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The Plough Inn, Blunderstone. Photo by T. W. Tyrrell " 146 The Buck Inn, Yarmouth. Photo by T. W. Tyrrell " 146 The Duke’s Head, Yarmouth. Photo by T. W. Tyrrell " 146 The Little Inn, Canterbury. Drawn by F. G. Kitton " 157 Jack Straw’s Castle. Drawn by L. Walker " 163 The London Coffee House. From an old engraving " 172 The Old Cheshire Cheese. From a photo " 180 The Ship and Lobster, Gravesend. Drawn by C. G. Harper " 187 The Grapes Inn, Limehouse. Photo by T. W. Tyrrell " 194 Limehouse Reach. Drawn by L. Walker " 199 The Ship Hotel, Greenwich. Drawn by L. Walker " 207 The Red Lion, Hampton. Drawn by C. G. Harper " 213 Wood’s Hotel, Furnival’s Inn. Drawn by L. Walker " 223 The King’s Arms, Lancaster. Drawn by L. Walker " 231 The Eagle Tavern. From an old print " 242 The Crispin and Crispianus. Drawn by C. G. Harper " 255 The Mitre Inn, Chatham. From an engraving " 259 The Lord Warden Hotel, Dover. From an engraving " 268 The Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone. From an engraving " 268

 

 

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PREFACE

 

The very friendly reception given to my previous book on the Inns and Taverns of Pickwick has encouraged me to pursue the subject through the other novels and writings of Dickens, and to compile the present volume.

I do not claim that it is encyclopædic in the sense that it will be found to supply a complete index to every inn mentioned in the novelist’s books. Many a reader will recall, I expect, a certain inn in his favourite story which has been overlooked; but, while my chief aim has been to deal with the famous and prominent ones, I have not ignored the minor ones which, in many cases, are also the most alluring, and often play an important part in the story.

The plan has been to take the long novels in something approximating to chronological order, followed by the shorter stories and sketches; and, where an inn is mentioned in more than one book, to deal with it fully in the chapter devoted to the story in which it was first alluded to.

Inns associated with the novelist’s own life find no place in this volume, unless they have association also with his books.

In such a volume as this it is obviously necessary to quote freely from Dickens’s books, but, when one recalls the young person’s comment on lectures about Dickens that “she always loved them because of the quotations,” no apology or excuse is needed here.

I am greatly indebted to my friends T. W. Tyrrell and Charles G. Harper for much valuable advice and assistance in my task. The former has kindly loaned me prints from his unique collection of topographical photographs, and has also given me the advantage of his expert knowledge of the subject.

How much I owe to the latter goes without saying. No one can write of old inns, old coaches, or old coaching roads without acknowledging indebtedness to the score of books standing in Mr. Harper’s name, which are rich mines for any student of the subject quarrying for facts. He has not only permitted me to dig in his mines, but has allowed also the use of many of his charming drawings.

Acknowledgment is also made to Messrs. A. & C. Black, Messrs. Methuen & Co., and the proprietors of the Cheshire Cheese for the use of blocks on pages 24, 99 and 180 respectively.

B. W. MATZ.

 

 

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DICKENSIAN INNS & TAVERNS

 

CHAPTER I