Goudhurst - a hill-top village, and real wealden gem

If I thought Thursday's weather was bad, Friday’s was even worse. At least on the previous morning we had some sunshine and I managed to get a fair bit done in the garden, although from mid-afternoon onward heavy rain put paid to any outdoor activities. With Friday forecast to be wet for most of the day, as well as several degrees colder, I decided the best thing to do was to get out of the house, leave Mrs PBT’s with the year-end tax returns, and all the other boring, financial stuff she has to do deal with and find a pub somewhere.

But where to go, especially on a day when the train drivers embark on yet another strike? Of necessity my day out would have to be a bus trip, but even then, it took a while to decide exactly where to go. Late last night, I finally settled on the large and rather picturesque village of Goudhurst, situated on the brow of a rather steep hill, in the heart of the Kentish Weald. The main A262 road runs right through the centre of the village and then does a dog leg around the churchyard, at the top of the hill. It's a road totally unsuited for large motor vehicles, and I would possibly even include buses here, whilst large lorries, and anything articulated, should definitely steer well clear!

It's a route I have travelled dozens of times particularly as it is the most direct route from Tonbridge to Ashford, the town where I grew up and where my parents lived until retiring up to Norfolk. The A262 isn't the quickest route, although it’s certainly much prettier and more attractive than the route via Hadlow, Kings Hill and M20 motorway. So having travelled through Goudhurst on many previous occasions I thought it high time I stopped for a look around. The fact that there’s a free car-park, close to the village pond, which is just before the really steep section of the hill begins, means there was no real excuse for not having stopped before.

Opposite the pond, is the Vine Inn, an attractive old, weather boarded pub sited at the junction of two roads leading into the village. Until yesterday, it was the only pub in Goudhurst I had visited, but that was over 20 years ago, and I’m sorry to report that the Vine is currently closed, and up for sale. Although I don’t know the reasons for its closure, I’m surprised that it’s shut, The pub I was making for though was the imposing, and rather striking, half-timbered Star & Eagle Hotel, situated on the right-hand side as you ascend the hill, just before the kink in the road, next to the churchyard. It's a pub with a very upmarket appearance but after looking online I noticed it had some good reviews, so I thought I would give it a try.

I also wanted to take a look at Goudhurst’s attractive mediaeval church situated right on the brow of the hill. It’s said that the church tower affords some spectacular view out across the weald, but quite understandably, the tower is only open to the public at weekends between April and October. There wouldn't have been much of a view on Friday anyway, given the low clouds and rain that were blowing in from the west, but was still well worthwhile having a look around inside this lovely old church.

As mentioned above, with no trains running I caught the No.7 bus from Tonbridge to Tunbridge Wells, although whatever possessed the bus company to put a single deck bus on a route that is normally operated by double deck buses? Even worse was doing so on a day when no trains were running. I gathered from the crowd of people waiting at the bus stop in Tonbridge that one bus had already been cancelled but somehow, when the bus eventually arrived, we all managed to squeeze on.

Unfortunately, the nearest available seat was next to a rather large gentleman who not only took up part of my seat allocation, but also stank to high heaven! I hate to think the last time this person made contact with soap and water, but the smell emanating from him was overpowering. Perhaps the little old lady who’d got on after me, and to whom I offered my seat, had noticed the pong too since she declined my offer. A real shame, as I would gladly have stood all the way to Tunbridge Wells just to get further away from this obnoxious individual.

Once we’d all squeezed our way off the bus in Tunbridge Wells, there was time for a leisurely flat white plus a bacon roll from Greggs, before walking along to the bus stop to await the 297 Hams Travel service to Goudhurst and Tenterden. The bus turned up on time but with only me, plus a couple of other people getting on, there were very few passengers on board, and most of whom got off at nearby Pembury. It's a very pleasant journey through the Weald of Kent travelling through the attractive villages of Matfield, Benchley, and Horsmonden. I was only person leaving the bus in Goudhurst, and as was getting off I asked the whereabouts of the return bus stop. A passenger, who was getting on, told me it was back around the corner, just passed the junction. He turned out to be the relief driver, as I discovered an hour and a half later, when he was driving the bus on its return journey to Tunbridge Wells.

