1.Three Daws Riverside Inn
 Town Pier, Gravesend, DA11 

Bar & Restaurant

''From Wedding Receptions, Disco’s, Parties, live bands through to Barbeques, Cocktail evenings, Quiz nights and the simple meeting of people gathering for a quiet meal or drink.'' 

**HISTORY**
The Three Daws sits on the east side of Pier Square and is a Grade II listed building. Many people say it is the oldest pub in town, famous for its timber frame, weatherboard walls, and tiled roof. It is also among the oldest riverside taverns in southern England.
Construction started around 1488, when some out-of-work ship carpenters built a row of cottages facing the river in Gravesend. They used whatever timber they could find, so every door, window, room, and cupboard ended up a different size and shape. The cottages included the Falcon, King of Prussia, and the Amsterdam, which became well-known thanks to a sea shanty. As the cottages were joined together to form the Three Daws, the many staircases added even more character to the building.
As large sailing merchant ships became common, the building was used to house sailors. It had eleven bedrooms, all linked by five staircases.
Merchant ships and warships gathered at Gravesend, their hulls creaking as they waited for the tide to change. When the river currents finally shifted, skilled pilots would board and guide the ships through the tricky mudflats and shallow waters.
At first, it was called the Three Cornish Choughs, a name taken from the arms of Canterbury City. Nearby, the original landing place, known as the Hythe, was used by pilgrims crossing the river on their way to Canterbury Cathedral. The Cornish Choughs, linked to St Thomas Becket, would have been familiar to those making the pilgrimage to his resting place.
For centuries, river workers filled the pub, sharing stories of seamanship over pints of ale. Local smugglers whispered secrets in dark corners, always on the lookout for sudden raids by naval press gangs.
The inn received its first license in 1565. Ralph Wellett became innkeeper in 1582, followed by Joseph Silvers in 1602. After Silvers died in 1624, his wife Jessica ran the inn until 1639. Samuel Boone then became the licensee.
In 1651, Thomas Scruggs took ownership. After his death, his wife Lucy ran the inn until her own passing in 1705. Their son Richard took over until 1718. After this, the license changed hands several times, with some owners staying briefly and others for over ten years.
During the Stuart era, from 1603 to 1714, high taxes on imported spirits made smuggling a profitable business. The inn got involved in these illegal activities. The Custom House was built across the road, and there are still rumours that if the cellar walls were ever taken down, tunnels leading out from the pub would be found. People say smugglers used these tunnels.
Although The Three Daws was made of wood, it survived the fire that swept through Gravesend in 1727. The pub escaped with only minor damage, while much of the town was destroyed.
In 1745, the pub was renamed the 'Three Daws,' marking another change as it continued to grow and adapt.
In March 1780, after a wild fight in West Street between smugglers and Customs Officers, 80 gallons of Geneva Gin were found hidden in a damp tunnel under the inn.
By 1798, the Admiralty had ordered, "The Three Daws is never to be raided by a press gang, except if there are two," because the pub had two entrances. During the Napoleonic Wars, local men often escaped press gangs by using the maze of staircases. Behind the chimney, three hidden passages led to the 'Old Prince of Orange,' the 'New Inn,' and the 'Fisherman's Arms,' giving customers a way out.
In 1783, Esau Ribbens took over and held the license until his death in 1805. His son Solomon, then 60, ran the inn until his death in March 1837. Afterwards, his daughter, Martha, became a licensee, followed by Edward Baker in 1855.
Later, the pub became a favourite spot for Victorian day trippers who arrived by steamboat. The riverside was busy, with steamships going to places like Margate, Sheerness, Newark, London, Herne Bay, Southend, and Essex. As more people travelled, the pub often became a stop for those heading to London, and the Town Pier's inns and taverns would fill with people waiting to board. In 1835, the Commercial Steam Packet Company launched three new, fast ships: the Duke of Sussex, Princess Victoria, and The Emerald. Its rival, the Diamond Steam Packet Company, started in 1836 and ran a London-to-Gravesend service until 1855, when competition from the railway forced it to close. Today, a ferry still crosses the Thames to Essex.
