GOOD INTENT Pub of Aldington

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated Aldington:- Tuesday, 06 August, 2024.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1855-

Good Intent

Dec 2014

Frith Road

Aldington

https://whatpub.com/good-intent

Above postcard, date unknown.

Above photo, circa 1951, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Picture by Nick Smith 2010 under the Creative Commons License.

I have also seen this addressed as Mersham.

According to a book on Kent Inns, the "Good Intent" was named after a smuggling boat, which operated out of Rye and Dover in the early 19th century. The boat was eventually boarded and captured by the crew of the HM Revenue cutter Sylvia in 1837.

The licensee as indicated by the Census of 1891 was a John Kirby, by 1901 he had moved on and was no longer a publican but he returned to it by the 1911 census when he is Publican of "The Sun Inn" in Camborne on the Isle of Wight.

Michael Mirams tells me the pub operated under the name of the "Black Rabbit" briefly around 2001 or 2005.

I believe this pub was on the market during 2011 but has been sold and as far as I know is open for business. Their web site is currently being developed.

Latest information received in December 2014 tells me the pub is closed and boarded up.

Information collected from Wikipedia.

Harry Barling, singer from South Willesborough, Ashford, Kent, 1867 - 1947.

He was living at 110 Gladstone Road, South Willesborough when Francis Collinson collected songs from him on 3rd December 1942:

King Arthur

The Thresherman

1. It's of a noble gentleman who lived down in Kent

Close by where lived a thresher whose family was great

Whose family was great though most of them were small

And he'd nothing but hard labour to maintain them all

2. At times when he comes home from work as tired as could be

He takes his youngest child and dances on his knee

While others they come round with their sweet flattering toys

And that's the very comfort that a poor man enjoys

3. The noble gentleman he met the thresherman one day

And boldly stepped up to him and these words then did say

You have in all large family, we know it to be true

And how is it you maintain they so well as you do?

4. Well I can reap and mow, and it's I can plough and sow

And sometimes it's hedging and to ditching I do go

There's nothing comes amiss to me, the harrow or the plough

And so I do maintain them by the sweat of my brow

5. My wife she is willing to join in the yoke

We live just like two turtle doves, each other don't provoke

The times are very hard and we are very poor

And can scarce keep the wolf and bear from the door

6. Well done, you noble thresherman, you speak well of your wife

I will make you live happy all the rest of your life

There forty-five good acres of land I'll give to thee

To maintain you and your wife and your sweet family

7. God bless that nobleman, he's dead and he is gone

I hope his soul's in heaven to gain the better end

The best one gone before us, and we're left here to mend

So we must follow after them as well as we can

He had worked as a master carpenter, and was a member of the Aldington Brass Band for 45 years - he was bandmaster when he retired from the band in 1930. A keen cyclist, he died at the age of 80 when, cycling to visit his sons in nearby villages, he was in a collision with a motor-cyclist (Obituary in Kentish Express, Friday 19th September 1947).

Most likely the same Harry Barling who is listed in the 1901 Census as a Carrier General, living at Aldington, born at Ruckinge; and in the 1881 Census as living at the "Good Intent", Aldington Frith - son of Frank Barling (born 1819), Innkeeper and Carrier.

From the Kentish Gazette, 14 April, 1857

TO BREWERS CAPITALISTS AND OTHERS.

Desirable Investment. For sale by Private Contract.

An old-established Inn, known as the "Good Intent," at Aldington, in Kent, with the Garden, Stable, convenient Outbuildings, with about an Acre of Land, part of which is thriving Orchard, commodious Wheelwright's Shop, and Blacksmith's Forge.

The property may be viewed on application with the tenant, William Mittell, and further particulars obtained from Mr. Thomas Green, or Messrs. Stringer & Everest, Solicitors, New Romney, Kent.

Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 3 August 1861.

Highway robbery at Aldington.

James Post was indicted for assaulting John Mannering, and stealing from his person a knife, a purse, and £3. 10s at Aldington on the 9th of April.

Mr. Barrow appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Byron for the defence.

The prosecutor said he resided at New Church. On the 9th of April he was at Ashford, and left there to return home with a prisoner and two other young men. They reached the "Good Intent" at Aldington about sunset. The prisoner went before them to the house. Prosecutors stayed there some time, and had had some refreshments, which he paid for from a purse which contained three sovereigns and some silver. He left between 11 and 12, and went towards home. The prisoner have gone out before him. After he (prosecutor) had got a short distance from the house he saw a man who proved to be the prisoner, at a few rods in front of him, coming towards him. The prisoner came up to him, struck him on the side of the face, and knocked him down, and then out on him and took the purse and money and pocket knife from his pocket. The prisoner got up and went towards the "Good Intent." Prosecutor had called out for help, and afterwards endeavour to get assistance, but failed. His face was cut in three places. He went home and on the following morning gave information to the police.

