(St. Margaret's at Cliff)

Above photo showing the then named Cliff Hotel in 1903

From the Dover Express 6 July 2000 Old school re-opens as a new tavern. THE historic 400 year old Tavern at St Margarets - once a school - has re-opened as The ClyfIe Inn and welcomed its first guests. Dover District Council chairman, Frank Woodbridge joined the ceremony marking the re-opening of the inn to the public. The tavern, re-named The Clyffe Inn, was bought by Andrew and Amanda Wedl, of The Character Inn group, which owns The Royal Hotel at Deal for £300,000. Refurbishment, costing £70.000 so far, began in February and the bar and back garden are now complete. The restaurant, specialising in seafood by chef Ian Jackson, will be opened shortly. The inn dates back to the late 17th Century and will he run by Amanda Sumner and Alex Evans.

Pictures above and below by Paul Skelton 10 November 2007

Above photos by Paul Skelton. Left 2006, right 2008.

The earliest note I have so far of this building serving ales is as the Cliffe Hotel in 1889, but it was once a school house and is said to be about 400 years old.

I believe this inn was called the Westcliffe around the first world war but do not know when it changed name to the Cliffe Tavern.

Until relatively recently the Cliffe Tavern, also renamed the Cliffe Inn, at St Margarets-at-Cliffe had a public bar, but is now a family run licensed restaurant and hotel and has renamed again, this time being called the "Garden House Hotel and Bayleaf Restaurant".

Parts of the building are reputed to go back to Elizabethan times.

Latest change of name is the the "White Cliffs Hotel" it still houses the Bay restaurant. (2008).

LICENSEE LIST

CRIPPS S G 1889-1900+

CRIPPS F P 1901+

CLARINGBOULD Frederick 1914+ (Westcliffe)

CRIPPS Mrs S 1923-24+

WEINREB Arthur  BEATTIE D 1974+

SUMNER Amanda 2000 and

EVANS Alex 2000

HALL Christopher 2007 (Bayleaf)

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1889

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1890

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1891

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1895

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1896-97

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1898

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1899

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1899-1900

From the Post Office Directory 1901

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1923

From Pikes Dover Blue Book 1924

Library archives 1974