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Yeoman Lane / The Green
Bearsted
01622 738365
https://www.thewhitehorsebearsted.co.uk/
https://whatpub.com/white-horse
Above photo, date unknown, looking south-east, showing pub on right. |
Above postcard, 1910, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, date unknown. |
Above postcard posted 1950. |
Above photo, circa 1974. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. With a rather
embarrassing typo on the card! Like many former Fremlin's pubs in the
early/mid-1970s, the WH still has some its original signage remaining in
situ. |
Above photo, kindly sent by Tricia Francis, 7 April 2015. |
Above photo, kindly sent by Tricia Francis, 7 April 2015. |
 
Above sign left 2010, sign right 2015. |
Above photo 1979. |
An entry in Fremlin's 1950s publication called "Where shall we go,"
indicated the following:- Phone - Maidstone 87165, Parking accommodation - 5
Coaches and Car space, Lunch - Snacks up to 120 (7 days' notice), tea -
Snacks up to 120 (7 days' notice), Remarks - On edge of Bearsted Green.
Ample bar accommodation, also large Hall for dancing.
I am informed that the pub was known as the "Camelot" for a short period
in the 1970s. It was made over as a Whitbread theme pub and described
in the Guardian newspaper by Richard Boston as one of the worst or most
tasteless theme pubs ever with plastic Excalibur's etc. But has reverted
back to the "White Horse" again.
Over the years the premises has also been used as a court room, a church,
a rifle club meeting venue and hosted Bearsted's Victory Dinner in 1919.
During the Battle of Britain, the pub was popular with pilots and groundcrew
from nearby RAF Detling.
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Kentish Chronicles, 28 January, 1794.
On Thursday the 16th instant, some thieves got into the stable of
Mr. Robert Salmon, of Hollingbourne, and stole two horses, which
they rode away with; but on their passing the "White Horse" at
Bearsted Green, the landlord knew the horses, and suspected them to
have been taken away without the owners consent, and communicated
his suspicions to two persons who soon after stopped at his door;
they immediately set out in pursuit, and soon overtook one of the
men, who they challenged with the theft; he said he had not stolen
Mr. Salmon's mare, but that's his boy having dropped a bundle he was
looking for it, upon which he got off, and in his pretended search
made his escape up a by-lane and got clear off. The pursuit was then
continued after the other, who was overtaking near the turnpike on
Penenden Heath, and on finding he was pursued, immediately slipped
off the horse and went into the the filling pits just by and
escaped. This last delinquent dropped a sack, marked in 6 places
with J. Smith, containing two saddles; most probably likewise
stolen. The two horses were restored, and the sack with it's
contents left at the "White Horse" at Bearsted; but unfortunately the
thieves remain at large for some future depredations on the public.
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From the Kentish Gazette, Friday 13 March, 1779.
A New-built Brick House, sashed, with a good cellar, and three very good
rooms on each floor, and three Garrets; likewise an Acre of rich Meadow
Land adjoining, and good Garden, &c.
Mr. W. Woollett at the Sign of the "White Horse," Bersted, will shew the
Premises, &c.
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From Bury and Norwich Post 04 June 1806.
On Saturday the 24th, between nine and ten o'clock, a man named Ambrose,
who lives at Bearsted, Kent, was stopped at the top of Lilk-hill, near
Maidstone, by three men, dressed in buff-coloured jackets, with military
buttons, No. 52, and the word Oxfordshire thereon. - They drew their
bayonets, threatened to run him through, and robbed him of a blue jacket
and a flannel one, two handkerchiefs, a hat, and round frock, with 8s.
in money, leaving one of their regimental jackets. The same night, about
eleven o'clock, on the London road, about one mile from Maidstone, a
labouring man, named Rose, was knocked down by three soldiers, with
drawn bayonets, supposed to be the same desperadoes, and robbed of his
hat and new round frock. Soon after Mr. Marden, of the "White Horse," Bearsted, was stopt by the same men, with drawn bayonets, about two
miles from Maidstone, and robbed of a £10 Bank-note, half-a-guinea in
gold, and sixpence in silver. These fellows are understood to be
deserters from the 52d regiment. |
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West Kent Guardian 17 June 1848.
BEARSTED. - CRICKET.
