DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Sunday, 16 October, 2022.
PUB LIST PUBLIC HOUSES Paul Skelton

Earliest 1851-

 Woodman

Closed 2006

132 Swanley Lane

Swanley

Original Woodman

Above photo, date unknown, kindly sent by Keith Whitmore.
Woodman 1962

Above photo 1962.
Woodman

Above photo, date unknown kindly sent by Michael Norman.
Woodman 1963

Above photo taken in the winter of 1962-63.
Former Woodman 2017

Above Google image, August 2017.

 

Reference has been found in the census of 1851, I am informed that this was originally known as Knockholt House, a private residence of the Fivewents Estate.

This end flint cottage shown in the top photo, was once the Woodman Beer House, the cottages were built for workers on Fivewents Farm early 1800s. On building the railway 1850s many navvies used it and caused problems. Subsequently it was closed and transferred further up Swanley Lane to Knockholt House previously a private residence on the Hextable Estate, It was nicknamed The Black House as it was rather dark & dingy.

As time went by and traffic increased it was dangerously close to the road. Eventually it was demolished and a new Woodman built further back from the road, but was very modern & cold. This sadly closed in 2006 and became an Indian Restaurant.

I do have reference to another "Woodman" addressed in nearby Sutton-at-Hone and it is suggested that this is one and the same.

 

From an email received 14 October, 2022.

Dear Sir,

As a young lad my father told me of the Old Woodman somewhere behind what was the team engineering.

He said it was a timber building which was covered with pitch and tar hence it’s name the Black House.

I wonder if you have any info on this, if so I would like to know.

Many thanks Colin P Mundy.

P.S. I am 87 years old and lived in Hextable all my life so the Woodman was the local pub.

 

LICENSEE LIST

TURNER Frederic 1851-81+ (also agricultural labourer age 53 in 1851) Census

TURNER Henry 1891+ (age 47 in 1891Census)

TURNER David 1901+ (age 46 in 1901Census)

MILLS William 1903+

MILLS Wyndham 1911-30+ (age 43 in 1911Census)

MILLS C 1938+

https://pubwiki.co.uk/Woodman.shtml

http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/woodman.html

 

CensusCensus

 

If anyone should have any further information, or indeed any pictures or photographs of the above licensed premises, please email:-
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