From information displayed on the wall at The Arlington.

The Official History of The Arlington.

This inn known by the name and sign of the Arlington was built in the 7th year of George I in 1721. Structurally the house remains much the same, however its appearance has altered greatly over the years by way of refacements and refurbishment.

Between the time of its founding and that of its first license the property was utilized for a number of things by tradesmen of varying descriptions. In 1721, it is described as the "New tenement of Joshua Ridley commonly called a cutler of the port of Dover". Ridley lived here between the years of 1721 and 1738 during which time he conducted his trade from the house since he is recorded as a cutler of Snargate Street throughout much of that period.

Joshua Ridley having died in that year of 1738, by the terms of his will, passed the house and all it contained including a number of edged weapons and long arms to his widow Naomi who at the time of receiving her inheritance is described as a maker of 'slops' which was one who traded in the manufacture of sailors clothes. The widow Ridley traded under that description and is recorded here in 1741, 1746 and 1751, the year in which she died and passed the house and her slops business to her daughter Jessica.

Jessica Ridley carried on her mothers trade until 1756 when she married Jacob Reuben, another slopsmaker of Dover and together they traded her until her death in 1773. In the following year, he sold the house and business to his brother Samuel who was also a slopsmaker. However, by 1776 the latter appears to have been running a marine chandlery from the house as well as conducting his original trade. This situation remained until Samuel Reuben's death in 1794 whereafter everything passed to his widow Susannah. In 1795, she sold the property as a "marine store with chambers over" to Ebeneezer Thornton a boat builder of Snargate Street over the sluice.

He died here in 1817 of no apparent heirs and the property passed into the hands of John Shipdem, notary town clerk, surrogate for the Cinque Ports and registrar and agent for Dover harbour, who was to act as trustee to the estate of Ebeneezer Thornton. In 1818 through Shipdem, this house was purchased by Robert Walker a brewer and maltster of Dolphin Lane, Dover. After carrying out alterations, Walker obtained an ale license for the house and hung the sign of the Perseverance. In November of that year with one, Richard Prebble installed as keeper the Perseverance opened for business and the first ale was sold here.

Prebble kept the house as a tenant until 1823 when in that year Robert Walker formed the company of Robert Walker and Sons and leased the Perseverance to Joseph Chambers whose trade by strange coincidence was that of slopsmaker. He kept the house and was recorded as a "slopsmaker of the Perseverance beer-house, 161 Snargate Street" until his death in 1845, whereupon his son was granted the tenancy by James and Thomas Walker. He served here until 1859 when George Watson took over. During the time that he kept the Perseverance his brother John kept an inn called the Golden Fleece at 56 Snargate Street.

In 1863, executors acting as trustees for the Dolphin Lane Brewery of James and Thomas Walker sold out to Leney and Evenden brewers who were part of the Leney brewing establishment at Wateringbury. In that year of 1863 after carrying out alterations to the house, a wine and spirit license was obtained for it and the Perseverance became a registered tavern. George Watson kept it until 1873 when he was succeeded by Charles Bliss, innkeeper of the Duke of Cambridge Commercial Inn in Snargate Street.

In 1881 Bliss was succeeded by James Gregory and he became the last keeper to hold a license here under the sign of the Perseverance, in 1886 Alfred Leney of the Phoenix Brewery in Dolphin Lane carried out further alterations to the house and upon the completion of these changed the name of the house to the Avenue. It was leased to William B. Mills a shopkeeper of 170 Snargate Street, however he died here after keeping the house for only a short period. In 1889, the tenancy passed to his daughter Mrs Amelia Reeves.

In 1890, she handed over to Alfred Thomas Dane who served here until his death in 1902 when his son William took over. He was succeeded in 1905 by William Norrington and he in 1907 by Edward Legrois who was here until 1926 when in that year Alfred Leney sold out to the Fremlin Brothers brewery of Maidstone.

They leased to Henry Frederick Partridge who was here until 1937 when he was succeeded by William James Dolbear. On the 4th October 1940 the Avenue closed and remained so for the duration of World War II, this was due to its close proximity to the Docks and the danger of being shelled. In 1945, Fremlins re-opened the house and it remained in their hands until 1967 when the brewery merged with Whitbread Brewery to form Whitbread Fremlins. In 1980, they sold the Avenue as a Free-house and the name was changed to the Arlington. Today it is owned and kept by Jeffrey Reynolds.

The Arlington
Kent's Smallest Public House
The Arlington
161 Snargate Street
Dover, Kent, CT17 9BZ
telephone (01304) 206 201
(+44 1304) 206 201