the
* Red Lion *

This inn known by the name and sign of the Red Lion was built in the 35th year of
Elizabeth I, in 1393. Though the original structure of the building has undergone alteration down through
the years, particularly during the reign of George III, when the structure was refaced and that of Victoria
when other alterations were carried out.

VN/hen first built the property consisted of a main dwelling house or tenement with stables,
outbuildings and a large tract of land. It was owned at this early date by Francis Bryce, _veoman of
Patrixboume. By 1632 he had disposed of the house by sale and in that year one Jacob Jarvis, victualler of
Canterbury was granted a licence to sell ales from it. He called the house and registered it under the title
of the “Red Lion”. By 1640, it had become a registered inn offering lodging and stabling facilities and
because of its situation on the London to Dover High Road, it became an inn of some prominence.

Jacob Jarvis’ family had for many years been Vintners of Canterbury and were among the first to be
called so outside the City of London. He kept the “Red Lion” until his death in 1661, whereafter it and
all it contained passed with another dwelling in Bridge to he widow Arabella. She kept the house until
1672, when in that year she sold it and its wine licence, to Martyn Bradstowe, a victualler of Canterbury,
who for many years had kept an inn there called the “Black Griffin” in St. Peters Street, (the present one
was built in 188 7). Bradstowe’s wife, Sarah was a harness maker by trade and it would appear that she
conducted this trade from the “Red Lion” during the time she was here.

Most of the trade in the parish of Bridge at this date, because of its situation, seemed to be centred
around travel. There were three wheelwrights in the village, two blacksrniths and two saddlers. This was
apart from the trades conducted from the “Red Lion” which by 1700 could boast commodious livery and
bait, stables and a harness maker. In 1708, the Bradstowes sold the inn to Richard Knight, victualler, who
kept it until his death in 1741 whereafter it passed to his daughter Jane, a milliner of Bridge and together
they kept the house until 1768, selling in that year to Thomas Fagge. The Fagge’s were a prominent family
of Bridge. There was at this date a baker called Fagge, a miller, blacksmith and carpenter.

The improvement of the London to Dover highway in the 1760's meant faster and more regular
coaches. The “Red Lion” was never a main stage, but a resting place between stages. Private coaches
would wait here for the through coaches to pick up passengers transferring to local transport. It was
during this period that the stables were extended to accommodate more horses and a coach-house was
built. By 1800 Naomi Fagge, widow of Thomas was keeping the “Red Lion”. She sold it in 1804, to Joseph
Moss, victualler and equine dealer, who by the year 1810, was licenced to let horses from the inn, a
tradition that remained for many years to follow.

Moss sold the “Red Lion” in 1818 to Thomas Hawkins, who like his predecessor obtained a licence
to let horses. By the time he sold the inn in 1832, wagonettes and carriages could also be hired here. In
that year one Joseph Eyre purchased the house. By 1850, he was advertising the “Red Lion” as a fine
lodging inn, with carriage and stabling facilities. By 1860 he had become a fly proprietor of the “Red Lion
and livery stables”. A fly was a small one horse carriage, first introduced at Brighton in 1816. It was
originally pushed or pulled by two men, but later the term was given to any one horse carriage of the
hansom type.

Joseph Eyre kept the “Red Lion” until his death in 1871, whereafter it passed to his son Robert. In
1886, he sold the house to the Frederick Flint Brewery of St. Dunstan’s Canterbury. They installed one
Thomas Fisher Hinds into the house as a tenant. He kept it until 1898, being succeeded in that year by
Samuel Dommett and he in 1902 by Frederick Anderson. It was whilst in his hands that the Flint Brewery
sold out to the Beer and Rigden Brewery of Canterbury. In 1904, Anderson was succeeded by Frank
C1a_vson, he in 1911 by John Friend, who was here for the duration of World War I, and on until 1921,
when he was succeeded by Joshua Golder, he in 1926 by John Thomas Watson, he in 1928 by Richard S.
Ansell and he in 1933 by George Burton, who was here for many years to follow. In the 1940's the Beer
and Rigden Brewery sold out to the Whitbread Brewery and they eventually sold the “Red Lion" to the
Bass Charington Brewery.

