The above etching says the mail coaches between London and Dover used to stop here for passengers. 1796

Above photo, date unknown. Kindly supplied by John Hopperton.

Above postcard, date unknown.

Above photo, circa 1937, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo, circa 1940s, kindly supplied by Shaun Gardiner.

Above photo, date unknown. Kindly supplied by John Hopperton.

Above photo, February 2012.

Above sign, September 1992.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

From the City of London Sessions: Sessions Papers - Justices' Working Documents, 11th January 1786 - 12th December 1787.

Saith that on Monday the seventh Instant Richard Richard, and John Rockwal Officer, of Excise came and desired the assistance of this Informant and his Father to go and assist them in seizure a Cart with run Goods at the "Leather Bottle Inn" in Northfleet of which they had Information and having got to the Inn they seized a Cart and about a Ton Weight of Tobacco therein for not being in the Original Package when removed and not having a Certificate to accompany its Removal and having procured two Horses to removed the seizure to Greenhath Richard Horlock the Landlord asked this Informant to Compromise the Matter to which he answered it could not be down and they drove the Horses and Cart towards London and near to a Placed called Gulley Hile they were overtaken by Five Men on Horse Back two of which Informant had seen before at this Inn when the seizure was made and the Prisoner now under Examination is one of these two that the Five Men were Armed with Large Brass Pistols Loaded Whips and Isludgeon and on their coming up one of them put a Pistol to Informants Father's Reced and afterwards rode him down almost under the Wheel of the Cart and the Smugler, then began a general Fire and wounded two of the Officers that the Fire was returned by the Officer but they were overpowered by the Smuglers, who rescued the seizure and drove it away that the Prisoner now under Examination was one of the Five Persons on  Horse beck so armed as aforesaid and who fired and wounded the Officer, and by force and be Violence rescued the said Cart and Tobacco and drove away the same in manner aforesaid Taken and Sworn the Day and Year First above Written before me}
J. Townsend
John Beadle Junr.
 

1895.

Alfred Thomas Hollingberry, landlord of "Ye Olde Leather Bottle," Northfleet, was summoned by the Excise authorities for illegally retailing beer, and it was proved that when his carman delivered ale at one house he sold a gallon of porter for 1s.

From http://www.ghostpubs.com accessed 17 June 2015.

HAUNTED.

The inn sign shows a young man with a bottle held to his mouth as he enjoys a drink. Pub names such as this is a reminder that that at one time bottles were originally made of leather, rather than glass. Almost every night, around closing time, a strange phantom man, witnesses see, in the bar. Observers describe him as having long hair over his collar, with he then disappears through a wall. This tall, ghostly man has also, witnesses saw, in other parts of the building. A female ghost figure also haunts the pub. However, she is observed less frequently.