PubsandBeer
Old House (Free House)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) |  | 1 |
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | | 1 |
| Loddon - Hoppit | | 1 |
| Larkins - Pale | | 1 |
| Hidden - Quest | | 1 |
| RCH - Old Slug Porter | | 1 |
| Loddon - Gravesend Shrimpers Bitter | | 2 |
| Oakham - JHB | | 2 |
| Banks's - Ringwood Fortyniner |  | 1 |
| Larkins - Traditional | | 1 |
| Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) - Flowers IPA (subsequently contract brewed at Brains) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Otter - Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | Not Tried | 0 |
| Skinner's - Betty Stogs Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
10 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
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.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's - Old Ale (or Sussex XXXX Old Ale) | 4.30 | | This Lewes-based old ale from Sussex came with very good head and lacing and kept this throughout. A dry malty first hit. An explosion of maltiness then took hold in the mouthfeel alongside a dry bitterness colliding. A hoppy and fruity sweetness carried on with hints of dried fruit and dates. Very moreish but time for the walk back to the station at Borough Green. |
| Larkins - Pale | 4.20 | | Good head and lacing to start off with on this Chiddingstone-based pale ale. A very hoppy first hit. A moreishly dry hoppiness rising up before a dry hop-infused sweetness lingered on. It resembled the colour of malt whisky. |
| Larkins - Traditional | 3.40 | | This local Chiddingstone bitter was presented with very good head and lacing and lasting. A lovely hoppy first hit derived from the hops grown on the brewery's Larkins' farm. A dry hoppy mouthfeel rising up and mixed with its own home-produced malts. A moreishly full-flavoured ale with a bitter hoppiness lasting. |
| Banks's - Ringwood Fortyniner | 4.90 | | Came with very good head and lacing did this Wolverhampton-based bitter and hung on to it throughout. A dry fruity first hit. To me a slight hint of honey and packed with caramel flavourings. A touch of damson led to its lingering sweetness on the taste buds. A mix of malty and hoppy fruitiness lingering. Very moreish! |
| Timothy Taylor - Landlord | 4.30 | Not Tried | |
| Skinner's - Betty Stogs Bitter | 4.00 | Not Tried |
27 Jul 2011 (Martin the Mildman)
Good crowd of locals in on a Wednesday evening. One switched to the porter after we recommended it.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCH - Old Slug Porter | 4.50 | | Full bodied black porter with roast malt and hints of smokiness. Some chocolate and liquorice flavours also present. My score 16/20. |
03 Oct 2009 (Pedro)
Afternoon visit
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hogs Back - Tongham TEA (previously T.E.A.) | 4.20 | | |
| Loddon - Gravesend Shrimpers Bitter | 4.10 | | |
| Loddon - Hoppit | 3.50 | | |
| Hidden - Quest | 4.20 | |
28 Jun 2007 (Ian)
Came here with Phil as he had never been before. I really like the big inglenook fire and the community feel here.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | | It has lost the yeasty farty aroma that it had for several months and was back to being clear, bright, lots of citrus grapefruit and tangerine fruit flavours and good hoppiness. Lovely |
| Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) - Flowers IPA (subsequently contract brewed at Brains) | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Loddon - Gravesend Shrimpers Bitter | 4.10 | Not Tried |
10 Feb 2007 (Ian)
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.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | | Eggy yeasty aroma. Good condition, good citrus fruits. |
| Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) - Flowers IPA (subsequently contract brewed at Brains) | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Otter - Bitter | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Loddon - Gravesend Shrimpers Bitter | 4.10 | Not Tried |
10 Feb 2007 (Andrew)
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.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loddon - Gravesend Shrimpers Bitter | 4.10 | | Brown best bitter. Good malt with sharp astringent hops. Well ballanced malt and hops. |
| Oakham - JHB | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Badger (Hall & Woodhouse) - Flowers IPA (subsequently contract brewed at Brains) | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Otter - Bitter | 3.60 | Not Tried |
About the Old House
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
 | - |
| 8 |
| 4 |
 | - |
 | - |
The pub is found in Ightham Common, Kent, TN15 9EE.
This pub is hard to find as there wasn't a pub sign outside until 2017 when two wooden pins were displayed outside where the old sign used to be years ago. This is in a line of terraced cottages halfway along Redwell Lane, look for the gable where the sign used to be. Two cottages have been knocked together to form this true public house. The single small bar in the main room serves the pub. As there is no cellar, the beer is kept in a cool corridor to the rear and is served on gravity straight from the cask. The large wood burning fire dominates one wall. It is a little down at heel, but this is very much how pubs would have been. Very much into the beer from the wood scene and buys its own wooden firkins to be filled by local breweries. Local CAMRA branch Pub of the Year 2018, 2019, 2020 and Cider Pub of the Year 2018, 2019 too.
We have visited this pub 6 times, seen 14 different beers and tried 10 of them.
Postcode: TN15 9EE