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The Crossroads, Canterbury Road
Challock
01233 740258
http://www.halfwayhousechallock.co.uk/
https://whatpub.com/halfway-house
Above postcard, circa 1910, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above photo, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above photo, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above postcard, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above photo, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above photo, 1938. |
Above photo, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above sky shot, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above sky shot, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
 Above photo 2007
by Jacqui Sadler
Creative Commons Licence. |
Above photo, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above photo, date unknown, by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above drawing taken from their web site. 2014. |
 
Above sign left and right, date unknown.
 
Above sign left July 1991. Sign right, 2011.
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Above photo April 2018, kindly taken and sent by Rory Kehoe. |
Above photo 2019, by Christie & Co. |
Above jug, date unknown. Image from the Library & Museum of Freemasonry,
by permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
 
Jug side views. Image from the Library & Museum of Freemasonry, by
permission of
http://www.challock-history.org.uk/ |
Above map 1952. |
An entry in Fremlin's 1950s publication called "Where shall we go,"
indicated the following:-
Phone number - Challock 225.
Parking accommodation - 22 Coaches on Park.
Lunch - Sandwiches, Tea, Coffee, Biscuits, Sweets, Ice Cream, etc.
Tea - Sandwiches, tea, Coffe, Biscults, Sweets, Ice Cream, etc.
Remarks - On main London - Maidstone - Canterbury to Coast road.
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Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal, Tuesday 15th April 1794.
To be sold by auction, at the "Halfway House" near Challock Leezs, on
Tuesday the 22nd day of April inst., at four o'clock in
the afternoon, (unless previously disposed off by private contract.)
All those two freehold messuages or tenements, now in 3 Dwellings, with
the outhouses, edifices and buildings, yards,
gardens, orchard, land and premises to the same respectively belonging,
situate lying and being in the parish of Challock, in
the county of Kent, adjoining the said Leeze, and now in the several
occupations of John Maxted, Matthew Watts, and the
Widow Quested, tenants from year-to-year, at low rents.
For further particulars inquire of Messrs. Norwood and Smart attorneys,
Charing.
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Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal 22 April 1796.
To be Sold by Auction, by Richard Hammon, at the "Royal Oak Inn," in
Ashford, in the county of Kent, on Wednesday the 4th day of May, between
the hours of Three and Five o'clock in the afternoon, (by order of the
Assignees of John Mascall, the younger, a bankrupt:-
A New-built Messuage, being a Public-house in full trade, called the
"Half-Way House," with stables and suitable out-buildings, and two acres
of land, more or less, thereto belonging, situate in the parish of Wye,
and adjoining the turnpike road leading from Faversham to Ashford, now
in the occupation of Thomas Austen.
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Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal, Tuesday 26 April, 1796.
To be Sold By Auction, by Richard Hammon, at the "Royal Oak Inn," in
Ashford, in the county of Kent, on Wednesday the 4th day of May, between
the hours of 3 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon, (by order of the
Assignees of John Maskell the younger, a bankrupt) the following
Estates.
Lot 1:- A newly built massage, being a public house in full trade,
called the "Halfway House," with stables and suitable outbuildings, 30
acres of land, more or less, thereto belonging, situate in the parish of
Wye, and adjoining the turnpike road leading from Faversham to Ashford,
now in the occupation of Thomas Austen.
Lot 2:- A Messuage, and a half an acre, more or less, of garden ground
thereto belonging lately a public house, known at the sign of the "Three
Compasses," situated on Challock Lee's, in the occupation of Richard
Andrews, or his under tenants.
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Kentish Gazette, 17 May 1803.
On the same afternoon Thomas Wanstall, a labouring man who was
working in the fields near Challock, complaining of a pain in the
bowels, went to the "Half-way house" on the road from Ashford to
Faversham, and called for a quarten of gin, in which was infused
some pepper, when not receiving any relief, he drank two more
quarterns, and also some beer, but in the course of an hour
afterwards he was perceived to be dead, having expired while sitting
in his chair.
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Morning Post, 13 March 1841.
HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.
The Tickham hounds on Monday, at "Halfway House," Challock.
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West Kent Guardian 17 February 1844.
FAVERSHAM.
