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346 Common Road
Blue Bell Hill
01634 861500
http://www.robinhood-pub.co.uk/
https://whatpub.com/robin-hood
Above postcard, circa 1919. At the time this photograph was taken, the
pub was a remote country pub and like many similar rural houses, would
have kept a variety of livestock in its grounds. Kindly sent by Rory
Kehoe. |
Above photo, circa 1920, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, circa 1949, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo 1978, from www.Flickr.com
by Ben Levick. |
Above photo from
http://www.burhamvillage.com |
Above photo kindly taken by Karen & Barry Holt in 2018. |
 
Above sign left, 1950 sign right, 1964.
With thanks from Brian Curtis
www.innsignsociety.com. |
Above photo, May 2019, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, May 2019, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
The "Robin Hood" Pub, though not actually in the village of
Burham itself, but resides
on the North Downs above the village within the bounds of the parish. It is
very much an isolated country Inn, which probably came in very useful in the
past when (so rumour has it!) it indulged in joint smuggling operations with
the "Watermans Arms" public house in the neighbouring village of Wouldham.
The building is Grade II listed and about 700 years old although I do not
know when it first started serving beers. It is reported to be one of the
oldest in England and was visited by pilgrims on their journey along The
Pilgrims Way.
Many characters from ballads and folklore have given their names to pubs,
and Robin Hood is one of the most popular. In the past the following verse
was often inscribed on the pub sign for Robin Hood pubs (although I'm not
sure if it was ever on this one):
"You Gentlemen and yeomen good,
Come in and drink with [or to] Robin Hood,
If Robin Hood be not at home,
Come in and drink with Little John."
Hopefully their beer was better than their rhyming!
The pub, was at one time involved in the smuggling of liquor, along with
the neighbouring "Waterman's Arms"
in Wouldham.
The 1881 census referred to this as the "Robin Hood and Little John"
beerhouse.
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Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, 29 January, 1839.
Sporting intelligence.
We understand that the offices of Chatham garrison, under the patronage
of Colonel Warre, proposed having a steeplechase, to come off on
Wednesday, 30th inst., (subject to weather) over two miles and a half of
well selected ground near the "Robin Hood," Bluebell Hill, the following
horses are already entered:- Mr Bringhurst's The General; Mr Corbet's
Coeur-de-Lion; Mr Scot's Hop-o'-my-Thumb; Mr Doxant's Jenny; and Mr
Leicester Smith's Monarch.
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From the Sevenoaks Chronicle, 9 June 1882.
LICENSING PROTECTION.
George Thompson, licensee of the "Robin Hood and Little John," Burham,
was summoned for opening his house for the sale of beer, on Sunday, May
14th. Mr, Bassett, of Rochester, appeared for defendant.
It appeared
that on the day in question two constables, attired in labourers'
clothes, concealed themselves in a wood at about 9.30 a.m., and from
that time to eleven o'clock they saw five different men enter
defendant's premises. Several other persons visited the house. The
defendant asked where they came from, and upon their replying from
Malling, they were served with ale, which they drank. While doing so a
party of seven men had two more quarts of ale. For the defendant, Mr.
Bassett, contended that the men served by defendant were believed by him
to be bona fide travellers, and he wished to conduct his house in the
best way possible. Defendant was called in support of this statement.
The Bench dismissed the case.
Defendant was then further charged for permitting drunkenness on the
16th May. Instructing-constable Taylor deposed to visiting
defendant's home in the evening, when he saw eleven men and women all
the worse for drink, one of them being very drunk, and the house
being in a great uproar. Police-constable Dalaine corroborated. The
Bench fined defendant £3 and costs 11s. 4d.
Defendant was also summoned of selling adulterated gin, but
Superintendent Hulse said that if defendant paid the costs he would
withdraw the prosecution.
Mr. Bassett applied for the transfer of the defendant's house to the
defendant, but Superintendent Hulse stated that he must oppose the
application as the defendant had not had the house long, but he had
heard several complaints which caused him to send a constable there in
plain clothes.
The Bench refused the application.
DRUNK.
William Martin was fined 10s. and 9s. costs for being drunk on the
premises of the former defendant on the 16th May. |
LICENSEE LIST
GLOVER Joseph 1881+ (age 57 in 1881 )
THOMAS George 1882+
BOND Henry 1891+ (age 48 in 1891)
PARRIS Amos 1891-1901+ (age 46 in 1891)
SMITHERMAN Isabel M 1901+ (manageress age 41 in 1901)
SMITHERMAN John 1903+
("Robin Hood & Little John")
https://www.irhb.org/wiki/index.php/Robin_Hood
Census
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