DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Tuesday, 28 May, 2024.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1841-

Castle Inn

Closed 1/July/2023

Castle Hill

Brenchley

https://camra/pubs/castle-inn

Castle Inn 2009

Above image from Google maps May 2009.

 

From the Sussex Advertiser, Tuesday 19 July, 1859.

Aaron Apps was charged with permitting gambling in his house at Brenchley, on the 11th June.

Superintendent Dance in consequence of the complaint of several houses in Brenchley, he, in company with P. C. Hoper, visited the defendants house, the "Castle Inn," at twenty minutes to twelve on Saturday night, 11th June. At the window outside he heard a noise which appeared to him to be caused by dominoes throne on the table. Heard one person say, "That's Dominoe." Presently he heard one say, "I have lost a quart." Another said, "I have lost a pint." He then entered, and saw several person sitting in the room. One said, "Let's hide this beer." There was a domino box on the table - saw no dominoes. Told the landlord he should not allow people to play dominoes for beer, as that was considered gambling.

Defendant said he did not allowed dominoes or any other illegal game. Some person brought the dominoes to the house, and he did not know it.

The chairman told him he must know what is going on at his house.

Find £2 10s., costs 11s.

Defendant said he thought this was very hard, but Mr. Dance told him he had been summoned once before for having his house open at an improper time, and he had been instructed to report every case of him problem management of public houses.

 

Kent Times, 31 May 1862.

Charge of Perjury.

At a Special Petty sessions held on Monday last before A. Pott, Esq., (in the chair) Major Scoones, and T. H. Moore, Esq,. Sarah Joy of Brenchley, was charged with wilfully and corruptly committing perjury at Tonbridge on the 11th inst. Mr. Rogers appeared for the prosecution and Mr. Cripps for the defence.

The case occupied the Court for two hours but the evidence is quite unfit for publication.

At the last Petty Sessions the defendant obtained a bastardy order against George Moseley of the "Castle Inn" Brenchley and to-day Mr. Rogers produced three witnesses who deposed that the girl on that occasion perjured herself. Mr. Cripps made a strong appeal to the Bench against the probability of the evidence adduced and the magistrates after a brief consultation dismissed the case. Mr. Rogers, empowered by a recent Act of Parliament, applied that the prosecutor be bound over to prefer an indictment for perjury against the defendant at the next Assizes as if the case had not been heard. The prosecutor was bound over accordingly. Moseley also intends appealing to the Quarter Sessions against the order made by the magistrates.

 

Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 30 August 1878.

Our public houses.

The following report was laid before the Justice's on Tuesday by Superintendent Kewell:- Kent County Constabulary, Tunbridge division, 27th August, 1878.

Beer house at Brenchley, kept by Alexander Joy, who was on the 12th February, 1878, fined £2. and 10s. costs.

 

Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 9 March 1906.

The "Castle," Brenchley.

This was a similar case to the last. (Of which had been objected to, on the grounds that the previous landlord have been convicted for permitting drunkenness.)

Mr. Cripps appeared for the tenants, and Mr. A. T. Simpson, Messrs. Stone, Simpson and Mason, Tunbridge Wells, for the Brewers, Messrs. Smith and Co., Lamberhurst.

Sergeant Tilly proved a conviction for permitting drunkenness against the house landlord, in 1888.

P.C. Woodlett proved another against a different landlord, in May, 1905.

Cross-examined:- He had not been able to find out whether the landlord served any beer to the man who was on his premises, drunk. The landlord denied that he had.

Superintendent Styles, in answer to Mr. Cripps, said the present tenant's testimonials were excellent and the house was well conducted.

The Chairman said that was the worst case that had come before them, but having regard to the circumstances and the new tenants, the house would be renewed. He thought he ought to make the remark on the brewers and those interested in the those kind of houses should take care as far as they possibly could with regard to the character of the tenants. The Bench observed that as soon as there was a conviction away went the tenant, and a new case was put in. That might be very desirable, but the brewers should look very carefully into the character of their tenants and the conduct of the houses generally, as it was by the conduct of a house that its character was attached.

Mr. Cripps said there they were all interested in the due and proper conduct of those houses. He suggested that if any little expression could be made by the Bench to the police, suggesting there concerns the brewers a hint when they saw anything wrong with the conduct of a house, it might lead to the better conduct of it. The policeman in a village know better than anybody else if there was a good or bad landlord, and if they could duly give the brewers some little hint it would be of advantage to all, and would aid enormously in the interment of temperance and morality in the district.

A Magistrate:- Then out we'll go the tenants, as now?

Mr. Cripps:- No sir.

Superintendent Style said the police frequently gave hints to the landlords.

Mr. Deacon said he had hardly ever heard of a case where at the police had not cautioned the tenant.

Mr. Cripps:- Yes, the tenant.

