Crown circa 1900.

Above postcard, circa 1905, by kind permission of the Eden Valley Museum. Also showing the "Half Moon" (right.)

Above photo, date 1905, by kind permission of Eric Hartland.

Above postcard, date 1909, kindly sent by Mark Jennings.

Above postcard circa 1913, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Crown Hotel postcard, postmarked 1919.

Crown Hotel 1920. By kind permission Peter Macleod.

Above photo, date 1930, by kind permission of Eric Hartland.

Above postcard 1935.

Above photo, 1952.

Above matchbox, date unknown, kindly sent by Debi Birkin.

Above photo, date unknown.

Above photo 1987.

Above photos, 8 August 2009, taken by Eric Hartland.

Above photo 2018.

Sign, March 1993.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Information below from their web site:- http://yeoldcrown.co.uk

History of Ye Old Crown & Edenbridge

The village grew up as the crossing point of the river, with the high street being paved by the Romans about 100AD. This provided a route for the wood and iron found in the Ashdown Forest to be taken to London.

The name appears to be from the bridge over the Eden, but after the Romans left a Saxon, Eadhelm became leader of the local people, and he built a bridge over the river which was unnamed at the time. So the village was named EadhelmBridge which was shortened to Edenbridge, from where the river name is derived.

An old legend is that the first stone bridge across the river was built because two old ladies were unable to cross the river in a time of flooding, and a trust was set up to maintain the bridge.

The 1500′s brought wealth to the town with the iron industry. The raw materials came from the surrounding areas. The small town built up, but suffered badly with the relocation of the iron industry to the midlands in the early 1800′s.

The latest bridge was built in 1834, and provides a picturesque crossing of the river.

However in the middle 1800′s the town started to regain its wealth when it became the crossing point for the north south and the east west railway lines, which made it a loading point for the locally produced farm goods, and the first commuters.

"Ye Old Crown" is a remarkably preserved inn which has been serving wayfarers and visitors since the reign of Edward III (1327 -1377). The inn, a distinctive landmark in Edenbridge, is unmissable because of it's unique Kentish bridging sign which spans the High street. It has a known secret passage running from the pub to the church, which was used in the late 17th century by the Ransley Gang for smuggling. The first documented publican was a Mr Robert Fuller (1593), when the pub was known as Fullers House.

When the pub was renovated in 1993, the builders unearthed an old pair of shoes, which are now housed in the museum next to "Ye Old Crown." Legend goes that many of the older buildings had shoes in the walls as the people of past times believed that a pair of shoes in the wall warded off evil.