|
Cage Lane / Nub's Green 1901
Smarden
01233 770432
https://www.flyinghorsesmarden.co.uk/
https://whatpub.com/flying-horse
Above photo, date unknown, kindly sent by Debi Birkin. |
Above postcard, circa 1923, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above postcard circa 1949, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, date unknown. |
Above photo, circa 1971. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. Smarden 432. From
a guide book to Old Kentish Inns, which told readers that the pub
offered bar snacks, lunches and dinner and also something only referred
to as MC: any guesses? Hanging on the wall, to the left of the photo, is
a cannon wheel. This is believed to have been part of a gun used in the
1706 Siege of Turin, though how and why it ended up in the pub appears
to be lost to history. |
Above photo 2010 by Oast House Archives
Creative Commons Licence. |
 
Above sign left, 1980s, sign right, June 1992.
With thanks from Brian Curtis
www.innsignsociety.com.
 
Above sign left, 2011. Sign right, 2020, kindly taken and sent by
Roger Pester. |
Above matchbox, circa 1980s. |
Above map 1785, Green="Chequers",
Red="White Horse",
Yellow="Hog and Donkey"
location, later to become the "Flying Horse." |
I also have reference to a "White
Horse" which could be the same building.
|
Kentish Express, Friday 7 September 1979.
Garden Glory for the Village.
THE attractive garden and flower decorated front of the "Flying
Horsee" public house in Smarden has won a lot of admirers — and a
prize for the licensees.
The design of hanging baskets featuring a profusion of colourful
geraniums, the work of publican Terry Rounce, gained first prize in
Courage's floral decoration and garden competition.
It was not until after Terry had done all the work that he found out
about the competition, said his wife Margaret, who went with him to
a special party in Swanley to receive their prize of a crystal
decanter and glasses.
The competition attracted entries from all over the south East.
Terry and Margaret Roance are pictured outside the "Flying Horse"
with their winning certificate.
|
|
From the
https://www.flyinghorsesmarden.co.uk accessed 15/April/2021
The History Of The Flying Horse.
The Pub Today.
The Flying Horse is a family owned pub run by Daniel Gibbs and Nathasha
Hartfield, as well as, Daniel’s wife Louisa Gibbs (Nathasha’s Sister).
This pub has had a long line of landlords over the years with a rich
history to match.
The "Hog and Donkey."
The Flying Horse was built in around 1790 on a section of St Michael's
Churchyard; this part of Smarden was called Nub’s Green.
The pub started life as the “Hog and Donkey” this was probably due to
the amount of pigs and donkeys that were brought to Smarden for grazing.
Smarden actually means “Fat Pasture” presumably because of the amount of
pigs that roamed the fields.
The First Owner of The Flying Horse.
The Hog and Donkey later changed its name to The Flying Horse. It’s
first recorded landlord was Richard Giles around 1841 on a village map
of the time. Richard was born in 1790, he was a local dealer and trader
and he would travel to Canterbury market for pigs as well as Rye’s
market for Fish.
The Racecourse.
It’s believed the “Hog and Donkey” changed its name to
the “Flying
Horse” because of the racecourse that was in the field opposite. The
then famous racecourse attracted huge crowds and the countries top
jockeys during the 1800s. Smarden Raceday was held on the 3rd Monday in
July. The pub would have profited very well out from this yearly event.
The last race was in 1852 after a professional rider named Paget was
thrown from his horse and injured.
More Than A Pub.
The pub once a had forge which took care of horses that had been swapped
over at the Nules Green exchange point found at Smarden town bridge. At
the time coaches between Ashford and Headcorn were run by Calehill
Hundred. In the 1890’s the mail was brought into Smarden from Cranbrook
in a trap by a man named Osbourne. He would leave his horse in good care
at The Flyer while he sorted out all the incoming and outgoing mail. In
the afternoon he would return to Cranbrook with all of Smarden’s
letters.
The Hop Pickers.
During 1958 - 1960, the pub was owned by husband and wife Bryan and
Margaret Hills-Johnes. At that time, what is now the car park that sits
opposite the pub, was a vegetable garden that supplied The Flying Horse
with fresh veg.
This was also around the time floods of Londoners from the East end
would descend on Smarden to help harvest the hops. Farmers would setup
hop huts for the hop pickers, mainly women and children during the week
and joined by the men at the weekend. This was their holiday. A chance
to get out of smokey, sooty London and enjoy some fresh country air. The
Flying horse was the hop farmers choice of drinking establishment as
well as the hop pickers!
The Flying Horse proudly hangs hops from the rafters of the pub to
embrace the long history of hops grown within the local area. Hops are
sold to the local brewery Shepherd Neame in Faversham which go into the
beer that is served in the pub.
|
|
From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Rachael Woods, 22 October 2018.
Saboteur hurt in clash with Ashford Valley Tickham hunt at Flying Horse, Smarden.
Fox hunting supporters were seen laughing as a female saboteur was
sent hurtling to the ground from a gate where she landed on her head.
The men, thought to be linked to the Ashford Valley Tickham hunt, were
videoed laughing near the Flying Horse, Smarden, as the masked women
attempted to scale the gate and follow a pack of dogs.
Recruitment consultant Harry Blackhurst, a member of the West Kent Hunt
Saboteurs, witnessed her fall, which happened as the men appeared to
rattle the gate.
He said: "They were shaking the gate to get her off it and their
behaviour was outrageous.
"Luckily there were no serious injuries but my associate has pulled some
muscles in her shoulder.
"She was also badly shaken by what happened."
The 31-year-old, who claimed he had been tipped off about the Ashford
Valley Tickham hunt by an insider claimed: "It was very aggressive and
threatening atmosphere and the men were swearing at us."
The incident took place last Wednesday and a video of it has emerged on
social media.
Mr Blackhurst alleges a fox had been chased into the centre of the
village earlier on and that the hunt was not simply following a legal
trail.
He says the group consisted of three fox hunters in red jackets, 10
other riders and around 30 supporters on foot, with a pack of 30
foxhounds.
A police spokesman said: "We are aware of video footage reported to be
in the Smarden area and officers are seeking to establish the
circumstances surrounding the incident."
|
The licensee Charles Marshall died on 16 February 1916 and is buried in
the churchyard nearby.
Above gravestone of Charles Marshall. At St. Michael the Archangel
Churchyard. |
LICENSEE LIST
GILES Richard 1841+
WHITE Charles 1881-1901+ (also farmer age 57 in 1901)
MARSHALL Charles 1911-16/Feb/16 dec'd (age 52 in 1911)
HILLS-JOHNES Bryan & Margaret 1958-60
TIDY Pete & Chris 1980s
GIBBS Daniel & Louise and HARTFIELD Natasha 2021+
Census
|
