DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Sunday, 13 February, 2022.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1400s

Chequers Inn

Open 2020+

Chequers Hill/The Street

Doddington

01795 886 366

https://www.chequersinndoddington.co.uk/

https://whatpub.com/chequers

Chequers

Above photo taken from "Old Country Inns of England," date unknown.

Chequers

Above photo, date unknown.

Chequers 1910

Above photo, circa 1910, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Chequers sign

Above photo, date unknown.

Chequers

Above postcard, date unknown.

Chequers 1920

Above postcard, circa 1920, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Chequers

Above postcard, date unknown.

Chequers Inn 1940

Above postcard, 1940, kindly supplied by John Robertson.

Chequers 1940

Above photo, circa 1940, kindly supplied by Rory Kehoe.

Chequers 1949

Above postcard, circa 1949, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Chequers 1954

Above postcard, circa 1954, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Chequers Inn

Above photo, date unknown, by kind permission of Eric Hartland.

Chequers 1996

Above photo, February 1996, kindly sent by Philip Dymott.

Chequers Inn 2005

Photo by Penny Mays 2005 from http://www.flickr.com.

Chequers 2012

Photo taken 1 December 2012 from http://www.flickr.com by Jelltex.

Chequers inside 2012

Photo taken 1 December 2012 from http://www.flickr.com by Jelltex.

Chequers Inn sign 1993Chequers Inn sign 2011

Above sign left, September 1993, sign right, 2011.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Chequers Inn sign 2020

Above sign, 2020, kindly taken and sent by Roger Pester.

Chequers Inn 2012

Above photos, 3 February 2012, taken by Eric Hartland.

Chequers 2019

Above photo 2019.

 

 The "Chequers Inn" is on a main road at Doddington, a fifteenth century coaching inn along the old way from Maidstone to Faversham. Nowadays the main local highway is the M2 motorway, not far from the village.

It is reported to have two resident ghosts - a Cavalier from the English Civil War, it’s rumoured that you can spot him wearing a plumed hat from the overhanging window, and, if you listen carefully, a ghoul with a passion for the piano, reported to be the deceased wife of a past Landlord.

 

From the Kentish Chronicle, 6 June, 1863.

A MAN BURIED ALIVE IN A CHALK PIT.

On Saturday, Mr. W. P. Callaway, deputy coroner, and a respectable jury held an inquest at the “Chequers Inn,” Doddington, on the body of Edward Foster, labourer, aged 20 years, who was killed by a full of earth in a chalk pit on Friday morning.

The first witness called was Ann Wildish, widow, of Doddington Hill, who deposed:- Yesterday morning about half past six I was in doors and heard some one approaching. My house is close to the entrance of the chalk pit in which the deceased was found. I looked out of the window and saw the deceased. He was then going to his work in the pit. He had none of his tools with him then.

Frances, wife of Mr. Jesse Higgins, of Doddington, deposed:- I reside within a short distance of the pit, and my husband is master of the lime works. About half-seven yesterday morning two carts came for lime, and my husband not being then in the way, I went down into the pit to see if I could find deceased; but I could not see him. I could not find his shovel, but I saw that the bank had fallen in, and I could see a portion of a wheelbarrow, the remainder being buried. I went for assistance to the men with the lime carts, and they commenced digging for the deceased. I was present when the body was found. The bank was not hanging over when I saw it previous to the accident.

David Millens, bailiff, of Down Court, Doddington, deposed:- Yesterday morning, about seven o'clock, I went to Mr. Kemmin's pit for lime. I could find no one there until the last witness came. I enquired for deceased and the last witness said he could not be far off, and she went down to the pit, to find him, and came back to me saying she was afraid he was buried as there had been a fall of chalk. I went to the pit and saw there had been a fall, and a portion of a wheelbarrow was visible. I commenced digging and continued doing so for about three-quarters of an hour when I came to the body of deceased. He was lying on his face quite flat. The body was a very short distance from the wheelbarrow. The deceased was quite dead when we found him. I assisted to remove the body.

Walter Kemmins, lime merchant, of Greenstreet, deposed:- The pit in which the deceased was found belonged to me. I have worked it for about two years. The deceased has worked for me off and on for four or five months. I have worked the pit for the last twelve months continually, and have been in the habit of constantly seeing it. I was at the pit last Monday. The deceased was then working there alone. He was working there alone until the morning of his death. I last saw the deceased alive on Thursday night. He was then at Highsted, working in another pit for me. On Monday last, when I went to the pit, he was pecking chalk from the bottom of the bank. I stopped him and gave him special orders not to touch the bottom any more, until he had thrown in a peak which was then hanging over. The reason why I told him so was that I considered the place unsafe. I am certain the deceased did not follow my instructions or I should be able to see the marks of the pick which he must have used in throwing in the top.

Henry Adam M.D. and M.R.C.S., of Greenstreet, deposed:- I was sent for yesterday morning to the chalk pit, and on arriving found the body of deceased lying in the lime house. I examined him and from the injuries I found I am positive death was instantaneous. I am also positive the deceased was stooping at the time of the accident as the spine in fractured in two places. There was also fracture of the pelvis, and both bones of the left leg and left foot were broken. Most probably the skull would have been injured if the deceased had been standing. The cause of instantaneous death was dislocation of the vertebrae of the neck.

