1st visit of the outing: Not been to this gem of an old-fashioned pub since a young child. It looked its authentic part in every way with low beamed ceilings, wood panelled walls, leaded windows, wooden flooring in the two rooms either side of the public bar, and with two huge fireplaces containing wood burning stoves in place. This Grade-II listed inn is timber-framed and is said to date from the early 1600s and has a snug as you enter on your right and on your left a dining room accessed via a couple of steps into a tiny alcove called 'the Confessional' with basic wooden benches before the dining area and extending to its rear. At the back is a secluded courtyard and an extensive garden and given the weather was so clement, many punters were seated outside. Its traditional small public bar greets you as you enter and there were three cask ales on with two from the local Larkins Brewery just up the road. It has an impressively olde-worlde charm with a black and red quarry-tiled floor in the public bar and home to the locals and some of whom looked suitably somewhat weathered in years themselves and no doubt tenants of this National Trust-owned village and mingling with some fellow walkers who had no doubt explored the neighbouring Chiddingstone Castle or were about to. Prompt, friendly service for our early afternoon arrival following our hour’s walk along footpaths crossing fields and some with sheep in from Penshurst Station, confusingly situated at Chiddingstone Causeway. This is about a mile and half away coming this route. A fellow real ale enthusiast joined me in following our planned route along the footpaths to the minor road, Hampkins Hill Road, connecting to Chiddingstone, a very small hamlet containing the one pub, a church, a post office and general store and a tea-room, a few residential dwellings tucked in between and a primary school in front of Chiding Stone, a large natural sandstone boulder steeped in folklore.

NOT a visit but CAMRA’s heritage bulletin says: “ The grade II*Castle Inn, owned by the National Trust, closed in early 2024 following the discovery of a void underneath the pub. The cavity was caused by the collapse of a previously unknown medieval well. The stabilisation works are complete and we are pleased to report that the pub reopened in June.”

Mid afternoon on a sunny September Sunday.More folk outside than in. Our first visit since the new owners took over.A bit corporate perhaps.

Late afternoon - a smattering of eaters and drinkers. I particularly liked the courtyard garden.

Busiest we've seen this pub, on a windy February Saturday lunchtime:diners and drinkers, dogs and kids.We sat by the woodburner in the upper bar and discussed farmers markets.

Early evening on a sweltering late August Saturday. The garden was busy with customers,inside it was cooler and quieter. The barman emerged from the cellar bearing a bucket holding a newt.

Late afternoon on a wet January Saturday. A few in:while the others had tea or coffee, I had a Larkins.

Busy after a Christmas Fair at the Castle. We came to meet the family and enjoyed lunch

Walked the stretch of the eden valley walk from Edenbridge to here. Beautiful pub in a stunning little village. Shame there's not somewhere budget friendly to stay nearby as we'd have stayed here the entire evening!

A warm September Saturday lunchtime.A wedding party in the Public Bar, plenty of people in the Garden:we sat in the Saloon .We subsequently returned like bats in the dusk and enjoyed more beer at the benches in front.An excellent, popular pub.