Named after George William Frederick Villiers 4th Earl of Clarendon, it has been claimed this house was built in c.1820, although there are doubts about the accuracy of this. Is is said that Joseph Birch held the freehold for many years and a building belonging to him is shown on the 1843 Tithe Map. However the site on which this house stands is empty. In 1871 some cottages n the vicinity were called Birch Cottages, and were occupied by an Elizabeth Birth and James Steadman. 

The first reference to the Clarendon by name is in the 1871 census, with Henry Couchman, who lived at Newington until c.1861, as landlord. 

The next entry in our schedule of the census is Brewery Cottage and nearby at Wellington Place is the Brewhouse of Frederick Sladden. Mr Sladden is himself referred to in Kelly's Directory for 1866 as a beer retailer. Was he selling from the brewery of at the Clarendon?  

Very little is said about the house until the great landslip of 1893. The Sandgate Visitors List reported that "The Clarendon Inn is slightly cracked and has slipped several inches". Being a hotel at this time it faced difficulty in that it could not cook meals for the customers, due to damage to the stoves. We are told that neighbours rallied round, but not how.

In 1970, The Folkestone Herald reported on the death of James Dymoke (Smokey) Byrne who had taken over the Clarendon in 1960. Smokey had served in the Royal Navy and during the second World War was appointed a Liaison Officer in Trieste, where he fought with Marshall Tito's partisans.

Whilst serving there he met his wife, Edy, a Yogoslavian national. Mr Bryne was a George Medal holder, although at the house until 1989 there is some doubt that he ever agreed to accept the award. After his death in 1969 his widow Edy continued at the house until 1989. At one time she made an offer for the house, which was never taken up. In 1977 Shepherd Neame purchased the property.

A local history researcher has commented that when the present inn which dates from the mid 19th century was built it started as a private house and then replaced a much older establishment that had traded in the area. This may explain the fact that a very old house in the vicinity is reputed to have been formerly a licensed house known as the Rose Tavern.

Keith and Shirley Barber took over 'Sandgates Secret Pub' in 1998 and take pride in the fact it has 'no pool, no juke box, no muzak, but a clean floor and a traditional grumpy landlord!'