HAUNTED HOSTELRIES

1. THE ROYAL NORFOLK HOTEL
7 Sandgate High Street, Sandgate, Folkestone CT2
Accommodation, Bar & Restaurant

''The Royal Norfolk Hotel offers comfortable and well-presented accommodation, with a friendly environment and free parking (limited) for hotel guests. The Hotel Bar serves food throughout the week. Situated just a stone’s throw from Sandgate beach''

**History**
The Ship Hotel (not to be confused with the Ship Inn farther along the High Street) was established around 1804. At that time, Sandgate was a lively hub. Dusty roads bustled with mail coaches and travelers, eager for respite. Coaching inns, like the Ship Hotel, served as waystations for weary guests to rest and share news over ale. Amid this, Edward Hopper, its first landlord, faced trouble. In 1805, he was fined for serving short measures. On January 2, 1807, the Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal reported that Edward assigned all his estate to William Horesley in trust for his creditors.
Later that year, on December 15, John Prebble announced in the Kentish Gazette that he had taken over the hotel. With this change in management, the air was rich with the aroma of roasting meat and simmering stews, inviting travelers inside. Glasses clinked as guests savored fine wines and spirits, enhancing the festive ambiance. Prebble's establishment promised not just good accommodation but attentive services ready to prepare dinners at a moment's notice. The hotel boasted sturdy stabling with neat post chaises, capable horses, and careful drivers, ensuring that every journey began and ended in comfort.
A few years later, during Richard Roberts's tenure, a tragic incident occurred on November 18, 1825. There was a fatal altercation between John Burton and Thomas Page after the young men played jokes on Burton. Page ended up being stabbed by Burton. Despite medical efforts, Thomas Page didn't survive, but before he died, he admitted fault and forgave Burton, who was later convicted of manslaughter, but then died soon after.
Following these tragic events, in 1827, the hotel's ongoing role in the community was evident when the New Post Coach from Folkestone to Maidstone would set off from outside the Hotel every morning at eight, with 4 spaces inside for passengers, charging 20s for inside passengers and 10s for outside passengers, calling at Hythe, Charing, and Ashford. 
Moving forward to November 1848, another significant event at the hotel occurred: an inquest was held concerning the sudden death of Mrs. Martha Jane Baugh Richardson, the landlord's wife, aged 88 years, who had passed away after a few hours of illness and a seizure. Her death was attributed to apoplexy, with the verdict being that it was a "visitation from God."
A few years after Mrs. Richardson's inquest, on January 30, 1854, Emily, the only daughter of landlord Richard Best, died at the age of seven.
Despite these sad events, the hotel also saw happy occasions. For example, on 14th July 1855, the Kentish Independent reported that the wife of Captain Blauer, who was in the Foreign Legion, gave birth to a son.
The hotel became the Royal Norfolk Hotel around 1864 after the Duchess of Norfolk and her son stayed. Last-minute negotiations followed, as the Royal Pavilion Hotel was fully booked and asked the Ship to accommodate the Duchess. Management reluctantly displaced regular customers but succeeded.
In 1869 and 1870, the pub joined a consortium to advertise goods like tea. This was in response to local grocers selling beer and wine.
In the 1890s, Prince Francis of Teck visited the hotel, and it is reputed that even Queen Victoria herself stopped there. 
In 1901, the building was demolished. By July 1902, a new hotel stood, built by architect James Prescott and contractor Samuel Fowler. Messrs Lewis, Hyland, and Linom of Folkestone furnished it. The hotel was advertised as a first-class family establishment.
A generation later, in 1927, George Poltick Keeler, proprietor since 1899, died at the Royal Victoria Hospital after an operation for stomach issues. He was 55. Well respected in Sandgate, he had many friends, and a large congregation attended his funeral. 
During WW2, properties in Sandgate were fined for lights being seen from buildings during the blackout periods, and the Royal Norfolk received several fines when residents failed to shut their blinds.
On November 12, 1968, Mrs. Viola Lillian Marks (Mrs. McClunes) was found strangled at the Dolphin Inn. Dr. Ramsey Martin was found dead at the Royal Norfolk Hotel five weeks later. Fibre evidence suggested contact, but the jury was advised that the evidence was insufficient for a clear verdict. Police investigated extensively, but no charges followed. 
Frederick McClune told the inquest he met Mrs. McClune 25 years ago. They befriended Dr. Martin, who visited the Inn every morning at 8, but wasn’t seen on the day of the murder. Mr. McClune said he found Viola dead after returning from the garage. With inconclusive evidence, the jury considered an open verdict or murder by person unknown.
An open verdict was also given for Dr. Martin's death after he was found dead in a gas-filled room at the Hotel, closing as a mysterious chapter in the hotel's history. 

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3.The George Inn 
Stone Street Stelling Minnis  CT4

Bar & Restaurant

For traditional home cooked English food, ales and wines. Bookings are essential by phone

**HISTORY**
The Inn is one of two situated in Stelling Minnis; the other is the Rose & Crown on The Minnis, which is recorded as dating back to 1739.
The George Inn stands on Stone Street, once a Roman road linking Lympne and Canterbury. This route was crucial in Roman Britain, anchoring regional trade. Stone Street supported not only commerce but also bustling pilgrimage, as travelers made their way to Canterbury. This strategic road cemented the inn as an essential rest stop along the historic corridor.
It is believed that the knights—Reginald FitzUrse, William de Tracey, Hugh de Morville, and Richard le Breton—may have used this road to reach Canterbury on the night they murdered Thomas Becket in 1170.
While the inn's website states it has been a Free House since 1715, records indicate that the first license found on record was in 1816. At that time, it was John Church. He was a farmer born in 1767 at Upper Hardres, Kent.
John and his wife lost several children before moving to the inn: 9-year-old Barbara died in March 1808, 7-year-old Edward in August 1808, and 4-year-old Jemina in 1809. At the time, smallpox, measles, scarlet fever, and cholera commonly claimed young lives. Their 7-year-old son died while they were at the inn in 1816, when diseases like typhus—spread by lice, fleas, or mites—remained deadly to children.
On 25 January 1853, it was reported in the Southeastern Gazette that John Church was taken before William Deedes, Esq., M.P., and a full bench of magistrates, and fined £2, including costs, for having his house open for the sale of beer before half-past twelve in the afternoon on Sunday, the 2nd January.
The inn has limited historical records or newspaper reports, though it did host various clubs, such as the Elmsted Benefits Club, which held meetings and anniversary dinners during the 1800s. 
John Church remained at the inn until his death at 88 in 1855. His wife Anne continued with help from their children until the inn was sold between April 1861 and February 1862 to 58-year-old John Wood, a Cordwainer, also from Upper Hardres. took over the business and farming from the Church family. His last son, Alfred Valentine Wood, was born at the inn on 14 February 1862.  
As was common for inns, which often served as community hubs, inquests were sometimes held there. One such inquest took place in January 1873. Mary Ann Marsh, a 15-year-old girl, had gone to her uncle's house to return a loaf of bread her mother had borrowed. She mentioned a headache and soon after collapsed in the kitchen. Despite being placed in bed, she was dead by the time the doctor arrived. The coroner attributed her death to heart disease, concluding that the cause of death was natural.
By 1881, John Wood had retired from farming and continued to live on Stone Street. During this period, it appears the inn had closed, and by 1891, the houses along Stone Street had become known as Rose Cottages. 
It did not reopen until 1901, under 50-year-old agricultural labourer Alfred Wraight of Hernhill, Faversham, Kent. He stayed only a few years before returning home, succeeded by several short-tenured licensees.
Harvest suppers and other country events became annual events in the 1900s. For example, in 1908, local farmers who worked on land owned by Lord Robinson enjoyed dinner at the inn after a successful shoot where they bagged 80 rabbits.
Licensee Tom Southern had an 11-year-old horse, named Celtic Cross, which was trained for and entered the 1949 Grand National. Ridden by J Parkin, Celtic Cross was considered a bit of an outside chance (SP 66/1) and, like many other runners, fell but was unhurt. 
In 1968, it was advertised as a Whitbread Pub run by Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Hardy.
It has been in the hands of Michael Patten since 2006 
It closed for a short period in 2023 and was put up for sale in 2024 with Fleurets for £495,000. In March 2025, it closed again when the landlord, Michael Patten, was in a serious accident. It reopened in November 2025, when Michael recovered. 
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**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Over the years, reports have mentioned the sound of muffled galloping hooves outside the inn at night, intriguing locals and visitors alike. Many tales link these sounds to the knights who murdered Thomas Becket. Witnesses speak of spectral hooves pounding on cold autumn nights, lending eerie depth to the legend. Whether the cause is wind or restless spirits remains a chilling mystery.
A ghostly figure has also been reported in the bar, dressed in 18th-century attire and seated beside a spectral black dog. Perhaps the spirit is a former landlord, reluctant to leave, or a regular patron who lingered after death

