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The White Swan
in Ash Village is by far the oldest of the three inns. Its history
goes back over several hundred years. The White Swan was mentioned as
an inn Domesday Book. It is known that the present building was in
existence early in the 14th century and before that there
was an inn on the site but it cannot be proved to be the same
building. Of course it has been extensively altered through the years.
The original inn was smaller and there were no counters in those days.
Under where now the bottle shelves are erected there was a large open
fireplace and customers sat on barrels arranged in a semicircle around
the fire. The drinks were brought up from the cellars in jugs. We know
that over a century ago it was the meeting place of the Manor Courts.
Just near the counter of the present salon bar there is a small door
in the wall which opened when opened disclosed a sizeable cavity which
suggests that it was a hiding place used in days gone by for those
seeking a refuge or as a place for hiding valuables. Great oak beams
and low ceilings and doorways are a feature of the house. In 1938 a
fire caused quite a bit of damage. A fire in the chimney was the cause
of the general conflagration. The Eynsford Fire Brigade attended, the
firemen finding their task made more arduous by reason of the fact
that several massive beams were well alight, through which they had to
saw. When the flames had been mastered there were found in the roof
piles of straw, the remains of the old thatch, which had not even been
set alight. The White Swan has its ghost which according to reports
was heard in the cellar for the last time about four years ago, but no
one, seems to know the story of the ghost. |
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The Royal Oak
in West Yoke was kept by the Grandparents of Mr W. Goodwin many years
ago. In recent years extensive alterations have taken place, the
exterior is considerably improved.
The Royal Oak 2 generations ago
The Green Man at
Hodsoll Street is mentioned in the account of Holywell Park Estate
when it was in the possession of the Fletcher family. The old
"stocks" stood on the green in front of the in.
The Green Man in 1957
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