3rd stop of my visit to Borough Green and its environs: Deathly still and unlit on my slightly too early evening arrival as it was just a little before six. I was in fact the first early one waiting outside for its opening. Then a party of two pulled up in their vehicle outside by the front door which shortly after was opened by the barman. By just quarter past six some 8 were in, including me, and this quickly rose to 9, and so it continued to fill up in my pleasurable hour and a half visit. No piped music, just the hubbub of chatter here and the publican engaged just as much as his customers in the banter. I was asked if I wanted a tab on ordering my first half and so allocated a number for my tab. Four real ales on and with one being supped dry within some 30 minutes into this visit’s evening opening and being replaced with another. It is exactly like a micropub and has an emphasis on locally produced ales and ciders; it has that atmosphere where everyone is included in socialising. This sort of pub is a rare breed indeed now and where no one seemed absorbed in their phone. Wet-led only I hasten to add but for the jar of pickled eggs visible on the Victorian wood-panelled counter. As a mere visitor, I joined in with the banter just some of the time and the rest of the time just listened to this lively cacophony of voices from those hardened locals, I can only assume, seated and standing around this old pub’s bar. A huge and an imposing inglenook open fireplace, not on in this warmer than usual second Saturday in May thankfully, was the very striking feature alongside a sizeable basket of logs. The place had a timeless quality about it and has been accoladed by local CAMRA for looking after its beers and was CAMRA local branch Cider Pub of the Year 2024 and CAMRA Kent Regional Cider Pub of the Year 2024. MY VENUE ENTRY HERE IS CONTINUED UNDER MY FIRST BEER SAMPLED AS IN DARK STAR’S HOPHEAD.

Lovely gem of an old pub which has not been modernised. Grade II-listed is this Kentish-brick and tiled cottage and with the main public bar retaining its original Victorian wood-panelled bar. I purposely found it via a very pleasant and quiet country walk from Basted along Mill Lane. Not a single motor vehicle passed me along this lane. It had the impression of being full on my arrival but there were in fact only about eight locals, it appeared to me, assembled in one of the two rooms of the pub and the one with the bar in it, alongside a huge fireplace and a motley collection of tables and chairs. A warm welcome from the owner of this independently-run pub and from the locals also inside for my early evening arrival. Weekdays it does not open until 6pm and at weekends it opens at noon until 3pm before reopening from 6pm. Six real ales on and a wet pub and so very much my type of pub really when not too hungry! It sometimes has cask ale from wooden barrels on and is by all accounts a regular haunt for the Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood.

Good crowd of locals in on a Wednesday evening. One switched to the porter after we recommended it.

Afternoon visit

Came here with Phil as he had never been before. I really like the big inglenook fire and the community feel here.

Saturday lunchtime and a fair number of locals in. This is one of my favourite pubs. I came here maybe 5 years ago and have been meaning to come back ever since. This is a proper public house, someone's home that has been turned into a place to sell alcohol. Great.

Even though Ian knew where he was going it was not easy to find. What a great pub. Like the front two rooms of your elderly aunts house in the woods.