4. THE SHIP INN
65 High St, Sandgate, CT20
Bar & Restaurant

''A bustling community pub and restaurant. Serving locally caught fish and chips in the afternoon through to our own dry-aged steaks and seafood specials in the evenings, there's something on the menu for everyone''.

**HISTORY**
Imagine stepping through the doors of The Ship Inn in the olden times. The air inside would have been filled with the salty tang of the nearby sea. The warm, smoky aroma of the crackling brick fireplace mixed into it. Underfoot, the wooden floorboards creaked with each step. All these sounds joined the cheerful clinking of tankards, the murmur of conversation, and the occasional whistle of wind. 
The Ship Inn, originally called the Ship Tavern and built in 1798, had its first recorded keeper as John Hogben, who was also a Fishmonger. 
From those early days, the pub would witness centuries of change. 
It is a narrow corner pub on the High Street in Sandgate. It fronts onto the High Street and backs onto the beach. It has a front bar and a back room. There is also a restaurant with sea views. Upstairs is a rooftop deck for drinkers. Original features remain, such as the brick fireplace. Much of it was built from ship timber from the old port of New Romney. 
During its early years, the surrounding area was bustling with preparations for the military. In 1798, troops were stationed at Shornecliffe Camp, which had been constructed in 1794 in preparation for the Napoleonic Wars. 
These troops made frequent use of the High Street, travelling this road to Dover as they transported supplies for the 1st Light Infantry in the eighteenth century.
As the coaching era reached its height in the mid-to-late eighteenth century, the Inn became an established coach stop on the central Rye-to-Dover route—a compulsory stop by 1802. 
Ownership changed again in 1807, when John Prebble took over. He advertised its neat wines and spirituous liquors, good stabling, neat post chaises, able horses, and careful drivers, maintaining the Inn's reputation for quality.
Over the years, The Ship remained popular. This continued during the Crimean War, when the British German Legion was raised and camped nearby. 
One of the inquests that took place there was of the body of John Grimwood, a baker, aged 33. On 28th December 1853, he was with Mr Richard Best, landlord of the "Ship Tavern," and Mr Brown, who was Mr Grimwood's brother. He started in a pony cart from Sandgate to Folkestone. They first went a short distance on the lower road. Afterwards, they returned and went towards the upper one, getting within a few yards of the lodge of Darnley House. Mr Best remarked that he saw something coming down the hill from Folkestone very fast. Mr Grimwood drove his pony onto the side of the road. Suddenly, a cart with two horses ran into the pony cart. The collision was so great that they were all thrown out. Mr Grimwood fell against the wheel and received a fracture of the skull. He died not long after. The other persons received only slight injuries. The horse and cart that caused the accident belonged to a farmer at Romney. It had been used to carry sailors and the baggage of some poor shipwrecked fishermen. The verdict was ‘accidentally killed’. John Post, the waggoner, was issued with a caution.
On 10th November 1898, Sidney Ernest Manley, the landlord, was charged by the police. The charge was knowingly permitting his licensed premises to be a place of meeting for reputed prostitutes. He was also accused of allowing them to remain longer than needed for reasonable refreshment. P.C Stone gave evidence that he had watched from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. He saw many prostitutes and other women enter and leave the house with soldiers. At about 8 o’clock, he looked into the house and saw many people sitting around a table drinking beer. Numerous prostitutes, other women, and soldiers were present. After a two-hour petty session, the Bench fined the defendant and imposed costs of 4s. 6d. They decided the conviction should be endorsed on the licence. In January 1899, he appealed his conviction. The appeal was dismissed with costs, so the conviction remained in place.  
In August 1890, it was up for sale. The Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Hythe Advertiser stated, 'where Poulterers, Fishmongers, and Beer and Ale House Keepers were conducted.' The property includes a double-fronted shop, parlour, bar, public and private bars, tap room, scullery, kitchen, coal cellar, store, w.c., and a two-stall stable on the ground floor. The first and second floors have a sitting room and three bedrooms. All the landlord's fixtures are included in the sale. The purchaser will not need to take the tenant's fixtures or furniture. Gas and water are installed. Possession will be given on completion of the purchase.'
In September 1890, Mr Minter, the new landlord, requested and received permission to move the bar to the front of the Ship Inn, Sandgate.
The story of The Ship continued into the twentieth century. By the 1930s, the Ship Inn became the property of Nalder & Collyers Brewery Co. Ltd.
During World War II, the cellar was also said to have served as a public air-raid shelter, further cementing The Ship's role in the community.
On 11 March 1975, the Ship Inn was listed at Grade II. 
The cycle of change continued in recent years. The restaurant closed in February 2023 but reopened in October 2023 as a bustling community pub and restaurant, as described earlier.
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**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Alongside its lively history, The Ship Inn is also known for its ghost stories. Visitors often report an unexplained chill in the air or catch the faint scent of brine, as if the sea has stepped inside. Conversations sometimes fall into hushed whispers as patrons feel an inexplicable presence beside them. It is then, amid the uneasy atmosphere, that stories emerge about a resident ghost known as 'The Fish Lady.' She is said to pester customers she does not care for. The pub, having housed fishmongers in its time, could be the reason for the apparition's affinity for the faint salty scent.
Some report that this is the wife of Mr Hogden, who died from Cholera during the Crimean War, but the first John Hogden in 1798, only held the license until around 1807. Another who was connected to the inn, and recorded as a brewer and fishmonger, was Henry Worthington 1837-43, but his wife Betsy survived long after the war.The second Hogden was George 1858-81, so although it may have been Mrs Hogden who died of Cholera, I dont beleive it was during the Crimean War.Folkestone area reports 75 deaths in the 1831-33 epidemic and 200 in 1849. so she may have died in the earlier one. 
Another ghost seen is a soldier in a Victorian uniform and reports say this could possibly be from the Crimean war camp.George Ward (b1829) was a soldier. He is recorded, as a gunner on the 1851 census stationed at Redoubt Fort in Dover. He became licensee 1854 -1868. He moved on to become a licensee at the Norfolk Hotel. In 1855 he was a mess man at British foreign Legion at Shorncliffe. 
A former barperson reports that, while cashing up the till at night, he saw someone on the CCTV monitor above the bar. The figure was in the corridor outside the kitchen. He left his colleague to watch the screen while he checked. He found no one in the corridor. As he moved toward the kitchen, he heard his colleague scream. Thinking an intruder had entered, he rushed back to the bar. She was standing there, looking very pale. She told him she watched the CCTV monitor and saw him walk straight through the person in the corridor

5. THE BRITISH LION
The Bayle Folkestone Kent  CT20
Bar & Restaurant 
A traditional pub with a warm, old-world charm and a friendly atmosphere. Known for its famous Sunday roast and classic British dishes, it offers generous portions at great prices. With a rich history and a selection of fine ales, it remains a beloved spot for locals and visitors alike.