On Friday a serious accident happened to John Barling, huntsman of the
Tickham Fox Hounds. In taking a leap the horse fell, and both the animal
and his rider rolled over together. Mr. Barling's foot was entangled in
the stirrup, and his spur was buried in the horse's flank. On getting up
the horse kicked Mr. B. on the forehead inflicting a frightful wound,
which bled profusely, much to the gratification of the hounds, which
surrounded him and licked up the blood. The poor fellow was at first
thought to be killed. He was carried to the "Half-Way House," Challock,
and afterwards conveyed in a chaise to his father's at Lynsted, and
under able medical care is doing better than was expected.
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Maidstone Telegraph 04 April 1868.
COUNTY INTELLIGENCE. ASHFORD. PETTY THEFT.
At the Petty Sessions, on Tuesday, a young man named Alfred Pantney, a
farm servant at Teynham, was committed for a week with hard labour for
stealing a dog's collar, value 1s 6d, the property of a gentleman named
Charles William Challoner, from the "Half Way House," Wye. |
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Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette, Saturday 9 March 1872.
Challock.
On June 1st, 1871, a hawker named George Riley, travelling the country
with a horse and a van in which his family lived stopped at the "Halfway
House," Challock and put his horse in a meadow for the night. In the
morning he found it had been removed from the meadow. Subsequently it
was discovered that the mare, which was valued at £14 to £15, had been
thrown down a chalk pit about two miles from Chatham and killed, and the
carcass sold to a knacker name Forester at Chatham. On Tuesday last a
man named Amos Lee, or Amos Killick, living at Challock, was brought up
on a warrant at the Ashford Police Court charged with stealing the mare.
Forester and another man swore that it was Lee who sold the carcass, and
the prosecutor positively identified the skin.
The prisoner was remanded till Friday, for the evidence to be completed.
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Above photo showing Keith and Nicola, licensees since November 2013. |
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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Georgia Woolf, 13 July 2018.
Halfway House pub in Challock near Ashford gets one-star rating.
A village pub has been told it must improve after receiving a one-star
rating from food hygiene inspectors.
The "Halfway House" in Canterbury Road, Challock, was handed the poor
score by Ashford Borough Council (ABC).
Inspectors discovered staff were not trained in food hygiene and found
more attention to cleaning the floor was needed.
They also raised concerns over the lack of a documented food safety
management system.
Pub owners were told the problems must be rectified by the next
inspection.
Landlord Syjit Shrestha - who took over the site seven months ago - says
he did not have enough time to improve the condition of the pub before
the inspection in April.
He said: "Most of the problems were structural and were not to do with
food hygiene as the pub was given to me in a broken way.
"We have made a lot of improvements and refurbishments since the
inspection and the floor will be changed in the next couple of weeks.
"We are waiting for the council to do another inspection and I know we
will get five-star next time after making these changes."
Mr Shrestha says all kitchen staff have now obtained food hygiene
certificates following ABC's visit.
A follow-up inspection is due to take place at the end of July to review
the establishment.
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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Georgia Woolf, 7 August 2018.
Halfway House pub in Challock near Ashford gets five-star rating.
A village pub told to clean up its act has received a five-star food
hygiene rating.
Inspectors revisited the Halfway House in Canterbury Road, Challock, at
the end of July to check if improvements had been made.
The pub was handed a one-star rating by Ashford Borough Council (ABC)
earlier this year after inspectors discovered staff were not trained in
food hygiene and found more attention to cleaning the floor was needed.
Inspectors now say the conditions have much improved since the previous
visit.
Landlord Syjit Shrestha said: “I am very happy that we have managed to
get our five stars back - we couldn’t show proof of paperwork during the
last inspection due to management changes which marked us down.
“We have put all the extra checks in place and have made structural
improvements and if customers would like to take a look at my kitchen
they are more than welcome to do so.”
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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Georgia Woolf, 13 March 2019.
Halfway House in Canterbury Road, Challock, put up for sale.
A village pub has gone on the market.
The Halfway House in Canterbury Road, Challock, is being offered at
£190,000 for the leasehold.
It comes after the current owner Subhash Shrestha decided to stand down
to pursue other business ventures.