The pier was also a starting point for trips to Australia and New Zealand with the Inman Line, White Star Line, and Cunard Line. These were the three biggest British passenger shipping companies in the 19th century, mainly running transatlantic routes. They competed for passengers and mail contracts, and each was known for its ship design and comfort. The White Star and Cunard Lines later merged.
A pilot's house, now gone, was built on the north side of the main building. It was separate from the tavern and used as offices for steam packet ships. Later, it became a reading room for local watermen and then served as offices for steam tugs.
Over the centuries, the tavern survived many challenges, while other pubs closed, became private homes, or were replaced by shops and new houses.
In 1988, the building was rebuilt and refurbished to create a unique restaurant, bar, and function suite.
In the 1990s, it became a popular venue for jazz bands.
The pub keeps its history alive by displaying pictures of ships and black-and-white photos from Gravesend's past on its walls.
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**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
On many occasions, the Three Daws has hosted Paranormal investigators, who have kept all-night vigils. Mediums and Psychics wandered the rooms, each reporting stories of ghostly presences. 
There have been reports of certain corners in the building, known only to longtime staff, where chills run along the walls, and uneasy footsteps echo upstairs. Some staff are hesitant to go upstairs, worried they might meet a resident ghost.

2. YE OLDE LEATHER BOTTEL
 1 Dover Rd, Northfleet, DA11
Bar & Restaurant 
''A traditional pub offering a wide variety of drinks and exciting offers. Relax with a refreshing pint of your favourite larger in hand and a great atmosphere''

**HISTORY**

Ye Olde Leather Bottel has been around since 1706. Back then, it was just called the 'Leather Bottle' and also worked as a hotel for travellers.
The inn’s sign shows a young man drinking from a bottle. In those days, bottles were made of leather instead of glass.
On 14 June 1749, someone left 20 fat lambs and four sheep at the inn. An ad went out saying they would be sold if the owner didn’t come back to claim them and pay the fee.
In 1780, Porock, a Hullman from Gravesend, started the Antiquarian and Natural History Society in Kent. The group made the Leather Bottle its headquarters.
In August 1785, Richard Horlock announced in the Kentish Gazette that he had taken over the 'old accustomed house.' He updated it with new beds, furniture, and a selection of top wines and spirits. The inn also offered good stabling and comfortable rooms for travellers. After ten years, Horlock moved on to the Queen Inn in Northfleet.
In 1786, Customs officers arrived at the inn to seize a cart full of smuggled tobacco. The tobacco wasn’t in its original packaging and had no certificate. The landlord, Horlock, tried to settle the matter, but the officers refused and took the cart and horses toward London. On the way, five armed men on horseback—two of whom had been at the inn earlier—caught up with them. A fight broke out, and the smugglers overpowered the officers, wounding two and taking back the goods. One smuggler was caught.
In early September 1830, a ‘Grand hoax’ fooled many people. A notice claimed a steam carriage, seating 12 inside and 16 outside, would travel from the inn at Northfleet to Chalk in Gravesend. Hundreds showed up to watch, but the carriage never appeared. The landlord, William Laws, probably had a busy day. Maybe he even started the hoax to boost business.
In the 19th Century, it was common for inquests to be held in pubs. There were county coroners, but the inquests were always held in the parish where the body was found. The first report, in The Evening Standard on Wednesday, 3rd August 1831, was of a case that had taken place at the inn on 1st August 1831. A boy of 16 (no name published) was in the employment of the landlord, Mr Law, and he had joined a group with a gambling addiction, while Mr Law and family were out for the day, and he lost 17s. He went home and hung himself with his neckcloth on a beam in his master's stables. The Jury verdict: deranged and distracted. 
The inn became a posting house and, in 1839, teamed up with the Red Lion Inn at Shooters Hill in London. Together, they ran a stagecoach from Rochester to Shooters Hill, stopping at Northfleet and Charing Cross, cutting out the change of horses at Dartford. This cut travellers’ journeys by an hour. They did this to compete with a Dartford company that tried to create a monopoly and raise prices.
On 29 July 1858, twenty Freemasons from the Lodge of Fellowship had dinner at the Leather Bottle. Brother Archibald led the event, with Brother Stokes as vice-chair. The food and wine were excellent. Like many inns, the Leather Bottle was a community hub, hosting dinners, celebrations, and meetings for locals, landowners, and clubs.