**HISTORY**
The Inn displays a sign reading 'Ale House since 1460.' Records are limited, and most are under the name 'British Lion.' As I explain later, it may have originally been called the 'Priory Arms.'
A building called the 'Angel' operated as a public house between 1606 and 1646 in the same area. It was mentioned in the Town Records of 1605: 'Item: for wine (sic) at the Angle.' The scent of rich, aged wine likely filled the air, and the clatter of tankards echoed through the room. A sense of celebration probably enveloped the place. When the Mayor was chosen, wine was supplied at a cost of 14s.
From 1605 to 1640, Widow Judith Angel is thought to have owned the house and license. This was significant because women typically had few rights to property or business ownership during that era. Therefore, Judith holding a license was quite unusual and marked her as a notable figure of independence and resilience. She was recorded as being issued three score tun of beer and one tun of wine. Between 1640 and 1646, William Angel was recorded as an inn-holder and victualler.
Edward Hasted and others who explored the countryside or travelled through the area likely stopped to quench their thirst at the Inn, much like the locals, including those involved in less lawful activities. One might imagine Hasted himself pausing for a moment to rest, exchanging a light-hearted remark with the barmaid, "Would you trade a tale of your own for a pint of your finest ale?"
From 1782 to 1802, John Ladd was the first recorded licensee under the British Lion. After him, the inn saw a rapid turnover of short-term licensees, each holding the position for 2 to 5 years. This succession of licensees illustrates a period of frequent management changes that maintained the continuity of business operations. 
In a broader historical context, it was advertised in a local Kent paper on 07 September 1819 to be sold at an auction. Mrs White, Lot 30, labelled it as 'valuable brewery free public houses and other Estates.' The advertisement read: 'A Messuage, the 'British Lion,' with the washhouse, granary, garden, land, and appurtenances, situate near the Bail, in the town of Folkestone aforesaid, and now in the occupation of Ann Formage, widow.' In an era when self-sufficiency was key, a washhouse and a granary were vital amenities. They allowed on-site brewing and storage, essential to sustaining the inn's operations and appealing to prospective owners seeking to maintain or expand its offerings. The property had been in the hands of the Fromage family since 1809.
In 1842, under the occupation of 36-year-old Richard Fowle from Kenardington in Kent, the British Lion Freehouse was up for Auction. After his time at the inn, he moved on to the Freemasons Arms in Upper Sandgate Road.
Between 1846 and 1862, Robert Burvill served as the licensee. In September 1856, he was taken before the courts for allowing men into his establishment during divine worship on Sunday. He explained that they were his lodgers and promised to keep them out in the future. The mayor noted that Mr Burvill had kept the house for many years without issue. He was sorry to hear this. The mayor warned that his license would be revoked if it happened again. Robert Burvill died at the inn on 5th June 1862, aged 58.
The inn's cultural significance grew in the mid-19th century. From 1857 to 1863, it was Charles Dickens's favourite resort and has its own Dickens Room. Dickens, captivated by the charm and ambience of the place, once remarked in a letter, "The cosiness of the inn and the warmth of its people make it a delightful retreat even amidst the busiest of days." This affinity adds a historical allure that continues to draw literary enthusiasts to its quaint surroundings.
On 14 September 1868, the Folkestone Lodge of the Ancient Order of Druids celebrated their anniversary here. The pub hosted club meetings, and the Ancient Order met and celebrated here for nearly 100 years. Lodge members from Dover, wearing Order badges, met at their Lodge room at the "British Lion" Inn on the Bayle at two o'clock, marched around town and through White Post Meadow, Park Farm, and were allowed by the Mayor, Mr J. Glambrill, Esq. Bands led the march. They spent the afternoon playing sports, then marched again to the Town Hall for dinner. 
In November 1869, the mayoral election of Bayle took place in the British Lion. Mr J. Fitness, Esq, was elected and presided over the licensing committee for the next year. 
William Wills Cooper was born in Dover, Kent, and became a licensee in 1876 at age 31. He and his wife, Elizabeth, were great hosts for many diners from societies and clubs. They hosted a cricket match dinner between Cabmen and Batchairmen in 1881. 
William lost his only brother, Daniel William Cooper, on 19th July 1882 at the East Cliff Sanatorium Folly in Folkestone. Daniel had suffered from Scarlet Fever for two days and was only 23 years old. Daniel had married 22-year-old Julia Weston Lichfield in 1879 in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. She was 7 months pregnant when he died. Their daughter, Annie Julia, was born at the British Lion on 29th September 1882. Julia returned to her hometown, leaving her daughter in Folkestone. Annie was 12 when her mother died, on 4th November 1894, aged 38 years, from exhaustion after suffering from Haemoptysis & Phthisis. 
William retired as a publican in 1883. He then became a master shoemaker and lived at 115 Dover Street in Folkestone.. He died at age 45 on 19th July 1889 at the Kent & Canterbury Hospital from cancer of the tongue. His widow, Elizabeth, was present at his death.
William Cooper was succeeded by Jesse Brockwell, who held the license for 4 years, followed by James Pankhurst Taylor, age 31, who was the illegitimate son of James Pankhurst, a fly driver from New Romney, and Sarah Taylor from Whitfield, Dover. They married when James was 2, and the surname Taylor was dropped in favour of Pankhurst. His mother died when he was 8. She was 36 years old and had suffered from Phthisis for five months. When his father died in 1878, James took over the fly business, operating a one-horse, two-wheeled light carriage. Then he eventually entered the inn business with his wife, Harriett,  in 1887. Harriett ran the inn during the day, while James continued working on his family's business. Harriet's widowed mother, Emily Farrow, eventually moved in to live and help run it. She was much loved by locals and visitors for her kindness toward the less fortunate. 
On 17th September 1896, around midday, Miss Winter, a visitor to Hythe, spotted a body in the sea. It was close to a slipway near the Seabrook Hotel. At the inquest's opening, the body was still unidentified. The coroner requested that photographs be taken and circulated. Shock rocked the area as the body was identified as Emily Farrow, age 63. The town mourned her death and gave sympathy to Harriett and her family at the British Lion.
On Wednesday, 29th May 1907, tragedy struck the inn again. Harriett collapsed suddenly and died, aged 50. She had been suffering from pneumonia. The community mourned another beloved member. Her funeral was on Monday, 3rd June, at the local Cheriton Road Cemetery. Many from the community attended, and the floral tributes were reported to be numerous and beautiful. 
James died at the inn at age 67, on 28th November 1912, due to cancer of the liver. His effects and businesses went to his son, Henry, who received £248, 19s 6d. James had been working as a coach builder. He was treasurer for the Folkestone garden society, which held meetings and competitions at the inn. After his mother died, he became an assistant at the inn. He took over as licensee when his father died. He remained there until he retired in 1929 at age 60. Handing over the inn, the family had run it for 42 years. Edward David Stannard took over. Henry died on 13th July 1956, aged 87, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Folkestone.
Many licensees have managed the pub over the years, some for a decade and others for shorter terms, but it has consistently remained a busy community hub for locals and a traditional inn serving refreshments for visitors. 
In 1995, local historian Eammon Rooney discovered that a large section of one of the still-standing walls had once formed part of a late medieval priory.
The building was known as the "Priory Arms," linking it to the area's past as part of a priory. The name Bayle doubtless derives from Bailey, the term for the outer wall of a medieval castle or priory. Some of the old monks and nuns liked to brew a tipple.
The oldest part of the building is the large beam that runs through the bar area and into the building next door. It was carbon-dated in the early 2000s to be 460 years old, indicating it was installed in the mid-1500s.
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**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Given the area's rich history and reputation for unusual events, it is unsurprising that stories of the supernatural are associated with the location.
A pub proprietor reported that glasses placed on shelves had suddenly fallen across the bar into the public area. It was physically impossible for them to have done so. A barmaid working there once said a glass shot out of her hand. Some local residents recall an old tale from the 19th century. A local newspaper once speculated on the ghost of a forlorn monk who wandered the inn’s halls, causing mischief in the rooms where he once brewed elixirs. This anecdote provides an eerie connection between past and present. It suggests that this mischievous spirit could be responsible for the supernatural occurrences that still trick the senses today.
Mysterious paranormal activity has been reported in the Bayle area since 1842. Check out the stories in  RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS & AREAS and OUTSIDE AREAS.

