Above postcard 1910.

Above photo kindly sent by Peter Moynahan, date unknown.

Above postcard, circa 1955, kindly sent by Rory Kehoe.

Above photo 2010 by Oast House Archives Creative Commons Licence.

Above photo 2015, kindly sent by current landlord.

Above sign left, March 1987, sign right, April 1993.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Above sign left, 2010, sign right, 2015.

Above photo 2019.

Hereford Journal 23 February 1791.

Authentic Particulars of the taking of the Highwayman who robbed Mr. Arnold, at Riverhead, in Kent, on Tuesday se'nnight.

About three o'clock in the afternoon, a highwayman, well mounted, stopped George Arnold Arnold, Esq. of Halsted, near Farnborough in Kent, in his chariot, with Mrs. Arnold, near Halsted Park, and robbed him of a gilt metal watch, with a gold chain, a gold ring, a silk purse, lined with leather, containing two guineas in gold and some silver. When Mr. Arnold got home, the coachman requested leave to pursue the highwayman, mounted on the footman's horse, which was granted.

He called at the "Harrow" at Knockholt, and took Mr. Penman the landlord with him, and they continued in pursuit to Riverhead, where they were joined by Mr Hall of the "White Hart" at that place, and another person, all mounted on horseback; they kept on the direct road for Seal, having heard of his going that way; one of the pursuers, who got to Igtham Gate first, enquired of the keeper, whether a strange man (describing the highway man) had gone through; who answered, "No;" but while they were in conversation, the highwayman came up to the gate by a bye-road which he had taken, and asked for change for a shilling. While he was waiting for change the coachman came up, whom he again knew, and instantly turned off to escape; the coachman struck at him with a stick, and missed him, but hit his horse on the face.

The highwayman, whose horse was swifter than his pursuers, in attempting to return the same road back, was then met by Pettman, whom he passed; Pettman then turned his horse to pursue, and the highway man fired at him with his head turned over his own shoulder, but his pistol flashed in the pan, and did not go off.

Pettman instantly returned the fire while his head was in that recline position, and with the greatest nicety shot him in the forehead, and he instantly fell from his horse.

Mr. Pettman dismounted (did not fall off his horse, and break his neck, as has been erroneously stated), and stooping to lay hold of the robber, fell on him, and expired, as it is supposed from the breaking of a blood-vessel.

The other persons who were in pursuit coming up, conveyed the dead body to an adjoining house, where they also took the wounded highwayman; and a surgeon was sent for, who found the ball had lodged in his forehead; he made an incision a little above the right eye in order to extract it, but the ball at first resisted his utmost efforts; when the highwayman begged him to desist, as the pain was more than be could bear; after hanging his head down for a few moments, he raised it, saying he was determined to have the ball extracted, and with amazing fortitude assisted the surgeon in this painful operation.

The ball being at length extracted, he was put to bed, and two men ordered to sit up with him during the night, in the middle of which he got up, went to the fire, stirred it, and put into it the purse he had taken from Mr. Arnold. The watch was found in the road; the only thing discovered about him was the ring.

He wrote a letter, which was stopped, and together with the writer was conveyed the next morning before William Borrett, Esq. at BromIey, a magistrate for the county of Kent, who examined and committed him to Maidstone gaol, where he now is in a fair way of recovery.

The letter written by the prisoner was in the name of Charles Carter, etc. but his real name is Brown, and who, it was found, was formerly a servant to Mr. Dallas, and has long been advertised from the Office in Bow-street, with a reward for his detection, and was read by the magistrate; it was directed to Mrs. Norfolk, Harris's-Court, Oxford-street, where it had been discovered he had lodgings; and thither two Peace Officers immediately went to search if any documents could be found of his guilt or innocence. After rummaging, trunks, drawers, etc. they saw a sick man in bed in the adjoining room, whom, upon examining, they found to be desperately wounded by a bullet between the left breast and the shoulder: Suspicion naturally arising in their minds, they were induced to make further enquiry, when they found that his name is Parsons, who has very often been advertised as the accomplice of the above Brown alias Carter, and that he was carried into his present apartment wrapped up in a blanket about three weeks ago, which is just the time Lord Falkland's servant, wounded a highwayman on Hounslow Heath, when attempting to rob his master. Parsons is, however, so much emaciated, that it is scarcely supposed his person can be identified; and he is in so dangerous a state of health that he is not expected to live long. Two Officers of Justice continually sit with him, as the fatigue of his removal might put a period to his existence.

