This inn became licensed in about 1847, before then it played two unrelated roles. First as a knapped flint farmhouse in open meadows, and when in about 1830 the town became to encroach on the area, it was acquired by James Newlove to become his Dane House Academy for Boys. Cobb's brewery acquired the freehold of the property from Newlove after his family's discovery of the nearby Shell Grotto. This new acquisition was perfectly positioned to service the procession of visitors to the mysterious Grotto. The pub was briefly known as the Freemason's Tavern, but by 1900 was once again trading under its inaugural name. More recently, in 2019 the Margate Civic Society gave it a town pride award for enhancing the built environment and for contributing to the community amenity.