6. VOCO CLIFTON HOTEL 
1-6 Clifton Gardens, The Leas, Folkestone CT20
Hotel, Bar & Restaurant, Wedding & Functions Venue

"Whether you wish to relax in comfort in our individual rooms, enjoy a coffee in our lounge, sip an original cocktail in the Coral Bar, or indulge in some fabulous food at our renowned Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, Voco The Clifton Folkestone takes pride in being one of the most historic hotels in Folkestone. We are waiting to welcome you!''"

**HISTORY**
The Hotel is a Victorian building dating back to 1864. It was situated in the centre of the famous Leas and offered spectacular views of the English Channel.
The townhouses were originally used as private residences. As seaside tourism increased, many private homes became boarding houses to serve more visitors. This shift marked a significant change in hospitality. These townhouses were adapted to the demand from travelers seeking coastal health benefits and seaside charm.
On 21 Dec 1893 in Dorset, 27-year-old Harriett Cherrie Miles from Bournemouth married 41-year-old James William Smith, a Commander and Superintendent in the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, from Devon. After their marriage, Harriett moved to Barbados, where James was based, and they welcomed their son, William Richard Lyne Smith, on 5 Oct 1894—Lyne being James ' mother's maiden name, who died giving birth to him. The vibrant Caribbean environment marked a stark contrast to Harriett’s home. Sadly, in 1897, a knock on the door on 8th November delivered a tragic blow, announcing that James had died at sea while returning to duty. Pregnant with their daughter, Harriett faced the daunting task of raising their children alone. She gave birth to Mavis Lyne Smith in Barbados on 1st January 1898. With a substantial inheritance from James's will, she returned to the UK with the children to Brighton. By 1911, the family resided at St Margaret's Cliffe in Whitstable. Mavis attended boarding school at St. Ives School, Hastings Road, Bexhill, Sussex, and William boarded in London, working as a railway clerk.
Turning to the hotel itself, the earliest newspaper record of the Clifton Hotel dates to 1911. At that time, the proprietress was Amy Georgina Fisher Pattenden from Ramsgate, who had previously managed the Skelmersdale Hotel on the Leas. She later married Charles Pullen, a wine and spirits merchant, in 1915, after which she gave up the hotel. 
By 1921, Harriett had bought the hotel and was operating it with her son as a high-class private hotel. Her daughter, married to shipbroker Kenneth Gordon in 1920, lived in Hendon, Middlesex. Mavis may have met Kenneth through her brother William, who served with Kenneth in WW1. 
Harriett sold the hotel before passing away in 1933. Her last address was 9 Langhorne Gardens, Folkestone. Her son William continued living at the Clifton Hotel, working as a Director of Martin Walter Ltd Motor Dealers, later serving as an Acting Major in the Royal Army Service Corps during WW2 (1944-1945) and receiving an MBE in 1946. He married Glenys Mary Kynoch at age 52 and died in 1961 at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
Harriett’s daughter, Mavis, relocated from Hendon and lived with her husband, David, and their son at The Garden House Hotel in Sandgate Road, Folkestone, where she remained until her death on 30 March 1975. 
Harriett sold the hotel to Archibald Ingram Hulton Wrightson from Downton, Wiltshire. Lieutenant Archibald ('Archie') Ingram Wrightson (1882-1953) was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in November 1915. He had emigrated to Canada some time before the First World War and served as a Lieutenant in the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion, a British Columbia regiment. Known for their unwavering courage, the Canadian regiments played a crucial role on the front lines during WW1, earning great respect from the British and contributing to a sense of unity across the Empire. Archie was wounded in battle the following year. His father, Professor Wrightson, was present at the investiture by King George V in December 1915, underscoring the honor bestowed upon those who served valiantly for both Canada and Britain.
On 29th September 1939, Lord Richard Plantagenet Nevill stayed at the Clifton. He died that same year on Friday, 1st December, at the Royal East Sussex Hospital, Hastings.
The hotel continues to see owners, managers, and staff come and go. People would use it as their home, even running businesses from it.
In December 2014, a fire started in an electrical room on the ground floor. It then spread to the first floor of the six-storey building. Firefighters did an excellent job of preventing the fire from spreading to the restaurant and above the first floor.
In the following years, the hotel joined the Best Western Group. It underwent a renovation in 2017. After this update, the hotel featured 'a comfortably furnished restaurant overlooking the adjoining garden—an ideal venue for a leisurely lunch or dinner.' The boutique bar and lounge, Ocean Bleu, provided a warm, friendly atmosphere for drinks. Guests could also try the Costa Coffee lounge. 
In July 2018, a steakhouse restaurant named after celebrity chef Marco Pierre White opened at the hotel. Serving dishes made famous by the TV chef, who is well-known for adding a French twist.
Subsequently, the hotel underwent another refurbishment and was renamed 'Voco The Clifton.' It reopened on 30th October 2024 under the Voco Group, which is part of IHG Hotels and Resorts. This rebrand to Voco reflects a strategic shift. It signifies the blend of upscale comfort and unique charm for which the Voco brand is known globally. Voco is committed to sustainability and memorable guest experiences. The brand promises an inviting atmosphere and a personalized touch that set it apart from the previous Clifton identity.
Now, with uniquely styled rooms and an eclectic mix of modern and traditional interiors, it offers a comfortable, glamorous stay. There is a choice of King and Queen en-suites, family rooms, or cosy one-bedrooms.
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7. The Southcliff Hotel
 22-26 The Leas, Folkestone CT20
Hotel & Bar & Restaurant
"A variety of room types, from single rooms to Balcony Doubles, with stunning views of the French coastline. The 'Blue Martini' is a bright open bar "offering a great atmosphere."

