Extract from the will of William Ruck 1571.

Will Ruck William Boughton under Blean 1571 1571 PRC/32/31/326.

The Bell.

Also I do give and will unto the said JOHN, my son, all that my tenement named the "Bell" situate and being within the said parish of Boughton in Boughton Street aforesaid, together with all the lands, tenements and hereditaments which I late purchased and had to the use of me and to my heirs forever, of the gift and grant of William Roper, Esquire, to have and to hold unto the said JOHN, my son, and to his heirs forever, upon condition that if the said MARGARET, my wife, do not happen to marry within one year next after my decease, that then he, the said JOHN, his heirs and assigns shall immediately from and after the said year next after my said decease expired and ended, permit and quietly suffer her, the said MARGARET, to have her dwelling and occupation of the said tenement with all houses and one little orchard which one Golson now hath in his occupation, to the said tenement belonging during her widowhood, without any thing to be demanded for the same, she the said MARGARET keeping the reparations and necessary inclosures thereof.

[As an aside his widow Margaret married in less than a year after William’s death.]

Seems our William Ruck had 3 pubs in total, the others called the "White Horse," in Boughton Under Blean and the "White Horse" in Chilham.

Further to your query over the "Bell," I am not aware of any pub that existed of that name in Boughton under Blean.

However, Matthew, one of William Ruck’s sons left some land in his will called "Bell Close" and "Bell Gardens".

Maybe this is what was meant in William’s will, as a parcel of land can be referred to as a tenement.

Frances Holliday.