In 1869, landlord John Fry Higgins, a builder who had taken over the inn in 1858, was summoned to the petty sessions for unjust measures. He was fined 5s and court costs.
In JulIn July 1875, John Fry Higgins was fined 40 shillings and court costs for opening the inn on Sunday, 4 July. He pleaded not guilty.
In 1892, it had taken the name 'Ye Old Leather Bottel' in newspaper reports. The name change could have been to avoid confusion with another leather Bottle hotel, only an hour away in Cobham, famous for its association with Charles Dickens.
In 1895, Alfred Thomas Hollingberry became the licensee, but soon after, he was summoned by the Excise authorities for illegally selling beer to neighbours. That September, his carman delivered a gallon of porter to a neighbour for one shilling. The neighbour, along with an Excise officer and a Licensed Victuallers' Society official, caught him in the act. Hollingberry was fined £2 11s and left the inn not long after.
In August 1896, Mr Lionel Martineau, a solicitor from London, applied for a new license on behalf of Mr James. The previous tenant, John Edwin Grenfield, had closed the inn on 14 July and left, taking the license with him. The owner had already secured a protection order from the justices to keep the license from being lost. The inn was valued between £6,000 and £7,000. The application was approved.
On the afternoon of Sunday, 20 June 1897, William Freeman, 16, criminally assaulted Ida Annie Smith, the six-year-old daughter of Alfred Smith, the landlord of the tavern. The boy was employed by Mr Smith as a stable boy, and, according to the evidence of the child herself and a little boy named Charlie George Prince, the offence was committed in a hay loft. Other evidence having been given, the prisoner was committed for trial at the Assizes; the Bench intimated that bail would be accepted if it were forthcoming. He was found guilty of indecent assault. Mr Oakshatt, Police Court Missionary for Rochester, said he appeared as the only friend the boy had, and if his lordship would regard the five months the prisoner had been in gaol as sufficient punishment, he (Mr. Oakshatt) would be pleased to take charge of him, find him work, and send him out to Canada in May.—His lordship, taking Mr. Oakshatt's offer into consideration, sentenced the prisoner to the nominal term of three days’ imprisonment, so that Mr. Oakshatt might take him to the Boys' Home at Camberwell forthwith. His lordship gave the prisoner a salutary admonition.
On 24 June 1899, the Gravesend & Northfleet Standard advertised it as 'Ye Olde Leather Bottel Hostelry and Commercial Hotel.' The proprietor, Frederick Lancaster George Johnson, promoted its fine wines, spirits, and top-quality cigars, as well as good beds, stabling, and secure coach houses.
In March 1902, Frederick Johnson asked the licensing committee for permission to open an off-license next door to sell bottled beer and spirits. The committee approved his request.
In February 1907, Frederick Johnson asked for permission to open the inn at five in the morning instead of six. He explained that the inn was on a busy road used by travellers, market-goers, cement workers, and bargemen. The bench turned down his request.
In August 1917, a death occurred at the inn. Thomas Martin, a single man, aged 49, who was living at Hammonds Lodgings in Church Street, Gravesend. He had not long recovered from bronchitis in the infirmary and was working as a casual labourer. He had been tasked to help move a piano from Gravesend to the Inn, with three other men. They had just moved it from the van into an upstairs room when he collapsed and died. The day before, when they moved the piano to the van, he complained of a slight attack, but it was momentary. The post-mortem found he had Valvular disease of the heart. 
Jumping ahead to 2017, EastEnders actor Harry Reid (who played Ben Mitchell) visited Ye Olde Leather Bottel as a special guest for a charity fun day supporting Elenor Hospice. Landlady Janine Puttock was thrilled to have him there.
In 2021, the inn served as a filming location for a new TV drama about two former special forces veterans, called back into action by 'The World Order.' Their missions included taking on terrorists and fascist leaders. The show was set to air in 2022.
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**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Over the centuries, the inn has earned a reputation for being haunted.
Staff have reported sudden drops in temperature, cold drafts, and objects being thrown to the floor by unseen forces.