**HISTORY**
The salty air creates a peaceful scene along the famous Leas. The Southcliffe Hotel stands out here, its Victorian design reminding visitors of its long history as they arrive.
Since their start as five townhouses in 1861, the Victorian buildings have undergone many changes. As tourism in Folkestone increased in the late 19th century, some buildings were converted into boarding houses. At one point, numbers 25 and 26 were purchased by a company that later became the Southcliffe Hotel apartments and pension company, offering guests full apartments for rent. However, this company was declared bankrupt in 1882.
Moving forward to 1934, the Hotel Ambassador at 22-24 opened its doors. Its first mention in newspapers came in January 1935, describing Christmas celebrations at Folkestone hotels and noting how actor Basil Dean's parents, along with their daughters, stayed at the Ambassador just before Christmas. On Christmas Day, they were joined by Basil Dean and his wife, Miss Victoria Hooper, after an 18-year separation. This type of family gathering highlighted how hotels were becoming destinations for special celebrations—not just for accommodation. Such events contributed to the Ambassador’s reputation as a spot for cherished holiday memories.
As the hospitality landscape developed, the earliest advert for the Southcliffe Hotel appeared in the Kentish Express on Friday, 23 May 1947. It announced the opening on 4 May and offered excellent accommodation, asking readers to contact Mr Achilles.
Earlier, in 1852, the Hotel Ambassador was advertised in the Tatler as an affordable, unlicensed hotel offering the owners’ personal attention and appealing food.
Over time, the hotel's image evolved. By 1971, the hotel advertised itself as licensed and in a prime, central spot on the Leas, offering clear views of the channel. Prices ranged from £17.50 to £22, and it was recommended by Ashley Courtney, a well-known figure in the 1970s for her work in literature and other creative areas. For context, £17.50 in 1971 is about £230-£280 today, showing the hotel was reasonably priced for its location.
The hotel's story was not without hardship. In April 1974, several mysterious fires started in Folkestone, worrying the community. The biggest and most damaging fire happened at the Southcliffe Hotel on Saturday, 13 April. By breakfast time, the fire had already spread through the building. The Hotel Ambassador and nearby houses were evacuated as smoke filled the area. Glass shattered from a window, injuring fireman David Waters, who needed hospital treatment for cuts to his face and jaw. The damage was estimated at thousands of pounds.
The threat did not end there. Just hours after the Southcliffe fire, another fire started at the Ambassador Hotel. Firefighters believed it was arson, as papers had been set alight under a wooden frame, but the fire was put out before causing major damage. Rumors spread in the community, with some thinking an arsonist was targeting local landmarks, and possible motives like insurance fraud or personal disputes were discussed. The media also took interest, making the fires part of the town's story. Another fire was discovered at 3 am on Tuesday, 16 April, at a terraced house on Bouverie Road West, which was due for demolition. A passerby saw the flames and called the fire service.
As the hotel continued to serve the community, the next newspaper mention of the Southcliffe appeared in August 1980, when a club for divorced, separated, and single people advertised a Thursday singles night at the hotel.
By July 1981, the last advert for the Hotel Ambassador was published. Soon after, the two hotels merged, continuing under the Southcliffe name with 68 bedrooms. The merger, prompted by financial challenges for both, allowed them to combine resources and guests. This move was intended to strengthen the business and keep both hotels competitive in a changing market.
After the hotels merged, the Southcliff Hotel named one of its suites the Hotel Ambassador. In 1988, the Independent Cinema club began showing films there, reflecting the hotel’s efforts to use its space innovatively and become a lively cultural spot. By hosting the cinema club, the hotel offered guests more and became more involved in Folkestone’s cultural life. This initiative kept the hotel active, providing film fans and locals a special place to gather.
Around the same time, in the 1980s, the Folkestone branch of the Normandy Veterans Association met at the Southcliffe Hotel on the third Wednesday of each month. One veteran remembered, 'Each month, as we gathered at the Southcliffe, it felt like stepping back into a cherished memory. The stories we shared over tea and biscuits were not just tales of the past but a tapestry of experiences that kept our camaraderie alive.' These meetings gave the veterans a sense of belonging and connection to their past, making the hotel an important place for them.
With these vibrant activities, the hotel thrived, hosting many weddings, club meetings, and a steady flow of holiday guests. At its busiest, it often reached an 85% occupancy rate and was a popular spot for special events in the area.
Amid all this, the building was designated a Grade II listed building on 27 November 1974, in recognition of its architectural and historical significance. This status helps protect its unique features and makes sure any changes respect the original design.
Moving into the 21st century, Patrick Dubus bought the hotel in 2002 and retired in 2018. After 16 years, Christie + Co. listed it for sale at £999,000. The listing described 72 bedrooms, guest lounges, function spaces, and The Blue Martini, known as one of the best music bars in town. The owner's area is in the basement, with two en suite bedrooms and a small kitchen. At the time, the price was considered competitive, as similar hotels in Folkestone were listed for over £1.2 million. This made it a good deal for buyers who valued the hotel's history and location.
Throughout these changes, all rooms have en-suite bathrooms, ensuring privacy and convenience for guests. Each room also has a flat-screen TV for entertainment and tea and coffee facilities for a cosy stay. Free high-speed WiFi is available throughout the hotel, so guests can stay connected for work or leisure. These features show the hotel's effort to keep its vintage charm while offering modern comfort.
In recent developments, James Hyham bought the hotel, but in 2023, he resigned from his management roles, suggesting he may be retiring.
Taken together, the Southcliff Hotel shows how the Leas has grown into a seaside destination, while retaining its historical importance and ongoing appeal. Today, it has 72 bedrooms, guest lounges, and function spaces for both leisure and business guests. The hotel keeps its vintage charm while offering modern comforts. Like the salty air and sense of history, the Southcliff welcomes guests with the calm beauty of the Leas, leaving a lasting impression of seaside elegance and nostalgia.

FOR A LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING OVER THE YEARS NOT MENTIONED, I.E LICENSEES, PROPRIETORS, RESIDENTS,  PLEASE GET IN TOUCH

**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
The ghost haunting the building is believed to be a former owner, a soldier who is often seen on the right-hand side of the site. Although the hotel is in Folkestone, a town with strong military links due to places like Shorncliffe Army Camp, there is no evidence in the available records that any owner had a military background.

8. GRAND BURSTIN HOTEL

The Harbour, Marine Parade, Folkestone CT20
Hotel, Bar & Restaurant
The Grand Burstin Hotel is superbly located on the seafront, overlooking Folkestone's picturesque harbour.
With 550 cosy bedrooms, many with spectacular sea views and private balconies, the hotel is renowned as one of the UK's top entertainment hotels, so guests can relax, dine in style and be magically entertained, all under one roof.