A few steps up the hill from the bus stop was a rather nice-looking baker's. I'd already clocked the place on Google Street View, so I popped in and bought a cheese and tomato baguette, to eat later, whilst waiting for the bus back. I knew from the website and from photos of the Star & Eagle on social media, that the pub was rather upmarket, and that a simple item, like a cheese roll, would either be non-existent, or cost an arm and a leg, so the local baker’s made perfect sense.

With lunch settled for later, I crossed the road and headed off up the hill. I walked around the church first, with this extensive graveyard that extends across to the other side of a small lane where again there would be some rather splendid views, but not on that particular Friday. Afterwards I stuck my head inside the church and had a good look around. I half expected someone to appear, asking whether I was in need of salvation, or just wanted to pray, but as no one did, I had a nice look around, enjoying the peace and quiet of this lovey old church.

Afterwards, I walked back down the hill for a quick look at the pond, before retracing my steps up to the Star & Eagle. I was right in thinking the pub would posh, and whilst it was upmarket, in a nice sort of way, it very much reminded me of Rye.  The general layout of the pub was the bar occupied the middle section of the building, with a restaurant leading off to the right. There were also a number of other rooms to the left. On sale at the bar, were Harvey’s Sussex Best, plus a coronation ale from Brakspear’s. The latter company, appear to own the pub, and as with the George & Dragon at Speldhurst, plus the Leicester Arms at Penshurst, they have acquired some rather prestigious and historic pubs, in this part of Kent.

I took my pint of Sussex, plus bag of Piper’s Crisps – total cost £7.10, so work that one out! and sat at a table, overlooking the rainswept garden at the rear of the pub. It was nice and cosy inside, but for a while, I was the only customer. Later on, a couple turned up, and ordered themselves a meal, sitting at a window at the front of the pub. I imagine, the unseasonably cold weather had put a stop to much of the passing trade that an attractive village like Goudhurst, normally attracts, but it’s also worth noting that the Star & Eagle has ten bedrooms, for those contemplating a longer stay. There is also a reasonably-sized car-park at the rear of the pub, accessed by the appropriately named Back Lane.

One rather fascinating aspect of the Star & Eagle, is that it also owns the adjoining building, which formerly housed the Eight Bells pub. The latter always gave the impression of a far more basic and down to earth sort of place, which I’m sure it was. I'm not sure when it closed, as like the Star & Eagle, it was a pub that I never managed to visit. However, as a rather neat twist to this tale, the Eight Bells does open occasionally, for private hire events such as pop-ups, parties, and music events. As a former pub, it still contains a bar, dart board and pool table, plus a large open fire. The Eight Bells is separated from the Star & Eagle, by a narrow passage, at ground floor level.It would have been nice to see inside, although I imagine there would have been various keys to find and security alarms to deactivate, and that’s assuming the two girls behind the bar had the authority to open the place up for a casual onlooker, such as me, but it’s nice to learn that this former pub is still functioning, albeit in a somewhat limited capacity.

After leaving the pub, I crossed the road, walked down the hill, and found my way to the bus stop. I was glad of the shelter behind the stop, as I sat there enjoying the cheese baguette I’d bought earlier. I was the only passenger on the bus as far as Matfield and was glad at the progress the bus was making. There was a rather tight connection at Pembury Hospital, for the bus back to Tonbridge, and we would probably have made it, if the driver hadn’t decided to pull up outside a convenience store in Pembury village, to pick up some lunch!

I can’t really begrudge him for that, but missing the connection meant a 25-minute wait, in the freezing cold, for the next bus. I did toy with the idea of nipping into the hospital reception area, and waiting there, but hospitals aren’t the healthiest of places, so steeling myself against the cold I waited for the next 218 Arriva bus, to Tonbridge. Several bus routes include the hospital on their routes, so it does form a handy interchange that avoids the need to travel in and out of Tunbridge Wells. Consequently, despite the wait, I was back indoors by 2.30pm, glad that I had finally made the effort to experience a piece of Goudhurst for myself.