Welcome to The Bulls Head Pub Web Site
PUB HISTORY- THE BULLS HEAD PUB WEB SITE
A PUB FOR ALL SEASONS
THE BULLS HEAD WEB SITE: IS DESIGNED AND MAINTAINED BY THE CRACKING GOOD DESIGN CO - 01959 576500 COLIN@CRACKINGGOOD.CO.UK
ALL MATERIAL ON THIS SITE IS COPYRIGHT OF THE BULLS HEAD PUB 2010
THE HISTORY OF PRATTS BOTTOM AND THE BULLS HEAD PUB.
Gas street lighting arrived prior to the first world war.
(‘I remember that’ - George)
PUBLIC HOUSES
The Porcupine Inn. In the 18th century the stage coach journey from London to Tunbridge Wells took a day and travellers often dined at the Porcupine Inn at the top Rushmore Hill. (now a private residence?) Both the porcupine Inn and the Harrow Inn were reputed to be smugglers’ haunts. The Bulls Head has stood on this site for about 400 years. The lime trees opposite are of a great age...Coaches would stop at the inn overnight
LOCAL FOLKLORE - DICK TURPIN
There is a story that Dick Turpin frequented the Bull’s Head Inn at Pratts Bottom before being caught horse stealing in 1739 and hanged for his crime. He is reputed to have slept in Pear tree Cottage, escaping through a tunnel now bricked up.
HIGHWAY ROBBERY (NOTHING TO DO WITH VERNON’S BAR PRICES the ed)
'The most documented hold up was described in “The Times” of Wed. 3rd October 1798 having taken place on July 31st of that year. A reward was offered of £240 for information leading to the capture of the thief. The robbery had taken place on the road to Pratts Bottom, when a man on horseback held up the mail late that night. It is said that the post boy in charge tried to deter the armed robber with the offer of half a guinea but the highway man made off with the six bags of mail instead. Earlier that day a man on horseback had passed through the turnpike at Pratts Bottom towards Sevenoaks. He returned later asking his way to Croydon and it was considered likely that this was the highwayman. There is no record of an arrest which given the eyewitness description of a young man of middle size wearing a drab coat and riding a horse with a white face, is hardly surprising. Could possibly be Eric, I’d say. (Thanks to Marjorie Ford and Geoffrey Rickard for this)
THE GIBBET (SEE ALSO ‘SIXTIES DANCES’)
It is popularly believed that a gibbet was sited at the end of the present World’s End. (hence the name) If a robbery had taken place at or near the toll gate at Pratts Bottom, then the hill overlooking it would have been a good place for the gibbet to be placed. There was a property named World’s End at the junction of the lane with Chelsfield Hill overlooking Pratts Bottom, documented as far back as 1730 (Copus 2 p.1) but no confirmation of a gibbet on that spot, (or indeedy, a KFC..The Squirrel)
THE EDITOR CHIPS IN....
Now I've seen a picture of Sue Short, I didn't realise how much of a resemblance she bore to the very lovely Pam Ferris (..She does look like Pam!...Vernon )
Sue has now finished working on The Pratts Bottom chronicles, (and possibly, a follow up to The Larkins) but I would like to thank her for her superb notes, of which there is only room for a scant few on this web page. For a more detailed review of work in progress, and the REAL truth about Sue, and other village events, buy the book, or go to:
PUB & VILLAGE
Some silly sixties types
trying to learn "The Gibbet"
."you just hang in the air,
then you jump off your
chair, then your dancin
in mid -air..do the gibbet!"...
Sue Short has no time for anyone hanging around....
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PUB & THE VILLAGE....
THE PUB HISTORY
IN SHORT....
'..£3.25
for a pint of the Nobby's?
...that's
daylight Robbery
Vern!.."
'..cheaper than a chimney sweep! Force his head up the Chimenea Vern!.."
.."whats this got to do with anything.." This was filmed in the Bulls Head last Summer, at the milk churning contest, so I suppose it's historical in a way.
THIS AREA
HAS BEEN CENSORED
BY THE LANDLADY.
