Potted History of The Duke of Cumberland

There has been an inn on the site of The Duke of Cumberland for more than 300 years; the sign of The Duke of Cumberland first appeared in 1748. Originally, the premises had been known as "The Noah's Ark", probably dating back to the seventeenth century.

The Duke was a highly popular man at the time, having crushed the Scottish rebellion in 1746 at Culloden, so the landlord, Robert Chandler changed the name to the "Duke William" in 1747 and to "The Duke of Cumberland" the following year. At this time, the Duke of Cumberland was used as the headquarters for the local oyster and dredger men. They were paid for their working "stint" at the end of the day, upstairs, incidentally where the annual Water Court was held.

Fire swept through the Duke of Cumberland and the Red Lion behind in 1866, so there is no knowledge of its appearance prior to this.

Brewers "Rigden and Delmar" rebuilt the Duke of Cumberland in 1878 and sold it to the Neames of Faversham, for £100. Included in the sale was the coalyard at the rear of the building, but the sum in question would suggest the premises were not very large. Extensions to make a "family and commercial" hotel were probably made later when it flourished under Mr. William Gurr in the 1880's and 1890's.

During 1900, the Duke of Cumberland was modernised at a cost of £4000 and now incorporated a billiard room, stables and a coach house. It was then the town's premier establishment.

The Duke of Cumberland remained a Shepherd Neame house and has had a chequred history since. A nightclub was once housed in the back, tenants came and went and the pub suffered the reputation of a trouble house.

Shepherd Neame refurbished the Duke of Cumberland in the late 1990's, putting in managers in an attempt to restore the pub to its former glory. However, the success of this expensive exercise was somewhat limited.

In 2003 the Pub was put back to tenancy and with the accent on food with a fine fresh and innovative menu in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere the Duke of Cumberland began its rise to Whitstable’s premier establishment. The guest rooms were all refurbished and two more added, bringing the accommodation to eight tastefully furnished rooms.

In 2005 the old Stables surrounding the courtyard were extensively renovated and now house our function room, a delightful space with its own dedicated kitchen. Entrance to this is from Horsebridge Road and provides an excellent venue for parties, weddings and our own live music events, completely separate from the Pub.

Today the Landladies; Miggie and Jackie are now dedicated taking the improved Duke of Cumberland to new heights. They aim to provide a sophisticated environment, comfortable for all age groups. Those lucky enough to have attended our New Years Eve Celebrations will have had a taste of things of come!

The Duke of Cumberland prides itself on the quality of its beers, wines and food, its friendly welcoming staff, and comfortable accommodation. With the continued hard work and dedication of the team the Duke of Cumberland is the place to be in Whitstable.