Darenth Tavern, Green Street Green

The Darenth Tavern was a large roadhouse situated almost opposite The Ship in the hamlet of Green Street Green on the B260. Even allowing for passing trade, quite how this isolated community managed to support two substantial pubs for well over 250 years is a bit of a mystery.

Originally The White Hart, the pub traded under that name from its opening in around 1707, changing to The Darenth Tavern in around 1977. Despite some success, initially as a real ale mecca and later as a music venue, the revival in the pub's fortunes was not sustained and it was converted into an Indian restaurant in 1990.

The earlier photo suggests that The White Hart was part of the tied estate of Maidstone brewers Style & Winch, which later became part of the Courage empire. It remained a Courage house until 1977.

If anyone has a photo of the pub in its Courage days, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Thanks to dover-kent.com for sharing images.