By Mr. Byron:- I admit I was in liquor, but I knew perfectly well what I was about. I did not say to a man named Austin, whom I afterwards met "You are the man that robbed me." I said, "Are you the man that robbed me?" I added, "I see you are not. You are the man that fell down in a fit." I did not tell him I did not know who took the money.

Police constable Bevern received information from the prosecutor on the morning of the 1st of April that he had been robbed by the prisoner. Witness apprehended the prisoner on the same day, and found marks of blood on his trousers and frock. The prisoner said he did not know how the blood came on his trousers, and that the blood on his frock was caused by his nose bleeding.

Mr. Biron, for the defence, urged that the prosecutor was drunk, and did not know who had robbed him, and called the following witnesses.

Thomas Crunden, living at Aldington, remembered prosecutor comeing to his house and "rattling him up." Prosecutor told him he had been knocked down and robbed. Witness said "It don't look to me as if you want much knocking down." Prosecute said, "I don't know as I should." Prosecutor then asked "where he was," and "where the "Good Intent" was." Witnessed directed him to the "Good Intent."

Edward Austin remember meeting the prosecutor near the "Good Intent" on his the night in question. The prosecutor was about knocking someone up, when witness said something to him, and prosecutor turned around and said, "You are the ____ that robbed me." The prosecutor was very drunk.

William Horn, landlord of the "Good Intent," deposed to the prosecutor and the prisoner being at his house on the night in question. The prisoner left between 8 and 9, and the prosecutor left shortly before 12. The prosecutor was beastly drunk.

William Hayman depose the having been with the prisoner on the afternoon of the 9th of April, and that his nose then bled.

Another witness gave similar testimony.

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

His Lordship:- That is the safer verdict.

South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 26 April 1864.

Stealing a purse.

At the County Petty Sessions, on Thursday, Charles Wimble was charged on remand with stealing a money purse, property of Daniel Diamond, at Aldington, on the 9th inst. The prisoner had put his team in the stable at the "Good Intent," Aldington, for about an hour and a half, and after he had left the purse in question was missing. It was afterwards traced to the prisoner's mother's house and given up by her. The prisoner pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 days hard labour.

Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 14 February 1885.

George Barling, son of the landlord of the "Good Intent Inn," Aldington, was summoned for trespassing in search of rabbits on Woodlands at Bilsington, over which Mr. Robert Blake, of Newlands, Sittingbourne, has the right of shooting.

The case was settled by defendant's father paying 7s. 6d. costs.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Dan Wright, 4 November 2019.

Horsebox crashes into Good Intent pub in Frith Road, Aldington.

A horsebox crashed into a 17th century former pub, damaging the building and sparking a large emergency response.

The air ambulance landed at the scene of the accident outside the former Good Intent pub in Aldington, near Ashford.

Four people were treated for injuries following the crash, which also involved a van and happened just before 12.30pm.

Two of the casualties suffered head injuries and all four were conscious at the scene and taken to the William Harvey Hospital by land ambulance.

The horsebox was transporting two horses at the time of the crash.

They were removed from the scene and are not believed to have been injured.

The horsebox hit the former pub at about 12.30pm. Picture: Georgia Woolf.

The former "Good Intent," previously called the "Black Rabbit," sits on the junction of Frith Road and Priory Road and was named after a smuggling boat.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Alex Jee, 5 November 2019.

Pictures show aftermath of horse box crash at Good Intent pub in Aldington.

Pictures are emerging showing the damage caused to a 17th-century former pub in Aldington after a horse box crashed into it.

A large emergency services presence attended the scene outside the former Good Intent pub in Firth Road, near Ashford yesterday.

A large hole was left in the 17th century building. Picture: Dan Payne.

The building sits on the junction of Frith Road and Priory Road and was damaged by the crash, which also involved a van and happened just before 12.30pm

The former pub, which previously traded as The "Black Rabbit," has sustained a large amount of damage where the horse box collided with one of its walls.

The incident was attended by the air ambulance, and four people needed to be treated for injuries.

Two of the casualties suffered head injuries and all four were conscious at the scene and taken to the William Harvey Hospital by land ambulance.

The horse box was carrying two horses at the time of the crash.