The prominent pub has retained original character features, including
wooden beams and open fireplaces.
It has three trading areas, including the main bar and restaurant, a
conservatory and a private function room and a 70-space car park.
The site can cater for up to 100 covers inside, with the garden able to
accommodate up to 150 covers.
It also has a large garden and a children's playground area.
Mr Shrestha has decided to step down after running the business in the
village for the past two years.
He said: "I have enjoyed the past couple of years at The Halfway House
but feel the time is right to hand over the reins to a new operator who
can continue trading this strong business immediately and take it to the
next level.”
Last April, the pub was told it must improve after receiving a one-star
food hygiene score.
Months later, inspectors from the Food Standards Agency revisited the
site and gave the pub a five-star rating.
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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Georgia Woolf, 6 December 2019.
Halfway House in Canterbury Road, Challock, reopens under new ownership.
The new owners of a village pub say they are determined to restore the
site to its former glory.
The Halfway House in Challock, near Ashford, has undergone a extensive
refurbishment in recent weeks after Jason and Vicky Piper collected the
keys to the establishment last month.
The Halfway House in Challock has reopened following a refurbishment.
Picture: Paul Amos.
The couple, who have three children and one granddaughter, have now
reopened the pub in Canterbury Road.
Mrs Piper - who previously ran a clothing boutique in Whitstable high
street - told KentOnline that she jumped at the opportunity to take on
the pub when she found out it was on the market.
"We used to bring the kids here and used to think it had a lot of
potential," she said.
"When we found out it was up for sale we thought we just had to.
"Both of our parents had pubs and my husband grew up in one. We have
owned pubs before.
Pub owners Jason and Vicky Piper. Picture: Paul Amos.
"We have spent a lot of money on the refurbishment - we have got people
working day and night.
"We are going for a grey theme. We are going to have really nice
furniture and a relaxing atmosphere.
"Our aim is to bring the village pub back to its former glory."
The pub closed on Tuesday, November 19 for one week while the interior
was upgraded and new flooring was installed throughout.
It had been put on the market earlier this year £190,000 for the
leasehold after former owner Subhash Shrestha decided to stand down to
pursue other business ventures.
Inside the pub following the refurbishment. Picture: Paul Amos.
Mr and Mrs Piper now have plans for a performance area in the pub garden
and an upgraded children's play area for the summer months are also on
the cards.
The menu has been reinvented with a strong focus on home-cooked food
using locally sourced ingredients.
Head chef Alfred Piper, 23, said: "We will be serving classic British
pub grub, locally sourced produce, all fresh, good honest food prepared
well with attention.
"We are going to add influence from other parts of the world, including
Turkish, Asian and American."
The pub is open from midday to 11pm seven days a week.
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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Liane Castle, 29 January 2023.
New owners say Halfway House in Challock, between Ashford and
Canterbury, won't become venue for 'boy racers'.
Two petrolheads gearing up to turn a village pub into a haven for
car lovers have dismissed fears it will be a venue for “boy racer
Tesco meets".
Roger Gray and Edd Little have taken over the Halfway House in
Challock, on the main road between Ashford and Faversham, and hope
to open in April.
Edd Little and Roger Gray are introducing a motorsport theme to the
Halfway House - which will also get a new name.
The 48-years-olds - who are founders of the popular B Road Hunting
Club car group - have already started renovating the restaurant, bar
and garden areas to bring the pub back into community use.
They hope to attract motor enthusiasts from across the south east
for regular meet-ups and events, and their plans have been welcomed
by many villagers.
But with some locals raising fears over increased noise and traffic,
the pair insist the transformation will not encourage boy racers or
antisocial behaviour on the roads.
Mr Little, a professional chef, said: "The idea is that it is going
to be a food-led pub with the add-on of car events and for our
members.
"It will be petrolhead-themed, and will have our stamp on it, but
it's for everyone.
"Our slogan is ‘arrive with grace, leave with respect’.
"There is no revving, no burn-outs, no racing up the roads; that’s
behaviour we do not accept or encourage. We are not afraid to ban
members if they break the rules.
