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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Secret Drinker, 14 March 2025.
Secret Drinker reviews the Stone Horse pub between Higham and Rochester.
From the road, particularly in the gathering gloom, it was tricky to
tell if this was even a pub and I nearly passed the large boring-looking
white building, near Higham.
The Stone Horse was lit up well enough, perhaps even a little too well,
as the brightness of the bulbs made it difficult to make out the name on
the wall.
When you get up close the writing is on the wall and it's clear to see
this a pub, but from a distance it's not obvious at all.
But, as I drove down Dillywood Lane, I was intrigued enough to park up
against the grass verge and investigate this shining beacon against the
night sky a little further.
An A board at the entrance confirmed my hunch was correct and once
through the brightly-lit porch I found myself in a large room to the
right-hand side of the building, one of two main areas separated by a
central bar serving both.
The sign etched into the glass on the door read ‘saloon bar’ but you
might describe this as more of a lounge-style bar with its carpeting and
tables set either for dining or drinking.
The Stone Horse, on Dillywood Lane between Rochester and Higham, is easy
to spot from the main road but I wasn't sure if it was a pub until I got
a lot closer.
I faced four pumps with three offering beers I know very well: Doom Bar;
London Pride; Harvey’s Sussex Best. Of these, I would have chosen the
latter, but the fourth pump displayed a tag for Buster, a 4% IPA from
Bowland Brewery in Lancashire, which at £4.50 was just too good to
ignore. A first taste immediately confirmed I’d been right to take the
chance, this is an excellent IPA.
I took one of the pub’s own beermats, a nice touch, and found myself a
seat at an empty table. The bar had wood panelling halfway up the walls,
was lovely and warm and had music playing at a sensible level – I
haven’t heard Don’t Leave Me This Way for a while.
The boarding is painted in that particular colour of green which
invariably seems to lead to overcharging, but the prices here really
weren’t too high and it felt like a proper country pub.
There are plenty of great touches in the main bar and it's obvious this
place has serious history - though I wouldn't have guessed it dated
right back to 1774.
There’s no darts, no fruit machine and no jukebox but I saw plenty of
signs advertising the Six Nations, so if you haven’t got a spot to watch
the final games this weekend, this could be the place.
The lounge was fine but it was very quiet on a Wednesday evening, so I
slid next door into the bar proper.
With its wooden floors, trendy industrial lighting and a great little
log burner, I think I preferred the atmosphere on this side of the pub.
There are a good number of tall tables with stools but also several
quieter corners with more comfortable seating.
There is a central bar in the middle of the pub which divides the two
rooms.
There's a corridor at the back of the pub which links the two bars,
though the barmaids said many new customers don't realise and go back
outside to get from one to another.
I thought it would be tricky aging this place and, when asked, the
barmaid simply said she thought it had been a pub for a long time, but
fortunately I then located several signs on the walls detailing a number
of fascinating facts about the Stone Horse.
By its own admission, it says the exterior of the pub is unremarkable
but any building able to trace its history back to the 14th year of
George III’s reign has to have a few tales to tell.
To date, we’d had Sledgehammer from Peter Gabriel, Tears For Fears
Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Robbie wanting to entertain us but
I was reliably informed Wednesday is ukulele night and the barmaids said
it would be worth sticking around as ‘the banjo players are great’.
I've spotted rifles hung on quite a few pub walls and even a few old
saws but I think this is the first time I've seen a crossbow used for
decoration.
There are plenty of small touches to recommend this country pub –
horseshoes made into hooks for coats on the underside of the bar, lights
in jam jars, a crossbow on the wall, live music, even a decent selection
of drinks but it’s the atmosphere created which really marks its success.
It’s not a pub packed with comic signs and witty sayings but there are a
few and I particularly appreciated the one directing customers to the
toilets – Men to the left, as women are always right.
Actually, on the subject of loos they were clean and well-maintained and
whilst it’s not unique to see urinals fashioned from old kegs, it is
unusual and it’s certainly good to see it done as well as this.
The staff are happy enough to chat but equally pleased to leave you to
your own devices and simply enjoy a decent beer in a relaxed
environment.
It’s well run and looked after and the owners are obviously intent upon
maintaining good standards whilst ensuring everyone receives a warm
welcome.
My complete lack of musical talent meant I wasn't able to check to see
if the piano was in working order.
It's not unique by any means, but you don't see too many toilets with
urinals fashioned from beer kegs.
Many older features have been retained at the Stone Horse but the
newly-introduced industrial lighting and trendy bulbs work well.
Décor: An excellent combination of history and modern renovation.
Outside, it was difficult to tell if this was even a pub, but inside it
was fascinating, comfortable and welcoming. *****
Drink: There was a good selection of ales on offer and I was impressed
by the Buster IPA. There was also a decent selection of lagers and other
drinks. ****
Price: The Buster IPA was £4.50 and a pint of Pravha £5. Advertised as a
new option, a pint of Level Head session IPA was priced at £5. ***
Staff: Both the barmaids were bright and cheery – and call me old
fashioned but I still like being greeted with ‘What can I do for you my
lovely?’ ****
You don't always find beer mats in pubs these days, so taking the
trouble to have your own personalised mats made is a nice touch. |
