DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Faversham, November, 2023.

Page Updated:- Wednesday, 08 November, 2023.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1789-

Bear Inn

Open 2020+

3 Market Place

Faversham

01795 532668

https://www.bearinnfaversham.co.uk/

https://whatpub.com/bear-inn

Bear Inn circa 1890

Above photo circa 1890.

Above photo, 1902, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Pub is the building on the extreme left. This was taken  during Edward VII's Coronation Day but was this photo taken on 26th June or 9th August? The first date was put back to 9th August due to the King's appendicitis but many people partied on the original date anyway.

Ernest Coleman 1923

Above photo 1923, showing licensee Ernest Coleman, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Bear Inn 2012

Photo by David Anstiss 2012 from http://www.flickr.com.

Above photo from http://www.fancyapint.com date unknown.

Bear sign 1991Bear sign 1992

Above sign left, October 1991, sign right, June 1992.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Bear Inn signBear Inn sign 2012

 Above photo left date unknown. Photo right 2012.

Bear Inn sign 2020

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

 

The pub is thought to be 13th century and built with oak beams that were originally part of a ship built at the nearby boatyard. the name suggests that perhaps bear-baiting went on nearby.

The frontage was totally rebuilt in about 1898.

The bar still (1987) retains its three Victorian bars connected by a side passage, a rarity in a public house nowadays. In the 1540s the doomed Thomas Arden owned Me Beare' alehouse in the Market Place.

 

Bear Inn licensees 2012

Licensees of the Bear Inn November 2012. Marie and Chris ????

Bear inside 2011

Photo taken 19 February 2011 from http://www.flickr.com Jelltex.

 

26 March 1789.

Insured:- Julius Shepherd, Faversham, Kent, brewer.

Other property or occupiers: in Faversham: the Bear (Wm. Clark, victualler).

 

26 March 1793.

Insured: Julius Shepherd, Faversham, Kent, brewer.

Other property or occupiers: The Bear (William Clark victualler).

 

From the Faversham Gazette, Saturday 13 October 1855.

An occurrence took place in the tap-room of the "Bear Inn," Market Place in this town, on Saturday afternoon last, which had very nearly terminated fatally, and which, it is hoped, will operate as a beneficial warning to those concerned in it.

It appears that a man and his wife, both of whom had been drinking freely, from some trivial cause, commenced quarrelling, in the heat of which the woman caught up a knife, and made towards her husband, who received her with a violent blow. As soon as she recovered herself, she rushed at him again, and inflicted a dangerous wound in the lower part of his person, from which great fears were at first entertained. The man is now slowly mending.

 

Faversham Gazette, 29 November, 1856.

Faversham Gazette, 20 December, 1856.

"Bear Inn," Market Place, Faversham.

JOHN SHERWOOD BEGS thankfully to acknowledge the liberal support which he has received from his friends and the public generally since taking the above Inn, and assures them it will always be his study to merit their patronage and support.

Ales and Spirits of First-class quality.

 

From the Kentish Chronicle 15 October 1859.

BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS — WEDNESDAY.

(Before the Mayor and Edward Garraway Esq.)

George Saywell, of Sittingbourne, who was charged on the 12th ult. with stealing a box of dominoes from Mr. Sherwood, of the "Bear Inn," Faversham, and bailed to appear this day now surrendered. After the evidence was given, Saywell pleaded guilty, and said he had had too much to drink or he should not have done anything of the sort. His master gave him a good character, and he handed to the Bench a memorial respectably and numerously signed from Sittingbourne, stating "he was well known there, and considered to be an honest and upright character."

The Bench sentenced him to one week's imprisonment in the borough gaol.

 

From the https://www.beerguild.co.uk

POPULAR LANDLORDS SAY FAREWELL TO HISTORIC FAVERSHAM PUB.

Chris and Marie Annand

Chris and Marie Annand with Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame.

Pub regulars, friends and colleagues turned out in force on Monday evening to say a fond farewell to husband and wife team Chris and Marie Annand, who after twenty years as Shepherd Neame licensees are retiring to Spain.

Over the space of two separate stints (2000-2005 and 2011-2019), the popular couple have spent almost a decade behind the bar at the "Bear," one of Faversham’s best known pubs.

They started out as landlords at the old "Mechanics Arms," West Street in 1998 before their first stint at the "Bear." After six years at the "George" at Newnham, between 2005 and 2011, they returned to the famous old Market Place pub.

