OLD PRINCE OF ORANGE Pub of Gravesend

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Gravesend, March, 2023.

Page Updated:- Thursday, 02 March, 2023.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1633

(Old) Prince of Orange

Open 2023+

1 Old Dover Road East / Windmill Street

Gravesend

01474 365753

https://whatpub.com/prince-of-orange

Above photo 1900. Kindly supplied by Jason Kemsley. The Old building shown above was demolished in 1928 and replaced in 1933. It stood on the crossroads of Windmill Street/Singlewell Road and Old Road West. The building can be traced back to 1633 and was originally a coaching Inn on the route to Rochester.

Above photo date unknown.

Above postcard, date unknown.

Photo 1st September 2012 from http://www.flickr.com by emdjt42.

Above sign, 2019, kindly taken and sent by Tom Duff.

Kentish Mercury 12 December 1835.

WEST KENT. GRAVESEND.

On Monday last, a field belonging to Mr. Cove, at the back of the "Old Prince of Orange," was the scene of one of these disgraceful exhibitions which have been too frequent in this neighbourhood, a pugilistic encounter. The fight took place between a man of the name of Adams, of cricket celebrity, and a man of the name of Foot, one of Mr. Wood's stone masons. This disgusting affray was allowed to continue for upwards of an hour and ten minutes, when Foot was so severely punished that he was obliged to give in. Adams the victor, was also much bruised. The stakes were of a trifling value one pound. There certainly appears to have been a want of vigilance on the part of the police, in allowing the town to be again disgraced by such a revolting proceeding.

From the Kentish Gazette, 24 March 1840.

Gravesend.

On Saturday week a coroner's inquest before C. J. Carttar, esq. coroner, was held at the "Old Prince of Orange," Gravesend, on view of the body of Sarah Hermitage, a child about five years of age, who was burnt to death at one of the Reed Cottages, situate in the Old-road, in this parish. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." The coroner called the mother of the child, and gave her a suitable caution; and in marked terms reprobated the carelessness of parents leaving children of tender years alone with fires.

I believe the pub has dropped the "old" from its name and is now (2019) operating under the simpler name of "Prince of Orange." However, this is not to be confused with the other "Prince of Orange" that was addressed as 1 New Road and closed in 1928 to become a Burtons outlet.

From the https://www.newsshopper.co.uk 24th April 2015.

Gravesend’s Old Prince of Orange has been given a trendy yet traditional makeover.

The pub in Old Road East changed hands in October last year and new owner Mark Randall set about restoring it to its former glory with a more traditional, cosy look - plus a little bit of funk.

As well as fancy lighting from 3,000 colour changing LEDs and comfy seats, the Old Prince of Orange now has a larger function room and restaurant, holding 100 for sit down meals.

It will host £3.49 weekday lunch deals, a Sunday Carvery, cabaret style tribute nights and a weekly club night called POW (Price of Orange Wednesdays).

Behind the bar, the management boast that you’ll find unique beers not available anywhere else in the town including five real ales and Greenwich’s Meantime lager.

Mark said: “The reaction from people is total amazement. They are coming into something that looks like it used to in 1932.

“People are also trying to get their heads around the size of it.

“The pub has been run down for a number of years so we needed to clear it up. It’s bringing back the character of the pub. So many pubs these days are very bland and ultra modern.”

The Old Prince of Orange is celebrating its new look with a beer festival on the bank holiday weekend, from Friday (May 1) to Monday (May 3). There will be 23 beers on sale, including local brews from Rockin Robin in Maidstone, Tonbridge, Swanscombe’s Caveman and Bexley.