We are delighted to announce that The Pilot is now open for takeaways only.
As per Government legislation, our toilets and all outside areas, are not allowed to be used. There will be a limited menu, but we will be cooking our famous fresh fish and chips. Unfortunately, Government rules do not allow us to open our bar, but we will be providing limited takeaway beer and soft drinks.
For customers eating in the local area, we will be providing extra bins for litter and empties and we would ask that every customer makes sure that all of their rubbish goes into the bins provided, with zero exceptions.
We will have a strict and well-defined system of taking orders and social distancing in place. We would also ask all customers to respect the two-meter rule, to be polite and kind to other customers and our staff, in these unprecedented times.
The engine and propeller, in the garden of The Pilot, is one of four Wright/Cyclone engines and propeller from a WW11, B17 Flying Fortress bomber (the same aircraft as The Memphis Belle). The artefact was accidentally snagged off Dungeness on the 18th of September 2017, by Joe Thomas and Tom Redshaw (local fishermen).
The isolation of Dungeness had proved an irresistible lure to smuggling gangs; the absence of prying eyes and wagging tongues meant that they could carry on their work undisturbed. In a single week of 1813 free-traders were knows to have landed 12,000 gallons of brandy here. Nor was this the first cargo of spirits to cross the coastline illegally at Dungeness; 180 years earlier the local smugglers lured aground a Spanish vessel, Alfresia. They murdered the crew and looted the cargo of spirits. The ship was used to build the original Pilot which stands in the same place to this day.
The Holy Stones of Dungeness
Hagstones are stones that have a hole running all the way through them, and are usually found in streams or rivers, and at the seashore, where running water has created the hole in the stone.
This may be one of the reasons why they are considered so powerful, as it is a common belief that magic cannot work on running water, and these stones have been holed by running water and so retain that influence of protecting from magic. A Hagstone Hagstones are also known as Holy Stones, Holey Stones, Ephialtes Stones, Wish Stones, Nightmare Stones and Witch Riding Stones.
