Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Rockers and rowdy soldiers at lost city pub
The building which for centuries was home to the Rose and Crown pub in St Dunstan’s is said to date back to 1689. It was originally known as the Star or Starr.
The inn is believed to have become the Rose and Crown in 1801 at the earliest. It was restored with a plastered front during the 19th century.
On August 31, 1914, its licensee George Solley was given a caution after a ruckus between disorderly soldiers spilled outside and ended with a punch-up in the street.
The historic pub, like so many buildings in Canterbury, suffered heavy damage during German bombing raids in 1942.
The Rose and Crown was Grade Ii-listed in December 1949.
By 1965 it was owned by Fremlins and in the late 90s it was a Whitbread pub. It name to the Tap and Spile as Whitbread sold it to the Tap and Spile chain of public houses, which was one of the first pubco chains.
At the turn of the century, when Tap and Spile sold up to Enterprise, it became the Blind Dog at St Dunstan’s. The pub took its name from Canterbury rock group Caravan’s title track to their 7th album, released in 1976.
The band used to frequent the pubs in the St Dunstan’s area and very likely drank in the Rose and Crown.
In the Noughties it changed name again to Unity.
Under this guise, it was aimed at students and was owned by the Brighton-based Zel student pub chain, with a regular DJ operating during term time.
It then became the Swan before eventually reverting to the Rose and Crown again.
In 2014 it was changed to CT2 Bar before that shut and it became a bed and breakfast.
Today it is occupied by kentunilet. com, a lettings service which helps students find properties in the city. Pictures and information used with kind permission of Paul Skelton of dover-kent.com.