insideKENT Magazine Issue 80 - November 2018 | Page 128

FOOD+DRINK
KENT’S COSIEST
Winter Pubs cont.
The Wheatsheaf
The Green Man
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The Green Man // Hodsall Street
www.greenmanpub.co.uk The Wheatsheaf // Bough Beech
www.thewheatsheafboughbeech.co.uk The Three Chimneys // Biddenden
www.thethreechimneys.co.uk
Hodsall Street is a tiny village near to
Meopham, but what it lacks in size it more
than makes up for with its centrally located
pub, The Green Man. This pub is what anyone
looking for the quintessential Kentish country
pub would imagine and is ideal for stopping
off on a wander through the local countryside.
Something of a destination pub in recent
times, thanks in part to the enormous and
tasty menu and the easy, welcoming
ambience, The Green Man is lovely at any
time of the year and really comes into its own
during the winter. With an open fire, low
ceilings, beams and friendly staff, it’s a real
home-from-home place to be. There is often
live music at The Green Man, so you can pop
in for a ‘swift half’ and stay for a while. The Wheatsheaf in Bough Beech near
Edenbridge is a Grade II listed building, and
an impressive one at that. The owners try to
stay as true to its original heritage as possible,
which means that the pub remains as
hospitable and charming as it ever was – with
a dash of real Kentish atmosphere and cosy
fixtures and fittings thrown in. The Wheatsheaf
offers comfort, great dining and a good choice
of drinks. Look out for the ‘graffiti’ stating ‘1607
Foxy Holanby’ (possibly a local squire) and
take the time to check out the roof timbers,
where you’ll spot a rare medieval crown post.
Once part of the Hever Castle estate – a
hunting lodge, it would seem – there is history
in abundance here, and that history even
includes a rather famous visitor; none other
than Henry VIII himself. The Three Chimneys is one of those idyllic
country pubs that’s like a magnet for those
who are seeking somewhere peaceful to have
some time to themselves, or some quality time
with loved ones. With dark oak beams, a large
open fireplace, and aged hops hanging
from the ceiling, this pub has much more
history than you might imagine. It looks the
part and it feels the part too, and you will
always be welcome to come through the door
out of the cold and into the heart of this most
Kentish of Wealden villages. Surrounded by
stunning scenery, The Three Chimneys dates
back to the Seven Years War (1756 to 1763),
when French prisoners who were kept at
nearby Sissinghurst Castle were allowed out
every now and then – but only as far as the
local pub!