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Stone Street Road
Stone Street
https://whatpub.com/padwell-arms
Above photo date unknown. Kindly supplied by Norman and Janet
Webster. |
Above photo, circa 1970. Note the sign half way up the sign board
pole referring to the dolls on display in the bar area.
It was the tenants main draw card and for which the Padwell was
locally famous. I regret I am unable to furnish there names but I think
they were there for quite a few years.
Kindly supplied by Norman and Janet Webster. |
Above photo, 1969, kindly supplied by Alec Stevenson. |
Above photo date unknown. Kindly supplied by Norman and Janet
Webster. |
Above photo showing Janet (left) and Norm pulling the pint, circa 1970s. |
Above photo 2006. Depicts the restaurant area added at the rear of
the bar and a large addition to the bar area and private quarters
upstairs. The frontal area started at approximate left of the roof
drainpipe. Another two improvements made by us show up in this photo
.Firstly the walled in patio was added and in this I was just the
brickies labourer assisting my father in law who was a master bricklayer
and who also laid the concrete tiles. Secondly and as profits diminished
debt to the bank we cut two thirds off the garden and laid a sealed car
park. Both, I think have paid off handsomely over the years. Kindly
supplied by Norman and Janet Webster. |
Photos taken on 18 May, 2007 from
http://www.flickr.com
by John Law. |
 
Above sign left, date unknown, sign right, November 2000.
With thanks from Brian Curtis
www.innsignsociety.com. |
Originally the "Padwell Inn" the Arms were added as yet date unknown.
Previous licensee Norm Webster tells me the "Padwell" was so called because
in the cellar in one corner was a well, which he presumes is still there and
what few locals lived nearby were given access for fresh water. The term
"Padding" was referring to walking to the well as was used in those days and
thus the name came to be.
The pub was opened/re-opened in November 2009 after a major refurbishment
both inside and out.
It now houses the "Horse and Groom Stable Restaurant."
The premises was open in 2015, but believed to have closed again in 2017.
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Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, Friday 4th August 1905.
Seal Chart. Sudden Death of a Publican.
The death occurred on Friday morning last, very suddenly, of Mr.
George Miles, the landlord of the "Padwell Inn," Stone Street, Seal
Chart.
The deceased had been out in the morning, and expired suddenly on
returning home. He was 63 years of age.
The funeral took place last Tuesday afternoon at the St. Lawrence
Church. There was a large congregation, and the vicar (the Rev. B.
P. Thompson, M.A.,) was the officiating clergyman.
Among the many mourners were:- Mrs. George Miles (widow of the
deceased,) John, Thomas, Robert and William Miles (sons,) Lizzie,
Rose, Ada, Agnes, Edith, Mabel and Flossy Miles (daughters).
Mr. Pattenden represented the Sevenoaks and District Licensed
Victuallers' Association.
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From the Sevenoaks Chronicle, 15 January 1971.
Norman returns to Kent to re-open public house.
AFTER a three-month closure, the "Padwell" public house at Stone
Street, near Sevenoaks; has reopened with one of the youngest
landlords in the district behind the bar.
He is 32-year-old Mr. Norman Webster, who is no stranger to the
Sevenoaks area, for he used to run the "Crown," at, Ide Hill, for
two years from 1965.
Mr. Webster moved into the Stone Street “free house” in the
latter months of last year, and since then has carried out a
complete £1,000 re-fit, with redecorations in both the bars and the
living quarters.
In the next few months he hopes to build up the trade at the
house—mid-way between Seal and Ivy Hatch—and by the summer will have
introduced a snack bar.
For the past two and a half years, Mr. Webster and his wife Janet
have been running the "Bear," at Burwash, Sussex, but prefer “life
in Kent.” They have two daughters, Karen, aged seven, and Hayley
(3). Completing the “family” are two Alsatian dogs, Lana and Katie,
A keen sportsman and gardener, Mr. Webster was employed as a
foreman sheet metal worker before entering the licensed trade and
lived at Charlton, South London.
He moved to Borough Green and served as a part-time barman for 15
months at the "Bullfinch," Riverhead, before taking over the
"Crown," Ide Hill.
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From the Morning Advertiser, 16 January 1971.
Norman takes the Padwell.
After a three-month closure, the "Padwell" public-house at Stone
Street, near Sevenoaks. has reopened with one of the youngest
licensees in the district behind the bar.
He is 32-year-old Mr. Norman Webster, who is no stranger to the
Sevenoaks area, for he used to run the "Crown," at Ide Hill for two
years from 1965.
