HISTORY.... AND MAYBE A HAUNTING!

The Red Lion Rusthall was listed as a Grade II building on 7 June 1974. It also appears under Speldhurst as well as the more recent area name, Rusthall.

First licensed in 1415, the pub was likely in situ and trading long before this date. Situated on the London to Brighton coaching road via Speldhurst, the pub has been providing weary travellers refreshment for more than six centuries. Opposite the pub is a row of cottages where travellers would rest their horses in the stables just along the road on the right, a building that is now used as a business space. The bakery over the road from the old stables would have been a very busy place, as would have been the forge, which is just up the lane heading towards Peacock Farm. The village pond, which was in front of the triangle of grass was filled in long ago.

The oldest part of the building structure has original oak beams from merchant ships and a beautiful inglenook fireplace on the back wall, which would have been burning non stop back in the day as the only source of heat in the pub.

As an iconic building in the community since the days of Lower Green being considered its own hamlet, the pub serviced the community even as far as to be the local mortuary in the unavoidable but unfortunate event!

As with all old buildings there are many tales of ghostly goings on, but even in 2021 there have been several incidences of the cash register suddenly leaping off the bar in front of surprised customers! Believe it or not....

Sussex Advertiser 30 September 1856.

TONBRIDGE. Petty Sessions, Wednesday, Sept. 24th.

Adjourned Licensing Day.

Mr. Cripps applied for the license of the "Red Lion Inn," Speldhurst, for Robert Haffenden, as it had been refused to the former landlord, on the ground that he had been convicted three times.

Granted.

LICENSEE LIST

TURNER William 1832+

SNASHELL Charles 1841+ (age 45 in 1841)

HARGRAVES Fanny 1851+ (age 45 in 1851)

HAFFENDEN Robert 1856+

LAMB Charles 1871+ (age 39 in 1871)

HAYLEY James 1858+

SIMPSON Samuel 1874-81+ (age 47 in 1881)

COLEMAN Alfred 1891+

TRUSSELL Edgar John 1891-03+ (age 33 in 1891)

TOMLIN ???? 1911+

WALLACE William 1913+

BASSETT Albert William 1918+

WARNER Henry Charles 1922+

DREW Alfred Edward 1930+

AVARD Walter 1938+.

The Red Lion Since 1415"The Historical Pub"

HISTORY.... AND MAYBE A HAUNTING!

The Red Lion
Since 1415
"The Historical Pub"