From the Maidstone and Kentish Journal, 3 October, 1895.

LICENSING BUSINESS.

The first case heard was the adjourned application of James Bratton, landlord of the "Harrow Inn," Knockholt, for renewal of the licence.

Supt. Holman opposed the renewal, on the grounds that (1) Bratten had been convicted of permitting drunkenness, and his licence endorsed on 26th August last and fined £5; (2) that being a convicted person he was unfit to hold a licence; and (3) that the house was not required. Knockholt parish extended to 1,701 acres, had a population of 872, and there were three full licensed and two off-licensed houses in the parish, the village containing 191 inhabited houses. On the 6th August a man was convicted at Sevenoaks of being drunk on the licensed premises of the applicant, and two others, who were strangers, and were similarly charged, had absconded.

Mr Wardley, solicitor, said all he had to do that day was to clear Bratten’s character. He was an old man who had all his life born an unapproachable character as a licence holder, and it would be cruel that in his late years he should go down to the grave with this stain upon him.

He called ex-Supt. Waghorn, late of the Kent County Constabulary, who said he had for many years been in the Knockholt district, and knew the "Harrow Inn" well. He never had a single complaint about the house, and was very much surprised when he heard of this charge; the house and Mr Bratten always bore a good character; it was a house used by the home people as the others were used mostly by strangers. Hundreds come to the other houses, and these sometimes strayed to this house.

William Hemphrey, fruit grower, of Knockholt, a neighbour of Bratten, said he was a teetotaler and local preacher. His opinion was that as a neighbour Mr Bratten was the quietest neighbour and best landlord who had ever held the house for the 32 years he had lived next to the inn.

Charles Herbert Eves, baker, a neighbour of Batten, gave the house and the landlord a good character. Bratten was the best landlord who had been there for years, there were now no Sunday rows.

William Bond, a builder and teetotaler, living at Knockholt all his life, said that since Bratten came the house had been conducted extraordinarily well.

George Cronk, blacksmith, Knockholt, who had known the house for 30 years, said Bratten was the best landlord who had been there.

John Thomas Collins spoke to the remainder of the signatures on the petition being genuine ones. He had lived at Knockhalt for 25 years, and said that Bratten had conducted the house well, and in a business-like fashion.

James Bratten, landlord of the "Harrow Inn," also gave evidence, and a letter was put in, in which the Rector of Knockholt wrote:- Mr Holdcroft said the house was the property of Sir William Hart-Dyke, and there had never been any complaint against the house except two years ago, when the temperance party made an attack on all the Licences in the parish. As there had been no appeal against the conviction, Mr Bratten had been warned out, and a new tenant, Mr John Haywood, had been obtained, who was satisfactory to the police. He produced certificate of character from Mr Style, brewer, of Maidstone; from Mr Haynes, an ex-Mayor of Maidstone; Mr Dalton, ex superintendent of Maidstone, and others, who knew him as holder of the licence of the "Blue Lion," (sic) Borough Green.

The justices retired to consult, and on their return the Chairman announced that the licence would be renewed to Bratten on the understanding that the transfer would be applied for as soon as possible (applause).

Mr Holdcroft now applied for the transfer to Mr Haywood, whom he called. He said he had kept a house at Maidstone for eight years, and the "Red Lion" at Borough Green for eight years.

A protection order till January was granted in favour of Haywood.

Nottingham Evening Post 09 March 1906.

TO-DAY'S GOSSIP. HISTORIC INN.

In defence of the continuation of the licence of the "Harrow Inn," Knockholt, it was argued at Bromley Licensing Sessions yesterday, that the house was one of the oldest in Kent - in fact one of the landmarks of the county, and it was claimed that it was of historical and antiquarian interest. The licence was accordingly allowed.

From the http://www.ghostpubs.com accessed 18 April 2015.

HAUNTED

A country inn at one of Kent's highest points, it is built of brick with weatherboarding and has history from the late 1500s. The pub name is after the agricultural implement for breaking up earth in farm fields.

In the early 1700s, a highwayman arrived, robbed everyone and helped himself to all the pub takings. He was tracked to another inn nearby where he was drinking the proceeds of his crime, taken back and hanged from a beam at the Harrow.

From time to time, he, witnesses see, strolling through the Harrow Inn wearing a tricorne hat, a long black cloak and high riding boots. In 2nd 1997, this village was recorded as Old English Ocholt, with Nocholt by 1353, the place at the oak tree.