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AT WAR |
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© Kent Messenger Group Newspapers*
| This picture taken down St. Margaret's Street on the
morning of June 1st shows the burned out ruins of the Hotel still smoldering
while a fireman still works at pouring water on the debris. The Royal
Fountain was a beautiful old coaching inn, reputed to be the oldest hotel
in England, which was a sad loss to the local scenery. Queen Victoria
actually did sleep here. After the area was cleared it was replaced by the Marlowe Theatre and a car park for many years. When the Marlowe Theatre was removed, (if memory serves me correctly), the remains of the largest Roman amphitheatre in England were discovered and excavated before yet another modern jumble was constructed on top of it. On the extreme right hand side of the picture a stone wall can be seen protruding into the street. This is the back of St. Margaret's Church. At one point this church was actually shortened to allow the horse driven coaches the room to swing round enough to enter the gate of The Royal Fountain Hotel. |
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