.
Paul Freeth and Roman Quay landlord Lee Hathaway with the Dover
Athletic Shirt.
REGULARS at the Roman Quay have reaffirmed their dedication to the RNLI
by helping raise more than £1,500 for the charity.
Every year the pub, in Church Street, supports the RNLI through taking
part in dragon boat racing at Dover Regatta. This year that brought in
£1,350 for the charity, but then landlord Lee Hathaway, decided to stage
other charity events to supplement the fundraising.
Just before the heroics in a dragon boat, Mr Hathaway displayed a
football shirt in the bar, signed by former Dover Athletic player Lee
Shearer and former Dover Athletic manager and Wales International
goalkeeper, Neville Southall.
Bids were invited for the shirt, and the winner, Ronnie Wilson, was
announced during a special casino night at the pub.
The casino night added another £250 to the total.
Mr Hathaway added: "It was a brilliant evening and everyone at the pub
works hard and supports charity every year.”
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From the Dover Mercury, 23 April, 2009.
Landlord's lucky escape from fumes.
THE landlord of a Dover pub had a lucky escape on Saturday when he
was overcome by fumes in the cellar of his pub.
Fire crews from Dover and Deal were called to the Roman Quay at
Church Street, near the Market Square, just before 9am when a system
designed to pump the beer to the bar developed a fault.
Dangerous carbon dioxide fumes leaked into the cellar and when the
landlord went into the cellar he began to feel unwell and immediately
came out again.
Fire-fighters ventilated the building to ensure that the fumes had
gone, and engineers were called in to repair the fault.
A spokesman for the fire service said the landlord's quick actions in
returning to safety from the cellar saved him from serious injury. There
have been a number of incidents in which people have quickly become
unconscious when exposed to carbon dioxide in pub cellars.
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Recent information tells me the pub is currently closed and for sale
(February 2013).
Last time I passed in October 2013 it was open again.
Went passed today, 19 March 2018 and it looked closed again.
In May 2018 the owners changed from Punch Taverns to Star (Heineken Ltd.)
and closed late 2018, so much for the takeover.
Glad to say the pub reopened again in June 2019.
LICENSEE LIST
DALE William C 1957+
HOPSON Dennis H 1964-66
JAMES Peter 1972
HALL Johnathan A 1973-74 &
STEVENS Peter J 1973-74
Charrington & Co
DAWSON D 1976
DICKSON or DIXON Ernest C 1977-78
WORKMAN S F 1978
KELLY Peter 1981
RUGG-GUN M J 1981
HIGGINS Patrick 1984 end
DEARAN Joseph 1992
JOHNSON Paul 1997-98
HATHAWAY Lee 1998-March/2007-Dec/2017
HOLINSBY Nick Jan/2018+
BIRCHENOUGH Matthew June/2019+
Library archives 1974
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