**HISTORY**
The Pavilion Hotel started out as a small inn by the pier in 1843. Over time, it grew into the large seaside hotel we know today. Owned by the South Eastern Railway Company, it was built next to the steamboat pier, making it a popular stop for travellers heading to Boulogne, France.
In August 1843, the mayor and corporate officer of Boulogne were welcomed by Folkestone's mayor and citizens at the Pavilion Hotel. Approximately 120 distinguished guests enjoyed an elaborate banquet. The event delighted all attendees. 
During the 1840s, the hotel became a lively meeting place for travellers going between Folkestone and Boulogne. Aristocrats, military leaders, and writers were drawn to its busy social events. Regulars like Lady Emmeline Charlotte Elizabeth Stuart-Wortley, Lord & Lady Bloomfield, and Lord & Lady Peel’s family enjoyed the hotel’s welcoming atmosphere. Officers such as Lord Ducie, Sir Francis Burton, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Nowell Salmon, and General Andrews came to plan and unwind, while writers like Dr. Richard Austin Freeman and Walter Walsh met there to work together and find inspiration. Guests often gathered for dinners, meetings, and auctions, making the hotel a centre of activity.
As the hotel became more popular, it soon needed extra rooms. Staff turned sitting rooms into bedrooms and even rented rooms in other parts of town to accommodate everyone. Because of this high demand, people called for a larger, improved building. Around 1845, architect Lewis Cubitt led a renovation that extended the hotel by 150 feet.
In August 1848, Frederick Francis, the town’s ironmonger, died suddenly at the hotel. He was there on business when he suffered a stroke in the morning and passed away a few hours later.
In 1850, James Gaby Breach from the firm Bathe and Breach, who also ran the London Tavern on Bishopgate Street, took over as the hotel’s tenant.
In February 1850, a record high tide flooded the hotel’s basement with two feet of seawater. It reached 26 feet in the harbour, the highest in 18 years. The salty smell filled the air as water touched the walls and beams, but the hotel was not damaged.
In September 1851, Mr Breach applied for and received a license to sell spirits in the harbour’s refreshment room.
In December 1851, the Earl of Radnor stayed at the hotel for the winter. Locals hoped his presence would encourage wealthy builders to put up new family homes for the next season.
In May 1852, a young hotel worker named Gilbert felt dizzy, lost his balance, and fell from a landing, badly injuring himself. He was taken to the Rose and Crown Inn and was expected to recover fully.
In 1853, the South Eastern Railway Company opened the Lord Warden Hotel in Dover, which was larger and more impressive than the Pavilion. With 100 rooms, luxurious lounges, and great views of Dover, it quickly attracted many travellers. As a result, bookings at the Pavilion dropped, though some loyal guests continued to stay there.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited Shorncliffe on June 5, 1855, to inspect troops. Mr Breach prepared their lunch before they left for Portsmouth. They came back on August 3, travelling to France with the royal family and Emperor Napoleon III. After another troop review, they had dinner at the hotel around 8 p.m. and departed on the Royal yacht at 11 p.m., with troops lining the way and making it a memorable event.
After the Crimean War, Lieutenant General Sir George De Lacy Evans MP stayed at the hotel to recover. At 67, he had led the 2nd Division early in the war, fought at Alma, became ill before Inkerman, and returned home. Parliament later thanked him for his service.
In 1856, as the Russian War ended, Queen Victoria left the Pavilion Hotel and travelled along Lower Sandgate Road to review the legion at Shorncliffe before they were disbanded.
Whenever the royal family visited Folkestone, they always stayed at the Pavilion Hotel. On August 4, 1855, King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia visited Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle, then arrived at Folkestone station. He rode with the Prince Consort, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, and his entourage to the Pavilion Hotel, where he had a meal before heading to the dock. The King shook hands with Prince Albert and the Duke of Cambridge, thanked them for their hospitality, and boarded his ship home, waving to the crowd as he left.
Because of the many royal visits in 1855, the hotel was renamed the ‘Royal Pavilion,’ boosting its reputation nationwide. Around this time, Charles Dickens often stayed at the hotel when visiting Folkestone before travelling abroad. He wrote "Out of Town" about Folkestone, reportedly as a tribute to Mr Breach and his wife. Dickens described the hotel’s charm: "If you want to live a life of luggage...come to Pavilionstone," a line that captured the hotel’s unique appeal.
Some of Dickens’s friends who also stayed at the hotel included the English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray, a contemporary of Dickens, and John Leech, the Punch cartoonist who illustrated some of Dickens’s novels.
In July 1856, a scandal broke out when Augustus Hastier, the 25-year-old hotel manager, was arrested by Sergeant Fleet. He was accused of running off with £1,600 that a guest, Alfred De la Motte, had given him for safekeeping. That morning, Hastier claimed he needed to leave for urgent hotel business in London and would return soon. When he hadn’t come back by 5 p.m., and the money was missing, Mr Breach had his bureau opened. The police were called, sent to London and Dover, and telegrams were sent to all ports in case he tried to escape. Mr Wheeler from the Lord Warden Hotel reported seeing Hastier in Dover, and police arrested him at the Union Clubhouse.
In August 1856, Hastier was tried at Dover Court and found guilty after a long trial. The judge could have sentenced him to 15 years of transportation, but after the jury and Mr Breach recommended mercy, he received a lighter sentence: three years in prison with hard labour. This outcome surprised both Hastier and those in court.
In January 1857, news came that Mr Breach was leaving the hotel, apparently because of a disagreement with the South Eastern Rail Company’s directors. By then, he was well-liked by locals and visitors alike, and the Pavilion was considered one of the most successful hotels in the country.
The next owner, Charles Doridant from France, kept up the hotel’s high standards. He welcomed royalty and wealthy guests for travel, meetings, meals, and dances. In good weather, concerts and bazaars brought life to the lawns, and business continued to do well.
The first recorded deaths at the hotel happened during this time. Doctors often told patients to get fresh sea air and bathe in cold seawater, as many believed this could help with breathing problems and depression. As a result, many people came to places like Folkestone to recover.
On 26th May 1857, Robert Hall MP, Recorder of Doncaster, died at the age of 55. He was an English lawyer and Conservative Party politician. He was elected for Leeds at the general election in March 1857.
On 21st August 1857, Mr John R Bousfield Esq of Clapham Park, aged 71, died suddenly at the hotel.
On 15th October 1857, Edward John Harington Esq, formerly of the HBIC Civil Service, Bengal Presidency, died at the hotel, aged 63 years.
On 24h December 1858, George Tudor Esq., of Portman Square, London, and East Cowes Castle, Isle of Wight, died at the hotel.
While Doridant was in charge, guest lists show that families with titles were still welcomed at the hotel. Newspapers at the time often called it ‘Doridant’s Royal Pavilion hotel,’ suggesting he was making the hotel his own and choosing guests who were wealthy and preferred high society. However, he sometimes acted arrogantly toward families. One guest wrote in the Kentish Gazette that after several good visits, he had to wait for Doridant to wake up before checking in. Doridant was annoyed at being disturbed during breakfast, refused the guest’s request to stay with his family and servant for a week, and only offered one night, insisting the servant stay elsewhere. He said, ‘Governesses, servants and children don’t spend money.’ The guest warned others about this treatment.
It was reported that ‘A TOLERANT Doridant’ was elected mayor in November 1863. He served until 1866, during a period when the town was growing as a seaside resort and port. He was also a council member for the East Ward. 
Folkestone had the peculiar distinction of being represented by a Roman Catholic in the Protestant parish church, by a Jew in Parliament, and by a Frenchman as chief magistrate. 
In spring 1865, the hotel opened public baths that operated from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Guests could choose from baths, showers, or douches with hot or cold water, either salt or fresh. These services were aimed at visitors looking for the sea’s health benefits, likely at a higher price.
11th October 1866, another death at the hotel announced: 92-year-old William Frederick Collard Esq from the firm Collard & Collard.
Charles Doridant retired from the Hotel in February 1868, but stated he would remain in Folkestone after buying an estate in Aldershot. Mr J B Edwards then took over the business. And in 1871, Doridant resigned as a councillor because he spent most of his time on his estate.
On March 2, 1876, a tragic accident happened at the hotel. Stephen Bowbrick, a 31-year-old painter from St James Sandgate, was working for Holden & Son in Folkestone. While painting the cornice at the top of the Pavilion Hotel, he stood on steps placed on two planks. He lost his balance and fell, first onto the hall corridor roof and then through the glass roof of the entrance hall. He died from a fractured skull, leaving behind a widow and three children. Money was raised to help support his family.
In November 1876, it was reported that the S.E.R Company were to enlarge the  Hotel by an additional wing instead of adding another storey to the present structure, as at first contemplated. It is said that an attempt will be made in the new wing to enhance the architectural appearance of this important establishment.
In February 1877, another high tide hit Folkestone and flooded the basement of the hotel and houses near the harbour. 
In July 1884, they began work on a winter garden, erecting an iron-and-glass building on the western side of the hotel. It was 150 ft long, 50 ft wide, and 50 ft high . It took 6 months to build. Creating a space for concerts and entertainment throughout the year. It was formally opened in April 1885 by Sir Edward Watitin, Bart., M.P., Chairman of the S.E.R. Company.
Whenever Folkestone discussed improving roads and paths, people always asked for the pathway to the Pavilion Hotel to be included, since the pebbles made it hard for the elderly and disabled to reach the hotel. These requests were always turned down, so in August 1887, when the company decided the old structure needed to be modernised entirely, the S.E.R. company laid down its own tar paths.
In Feb 1889, Alterations to the Hotel began, with builder William Dunk, in accordance with the plans of Mr Brady, the S.E.R. Engineer. The present plain appearance of the South wing underwent very considerable architectural improvement, and the accommodation of the rooms of the upper floor in that part of the hotel was enhanced. The whole of the roof of this wing was removed, A curious relic of former days was found in the old roof, consisting of a tin beer-can and a glass, which had no doubt been used in dispensing refreshment to the original builders of the hotel,  The can is marked “J. Mitchell, Plymouth Arms, Mill Lane”; a legend, connected with the Folkestone of nearly half-a-century before. Many improvements and alterations were also carried out inside the Hotel. New bathrooms, designed and fitted to the latest standards, have been conveniently placed on different floors and supplied by a heated chamber in the basement. The entrance hall was paved with a Florentine marble mosaic floor, laid by expert Italian workmen in a bold and effective design, and a new porch to the main entrance was improved. The work was completed for Easter.
On March 10 1863, it was the wedding of the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII, to Princess Alexandra of Denmark, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, and it was celebrated by an extravagant garden party event, arranged by the committee in the Winter Garden of the hotel, Men dressed in morning suits, women wore their evening gowns. It continued into the evening, with tiny fairy lamps placed among the greenery, and was deemed a success by all. 
On 22nd June 1896, Sir Augustus Harris, age 44, a British actor, impresario, and dramatist, and a dominant figure in the West End theatre, died at the hotel after being ill for a few days. His health gave way under his enormous workload, and he had gone to the hotel for rest. He developed what at first seemed to be a chill; he was found to be suffering from diabetes. His body was removed to London by the early morning train, but his widow stayed at the hotel, in deep mourning for her loss. News spread fast around Folkestone, and a number of friends called into the hotel to pass their condolences to Mrs Harris.
In the middle of 1896, The Hotels of Folkestone were in a state of transition due to the near-completion of the mammoth structure at the western end of the Leas. immense additions, involving the expenditure of many thousands, were happening to many of the other hotels in the seaside town. The Pavilion Hotel was being transferred to a powerful syndicate, Frederick Hotels, Ltd. The Hotel had become a global success under the railway company and remained the most popular hotel in Folkestone for elite travellers at home and abroad, but the Hotel company decided the old structure needed to be entirely modernised. 
In January 1897, George Spurgeon, JP, retired as a proprietor of the hotel. He began at the hotel as a clerk in 1867, at the age of 17, eventually taking over from John Edwards in 1882. He had also been a councillor for Folkestone and became Mayor in 1891. The sale of the hotel by the S.E.R. Company may have helped him decide to retire. 
By October 1897, the construction of another wing was underway, and it would be completed by the next season. Other parts of the hotel were redecorated to modern standards. The grand opening occurred in August 1898, with Sir Blundell Maple.
On 21st February 1899, another tragedy at the hotel. George Henry Yeanell from Newington was a bricklayer's labourer. They were working at the bottom of the lift in the cage. Edward Gibbon, the foreman bricklayer, gave a cook permission to use the lift for crockery, believing no one was in its way. It seems George had spotted a knife at the bottom of the cage and went in to get it, and was crushed by the hydraulic arm of the lift, killing him instantly. His death was ruled an accident at the afternoon inquest. 
In 1900, the hotel opened a Grill room and restaurant, welcoming both guests and non-residents at reasonable prices. This came just as more tourists started visiting Folkestone.
In November 1900, a well-known swindler named George Aitkins was arrested in bed at the hotel. He had arrived in Folkestone the week before, riding from Dover on horseback, and spent his time shopping and collecting goods. Suspicion soon fell on him, and he was arrested. Reports described him as well-dressed, once an army officer, well-connected, and college-educated, but he had turned to crime. When taken to the station, police discovered he was wanted by Scotland Yard. He had spent 15 months in jail before and was known for staying at hotels, enjoying their comforts, and leaving without paying. He had committed similar frauds in London, Eastbourne, Brighton, Worthing, Bexhill, Hastings, and at the Lord Warden in Dover.
On 11th September, Mr Lloyd George, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, arrived in. Folkestone en route to the Continent, for a short motor tour. He travelled from London by motor, stayed at the Hotel, dined and had several strolls around the Leas with his wife before setting off the next day to the pier to catch the midday steamer.
In April 1918, Charles Dickens' son, Mr H F Dickens, K.C., and grandson, Lieutenant P.C. Dickens, of the Welsh Regiment, were staying at the hotel. 
In June 1930, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's brother-in-law, Patrick Stewart Leckie, a tea and rubber merchant, a frequent visitor to Folkestone, was staying at the hotel when he fell down the stairs and later died at a nursing home from a fractured skull. Sir Doyle gave evidence at the inquest, stating his brother-in-law had suffered from blight for 2 years and had suffered from giddiness at times. The coroner ruled it an accidental death. 
On 23rd September 1942, Pc Cyril A Williams was awarded a George Medal for entering a minefield on the hotel grounds to rescue a badly injured man, where three others had been killed.
During the Second World War, the hotel served as a hospital and mortuary for wounded soldiers from Dunkirk. A ward and the mortuary were set up in the basement. The air was filled with the smell of antiseptic and sea salt, reminding everyone of the war’s impact. The sounds of hurried footsteps and stretchers echoed through the halls as medics and nurses worked hard to save lives. The hotel’s new role as a place of healing underscored its importance during these difficult times.
Post-war, it was used for soldiers and their families. One of those families was Mr and Mrs Snipe. They had two children. Mr Snipe , an ex-army sergeant with 25 years of service, was being turned out of the hotel after being discharged from the military in March 1953, with nowhere to go It went to court, and a judge suggested that the Home Office should liaise with councils to help ex-military personnel gain housing after serving their country, rather than just turning them out onto the streets. The Judge made an order for possession on May 29, but said to Mrs Snipe, "If you are in serious trouble, come here again.
At the end of the war, Motyl Burstin, a Polish seaman, bought what was left of the war-damaged hotel. He reopened the building as a residential home for the elderly.
He renovated part of the old hotel and demolished the rest, adding a striking new wing with sloped upper floors. This design made the building look like a ship heading out to sea, transforming it into the modern Hotel Burstin. The Victorian dining area, which survived, kept its original charm with dark wood, high ceilings, and chandeliers. Motyl died on December 9, 1983, at age 63 and was buried in the Jewish cemetery on Stock Road, Southend-on-Sea.
In 1991, the leisure company Control Securities invested in a new leisure centre for the Folkestone seafront hotel, using the historic rooms of the old Royal Pavilion hotel, which had been empty for over forty years. They also opened a new conference centre, separate from the Burstin and named after the Royal Pavilion. Plans included a gym, a solarium, a jacuzzi, and a centre swimming pool.
Under Mr Killiea's management, the Burstin Hotel became the largest leisure and entertainment hotel in England. It remained a popular spot for both holidaymakers and business travellers, and local residents also enjoyed its facilities.
In 1995, under John Birtwistle's new management, the hotel underwent major renovations. The heated swimming pool was fixed, and the gym, sauna, and solarium were updated. New hair and beauty rooms, as well as relaxation therapy spaces, were added. The hotel also opened two ballrooms, a nightclub, a shop, and bars, making it a year-round destination instead of just a summer spot.