"Equally, we don’t police the roads, that is not our job, and we
have a lot of experience on how to deal with the public and we can
only reassure them we don’t accept that behaviour and we will quite
happily report it."
Mr Gray, who lives in Maidstone, says they accept they will not be
able to keep everyone happy.
"No matter what you do, because it will be car-themed, some will
love it, others might not, but that is just the nature of the
beast,” he said.
The pub is on the crossroads on the A252 Canterbury Road. Picture:
Google Street View.
“But we want to ease people’s fears.
"If you live in Challock, you live on some pretty cool roads for
petrolheads. Now, even before we have opened, there are people who
bring their cars down here.
"The minute we get in here, we don’t want to be blamed for every car
that drives through, or makes a noise, or that is going over the
speed limit, because that happens anyway.
"We don’t want to alienate people, but people need to know there are
going to be some pretty exotic, interesting, quirky, cars coming
here on a regular basis.
"Even if you’re not a petrolhead, some of the cars you’ll think
'wow'.”
The bar section will be transformed.
In a Facebook post to villagers, the pair added: "We aren’t the
devil incarnate…so don’t panic! Basically B_Road will be a
destination pub/restaurant/events venue for car people/enthusiasts
and the general public.
"The pub will have a motorsport theme. Let me assure everyone that a
'boy racer Tescos meet' we are NOT!"
The two men formed B Road Hunting Club five years ago as a way for
car enthusiasts to get together and share their appreciation for
motors, and it now has more than 3,000 followers on Facebook.
They started in a shed in Mr Little's back garden in East Sussex and
eventually expanded to have a dedicated space on the Bentley Estate
in Lewes.
Having outgrown the previous venue, the duo snapped up the pub on
the crossroads along the A252 Canterbury Road.
How the restaurant currently looks.
If all goes to plan, they are aiming to open on April 1 under a new
name, which is yet to be decided.
Four plinths to showcase cars will be created in the garden space,
and the pub will also have a small shop where B Road Hunting Club
merchandise will be sold.
Mr Little added: "We don’t want these non-issues to overcast what is
a good thing.
"We are putting back into the local community.
"We want to buy local produce, employ local people, and turn the
tired pub into the jewel in the crown of the village.
The bar and restaurant is undergoing a full restoration.
"The car community also needs an outlet.
"I don't think there is anywhere in Kent they can go without being
shunned.
"There is a minority who ruin it for the majority, but that is the
same anywhere.
"We’ve not taken this on lightly. We are the new owners for at least
the next 20 years so it will be nice if people can give us a
chance." |
During the Covid 19 crisis of 2020, this pub was able to offer a take
away service in June, possibly earlier.
I am informed that this closed in 2022, but by 2023 had reopened again,
this time renamed the "Stag."
LICENSEE LIST
MASCALL John to 1796
AUSTEN Thomas 1796-1806 dec'd (also Blacksmith)
WARD Henry 1841+ (age 63 in 1841 )
(Halfway House, Wye)
CHITTENDEN William 1851+ (age 60 in 1851)
(Halfway House, Wye)
CHITTENDEN Henry 1858+
HOLDER Philip 1862+
ELSE Edward 1874+
ARTER Edward 1881+ (also farmer age 70 in 1881) (Wye)
SOUTHERN Samuel W 1881-82+ (age 48 in 1881)
COX Charles 1891+ (age 48 in 1891)
VANT Richard 1901-11+ (age 57 in 1901)
(Challock)
CULVER John 1918-30+
BUTCHER A E 1938+
COSTA Nino 2007+
???? Keith & Nicola Nov/2013+
SHRESTHA Syjit Dec/2017-18+
PIPER Jason & Vicky Nov/2019+
https://pubwiki.co.uk/HalfwayHouse.shtml
https://pubwiki.co.uk/HalfwayHouse.shtml
I believe there could be some errors in the above licensee list, either on
my behalf or on the census records, as some years I have two names for the
same year. I believe the census records have shown this "Halfway House" to
be situated in Wye and also Challock, which would suggest two with the same
name. However, the entry for Edward Arter 1881, stating the Wye address, I
also have the same person as licensee in that year at the "Halfway
House" Barham. Definitely some anomalies here.
From the Kelly's Directory 1903
Census
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