DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Page Updated:- Friday, 31 July, 2026.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1383

Bull Inn

Open 2020+

Linton Hill

Linton

01622 743612

http://www.thebullatlinton.co.uk/

https://whatpub.com/bull-inn

Above postcard, 1907, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard, 1911. Kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above postcard, date unknown, by kind permission Stephen Golding, http://www.kentphotoarchive.com.

Above photo, date unknown, also showing the alms houses to the right.

Above photo from a May 1951 calendar.

Above photo 2010 by Oast House Archives Creative Commons Licence.

Above sign left, March 1993, sign right, 2015.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Above sign, 2020, kindly taken and sent by Roger Pester.

Above photo, April 2018, kindly taken and sent by Rory Kehoe.

The building gained a Grade II listing on 23 May 1967.

The following was published with their menu and prices 2024:-

THE BULL INN.

Located within the parish of Linton, in the hundred of Maidstone. It was built in the 6th year of Richard II, in 1383 and formed part of the estate of Stephen Rookehurst esq. Rookehurst died in 1442, then his nephew Reginald of London inherited the property. In 1464, Reginald sold the property to Thomas Quinney, a wine merchant and maltman of London.

Quinney or his employees brewed ale here between 1464 and 1492, as indicated in a document from 1492 mentioning a malthouse. Thomas Quinney died in 1504 and left his property to his son Cedric. Cedric owned the property until 1513 when he sold it to Jacob Swift, in 1518, Swift was granted a licence to sell ales from a premise lying on the hill in the parish of Linton. He called these premises the "Bull."

Jacob Swift owned the "Bull" until his death in 1572. Josias, his son, took possession of it until 1611 when he sold it to Thomas Jenkin of Ashford. The sale included:- 1 tenement with outbuildings, stable, malthouse, brewhouse and butchery.

After looting Sir John Mayney’s home, Cromwell's soldiers sought refreshment and rest at the "Bull" in 1651, Jack Sculley was the keeper who served them ale.

During the latter part of 1673 and early 1674, great changes took place to the "Bull” and many works were carried out here. The roof was improved by replacing the thatch with-tiles. Chimney stacks were added, and some of the wattle and daub were exchanged for bricks. In addition, a new stable block was built to accommodate the increasing number of travellers seeking shelter at the "Bull". After finishing the job, builder Amos Goad marked the facade with his initials and the date A.G.1674.

The Jenkin family owned the "Bull" for over a century, brewing their own ale here. Throughout the years, several keepers were appointed to maintain the establishment’s legacy. In the 18th Century, the "Bull" became a popular stop due to better highways and the coaching era. Fresh horses were added to the team to enable the coaches to be pulled up the hill, and a stable lad employed at the inn would fetch them down again. The inn also at this time became the posting house. During this period and in the years that followed, numerous innkeepers served as carriers for the parish. Joseph George, a keeper during the Napoleonic Wars, was a messenger for the Rothschild family.

In 1797, the “Bull" was in the hands of the executors of the Jenkin Estate, and it was sold to Richard Somerby of Tonbridge in 1802. In whose families possession it remained until the early 20th century. In the 19th century, ale stopped being brewed here; the old butchery became part of the Malthouse. In the early 20th century, a post office was added. Both of these are now again part of the "Bulls" interior.

The "Bull" has seen and undergone many changes since it was first built, but the historic atmosphere remains unchanged.

Southeastern Gazette, 11 January 1853.

BEARSTED.

Petty Sessions, Monday. (Before J. Jacobson, Esq., chairman, Sir J. Croft, Bart., Sir E. Filmer, Bart., Capt. Marsham, Rev. K. Martin). Scrat-ton and C. G. Whittaker, Esqrs.)

Thomas Coleman was fined 10s. and 16s. 6d. costs, for assaulting Mr. Fancett, of the "Bull Inn," Linton, on the 11th December; in default of payment he was committed for three weeks.

From the Maidstone Telegraph, Rochester and Chatham Gazette, 8 June 1861.

Linton. Friendly Society Treat.

The members of the Linton Hand-in-Hand Society held their anniversary on the 29th ult., with the usual formalities. After parading the village, accompanied by a band of music, the members attended church, where an appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev. J. Dunnage. Subsequently the members dined at the "Bull Inn." Mr. Goad, the landlord, producing an excellent spread. The Rev. J. Dunnage being appointed to the chair, the health's of the ladies Cornwallis, the Rev. T. Carter, the chairman, and others followed in due order, interspersed with some good songs by Mr. Philpott and J. Gilbert, and some select pieces of music were performed by the band.

The affairs of the club we are glad to hear, are in a prosperous condition. The Legacy of £500 left to it by the late Earl Cornwallis, which has been invested for the benefit of the club, affords an excellent basis for a financial structure, and the affairs being watched over by members who, with very few exceptions, reside in the immediate neighbourhood, the balance-sheet each year presents a more favourable aspects than that of wider spread societies of a like nature.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Rebecca Tuffin, 24 August 2019.

13 Kent pub gardens to visit this summer bank holiday weekend.

With this bank holiday weekend set to one of hottest yet, many will be longing for an ice-cold pint in a sunny beer garden.

So we have found some of the best Kent has to offer.

Listed below are 13 of the county's finest spots to meet with friends and indulge in good food and drink.

The Bull Inn.

The Bull Inn view, Linton.

The Bull Inn is well-known locally for its stunning views of the High Weald.

The west-facing wooden decking, staggered across two levels, is a perfect spot to watch the sun set with a lager in hand.

Menu highlights include fish and chips or homemade lasagne, alongside a number of more exotic dishes.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Secret Drinker, 29 May 2020.

Secret Drinker's best Shepherd Neame inland Kent pubs.

The fantastic response to my top five seaside pubs, added to the fact many locals are already planning for the glorious day they can reopen, has persuaded me I must also bring you my top Shepherd Neame inland pubs.

Just imagine the joy of sitting in a beautiful pub garden, a freshly pulled pint in your hand, while the sun blazes down and the birds twitter sweetly in the background.

I took some flak for daring to dream of the time we can revisit a lovely seaside boozer and gaze upon the waves again, but why shouldn’t we have something to look forward to?

If seven out of 10 people reckon the thing they’ve missed most during lockdown is the pub then just imagine getting back to these five fantastic pubs.

The only rule I set to be an inland pub is that if you look out of the window you can’t see the sea.

The pub at No.4 on my list isn’t a million miles away from Wrotham as the crow flies.

On Linton Hill, the historic Bull Inn has leather sofas, a modern menu and an inviting garden with great view.

I haven’t reviewed the Bull Inn at Linton, near Maidstone, yet but called in en-route to a meeting one weekday evening.

The views from the back of the pub across the beautiful, sprawling Kent countryside are spectacular. Judging by the decking the pub has undergone fairly major redevelopment work, outside at least, to take full advantage of this asset.

Inside it retains the feel of real local and I liked it, but there can be no denying the main event are the views. If the current heatwave continues and you’re allowed back soon, do yourself a favour and drink in the scenery, with a pint of Shep’s best bitter.

LICENSEE LIST

QUINNEY Thomas 1464-1504 dec'd

QUINNEY Cedric 1504-13

SWIFT Jacob 1513-72 dec'd

SWIFT Josias 1572-1611

JENKIN Thomas 1611+

SCULLEY Jack 1651+

JENKIN family 1674-1797 (owners)

SOMERBY Richard 1802+

MARTIN William 1828-32+