Today, the inn is no longer brewery-owned and is kept by Andrew Paice Hill and Penelope Cavill.

3 January 1999


THE
* PLOUGH SLHARROW *

This inn known by the name and sign of the Plough and Harrow was built in the -'1th year of William and Mary in
1692. though the original structure of the building has been altered and added to down through the years.

When first built the property was made up of two dwelling houses owned at this early date by one Charles Pittock.
who appears not to have resided in either. but held leases on them. In 1703. one of the dwellings was occupied by Isaac
Whale. a shoemaker of Bridge. whilst the other by Thomas Kettle. a carpenter of the parish. By 1720. both dwellings along
with two others in Bridge and a third at Patrixbourne. was in the possession of Elizabeth Maudistely Pittock. Isaac V/Vhale
still occupied one dwelling and did so until his death in 1742. whilst the other. was occupied by the widow Kettle. who at this
date lived here on what appears to be a peppercorn lease.

By 1750, the Pittock estate was in the hands of Dorothy Pittock. who had inherited it upon the death of her mother.
At this date both dwellings were occupied. one by Henry Marshall and the other by Iacob Sherrod. however in 1761 both
properties were sold, Henry Marshall, still occupied one. whilst the other appears to have remained empty. They were sold
to Richard Hardiman, who in 1768 made them over in his will to Susannah Sherrad, daughter of Jacob Sherrod; and there
followed some arguments at law between Sherrod and members of the Hardiman family as to the rightful owner. during the
whole of which both dwellings remained unoccupied.

In 2785. Susannah Sherrard (now spelt thus) spinster of Bridge parish disposed of the two dwellings by sale to
Thomas Williams a maltster of Bridge. who between the years of 1785 and 1789, carried out works to the dwellings to form
them into a malthouse, though in doing so, he probably retained a small living area for himself and his family. His wife bore
him elevenlchildren, but as was usual of the times, not all these. survived the perils of infancy and by 1811. only six were
recorded alive and living here with their parents.

Thomas Williams lived out the rest of his life here, producing malt for the purpose of brewing. He died in 1830.
whereafter the house and business passed to his son I/Villiam. who by 1831 was brewing ale here for he is recorded so
throughout that year and early 1832. In that year he obtained a been house licence under the terms of the 1830 been act.
which enabled any house holder of good character to obtain a licence to sell beer from a dwelling or tenement of rateable
value. by merely paying the small sum of two guineas to the department of excise. thereby avoiding the necessity of applying
or being presented to Magistrates. who had no control over these beer houses and frowned upon the act.

And so in April 1832. ale was sold here for the first time. The house bore no title at this date other than that of a
beer house at Bridge and that the said \/Villiams a brewer and now beer seller was of that house. He kept it and sold his home
brewed beverages from it until 185 8. when in that year he sold it to Ioseph Burch. an ale and porter brewer. By 1863. the
house had come to be commonly called the Plough and Harrow. It is quite possible that it was given this title because there
was a blacksmiths nearby run by Thomas Fagg. who forged farming implements and probably displayed them outside his shop.

In 1877, Ioseph Burch sold the house to Samuel Shepherd of the Shepherd Neame Brewery. It was sold as the
Plough and Harrow beer-house with brewhouse. and outbuildings, the price of the purchase was 410 pounds. The Brewery
set about altering the property and upon completion of the works. they leased the house to Edward Russell in 1878. In the
same year he was granted a wine and spirit licence for the house, and it became a registered tavern. Edward Russell gave up
the house in 1881 to George Whiddett. He. in 1887 was succeeded here by Frederick Miles and he in 1894 by Charles
Hopper Bean.

Bean gave up the house in 1898, to Robert Silsey and he in 1901 to VN/illiam Brice. He was here until the outbreak
of VVorld War I when he was conscripted. He never returned. His wife Hariet took over the Plough ad Harrow and stayed
until 1928. when she was succeeded by George Ford and he in 1937 by Philip Ralph Mullinger. who was here for many years
to follow.

To-day the Plough and Harrow is kept by Iames Henry Crowhurst.