People say the upper floor is haunted by the ghost of a former serving maid.
The bar area is said to be haunted by the ghost of a man who took his own life centuries ago by jumping into a deep pit nearby. Witnesses describe him as tall, dressed in black, with long hair down to his collar. He’s seen in other parts of the inn too, and appears more often than the maid—almost every night around closing time, the mysterious figure shows up and then vanishes through a wall

3. THE DARNLEY ARMS
40 The St, Cobham, DA12  
 Accommodation, Bar & Restaurant
''Delicious home cooked food available everyday - Break up the week with Thai food - Really relax and take away the stress, book one of our letting rooms''

**HISTORY**
The Darnley Arms is the oldest non-religious building and inn in Cobham, Kent. The village name comes from Old English, combining "cobba" (a personal name or nickname) and "hām" (meaning "homestead" or "village"), so it originally meant "Cobb's homestead."
The inn was built in 1196 using local flint. The De Cobham family may have used it as a home when they first arrived, before building their fortified manor about 15 minutes away. This family, an important part of Kent's medieval gentry, took their name from the village after settling there following the 1066 Conquest. Over the 14th and 15th centuries, several men named John de Cobham served as sheriffs, MPs, and royal officials. Sir John de Cobham (died around 1355) and his descendants were especially influential in the area.
Continuing Cobham’s legacy, the first Knight of the Garter living at Cobham Hall was Sir Henry Brooke, 1st Baron Cobham (c.1375–1439). He belonged to the Brooke family and lived at Cobham Hall—the medieval manor during the late 14th and early 15th centuries—holding the title from 1409 until his death.
Shifting focus to religious history, the chantry college at Cobham—a college of secular priests at St Mary Magdalene—was founded by Sir John de Cobham in the 14th century, likely in the 1340s–1350s, to maintain priests for masses honouring the family’s souls. It functioned as a small religious college rather than a monastic house. Notably, the building now used by the inn once served as a reception centre for visiting monks.
During the Tudor Reformation (1536–1541), the closure of local monasteries affected Cobham’s landowners and clergy. Tunnels called bolt-holes were built to help those being persecuted. One tunnel ran from the pub cellar to the college, which was closed during the Reformation, and another led to Cobham Hall. Both served as escape routes. According to local stories, monks used the tunnel to sneak away for a secret drink.
After these religious changes, Cobham Hall was rebuilt in stages. It has two Tudor wings, added around 1584–1591 for William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, and later a classical central section called the "Cross Wing."
At the same time, Sir Thomas Kempe, an aristocrat from the 1400s and a relative of the royal family, became a Knight of the Carpet in 1546 and served as Sheriff of Kent.
In 1567, Kempe and other commissioners from Kent met in Ashford to plan the defence of the coast. They created a signalling system using beacon fires.
According to KNIGHTS OF THE SHIRE FOR KENT, the first Thomas Kempe, known as "Sir Thomas Kempe of Ollantigh" in Wye, was related to Cardinal Archbishop John Kempe. His father became a Knight of the Bath at Prince Arthur’s wedding in 1501 and served as Sheriff in 1493, 1506, and 1513.
After being knighted at the Coronation of Edward VI and serving as Sheriff in 1556 and 1564, Kempe’s third marriage caused concern among ecclesiastical authorities. 
In 1578, church officials noticed that Kempe and his wife had not taken communion. Kempe delayed joining the commission of the peace, and by 1583, he and several family members were accused of staying away from church. Lady Kempe was described as 'a hindrance to true religion [who] refuseth stubbornly to communicate.'
Kempe also led Kentish soldiers during the Spanish Armada attack in 1588. He was sentenced to death and spent the night at the inn before his planned execution in Rochester, but he was later pardoned. Some say he wanted to return and spend his final years at the inn. Kempe’s connection to Cobham came from his land and marriage ties, and the Kempes are listed with Cobham families in county records. There were even rumours about his involvement in the Gunpowder Plot.
He died in Wye, Kent, in March 1591 at the age of 77 and was buried there.
Cobham Hall was remodelled between 1661 and 1663 by Peter Mills of London for Charles Stewart, the 3rd Duke of Richmond.
