BELL Pub of Hythe

DOVER KENT ARCHIVES

Sort file:- Hythe, April, 2023.

Page Updated:- Friday, 14 April, 2023.

PUB LIST

PUBLIC HOUSES

Paul Skelton

Earliest 1807-

Bell

Open 2020+

1 Seabrook Road

Hythe

01303 396893

http://www.bellinnhythe.co.uk/

https://whatpub.com/bell

Above photo, circa 1923, kindly sent by Michael Mirams. Said on the back "Noted Port House - Dock Glasses" Whatever that means.

Above postcard, date unknown.

Above photo, date unknown.

Above sign 1990.

With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

Picture of Whitbread sign.

Above card issued March 1955. Sign series 4 number 4.

The above sign, wasn't actually designed and released by Whitbread, but has been designed by Robert Greenham in the same style as the card sets they distributed as a representation of what the sign looked like. Robert says:- This was based on the image which appeared on Whitbread's metal map for East Kent which was painted by D. W. Burley in 1950, on commission from Whitbread.

The above metal map, kindly sent by Robert Greenham was released, in 1950 and painted by D. W. Burley, and was titled Inn-Signia of Whitbread Houses in East Kent, Whitbread & Co Ltd. The Inn Signs designed by:- M. C. Balston, Vena Chalker, Kathleen M Claxton, K. M. Doyle, Ralph Ellis, Marjorie Hutton, Harvey James, Prudence Rae-Martin, Violet Rutter, L. Toynbee and Kit Watson.

Above matchbox, date unknown, kindly sent by Debi Birkin.

The "Bell Inn" is believed to be the oldest in the town, and was probably the ancient harbour pub when Hythe was a flourishing port. The inn has smuggling connections; beneath the floor is a tunnel close to a millstream, a convenient hiding-place for contraband. A hook in the attic once held a hoist for swift removal of smuggled goods after the departure of curious Revenue Officers. Parts of the building go back to the 15th century.

I have also seen reference to a "Bell" in Newington, almost 3 miles apart, which I at first thought was a completely different pub. However, Peter Chamberlain kindly pointed out a map in "The Last Days of Hythe Harbour" by Maurice Young, showing that the boundary between Hythe parish and Newington parish in the 18th Century, ran along the present Twiss Road and continued Northwards, thus putting the Bell in Newington parish, where it stayed until the boundaries were redrawn in the late 1800s. Also, just to the North of the pub and the Mill (Mill Road) there was Newington Meadow - hard by the parish boundary. Hence reference to the "Bell" in Newington is indeed this pub.

Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal 20 October 1807.

DIED.

On Wednesday, Mr. Kent, landlord of the "Bell" public-house, at Newington, near Hythe.

Kentish Gazette, 16 April 1844.

DEATH.

April 4, at Hythe, Henry John, infant son of Mr. Lade, of the "Bell Inn."

From the Whitstable Times, 2 February 1867. Price 1d.

Pigeon Shoot.

On Saturday last Mr. John Spain, the host of the “Bell Inn,” Newington, advertised a fat hog to be shot for by 20 members, at 10s. each, but enough members not entering, several sweeps were shot off, and also a match at ten sparrows each. Sweeps 1, 2, and 7 were at sparrows, and 3, 4, 5, and 6 at pigeons. After No.6 sweep, Sergeant-Major Wilson shot at a double rise of pigeons, and brought one down, when the match followed. It was nearly dark before No. 7 sweep was finished. Sergeant-Major Wilson was in fine form, dividing No. 1 with Mr. George, No. 2 with Mr. Piddock, No. 8 with Mr. Bishopp, winning No. 4, dividing No. 6 with Messrs. Brown, Butcher, and Bishopp, No. 6 with Mr. Brown, and winning the match. No. 7 was won by Mr. Beale, after shooting off bird for bird with Mr. Butcher. The style in which Mr. Bishopp killed four or five difficult birds was much admired.

From the Dover Express and East Kent Intelligencer, 26 June, 1868. Price 1d.

STEALING MONEY AT NEWINGTON

Alfred Molsher, 28, soldier, was indicted for having stolen the sum of 15s. the money of John Spain, at Newington next Hythe on the 8th June. Mr. Ormerod prosecuted:-

Ellen Spain, wife of John Spain, who keeps the "Bell" at Newington: On the evening of the 8th of June three persons came in, one of whom was the prisoner. Prisoner called for a pot of ale, and gave me a shilling. I put it into the till, where there were about 15s. or 16s. besides. I left the bar and went into the parlour. I heard a rattling of money; I got up and saw the prisoner in the act of shutting the till. I then went into the bar and met the prisoner crawling away from the bar on his hands and knees. I looked at the till, and missed about 15s. I told the prisoner I believed he had taken the money, and he denied it. I sent for a constable and gave the prisoner into custody. An officer's servant who was there showed me some money and asked me if it was mine. He said he would leave his watch rather than see the prisoner given into custody. Prisoner turned out his pockets, and he had only 1s. 6d. in them.

Joseph Bates, father of the last witness: She was with me in the parlour. We heard money rattling, and my daughter went into the bar. I followed her and saw the prisoner leaving the bar in a stooping manner. In leaving the bar he passed close to the officer's servant.

John Ferrell, officer's servant: I went into the "Bell" with Sergeant Jury and the prisoner. I left the "Bell" for a short time and on my return the landlord was accusing the prisoner of stealing some money.

