Traditional pub
A friendly traditional local popular with a mixed clientele of all ages for its homely convivial atmosphere and welcoming to visitors. Situated in a quiet street in a conservation area off the main road, this retains the look and feel of a country pub. Built in 1840 as an ale house, this would once have been surrounded by countryside. The front room is small with half-height matchboard panelling, old fixed bench seating and a drinking shelf along with leaded glass in the windows and a stove. The door to the right was once used for off-sales. The bar itself has tongue and groove panelling with a plain and well-worn counter. An opening leads to a larger back room, also with panelling, in an L-shaped configuration created in the 1970s. Toilets are outside across the courtyard.
A small paved courtyard is at the rear with several table sets and benches, plus a modern retractable canopy which is employed in inclement weather. The outbuilding at the end is used to store the beer and is believed to have once been stables. A small area out front has further benches plus seats to one side.
The cask ales are from Harvey's and Timothy Taylor with a couple of guests.
A time-honoured tradition is for the local Ravensbourne Morris Men to perform outside on St George's Day (23rd April).
Listed under both the CAMRA Pub Heritage Group and London Pubs Group (on their London Local Inventory) as having an interior of special national historic interest (* 1-star).
Historic Interest
Built as an ale house in 1840, only beer was available here until the mid 1970s. The inside was then changed with partitioning removed for separate off-sales.
Chancery Lane is an old historic lane dating back to at least 17th C. when it was called Alley Lane, part of the former hamlet of Oakhill. The current name dates from 1854 following the Court of Chancery declaring the site of the nearby former workhouse as charity lands.
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: Not listed
The Jolly Woodman retains some inter-war features, including the bar counter and most of the bar-back.
Built in 1840, this is a delightful pub in a quiet lane off the main road, retaining the look and feel of a rural pub, reminiscent of when it was probably surrounded by countryside and farmland. The front room is extremely small but even so was originally two separate spaces with the unused door on the right leading into a snug cum off-sales until the partition was removed in the 1960s. The bar counter has tongue and groove panelling with a plain and well-worn top and probably dates from the 1920s. The plain and simple bar-back also looks inter-war except for the addition of some more modern woodwork, possibly for necessary repairs. There's also half-height matchboard panelling on the walls and old fixed bench seating. A widen opening on the left leads to a larger back room created in the 70s, which also has matchboard panelling on the walls and some fixed bench seating.
This Pub serves 2 changing beers and 2 regular beers.
Jolly Woodman, Beckenham
Changing beers typically include: Adnams - Southwold Bitter