In the early 1700s, the inn started serving beer under the sign of the "Star and Garter." This name may have been linked to the Lords of the medieval manor of Cobham and the Knights of the Garter.
Charles Brooke, 1st Viscount Cobham (1685–1757), was a British Army officer and politician from the Brooke family. He became a Knight of the Garter and lived at the Cobham manor estate from about 1710.
By 1723, the inn was renamed 'Duke William' to honour Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765). He was connected to Cobham through his friendship and political ties with Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham (1675–1749). The Duke visited and spent time with the Cobham and Temple families. Later, in the mid-1700s, the inn became known as the Duke of Cumberland, either in recognition of Prince William’s military achievements or as a tribute after his death.
The Bligh family (Earls of Darnley) made Cobham Hall their seat from 1689, and further alterations were made. They continued to reside in or own the estate through the 19th century, until portions of the estate were let/sold in the 20th century. Cobham Hall is now a private girls' school.
In the 1700s, smugglers used the ‘bolthole’ tunnels to hide illegal goods.
One smuggler, Thomas Kemp, was arrested with William Gray. Both were part of the infamous Hawkhurst Gang, which operated along England’s south coast from Kent to Dorset between 1735 and 1750. William Gray’s brother Arthur was also in the gang. On March 30, 1748, Kemp, Gray, and five others were captured and held in Newgate Prison, but they escaped, each taking a different route through London. Five were soon recaptured, including Arthur Gray. William Gray and Thomas Kemp avoided capture for several weeks, and it’s possible they hid in the inn. These smugglers are believed to have dug tunnels from Gravesend’s busy quayside to the town’s outskirts. William Gray was eventually caught, while Kemp narrowly escaped. Arthur Gray was imprisoned at Tyburn in London, executed, and then displayed at Stamford Hill in May 1748. William Gray was tried and sentenced to seven years’ transportation. The Penny London Post reported on July 27, 1748, that Gray had given information to the government about smugglers and was to be pardoned. However, he remained in Newgate, and the General Evening Post on November 19, 1748, reported that he was so ill that his life was spared. He died soon after, in November 1748, at Newgate Prison, and was buried on November 27, 1748, at St Laurence Church in Hawkhurst. Kemp stayed free until 1749, when he and his brother were caught after breaking into a house with pistols. On April 1, 1749, they were taken from Horsham jail to the gallows. None confessed; they only asked the crowd, especially young people, to learn from their fate. After praying, they were hanged. Kemp was about 27 years old.
In the 1840s, the inn was renamed the Darnley Arms after John Bligh, 4th Earl of Darnley (1767–1831), who owned and lived at Cobham Hall and its estate.
Inquests took place at the inn, including one on February 25, 1864, for Priscilla Jacobs, age 79, who died in a fire before it could be put out. The verdict was accidental death.
In 1893, another inquest into the fire was held at the inn. Spinster Susan Stiles, a 36-year-old dressmaker, was visiting her sister Elizabeth Wickens because Susan was unwell and sometimes felt dizzy. Her sister left her at home to make the beds. A neighbour smelled smoke and found Susan on the floor, burning, with her toes near the fire. The verdict was death by misadventure.
The original stonework on the inn was refaced in the late 1800s and again in the early 1900s, leaving the exterior as it is today. 
The pub served as a hostelry with stables until the demise of the coach industry in the early 20th century. In 1910, it had a laundette, a coachhouse with stables for 6 horses.
In 1964, Tom Goosey became the inn’s owner. Next door, George Gander ran a grocery shop, and their friendship became a local joke known as the Goosey-Gander partnership.
The stables were finally removed in 1979.
The old hayloft has now been turned into three comfortable twin rooms for guests, each with a private entrance.
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**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Over the past 15 years, several people have reported seeing a ghost, often called George. This is also the name of a ghost said to haunt the Cricketers Inn and the village green. It seems George has become a common name for pub ghosts.
A former owner once arranged for an exorcism to be performed in the pub.
Another ghost reported by locals is named Thomas Kempe, but after my further research, I wonder which Kemp it could be, the smuggler, Thomas Kemp or Sir Thomas Kempe.

