About Us

The Royal Oak

No one knows for certainty when the first building appeared on this site,but it would have been a farmhouse and outbuildings,. with the farmer’s wife brewing the ale, which sustained the passing traveller. In 1611, Isaac Kite, cattle farmer lived here with his wife Nyomi. They died within a week of each other in 1645 leaving their son Gaylor and daughter Susanna to carry on farming. It is interesting to note that the place is listed as an ale-house in 1649, indicating that, Susanna probably carried on brewing the ale after her motber's death. Each time the premises appears it is to grant a licence to the trade as an Ale House. It remained part of a farm throughout ever increasing the size of the acreage. Eventually in 1830 Henry Chamen a brewer from Maxton obtained a beer house licence and named the premises The Royal Oak Beer House. His son George was the first landlord, albeit for a short time, to be soon followed by Richard Constable who continued in the old tradition until his death in 1847, of combining the ale-house business with farming, William Bromley took over in 1847.

During the First World War the land nearby was used as an airship station and officers and crew were regular customers. In 1922 William Webb applied for a extension on 22nd, 23rd and 24th February because there was to be a Sale of Capel Aerodrome - granted from 10am each day. Thomas Moore took over from William in 1936. He and his wife were popular figures in the 1930s and 1940s, becoming very involved with village life and being kept busy serving the locally based armed forces. In 1950 Gilbert B. Green and his wife Victoria look over the Royal Oak. There was a much used skittle alley by the side of the pub in their day. Then came the news March 1982 “Brewery to close village pub”. The landlord and landlady of the Royal Oak in Folkestone Road, Capel, have reached retirement age after 32 years at the pub and with Whitbread Fremlins Ltd. The latter have decided to close hostelry. Victoria and Gilbert moved to "Longships” in Cauldham Lane. The Brewery fortunately changed its mind about knocking the old building down and replacing it with a new enterprise. The present owners Alan and Pat Marsh have been there since 1988 and continue to, serve a fine selection of ales and food.

Reproduced by kind permission of Capel-le-Ferne Parish Council. Published 2000

Photographs Courtesy of Capel Parish Council