On Wednesday, 7th instant, a spirited match was
played on Bearsted Green for the benefit of Mr. Godden, landlord of the
"White Horse," between the Bearsted Club and the Chatham Union Club. The
play was excellent on both sides; but the bowling on the side of
Bearsted was a little too good for the Chathamites. An excellent
entertainment was provided at the "White Horse," to which about forty sat
down, and which gave the greatest satisfaction to all present.
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From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, 7 September 1861.
Bearsted Petty Sessions.
Gabriel and George Allen, charged with stealing a bottle of wine from
the "White Horse," Bearsted were discharged, the prosecutor not
appearing.
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Kent & Sussex Courier 23 May 1913.
FROM TICEHURST TO BEARSTED.
Mr. Walter William Taylor was up to quite recently the landlord of the
"Bell Hotel," Ticehurst, but became licensee of the "White Horse Hotel," Bearsted, on Monday. He was formerly the head gamekeeper on the Burnt
Oak Estate, Orlestone, near Ashford. |
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From the Kent and Sussex Courier, 12 January, 1934.
CAR ON RIVER BRINK.
A Ticehurst man and a young woman employed at a Tunbridge Wells hotel
had an alarming experience at Maidstone on Sunday evening, when the car
in which they were driving back to Tunbridge Wells from Bearsted crashed
through a barrier at the College horseway and overturned. The driver of
the car was Mr. Ivor Parley, whose address was given as Bournhurst Farm,
Stonegate, and he was accompanied by Miss Gladys Lloyd, who is employed
at the "Castle Hotel." The accident happened at about half-past five in
the evening. The car, an Austin Seven, came off the Ashford-road, and at
the cross-roads near All Saints’ Church, instead of taking the
right-hand turn into Mill-street. It went straight on, crashed through
the barrier spanning the brink of the College horseway, down the steep
slope, and finally hit the bank and rolled over. The driver realised the
danger of dashing into the river, and in attempting to pull up he
cannoned with the bank and the car over-turned. Mr. Parley and his
passenger were taken to the West Kent General Hospital suffering from
cuts to the head and face and slight concussion, but they were not
detained. Later in the evening they were driven home by Mr. Ben Brook,
of the "White Horse," Bearsted.
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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Lydia Catling, 3 December 2019.
Father Christmas postbox stolen from The White Horse, Bearsted.
A box filled with letters for Father Christmas has disappeared from a village pub.
The festive postbox was taken from The White Horse, in Bearsted, on
Saturday, leaving many children disappointed their wish lists won't make
it to the North Pole.
Michael Campbell, deputy manager of The White Horse Bearsted and Daria Goddard, a team member.
Over several weeks staff have asked all their younger visitors to write
their names, ages and whether they have been naughty or nice on a
special note and post it.
Sadly, when they arrived for work on Sunday they realised the box, which
had more than a 100 letters inside, was nowhere to be seen.
They searched the whole building from top to bottom, as well as the
garden, but couldn't find it.
Georgina Graham, shift supervisor at the pub, said: "It is really quite
upsetting. The postbox was filled with wishes.
"We made such an effort to make it so full of Christmas spirit and then
someone goes and does this, it is quite unbelievable.
The postbox was taken on Saturday.
"It can't be that far, someone just needs to own up to what they have
done.
"It is waterproof, they could just leave it outside the door and that
would be fine by us.
"We are just really hoping someone has a conscience and brings it back."
Michael Campbell, the deputy manager, said: "Someone has obviously woken
up to a postbox. I can see the funny side of it but the children aren't
going to."
The owners have upped their Christmas spirit this year, introducing the
new festive mail service and putting up their floor to ceiling 12-foot
tree covered in baubles and lights.
They hope the box, which cost more than £100, will be returned with all
the young people's letters inside.
In the meantime, children can hand their letters over to members of
staff who promise to pass them to Father Christmas.
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LICENSEE LIST
WOOLLETT W Mr 1779
MARDEN Mr 1806+
CLIFFORD Robert 1832+
CLIFFORD Robert & WHITE James 1840+
GODDEN Thomas 1848-71+
(age 60 in 1871 )
STEPHENS J 1890+
RUNDALL F Mr 1891-95+ (widower age 61 in 1891)
KNOWLES henry Joseph 1903+
MURRAY Daniel 1913+
TAYLOR Walter William May/1913+
TAYLOR S A 1922+
BROOK Ben 1934+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/WhiteHorse.shtml
From the Pigot's Directory 1832-33-34
Census
Maidstone
and Kentish Journal
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
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