Superb, unspoilt, multi-room 16th century smugglers' pub which has been in the same family for over 100 years and a continuous GBG entry for over 40 years. The pub passed to the next generation in April 2016 but is still universally known as Doris's.
Decorated with posters from the 1940s and the Women's Land Army, it has a nationally important historic pub interior. It is on the road which separates Walland Marsh from Romney Marsh between Brenzett and Appledore.
Although ancient hand pumps adorn the marble topped bar counter, these are not in use and all ales and cider are served on direct gravity dispense from casks behind the bar. Food is limited to basic bar snacks.
A beer festival is held in June over the nearest weekend to the Summer Solstice with a mini festival in October around Halloween. Cash and card payment accepted here.
Historic Interest
CAMRA National Inventory
Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance
Listed status: II
A great rural classic, run by the Jemison family since 1911; changes since then have done nothing to diminish its timeless atmosphere.
A century ago the pub consisted of just a small public bar (left) and a tap room (right). The former retains its old counter with, unusually, a white marble top on which is a pewter housing for a set of four hand-pumps dating back to 1870 (but unused as beer is now drawn from casks behind the bar). Three walls of this room have boarded panelling. Beyond the partition at the back is a second room, formerly living quarters, but part of the pub since the 1990s when the screen was moved further back. After the Second World War the tap room was converted into a shop which survived until 1974. In the early 1980s it was brought back into pub use with a new quarry-tiled floor and is now a room for games which includes toad in the hole and table skittles. You can’t miss the extensive World War II memorabilia: this pub was situated in a militarily sensitive area at that time. Good old-fashioned outside loos.
A rare survivor - completely unspoilt with no modern trappings. Part 17th-, part 19th-century cottages with two public rooms. It has been in the hands of the Jemison family since 1911 and is beautifully run. Nineteenth-century facade to perhaps with eighteenth-century or earlier work behind. The left-hand part has the servery (with white marble top and pewter casing for the hand-pump stand) and another room behind. Lots of Second World War memorabilia and interesting pub games.
The pub originally consisted of the small public bar on the left and a tap room on the right. The dimly lit little-altered bare boarded bar on the left with '1' on the door retains its old wooden counter with a marble top and a set of four hand-pumps (on a pewter housing) dating from 1870 but last used 90 years ago: all the beer is now drawn from casks behind the bar. There are old bar shelves, tongue-and-grooved panelling and a brick fireplace which was replaced in 1936. The part-glazed partition at the rear which is hooked onto the beam was until the c.1984 some three feet closer to the front of the pub i.e. hanging from a different beam and abutting the counter. It has a door numbered '2' but is always open. Beyond the partition is a bare wood small room, formerly living quarters.
On the right is the tap room, which, after the Second World War, was converted into a shop that survived until 1974. In the early 1980s it was reopened with a new quarry-tiled floor and is now a room for games are played, including toad in the hole and table skittles. It has a door from the entrance lobby with a '3' on it and in a bare wood passage at the rear: there is another door with a sliding hatch.
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This Pub serves 3 changing beers and 1 regular beer.
Red Lion, Snargate
Usually one or two others from local brewers
Changing beers typically include: Canterbury Ales (varies) , Goacher's (varies) , Rother Valley (varies)