FOR A LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING OVER THE YEARS NOT MENTIONED, I.E LICENSEES, PROPRIETORS, RESIDENTS,  PLEASE GET IN TOUCH

**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
There’s a story from a night manager in 2003. He had worked at the new hotel since it opened and had reported seeing two ghosts; they even chased each other. The first ghost is said to be a woman named Mary, a waitress from the Royal Pavilion. According to the story, she refused a chef’s romantic advances, and in anger, he stabbed her with a kitchen knife. He then dragged her body through the hotel and locked it in the cellar, where it remained hidden for months. Today, people say she often appears in the Victorian restaurant, running across the room and disappearing into the Greenroom, which is now a busy restaurant but used to be the main entrance. Many have felt her presence, and some say she has run right through them. Most often, she is only seen as a reflection in mirrors or windows.
People who have seen her say she has long, curly black hair and wears a white dress. While this story adds an interesting twist to the hotel’s history, I haven’t found any newspaper reports or archival evidence to support it. It’s important to separate folklore from fact to keep the story credible while sharing these legends.
The second ghost story is less well-known, but the same people saw it clearly on two occasions. This ghost is described as a teenage boy with short blond hair, wearing a black suit or maybe a battle dress. The manager and porter saw him run across the foyer toward the ballroom and chased after him, thinking he was up to something. But when they reached the ballroom, the cleaners said no one had come in, even though both men saw the doors open. With no other exit in that part of the hotel, they searched the toilets but found no one. Could this be a leftover trace from the past?
In a 2015 TripAdvisor review, a reviewer wrote: "I swear on my life, someone was in the other bed in my twin room."The following day, I looked over to the other bed, but it had not been slept in, but I know what I saw’'.