Mr. Decant said he thought the brewers ought to look after their own business. In London the brewers kept inspectors to go round to their houses.

Mr. Cripps said there were no houses in the country worse conducted then some of the London houses. The tenant was a manager. He hoped they would never have the conduct of the London houses held up as a model for the way they should conduct their houses in the country.

Mr. Deacon:- I don't hold a brief for the London brewers, but I know it does lead to the houses being better conducted.

 

Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 25 April 1930.

FARMER'S BAD SEASON.

In the case of Frederick Henry Moore, farmer, of Gordon Place, Paddock Wood, and carrying on business at Eastlands Farm, Paddock Wood, his gross liabilities he estimated at £9,664 5s. 10d., and of this £5,643 17s. 6d. was expected to rank. There were 27 unsecured creditors at £4,256 18. 5d. His assets totalled £184 11s. 8d., and his deficiency was thus £5,459 5s. 10d. He attributed his failure to "Bad seasons, depreciation on market prices of produce and stock, and want of capital.

From 1896 to 1905, he stated, he was employed at Woolwich Arsenal, and in the latter year he took over the "Castle In," Brenchley, the capital of £300 being provided by his father for payment of the ingoing valuation. The money was neither a loan not a gift, for although the business was in his name he carried it on under the direction of his father. He relinquished the business in 1908, when the balance of the outstanding valuation, after paying off outstanding liabilities, was paid to his father.

 For the following eight years he managed Eastlands Farm, Paddock Wood, for his father, from whom he took it over in 1916 on the understanding that the agreed value of £220 live and dead farming stock and any money advanced during the first year's trading should be deducted from his share under his father's will. He could not say what was advanced to him before his father's death in 1917, but it was about £300 or £400. Under his fathers will his mother was entitled to a life interest in the estate, and when she died in February, 1919, her executors claimed the right to deduct about £625 advanced by his father from the £850 which he received as his share. He contended that portions of this £625 included liabilities incurred on behalf of his father, but he did not protest because he did not want to cause unpleasantness in the family.

In 1917 the Government Inspector required him to plough up his hop land about 15 1/2 acres, for the cultivation if grain crops, and as a result the value of the bines and the poles were lost, to the extent of about £400. In October, 1921, he received notice to quit Eastland Farm, and accordingly purchased it for £5,500, which he did not think was more than it was worth then. On this sum £3,400 was obtained on a first mortgage, and the balance from his hop factors under an agreement to place the whole of his hops with them for sale. Since 1921 his farming operations had been unsuccessful.

He became a member of English Hop Growers Ltd., in about March, 1925. They were unable to sell all their hops, and he thus lost about £2,000. In February, 1927, the first mortgagee required payment of her debt, which was paid off with an advance from the Public Works Loan Board of £3,915.

No books were kept and no trading and profit and loss accounts or balance sheets were at any time prepared. He was aware of his insolvency in September, 1924, since then practically the whole of his indebtedness had been contracted in the hope that his drops would turn out better.

All the household furniture, of an estimated value of £50, was claimed by his wife as having been purchased with her earnings previous to marriage or as gifts from her father. His son claimed a shed and poultry, which had been acquired with money which he earned himself.

The examination was adjourned until May 20th.

 

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 02 October 1942.

REMANDED FOR ESCORT.

William Frederick Bird (24), R.A.S.C., was charged at Tonbridge on Monday with being a deserter from his unit since December, 1940. Defendant pleaded not guilty.

P.C. Donald said he found defendant in the "Castle Inn," Brenchley. When questioned he produced an identity card, which was not made out in the correct name. When outside Bird made an attempt to escape, but was recaptured after a chase. When charged at Tonbridge with being a deserter he replied, "Yes, I know."

Defendant said he thought he was being charged as an absentee. If he had known what the charge was he would not have made such a statement.

Defendant was remanded to await a military escort.

 

Closed and is now (2024) a private residence.

 

LICENSEE LIST

TENDELL William 1841+ (age 40 in 1841Census)

APPS Aaron 1858-Feb/61 Maidstone Telegraph

JOY Alexander Feb/1861-62+ (also bricklayer age 41 in 1861Census) Maidstone Telegraph

PILBEAM John 1871-74+ Next pub licensee had (also farmer hop grower age 45 in 1871Census)

JOY Alexander 1878+

CARD Richard 1881+ (also farmer age 58 in 1881Census)

CARD George 1891+ (age 39 in 1891Census)

ROPE/ROFE William 1901-03+ (also general carrier age 37 in 1901Census) Kelly's 1903

MOORE Henry Frederick 1905-08 (also farmer)

EDE Richard 1911-18+ (age 39 in 1911Census)

EDE Walter 1822-38+

https://pubwiki.co.uk/Castle.shtml

 

Kelly's 1903From the Kelly's Directory 1903

CensusCensus

Maidstone TelegraphMaidstone Telegraph

 

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