Chris said: “We’ve got a place in Spain, and although we don’t really want to leave the trade, now seems a good time to make the move.”

The "Bear" is a rare surviving example of a three-bar public house, and Chris thinks this is part of its enduring charm.

“The "Bear" is unique because it hasn’t been opened out, it hasn’t been knocked around,” he said. “It’s Grade II listed and there aren’t many pubs left like this. It is a real community pub in the heart of town.”

Chris puts the couple’s continuing success at the pub down to a mixture of determination and understanding the customer.

He said: “If you stick to your guns, while allowing for change when it’s needed, you’ll be alright. You need to give people what they want, but under your own rules. The best advice we were ever given was when we took on our first pub, and that advice was to treat the pub like your own living room.”

Chris and Marie’s last day at the Bear will be April 3, but the pub will be staying in the family. The new tenants are Lacey and Tim Stowell. Lacey is Chris’s niece.

“Lacey has worked for us before at the "George," and she’ll be good for the "Bear." She’ll tweak the pub a little bit, but we have a good team of staff and I’m sure she won’t make too many changes.”

Shepherd Neame Chief Executive Jonathan Neame joined regulars at the "Bear" to say goodbye to Chris and Marie. He praised Chris and Marie for their “real people skills” and for helping to “sustain the beauty of conversation.”

He said: “Chris and Marie have been a huge part of the life of Faversham for almost 20 years. They have run the "Bear" superbly – twice – providing brilliantly kept beer, great home cooked food, and a very warm welcome. They are immensely popular with their regulars and it is hard to imagine the pub without them.

“We thank them for all their hard work and wish them well in the next stage of their lives. We look forward to welcoming Lacey and Tim as new licensees.”

Note to Editors:

The "Bear Inn" is the oldest surviving pub in Faversham and is recorded as trading on the current Market Place site by the mid-16th Century. It was acquired by Shepherd Neame in 1736.

The Bear Inn is Grade II listed.

 

LICENSEE LIST

CLARK William 1789-93+

HAMMOND Thomas 1823-24+ Pigot's Directory 1824 (Shepherd Neame Brewery Records)

STRAND William 1828-40+ Pigot's Directory 1828-29Pigot's Directory 1832-34Pigot's Directory 1840 (Shepherd Neame Brewery Records)

INGE James 1851+ (age 40 in 1851Census)

SHERWOOD John 1856-59+

KEEM George 1871-82+ (age 41 in 1871Census)Post Office Directory 1874Post Office Directory 1882

CRAWLEY John Crawley 1888+ Swinock's Faversham Directory

STANLEY Thomas William 1891+ (age 43 in 1891Census) Post Office Directory 1891

SILVER Alfred Thomas 1901+ (age 27 in 1901Census)

SLAUGHTER James 1903+ Post Office Directory 1903Kelly's 1903

WILLIS J 1908+ Guide to Faversham

WATERS Harry 1911-13+ (age 49 in 1911Census) Post Office Directory 1913

COLEMAN Ernest Albert 1922-24+ Post Office Directory 1922

BONE Alfred 1930-38+ Post Office Directory 1930Post Office Directory 1938

Last pub licensee had ANNARD Marie & Chris 2000-05 Next pub licensee had

Last pub licensee had COOK David 2005-Nov/11

Last pub licensee had ANNARD Marie & Chris Nov/2012-Apr/2019

STOWELL Lacey & Tim (Lacey is Chriss's niece) Apr/19-20+

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

 

Pigot's Directory 1824From the Pigot's Directory 1824

Pigot's Directory 1828-29From the Pigot's Directory 1828-29

Pigot's Directory 1832-34From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34

Pigot's Directory 1840From the Pigot's Directory 1840

CensusCensus

Post Office Directory 1874From the Post Office Directory 1874

Post Office Directory 1882From the Post Office Directory 1882

Swinock's Faversham DirectorySwinock's Faversham Directory 1888

Post Office Directory 1882From the Post Office Directory 1882

Post Office Directory 1891From the Post Office Directory 1891

Post Office Directory 1903From the Post Office Directory 1903

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

Post Office Directory 1913From the Post Office Directory 1913

Post Office Directory 1922From the Post Office Directory 1922

Post Office Directory 1930From the Post Office Directory 1930

Post Office Directory 1938From the Post Office Directory 1938

 

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

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