The deputy coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict that the deceased was accidentally killed by the falling of a bank of chalk.

 

From The Dover Express, Saturday, July 29, 1865; pg. 4; Issue 365.

COUNTY EPITOME.

Mr. Coroner Delasaux held an inquest at the "Chequers Inn," Doddington, on Friday, on the body of an aged woman named Jane Everist Johnson, who was killed on the previous Tuesday by falling from a tree in an orchard, at Shulland Farm, while engaged in gathering cherries. The deceased was subject to fits, and Mr. Cragie, surgeon, expressed his opinion that the accident probably happened from that cause.

The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."

 

Abergavenny Chronicle, Friday 29 January 1897.

Four Years For Arson.

Albert Terry, publican, at Doddington, Kent, was charged at Maidstone assizes, before Mr. Justice Matthew, with feloniously setting fire to a windmill of his own at Lenham on December 23rd last with intent to defraud.

Mr. C. Gill and Mr. A. Gill appeared for the prosecution; Mr. Dickens, Q.C., and Mr. Hobler for the defence.

The prosecution alleged that in February, 1896, the prisoner, the owner of a mill some four miles from his home, went to the then tenants of the mill, who was in pecuniary difficulties, and proposed to him to set fire to the mill, taking with him a tin of pitch and two sacks of shavings. The tenant refused, and subsequently gave information to the police, who kept watch on the mill. The tenant stated that he burnt the shavings and through the tin down the well 45 ft. deep. The tenant subsequently was sold up and left, owing rent. The mill then remained empty.

On December 21st it was stated that the prisoner brought a sack of shavings and half a gallon of harness oil.

On the 23rd he was away from home in his high dog-cart several hours in the afternoon. That evening, about 7:30 a policeman noticed the marks of wheels in the snow on the drive leading up to the mill. A little previously a witness had noticed the high dog-cart with two men in it drive up there.

At 10:20 p.m. the mill was on fire at the top and was soon burnt down.

The policeman then measured the width from wheel track to wheel track. It corresponded, it was stated, with the width of the wheels of the prisoners cart.

For the defence, witnesses were called to prove an alibi and to show that the wheel tracks could not be those of the prisoners cart.
Mr. Dickens urged that no motive for the crime, such as over-insurance, had been suggested.

The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he was sentenced to penal servitude for 4 years.

 

Faversham Times and Mercury and North-East Kent Journal 06 May 1939.

DODDINGTON. THE CHEQUERS.

At the Faversham County Petty Sessions, yesterday (Thursday), the Bench approved of a plan presented by Messrs. Shepherd Neame Ltd. for alterations and additions to the "Chequers," Doddington.

 

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Ed McConnell, 28 October 2019.

Haunted pubs in Kent this Halloween.

Kent's colourful history and strong ties to smuggling mean it has its fair share of ghost stories.

This 12th century boozer also has a rich history and strong ties to smuggling. It is haunted by two ghosts. One is a Civil War cavalier killed upstairs and his plumed-hatted form is often seen peering through a window and laughing. The second is thought to be the wife of a former landlord. She can be heard playing the piano in the private quarters.

 

From the https://www.kentlive.news By Lauren MacDougall, 21 December 2019.

The 33 pubs in Kent you have to drink at in 2020 according to CAMRA.

In total Kent has heaps of pubs listed in the guide and, while 33 of these are new entries, others have appeared in previous editions of the guide.

A total of 33 pubs from around Kent make up the new entries that feature in the 2020 edition of the Good Beer Guide.

The guide is produced annually by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the independent guide to the best boozers in the UK that is researched by unpaid and independent volunteers nationwide.

Tom Stainer, CAMRA’s chief executive, said: “For nearly five decades, the Good Beer Guide has been a comprehensive guide to the UK’s breweries, their ales, and the best outlets to find them in across the country.

“What makes the Guide unique is that all the entries are compiled and vetted by a huge volunteer team, based around the country. We work hard to ensure that all areas of the country are covered and, unlike with some competitor titles, inclusion in this book is dependent only on merit, not on payment.

“The Good Beer Guide has always had an important role in acting as a barometer of the beer and pub industry. We believe information gleaned from the Guide is absolutely vital in the drive to save our pubs from closure and campaign for policies that better support pubs, local brewers and their customers.”

This pub is included in the 2020 list.

Chequers Inn, Doddington.

Chequers Inn 2019

What the guide says: "Attractive oak-beamed pub dating from the 15th century.

"It is the heart of village life, with a variety of events held, including a beer festival at the end of April. A roaring log fire keeps customers warm in winter, and the pub frontage is a sea of flowers in summer."

 

LICENSEE LIST

PALMER Ann 1841+ (age 60 in 1841Census)

PALMER John (James) Henry 1851-July/64 (age 43 in 1861Census) Kentish Gazette

SAGE Alfred July/1864-91+ (age 46 in 1881Census) Kentish Gazette

TERRY Martha Ann to Sept/1897 Whitstable Times

MOORE John Sept/1897+ Whitstable Times

EASTON Alfred J 1901-03+ (age 42 in 1901Census) Kelly's 1903

SARGENT George 1911-38+ (age 41 in 1911Census)

???? Gayna & Shaun 2015+

https://pubwiki.co.uk/Chequers.shtml

 

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

CensusCensus

Kentish GazetteKentish Gazette

Whitstable TimesWhitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald

 

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

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