DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Thursday, 23 February, 2023.

PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1851-

Fat Ox

Open 2021+

Ashford Road / Ox Road / Boars Isle

St Michael's

01580 766033

https://www.fatoxtenterden.co.uk/

https://whatpub.com/fat-ox

Fat Ox

Above photo, date unknown, showing the "Fat Ox" and Henley Cottages.

Fat Ox

Above photo, date unknown.

Above photo 2009 by Oast House Archives Creative Commons Licence.

Fat Ox sign 1980Fat Ox sign 1992

Above sign left, 1980s, sign right, June 1992.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Fat Ox sign 2010Fat Ox sign 2010

Above sign 2010. Later to be replaced by sign right 2010.

Fat Ox sign 2021

Above sign 2021.

With thanks from from Roger Pester  www.innsignsociety.com.

 

Your help is needed here. If you have any information about the above pub or other pubs in the same village or indeed other photographs of this house, open or closed, please email me at the address below. Every email is answered.

Thanks for your co-operation.

 

From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, 16 November 1861.

Tenterden.

Turner Burden, landlord of the "Fat Ox" beer house, was fined 20s. cost 10s. for keeping his house open between 1 and 2 o'clock on the morning of the 12th ult.

 

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Rachael Woods, 8 October 2016.

Carole Owens, landlady of The Fat Ox pub in Tenterden, hits back at anonymous letter writer.

A pub landlady who has been the target of a malicious letter-writing campaign has hit back with a message of her own.

Carole Owens 2016

Carole Owens of The Fat Ox in St Michael’s, Tenterden, receives a “couple of letters a year” penned by an anonymous writer that are full of insults about the characterful rural inn.

The latest letter branded areas of her Ashford Road hostelry as “shabby” and “disgraceful” and Carole, 56, has had enough.

Using her pub’s chalk board she wrote a note to her critic: “Dear Anon, As you are not prepared to reveal your identity you are currently ‘nobody’. As a ‘nobody’ your opinions, petty actions and letters mean ‘nothing’”.

Her message in chalk went on to say that unless the person became a ‘somebody’ their letters would be treated with the contempt they deserve.

“The letters started a few years back with complaints about cigarette butts being left outside the pub and litter in the road,” said Carole.

“I sweep up outside my pub regularly but some litter will always come back as it blown over the road from the shops and is dropped by kids.

Fat Ox board

This is how Carole Owens responded.

“The letters also say my garden furniture is not up to scratch and complain about my handwritten signs and that the building needs redecorating.”

The weatherboarded Fat Ox dates back to the late 18th century and has an inglenook fireplace, with Carole taking pride in the exterior, which she has decorated with bunting and hanging baskets and flower-filled containers.

But the letter writer has blasted Carole for her upkeep of the premises. “They said that my pub is at the entrance to the Jewel of the Weald (Tenterden) and is not giving the right impression,” said Carole.

The pub is owned by Shepherd Neame, which is responsible for painting the building’s exterior but Carole says that there have been no other complaints about it being sub-standard.

Carole says the notes are usually handwritten but this latest one was typed on a computer and written in capital letters.

She said: “I can tell it’s from the same person as the same envelope made of recycled paper has been used and it is always just addressed to the ‘Fat Ox Pub, Tenterden’”.

She added: “The person writing the letters hasn’t even got the courage to put their name on them.”

The latest letter said “I am writing to bring your attention to the very poor appearance of your premises. The car park, the seating area and the shabby state of the pub are disgraceful especially as it’s on the approach to our pleasant town known as the ‘Jewel of the Weald’.

“Most of St Michael’s village has a pleasing appearance and it would be appreciated if something could be done to clean and tidy up the Fat Ox.”

 

LICENSEE LIST

BURDEN Turner 1851-61+ (also grocer age 33 in 1851Census) Maidstone Telegraph

JEWHURST/DEWHURST Valentine 1861+ (age 35 in 1861Census)

BARNES William 1871+ (age 65 in 1871Census)

MILTON John 1881-86+ (age 49 in 1881Census)

BURDEN Caroline 1901+ (Widow age 51 in 1901Census)

PRATT James 1911+ (age 52 in 1911Census)

AUSTEN William 1939+ (age 49 in 1939)

 

Maidstone TelegraphMaidstone Telegraph

CensusCensus

 

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-

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