Above photo 1901, kindly sent by Tessa Leeds.

Above photo, date unknown, showing the pub just behind the weather-boarded house on the right.

Above photo early 2009.

Above photo late 2009.

Above Google image, April 2010.

Above photo, date unknown kindly sent by Tessa Leeds.

Above photo 2018, kindly sent by Kevin Flack.

Above sign 1960s.

Above sign left, June 1993, sign right, 2014.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

PUBLIC HOUSES OF THE WEALD by Tessa Leeds.

The Weald, like many other villages, once boasted more Public Houses that it does in the present day. The reason for there being so many in the first place was due to the Government passing The Beer Shop Act of 1830. This Act enabled virtually any householder to produce beer on his/her own premises for sale, providing that an annual excise fee was paid.

THE WINDMILL INN. Windmill Road.

The original Windmill Inn, obviously so called as it overlooked one, stood on the brow of the village green in the cottage now known as Windmill Cottage. It was a beer shop, later obtaining a spirit license. As the Miss Youngs took up residence, opening their laundry in the cottage in 1892, this seems the most probable date for the opening of the Windmill as we now know it. The present building was extended in 1905 and has had several of its doors re-positioned, but otherwise remains little changed by the years.

Further notes.

Windmill Cottage on the village green was also originally just a Beer Shop it later became a laundry run by the Miss Youngs until 1956, drying washing on the village green. It was at one time a snob shop it had skittle alley, presumably when a Beer Shop. When Mrs Knight bought it she sold Brownie Uniform from there. Became a cottage when the new Windmill Inn was built around the 1900's.

From the http://www.courier.co.uk 21 February 2009

COUNTRY PUBS CLOSE THEIR DOORS

VILLAGES around Sevenoaks are in danger of losing their identity as a swathe of traditional pubs close.

In recent months half a dozen pubs have shut. This is in addition to those left empty, unloved or handed over to developers for housing.

Across Kent, on average three pubs are closing a week and 90 have shut their doors in the past six months, with 39 a week closing across the country.

In Weald the village's only pub, the "Windmill," has long been a contentious issue for residents, having had four landlords in eight years.

It closed just after Christmas and was poised to be taken over by village couple Ron and Jan Mannering but the deal fell through on Monday.

Mr Mannering blamed the high rent asked for by brewery Greene King. He said: "We are in hard times, things have changed."

Mrs Mannering added that the pub was left in a terrible state and it would have taken a while to clean up.

She said: "We are losing a feature of village life. A pub is not a drinking hole, it is a meeting place.

"Someone should recognise that village pubs are part of our heritage. When people think of England they think of the pub."

The couple sent a letter around the village asking for support and said they were overwhelmed by the responses.

Mrs Mannering said: "We had around 40 letters back from the villagers.

"I got a phone call from a lady who said when she moved to the village 20 years ago there were seven pubs. Now there are none."

Sevenoaks town councillor Ann Dawson said: "So often in villages the pub is the centre of the community, people will gather in the pub, make friends and chat.

"The Windmill was very much part of the community. When the only pub in the village goes it gets worrying."

Greene King said the search was under way for a new landlord at the "Windmill."

Spokesman Steve Head said: "We are currently in the process of finding a new licensee to take the business forward. We apologise for any inconvenience."

Chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association Rob Hayward blamed closures on increased alcohol tax.

He said: "With trading conditions among the toughest we have ever seen, pubs are now closing at record rates. Yet the Government continues to press ahead with plans for even higher taxes on beer and a proposed £300m bill for extra red tape, this year alone.

"Local people know the impact a closed pub can have on their community."

From the http://www.dailymail.co.uk. 2 November 2009.

VILLAGERS BOYCOTT PUB AFTER LANDLADY REFUSES TO SELL POPPIES

Villagers are boycotting a pub after its landlady refused to allow a Poppy collection tray on her bar.

Landlady Bernice Walsh, of the "Windmill," in Weald, Kent, told former RAF serviceman David Marchant that people could buy poppies 'somewhere else' when he asked her permission to leave a poppy tray in her pub.

Mr Marchant, who is a local parish councillor and school governor, said the whole village was shocked and upset at the decision.

'It has become quite a talking point in the village that she showed this lack of interest,' he said. 'A lot of people are upset.'

The 77-year-old, whose father fought in the Great War and brother was in World War Two, said the Poppy Appeal was very important to him.

'My brother, who is older than me, served through the war in the Army and my cousin was killed flying a Spitfire,' he said.

Mr Marchant did two years' National Service in the 1950s with the RAF, serving in traffic control at a flight training school in Gloucestershire and was chairman of his local Royal British Legion branch until it was disbanded.

He said every other business he approached, as well as the local school and church, accepted poppy trays.

Mr Marchant, added: 'She made it quite clear that I couldn't leave them on the bar. I had the tray in my hand to give her. That was the whole object of my visit.

'She has upset an awful lot of people before this I'm afraid in other ways.'

Villager Graham Hendry said he was appalled at Miss Walsh's decision and said he and many of his pals were boycotting the pub until the poppy tray was allowed.

He said: 'God only knows why she is being so stubborn.

'Everybody supports the poppy campaign and I can't think for one minute why she refused to have the tray on the bar.

'I'll not be drinking there until the poppy tray is on the bar and nor will a lot of my mates.'

Evelyn Rogers, Weald's poppy organiser, said there had always previously been a poppy tray at the pub.

'I have been doing this for years and years and I have never experienced anything like that in my life,' she said.

Another villager, who did not want to be named, said: 'It's a shame because people in the village want to support her, but she keeps rubbing people up the wrong way.

'We need a pub - it was closed for six months and then she came and everyone was really pleased about it, but immediately she banned dogs and it's a village pub and people like to take their dogs in so it's upset an awful lot of people.'

He added: 'I won't be going back until the situation is resolved.'

Miss Walsh said she has been surprised by the degree of bad feeling towards her since she took over The Windmill three months ago.

She said: 'There are a lot of people in the village who are against the pub. I would like to be part of the community, my kids go to the local school, but any offer has been refused.'

She said there were already three other charity boxes on the bar.

Speaking at her pub yesterday, landlady Bernice Walsh said that 'she didn't have room for a poppy tray' on her bar.

Miss Walsh, 36, who is originally from County Mayo in Ireland said her bar was 'too small' and that she 'already had three other charity collection tins' on the bar.

She said: 'I was unable to give the poppies a prime spot on the bar as it is narrow and already has other charity boxes.'

Miss Walsh also said that she was aware of some villagers boycotting her bar, but said that it was mainly 'old people'.

She added: 'There are customers who are boycotting the pub, but it's the older people who are doing that.'

The mother-of-two said the pub was previously closed down because it was a 'dump' and only a small group of men had drunk there and said that since she took over in July it was more popular with youngsters and women.

She said that the people boycotting her needed to stop the campaign against her, adding: 'They need to stop bad mouthing me.'
She said the reason she banned dogs from the pub when she took over the pub in the summer was that she was 'highly allergic' to both dogs and cats.