The Canteen stood just outside the town's old Cavalry barracks (built in 1795) which were a particularly important aspect of the town during the Napoleonic wars, but they were subsequently run down and closed sometime during the late Victorian period. Today the whole site is covered by both Geneva Road and Cecil Road; although some of the perimeter wall still remains.

The pub is listed at Horse Barrack yard in 1830.

The Canteen was apparently popular with the troopers such as the Queens Bays, Hussars and Dragoons who were often seen on parade in the town especially on Sunday mornings. John Thomas Olive (1779-1856) of Ipswich is listed as landlord in the 1823 Pigot's Directory of Ipswich. By the 1841 census he was at The Hare & Hounds. Olive had left the army about 1812 after being a bandmaster in the Queen's Bays.

In 1861 Alexander & William Marshall are shown as Canteen Keeper & Assistant Keeper, but are living in the Cavalry Barracks at the time of the census, and Samuel Norman is listed as a victualler at 7 Barrack Lane, which is believed to the the address of the pub.

A possible landlord in the 1841 census is Henry Wilson, who is listed as an ostler.