Description from record TR 15 NW 68:
Nos 1 to 8 (consec) No 8a Mercery Lane. Grade II*. (TR 14955782 - OS 1:2500 1957). The whole of the west side is 1 building with Nos 1 & 2 High Street (see TR 15 NW:60). This is built in 2 sections but was formely all the Chequers Inn, which contained a dormitory of 100 beds and was originally built as a hostel for pilgrims. 3 storeys painted brick or plastered. 13 windows in all. Modern shop fronts. The north east section, 6 windows, is C18 and has 3 curved bay windows on the 1st floor. The south west section (7 windows) consists of C14 timber-framed buildings with an overhanging 2nd floor, but with C18 sash windows inserted (with glazing bars intact) and 1 curved bay window on the 1st floor of each house. (1) [TR 149578] Chequers Inn [NR] (on foundations of) [NAT]. (2)

Mid-March to mid-April 1989 a watching brief was carried out on hand dug pits for support posts. Roman and medieval features discovered. Caping the earlier deposits was a compact clay horizon laid after dwarf walls for the Checker had been constructed in 1392. This deposit, sandwiched between a well-defined mortar construction horizon and an abraded mortar capping to the clay, was interpreted as bedding for stone paving for the Cheker. (3)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 944 MERCERY LANE (West Side)
Nos 1 to 8 (consec) No 8A TR 1457 NE 4/83 3.12.49.
II* GV
2. The whole of the west side is 1 building with Nos 1 and 2 High Street qv. This is built in 2 sections but was formerly all the Chequers Inn, which contained a dormitory of 100 beds and was originally built as a hostel for pilgrims. 3 storeys painted brick or plastered. 13 windows in all. Modern shop fronts. The north east section, 6 windows, is C18 and has 3 curved bay windows on the lst floor. The south west section (7 windows) consists of C14 timber-framed buildings with an overhanging 2nd floor, but with C18 sash windows inserted (with glazing bars intact) and 1 curved bay window on file lst floor of each house.
Nos 1 to 8A (consec) and Nos 10 to 16 (consec), Nos 38 to 44 (consec) Burgate together with Nos 1 to 9 (consec) Butchery Lane form a group.
Also Nos 1 to 8A (consec) form a group together with Nos 1 & 2 High Street.
Listing NGR: TR1495757830 (4)

Historic England archive material: BF112584 Jessops, 7 Mercery Lane, Canterbury

Tokens show the The Chequer's Inn was still functioning as an Inn during the 17th century (5)

<1> DOE (HHR) City of Canterbury Kent Sept 1973 136 (OS Card Reference). SKE39997.

<2> OS 1:500 1873 (OS Card Reference). SKE48229.

<3> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1990, Canterbury's Archaeology 1988-1989, pages 4-5 (Monograph). SKE6722.

<4> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.