DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Saturday, 09 October, 2021.
PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1969-

 Woodpecker Guest House

Latest 1987+

Central Road

Womenswold

Woodpecker

Above postcard, date unknown.
Woodpeckers business card 1970

Above business card, circa 1970, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.
Woodpeckers Guest House card 1972

Above card, 1972, kindly sent by Josien.

 

The "Woodpecker Guest House," in Womenswold was originally the Vicarage.

It held full licence and was open to the public for the bar and restaurant. I am informed that after changing from a vicarage it became a guesthouse and finally a public house. Dates of each, unfortunately as yet ubnknown.

Peter Wilberforce tells me he moved next door to The "Woodpeckers" in March 1969 when it was run by a family called Stuteley. They retired and sold to the Pearts, who had struggled to run the place and rapidly sold on to the Millards.

We left Womenswold in 1987 and the Millards were still in residence. Not sure when they left.

It is now a private house: we called there in 2010 hoping for a meal only to find it closed.

 

From an email received 4 March, 2012.

From the late '40s to late '50s the Thomas family lived there and the two boys, JB and Godfrey, went to Womenswold School until they emigrated to S Africa in the late '50s. The Stutely family then occupied it and it became a very popular and well known Guest House where my Mother worked for some years. Mr and Mrs Stutely were kindness itself and pillars of the community. Their daughters, Mary and Amanda, would now be in their mid '60s and Amanda (I think) is on Friends Reunited. The large Woodpeckers lawn was used for School Sports Days and Mr Stutely, a quiet and dignified man, gave over part of the enormous rear garden for use by the School so that the children could have gardening plots. We also used to hold the occasional School Concert and Carol Service there. Such happy and glorious days.

Stuart Eaton.

 

From an email received 4 March, 2012.

We are now the residents of what was the woodpecker hotel. We have lived here since mid 2004.

If there is anyone who has photographs of the property or contact details of previous owners, we would love to hear from you.

Thank you, Andrew & Helen Boughtwood email:

andrewboughtwood@aol.com

 

 

LICENSEE LIST

STUTELEY to 1969

PEARTS

MILLARDS Edward & Patricia 1970s-1987+

 

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