4. The Cricketers Inn
Wrotham Rd, Meopham, DA13, 
Bar & Restaurant
'A welcoming village pub combining traditional British hospitality with contemporary dining, where cricket heritage meets culinary innovation.'

**HISTORY**
The Cricketers Inn was built near an old windmill opposite the village green. It is said to be the oldest formal cricketing Inn still in existence within the country.
Cricket was well established in this village as early as 1735, then the Meopham Cricket Club, was formed in 1776 and had its headquarters in another inn, on the green. 
In May 1771, an auction was held at the White Hart in Gravesend and lot III was a Tenement with a garden, orchard, stable, oasthouse and one acre of hop ground named 'Cricketers' situated at Pitfield Green under the occupation of Richard Buggs (1736-1808) a tenent at will, paying a yearly rent of £61 19s. He had been a licensee, since 1764 age 29.  It was bought by a Rochester brewer, Thomas Stevens and Richard remained running the inn.
As cricket became more popular, the pub used was deemed too small, so they moved over to the Cricketers, ran by the Buggs family. The old pub eventually became a private residence now named Basque Cottage.  .
The inn was also responsible for providing food and water for the village police lock up on the Green. 
In 1799 the Amicable Society was established to assist members in times of need, they would hold thier meetings at the "Cricketers."
When Richard died in 1808, age 72, his son James took over. He died in 1832, age 68 and his son Henry age 43 took over and he built what was described as a dwelling house and club rooms adjacent to the earlier building. They are the right hand portion which forms the present pub. The rear of the  building is shown on some old plans as the “Coach House,” and in the ceiling there are still some rings which were at one time used for tethering horses. The property had its own well, originally in the back yard which was later covered over, to form a kitchen. When Henry died in 1846, age 57, his son James age 25 took the license, his youngest sister Elizabeth was 16 and remained there for some time assisting him to run the inn but eventually became a grocer and draper in the Meopham Green community. James died at the in on 9 August 1890 at the inn age 69 and so it was his son Henry age 30 who next held the license but this only lasted four years and he died in 1894, aged 34. His son Henry was only 4 years old, so his widow Amy age 27 took the license but she eventually left in 1899 to live with her mum in Caterham and the license went to David Parkhurst, thus ending the 134 year stewardship of the Buggs family at the Cricketers inn. 
In Augsut 1899, the first meeting of the Meopham Football Club was held in the large room of the Cricketers. It was reported there was an unusually large gathering, and several fresh members were enrolled.
In January 1946, at Meopham Parish Church, full military honours were given to Flying-Officer Robert Henson, Killoran, R.A.P. Regiment and the son of the late Mr. “Bob” Crouchie, a former landlord of the Cricketers inn, Flying-Oficer Killoran was killed in a motor accident, age 27. Six R.AF. officers acted as bearers, and on the coffin, which was draped with the Union Jack, and upon it, his peaked service cap. A RAF. detachment from West Malling fired three volleys over the grave in the churchyard, and Mr. K. Derham sounded “Last Post.” The standard of the Meopham branch of the British Leglon was carried behind the coffin into the church and from the church to the graveside. 
It was briefly called "The Long Hop," 2011 but it has now returned to its original name. 
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**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
A former Landlord of the 'The Long Hop' became convinced of paranormal activity after seeing figures appearing, glasses shattering for no reason and capturing mysterious round orbs flying around the bar on CCTV.
It was reported that a ghost named George was known for lurking at the top of the cellar stairs and was recognisable by his old loafers. (Also, the spirit's name is said to reside in the local  Darnley Arms). 
The inn has had reports of other ghostly manifestations. These include a woman said to have hung herself and the apparition of Mademoiselle Pinard, the mistress of a soldier from Kent in the Napoleonic War. During the Allied occupation of Paris, He seduced the innocent young Parisienne with the promise of marriage; madly in love with him and with the promise of a beautiful future, she followed him to England, but when she arrived on his doorstep, he turned his back on her. Heartbroken and penniless, she dressed in the dress she had bought for their wedding and hanged herself in Steeles Lane. She is said to appear in the public bar but also to haunt Steeles Lane, and you can hear the rustle of her orange-tinted silk dress as she stands at the side of the road.