Mr. Webster moved into the Stone Street. "free house" in the
latter i months of last year, and since then has carried out a
complete £1,000 refit, with redecorations in both the bars and the
living quarters.
In the next few months he hopes I to build up the trade at the
house—mid-way between Seal and Ivy
Hatch—and by the summer will have introduced a snack bar.
For the past two and a half years, Mr. Webster and his wife,
Janet,
have been running the "Bear," at Burwash, Sussex, but prefer "life in
Kent." They have two daughters. Karen, age seven, and Hayley (3).
Completing the “family”, are two Alsatians Lana and Katie.
A keen sportsman and gardener, Mr. Webster, before entering the
Trade was employed as a foreman sheet metal worker, and lived at
Charlton, South London.
He moved to Borough Green and served as a part-time barman for 11
months at the "Bullfinch," Riverhead, before taking over the
Crown, Ide Hill.
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From the Sevenoaks News, 20 January 1971.
Padwell re-opens to trade.
The Padwell public house at Stone Street, which used to be better
known as The Doll’s House, has had a complete facelift, and reopened
after three months closure.
Now it can boast one of the youngest landlords in the district,
32-year-old Mr. Norman Webster, who ran the "Crown" at Ide Hill for
two years from 1965.
Mr. Webster moved into the Stone Street “free house” in the latter
months of last year, and since then has carried out a complete
£1,000 re-fit,
In the next few months be hopes to build up the trade
at the house—mid-way between Seal and Ivy Hatch—and by the summer
will have introduced a snack bar.
For the past two and a half years, Mr. Webster and his wife Janet
have been running the "Bear," at Burwash, Sussex, but prefer "life in
Kent.” They have two daughters, Karen, aged seven, and Hayley (3).
Completing the “family” are two Alsatian dogs.
Mr. Norman Webster, new landlord of the Padwell, Stone Street, which
has been closed for three months, with his wife, Janet, and their
two Alsatians, Lana and Katie.
A keen sportsman and gardener, Mr. Webster was employed as a foreman
sheet metal worker before entering the licensed trade and lived at
Charlton, South London.
He moved to Borough Green and served as a part-time barman for 15
months at The Bullfinch, Kiverhead, before taking over the "Crown," Ide Hill.
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From the ???? 1972
Norman is Kiwi bound with his Padwell profits.
WHEN Mr. Norman Webster bought the "Padwell" at Stone Street, near
Ivy Hatch, for a modest £7,000 he thought he might have a bargain.
And how right he proved to
be. For just two years later he has sold the pub for £35,000.
Mr. Webster, who is 34, said this week that this success story was
not quite what it seemed.
“I have spent about £7,000 on improving the pub and in view of the
massive increase in property prices, the price is not quite so
fantastic as it seems, at first,” he said.
Mr. Webster, his wife Jan and their two children Karen, aged nine,
and Hailey, five, will be leaving the "Padwell" at the end of
February.
TOO EXPENSIVE.
The family will then live with relations in Dymchurch while Mr.
Webster finalises his plans for emigrating to New Zealand.
Why is he going?
“I feel it is best for the kids and it is a chance
at last to get them away from the pub trade. The answer why I didn’t
do it before is that I couldn’t afford it.
“I can certainly convert my capital to better benefit in New
Zealand. I love the Sevenoaks area and I would like to stay here,
but I just can’t afford it.
“In Sevenoaks, my money would only buy me a three bedroom detached
house, but over there I can get the same sort of property for around
£10,000.”
Mr. Webster, who was born in London, trained as a sheet metal worker
but has been in the pub trade for some time.
He was landlord at the "Crown," Ide Hill, and was then known as the
youngest publican in the district.
“I love Ide Hill,” he said. “If I met an Ide Hillian in the middle
of Canterbury Plains in New Zealand, I would know where he came
from.”
In New Zealand, Mr. Webster plans to revert to his old trade. “But
if it is at all possible. I will be the only professional golfer out
there with a 24 handicap.”
ALL SET for New Zealand. Mr. Norman Webster, his wife Jan, daughters
Karen, aged nine, and Hailey, five—and of course the family dogs.
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Planning permission obtained for demolition in October 2019 and the building was
demolished on 14 April 2021.
LICENSEE LIST
MILES George to Aug/1905 dec'd
SARLES Glad & Harry ????
COLES Dave & Bette 1969
WEBSTER Norm & Janet Sept/1970-72
???? Pat & Bridie pre 2009
???? Jayne 2015+
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