By the Court: When I returned to the bar the landlady was inside and the prisoner was outside the bar. The statement of the landlady that I was there when the prisoner came out of the bar, is not true.

Sergeant Jury: I went into the parlour, and while I was there the landlady left in a hurry. I heard her accuse some men of stealing some money. I came out and saw prisoner standing in front of the bar. Ferrell was standing by the front door.

P.C. Brennon deposed: Mrs. Spain sent for me, and there was some delay before she gave prisoner into custody. She said she would not give him into custody if he acknowledged that he had taken the money and would give it back. the prisoner said he would give 5s. but had not got it. The officer's servant said he would get the money, and offered to leave his watch while he went to fetch it. I searched prisoner and found 1s. 3d. upon him. He did not acknowledge taking the money.

The prisoner, in defence, said he reached to look into the parlour, because he suspected something was going on between the landlady and the servant; and just as he was doing so the landlady come out and said she had caught him. He told her she had not caught him doing anything. He denied the charge in toto.

The Chairman said the only evidence against the prisoner was that of the woman. The question for the jury was whether they believed her evidence, or whether they thought it had been got up in spite against the prisoner for his looking into the parlour to see what was going on.

The jury acquitted the prisoner.

Kentish Gazette, 15 March, 1870.

HYTHE. Accident.

On Tuesday night last, a little after ten o’clock, two officers in a dog-cart, belonging we believe to Mr. Ovenden, of the “Swan Hotel,” were driving at a rapid rate into Hythe along the Sandgale Road, and when near the “Bell Inn” they came into collision with another vehicle going in the opposite direction. The two occupants of the dog-cart were pitched out head foremost; the cart was turned completely over, and both shafts broken off. Mr. Spain, of the “Bell Inn,” Mr. H. V. Laker, and others rendered immediate assistance, whilst another person went for Mr. Hackney, surgeon. Both gentlemen appeared to be rather severely cut about their face and other parts of their head, and bled very much. After receiving medical assistance they were taken to their quarters. The vehicle which they ran against was apparently not damaged, as the parties in it drove off shortly after the occurrence.

I have only just started to research into this area of Kent and I am hoping to be able to update this page with further information later.

The list of licensees below is all that I have found to date.

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

HAUNTED.

Parts of the inn have history from the 15th century. A Grey Lady haunts the cellars. She, witnesses report, to have been a former proprietor who died giving birth to a child at the "Bell Inn." When the huge inglenook fireplace here was opened up for renovation some years ago, the builders unearthed old beer mugs, clay pipes and a bunch of keys. They also found the bodies of two Revenue Officers who had been murdered and bricked up. It, witnesses report at the time that their uniforms, boots and belts were still in good condition. Various local customers maintain they have seen the ghosts of those two men sitting adjacent to the inglenook fireplace.

I was informed in January 2020 that this pub is now being run by the proprietors of the Holy Pundit, the Indian Restaurant inside the "Imperial Hotel."

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Sam Williams, 11 June 2020.

The Bell pub, in Hythe, launches drive-thru takeaway service.

A seaside town in Kent is set to get its first ever drive-thru takeaway amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Owners of The Bell pub, in Seabrook Road, Hythe, are launching the service this weekend and will offer burgers, baguettes, fish and chips, chicken wings, children's meals and more.

The Bell pub in Hythe will launch a drive-thru this weekend.

Customers will call in advance and place their order, and then collect it as soon as five minutes later in their car.

Cones will be set up in the pub's car park directing the vehicles to a gazebo, where a member of staff will hand over the food.

The meals will be paid for over the phone or by contactless payment.

Rahul Pancholi, own runs the pub with chef and business partner Saurav Chakraborty, said: "We're feeling very excited, especially after reading the comments from people on Facebook.

"It will be an easy and convenient way of entry and exit with your order.

Owners Rahul Pancholi and Saurav Chakraborty.

"But we're little bit nervous too, because coming up with an idea and executing it are different things.

"But we want to ensure it all goes as smooth as possible.

"We didn't realise until after we'd made the decision that it will be Hythe's only drive-thru."

The Bell closed in March when the country was put into lockdown.

About a month after its closure it started a delivery and pick up service on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Its Sunday menu has proved very popular, with the team selling up to 165 roast dinners in one day.

Speaking of the new operation, Mr Pancholi, 42, from Folkestone, added: "Our car park is very big and we will have a waiting area and someone to direct cars where to go.

"But if too many people come we will have to let people know the wait time will be a bit longer, or even turn customers away, as we are on a busy road and don't want traffic to build up."

The owners, who also run The Holy Pundit located within the Hythe Imperial Hotel, which is currently closed, will start the project with six members of staff but this could expand depending on its success.

The service will launch tomorrow (June 12) and be available Fridays and Saturdays 12pm until 8pm.

Orders have to be made in advance by calling 01303 267175.

Some fast food restaurants across the county have now opened their drive-thrus, including many McDonald's and KFC.

And some restaurants have also launched a similar service - including a partnership between The Cave Hotel and The Korean Cowgirl in Canterbury and also the The "Aviator" pub on the Isle of Sheppey.

Tradex Kitchens, in Folkestone, has also set up Britain's first drive-in showroom where customers can browse their wares from the safety of their own car.

LICENSEE LIST

KENT Mr to Oct/1807

MARSHALL Henry 1828+