Sceptered Southborough

Just a short post here, but last Sunday, in our search for new places to enjoy a decent cooked breakfast, Matthew and I visited the Hand & Sceptre at Southborough. Standing on a ridge, overlooking the Common and the cricket ground, the Sceptre is a pub we have driven past many times when driving between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. But as far as pub visits are concerned, I can count on one hand the number of times I have set foot in the place.

One such occasion, was back in the early days of West Kent CAMRA, when a small group of us called in at the Hand & Sceptre, to check it out. I’ve a feeling that one or two of us walked over from Tonbridge – we were obviously much younger and fitter in those days, but even so, it’s not that far on foot (2.5 miles), and if you ignore the traffic, there is a pavement running the entire distance between the two towns. I say town, because despite coming under the governance of Tunbridge Wells, Southborough still has its own Town Council, a resource that Tonbridge could certainly do with.

Situated within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Southborough offers plenty of scenic walks for all to enjoy. Southborough Common is an attractive and secluded area of 75 acres of woodland and greenery, where its possible to detach oneself from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. It’s also a place where it’s easy to get lost, as I have done on a number of occasions, although you will never really be that far from civilisation! Other walks in the area include the Tunbridge Wells Circular Walk, and Southborough Common provided the finish line for my recent completion of this varied, and attractive walk, back in August.

The Common also formed my starting point, for the TWCW, some 18 months previously. Cricket has been played on the common since the beginning of the 19^th century, and possibly from before that time. It is certainly one of the oldest cricket clubs locally. Standing on the far side of the common is the graceful steeple of St Peter’s church, whilst on the other side of the cricket pitch is the Hand & Sceptre pub, with the A26 road running in between. This vista of church, cricket pitch and pub, forms the quintessential English scene.

The Hand & Sceptre describes itself as a premium pub, bar, and restaurant, but it is also a small hotel, boasting 14 en-suite bedrooms. The building dates from 1728, although today with its modernised interior, it is hard to get a handle on the pub’s true age. The Hand & Sceptre is owned by pub group, Mitchell & Butlers, and ale wise stocks Fuller’s London Pride, plus the ubiquitous Doom Bar. It was a little too early for a drink, when we stopped by on Sunday morning, but it certainly seemed popular with people like us looking for a good start to the day. We sat in the bar, but there is also a restaurant area to the left of the bar counter, for those who prefer something a little more formal.

We inquired about breakfast, were given a menu each, asked to find a table and then return to place our order. We both went for a traditional full English, with a couple of variations apiece. Tea and coffee were available from a separate drinks station, on a help yourself basis. Priced at £10.50, the full English consisted of good quality ingredients – bacon, sausages and free-range eggs, all with plenty of taste. The photos give a hint of what was available. 

We sat at one of several high, “posing" tables rather than the arm chair option, purely because the latter seats were difficult to get up from – and I’m talking about Matthew here, as well as me. Our table looked out across the extensive outside terrace, which overlooks the common. This would be a good in summer to watch the cricket whilst enjoying a beer or two, but on a cold and windswept Sunday, in the wake of storm Darragh, the gentle knock of leather on willow seemed an eternity away.

So, will we return? The answer is a definite affirmative, given the location, setting, closeness to Bailey Towers and overall ambience. The other bonus was being able to turn up on spec, rather than having to book in advance (Ivy House, Chaser). It’s surprising sometimes when you find a place like the Hand Sceptre almost on your own doorstep, and whilst it might not be somewhere to spend an evening drinking cask ale, it certainly features high on the good breakfast list.