12. THE WARREN INN

Dymchurch Rd, New Romney TN28
Pub & Restaurant
It is a cosy and welcoming pub with a lovely log-burning open fire, a wood-burning stove, and a garden overlooking the fields that run down to the sea. Throughout the centuries, life on the Marsh was centred around sheep, smuggling, and defending it from invasion, so I'm sure this pub has some stories to tell.

**HISTORY**
New Romney, originally a port town at the mouth of the River Rother, once one of the original five Cinque Ports, with the sea close to St Nicholas Church and its harbour to the south west of the town. It is now more than a mile from the sea.
In the late 1700s, a racecourse was located to the north of the town, near the Warren Inn pub and the property Warren Lodge. The course was about 2 miles long. The first meeting was in April 1777, and the final meeting was in August 1810.
The only known evidence of the racecourse is that an old sign of the Warren Inn pub was that of a racecourse with a racehorse.
The Warren is named after Warren Field, the enclosed pasture behind the building. The word 'warren' derives from a Roman term for an enclosure. Historically, the field served as a sheep pasture. 
Dymchurch was once a risky place because smugglers came here to avoid high wool taxes, a practice dating back to the 13th century. The ruined Hope All Saints church was where they met. Smugglers used the local marshes and creeks to hide, so their trade thrived until the 1800s.
The only records of the Warren inn, was when the ownership changed in 1859, when Alfred Leney Co Ltd of Phoenix Brewery in Dover took over after buying Thomas Walker's Phoenix Brewery. From then on, the inn received its supplies from Alfred Leney Co Ltd.
Over the years, the inn held harvest festival suppers for workers. Landowners paid for these meals to thank the workers for their hard work in the fields. At these gatherings, tables were filled with jugged hare and hop beer. Farmers laughed and shared stories from the harvest. As one farmer said, 'A full belly makes the hardest toil feel like child's play.'
William Cobb, a wheelwright, was the first recorded licensee in 1860. He was born in 1821 and married Frances Hughes in Dover in 1846. Both came from Woodchurch. Their first child, Mary Jane, was born in 1850 while they still lived in Woodchurch. By 1857, the family had moved to New Romney, where their second daughter, Ellen, was born. Three years after William took over the inn, their son William Henry was born in 1863. Sadly, Ellen died at only 8 years old in 1865.
In June 1876, an inquest was held at the inn after 53-year-old John Bourne Adams was found drowned in East Ware Bay. Adams had worked as a steward on the packet boat "Victoria" for the South Eastern Railway Company. He used to swim in the area, but had stopped due to rheumatic fever. His son, James Sherren Adams, identified him. "I last saw Father alive the previous morning," James said at the inquest. "He had just asked me to swim with him the week before, but I declined. I had just returned from a hot climate." John Griffith later found Adams's clothes together on the beach. Since it was low tide, Griffith waited an hour. When no one came for the clothes, he searched and found Adams's body lying face down in the sand, dead and cold, with some blood coming from his ear. The surgeon believed Adams had a fit in the water, which caused him to drown. The jury made its decision based on the medical evidence.
After William Cobb died in January 1882 at age 61, the pub entered a period of transition. It was put up for sale by tender in 1884. By August that year, a statement read: 'The trade of the house is well established. In consequence of the opening of the new railway, the station of which is within a short distance of this valuable property, and the probable early development of adjoining lands for building purposes, there is no doubt that public-house property will have a speedy increase in trade and consequent value.' The sale included the wheelwright's shop and lodge, stable, cow house, piggeries, and two pieces of arable land.
As Frances’s tenancy ended that Christmas, she was still living in the building with her son William, then 28, who was working as a wheelwright. Her two daughters had married. After leaving the inn, William worked as an agricultural labourer. This shift from skilled work to farm labour reflects the changing nature of rural jobs. Without a wheelwright shop, William needed to find other work. After Frances died in 1896, at the age of 73, William lived at Jubilee Cottages and worked as a roadman. His changing jobs highlight the broader shifts brought by industrialisation. He remained there as a lodger, later working as a sea scavenger for the council by 1921, and died in 1936, at the age of 73.
A new chapter for the Inn began in 1886 when James Carey, a 54-year-old from Wartling, Sussex, became the licensee. He and his wife, Sarah Ann Pellatt (married in 1863 in Tenterden), settled in Stone, Kent, and raised seven children. In 1886, when James took over the inn, he also worked as a carrier. During this period, Sarah and their daughter Harriet ran the inn, while their sons Edward and David worked as carmen, and their youngest daughter Bessie attended school. By 1901, James was running the inn full-time with Sarah, David, and Bessie. In 1906, aged 69, he left the inn. The family remained in Dymchurch, and James returned to his carrier work.
The advert in the Hastings and St Leonards Observer, Saturday 31 March 1906.
To let. The Warren Inn, New Romney.
Full licence, free for spirits, suitable for Poultry and Egg Merchant, Wheelwright, or Blacksmith, eight-stall stable, large shed, one acre grass, two acres arable land, and good garden, on main road, in same hands for past 20 years, under good brewers, ingoing by evaluation about £100.
After James Carey’s departure from the inn in 1906, several new licensees arrived, but none stayed for long periods.
The inn changed hands in 1926, when Fremlin Brothers, a Maidstone brewery, purchased it. Brewing at the Dover brewery stopped in 1927. The property later passed to Whitbread, then Shepherd Neame Brewery, and is now privately owned.
Despite many changes in ownership, the Warren Inn has remained a traditional country pub and retains its Victorian interior. John and Julie O’Malley have owned it since 2014.
FOR A LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING OVER THE YEARS NOT MENTIONED, I.E LICENSEES, PROPRIETORS, RESIDENTS,  PLEASE GET IN TOUCH

**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
A business website mentioned a resident ghost named Old Sid, said to be a former landlord from the 1950s who reportedly took his own life in an upstairs room after facing financial trouble. Local stories claim his spirit causes strange events, such as sudden cold spots, objects moving or vanishing, exploding light bulbs, phantom footsteps, and objects being thrown by an unseen force. However, there are no newspaper reports or records to confirm this story or any other suicides at the inn.
Another story is about a barmaid who saw the ghost of a large black dog standing in the pub.

**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Over the years, many guests have reported hearing strange sounds, especially at night. These include creaking, vibrating floors, eerie whispers, doors slamming on their own, and phantom footsteps. Most of these noises can likely be explained by natural causes, such as old floorboards or unexpected drafts. There have also been reports of hotel taps turning on and off on their own. 
Could it be the ghost of young John McKenzie, the revenue officer, that is said to haunt the George Hotel, or another fateful tragedy that has left its ghostly trail behind?  
There are also stories of a resident ghost cat in one of the bedrooms. The cat is said to jump on sleeping guests and frighten any dog that encounters it.

14. THE PILOT INN

Battery Rd, Dungeness TN29
Bar & Restaurant
The famous Pilot Inn is a family-run pub-restaurant. It’s a stone’s throw from the sea in the heart of the stunning Dungeness National Nature Reserve