**HISTORY**

Picture a crisp morning with the first light glimmers over the horizon. The soft creak of a coach wheel punctuates the quiet path. The faint scent of burning tallow candles hangs in the air, guiding weary travelers to the doorway of The Pied Bull. Founded by Matthias Rage in 1612 as a 'hospice with barn and garden,' this historic hostelry has stood on the old coaching road between London and Dover ever since. What began as the Bull Inn gradually became a bustling coaching inn. With its on-site blacksmith, it was always ready to serve the needs of passing travelers.
In 1710, the licensee was granted a 500-year lease to use water from the garden for the horses.
In 1774, the Kentish Gazette ran an advertisement listing the inn, its arable land, household goods, and coaching supplies for sale. This notice underscored the inn's role in local travel and trade, emphasizing its prominence within the community.
The Bull Inn, like many other inns, became the hub of the community. It hosted auctions and inquests. It also served as a venue for settling debts and credits after death. Between 1780 and 1819, it served up to six coaches a day. Imagine an auction in full swing: the clink of ale mugs mixes with the animated voices of townsfolk bidding fervently. Onlookers discuss local news in hushed tones. During such moments, the inn truly felt like the heartbeat of the community.
. In 1842, William Hollands (b. 1821) from Chislehurst, who later became the landlord, began operating a daily omnibus service from the inn to Charing Cross in London. This ran every day except Sundays. His father, Edward, was a coachmaster. His older brother, also named Edward, became a police constable in Farningham. This may have prompted William’s move to the area.
In 1847, James Philip became the innkeeper, but after his death in 1848, management passed to his wife Jane, who ran the business and cared for their four young children with the help of servants.
In 1855, Mr William Thomas Bray, a gentleman from Chelsea, purchased the inn and moved in with his family. He rebranded it as the Bull Hotel. Jane remained the licensee during this time and continued living there with her family. This setup reflected dual involvement in management.
The inn became a social center under Mr Bray’s direction. The Freemasons hosted evenings of food and entertainment. At the same time, the Dartford Stock Market gentry gathered for dinner. These events underscored the inn’s role as a meeting place. Farningham was the first to establish a stock market. Dartford soon followed.
Jane relinquished her license in 1871, after her children reached adulthood. Management then passed from Jane to William Hollands and his family, who assumed the role of licensee and remained until William's death in 1880.
After Holland’s death in 1880, Sydney Smith Wright, a 38-year-old carpenter and builder from Bexley, became the new licensee. He moved in with his wife, Harriet, and their six children. Wright died in 1886 at age 44. However, at the time of his death, his listed address was 16 Castle Road, Swanley Junction. He was recorded as a carpenter, making his license status at death unclear.
After Wright, James Lines from Wheathamstead, Hertfordshire, became the licensee in 1891. He and his wife, Emilie, moved in with their six children, continuing the inn's tradition of family-run management.
By 1901, the inn was owned by George Horne, a pastry cook from Nether Wallop, Hampshire, who moved in with his wife, Helen, and their two children. The Lines family, meanwhile, transitioned to another establishment in Luton. Such changes may reflect broader social and economic shifts, as family businesses like the Bull Inn faced new challenges amid a rapidly evolving community. 
The Horne family stayed until 1907. They moved to America in 1912, where George became a post carrier. Collins was the licensee from 1907 to 1911. He lived there with his wife, Doris, and their three children. He later moved on to the Horse & Groom in Rochester. Ernest Edgar Hannam from Cardiff, Wales, then took over the inn. He eventually left to work as a catering organiser in Lewisham.
George Thomas Arnold, a railway porter from Deal, served as licensee for several years with his wife and son. He ultimately left for a job with the Royal Navy Armaments. The last documented licensee was William Benjamin Bryan. He had spent most of his life in the trade. He spent only a few years at the inn in 1934, aged 70.
The inn has quietly observed the ebb and flow of its owners and licensees throughout its long history. Like a wise elder listening patiently to life’s conversations, it has seen countless faces pass by. Each leaves a mark before moving on. This account captures only one of the five centuries the inn has stood. It has witnessed every era as it ushered in its own stories and characters. Even amidst all these transitions, the inn endures. It is a steadfast presence in a sea of change. It reminds us of the countless untold stories embedded within its walls.
In the 1970s, the name changed to the Pied Bull. Following an extension, a seating area was created where the old road once passed. As patrons now quietly dine, it is fascinating to imagine the rumble of 18th-century coach wheels echoing through this very space. History and the present seamlessly blend here.
FOR A LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING OVER THE YEARS NOT MENTIONED, I.E LICENSEES, PROPRIETORS, RESIDENTS,  PLEASE GET IN TOUCH