The Millers Arms

About The Millers Arms

Built in 1826 to serve the workers at the nearby mill, the Millers Arms sits on Mill Lane beside the Great Stour, on the quiet northern edge of the walled city. It is owned by Shepherd Neame, the Faversham brewer that claims to be Britain's oldest, so the bar pours a proper range of Kentish ales alongside the usual lagers, wines and spirits. The pub is smart rather than spit-and-sawdust: warm modern decor, an inglenook fireplace and a courtyard garden that catches the afternoon sun.

Upstairs there are twelve en-suite bedrooms, comfortably furnished and better appointed than pub accommodation often is, with a few enjoying glimpses of the cathedral towers. This is the sensible middle option in Canterbury: considerably cheaper than the four-star hotels, more characterful than a chain, and with dinner and a decent pint waiting downstairs.

The position is quietly excellent. You are a five-minute walk from the cathedral and the High Street but on a residential lane rather than in the middle of the nightlife, with the river, the Kings Mile and Northgate close by, and Canterbury West station about ten minutes away. Booking direct through the pub's own site usually secures a discount over the third-party rates, and there is a small amount of parking, which is worth confirming when you reserve.