Pub of the year

ABOUT US

ON THE NORTH DOWNS IN AN AREA OF NATURAL OUTSTANDING BEAUTY, 581 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, YOU WILL FIND THE BOWL INN, A 1740’S PUBLIC HOUSE SERVING ONLY THE FINEST LOCAL KENTISH ALES, FINE WINES AND LOCAL SPIRITS. THE WARM FIRES ROAR DURING THE WINTER MONTHS AND THE BEAUTIFUL BEER GARDEN BLOOMS IN SPRING. DELICIOUS HOMEMADE SANDWICHES AND PLOUGHMAN’S LUNCHES ARE SERVED THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.

OPENING HOURS

MONDAY CLOSED
TUESDAY CLOSED
WEDNESDAY 5PM – 9PM (QUIZ 11PM)
THURSDAY 5PM – 9PM
FRIDAY 5PM – 11PM
SATURDAY MIDDAY – 10PM
SUNDAY MIDDAY – 9PM

(QUIZ NIGHT IS LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH)

CONTACT DETAILS

TELEPHONE : 01233 750354
EMAIL : ENQUIRIES (AT) THEBOWLONLINE.CO.UK

* PLEASE NOTE THAT DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE PREMISES EXCEPT GUIDE DOGS *

OUR BEER

WE ARE A FREE HOUSE. ALL OF OUR ALES ARE LOCALLY SOURCED FROM KENT. WE LISTEN TO OUR LOCALS, REGULARS AND IRREGULARS FOR SUGGESTIONS ON WHICH ALES TO PUT ON NEXT. WE HAVE HAD CAMRA GOOD BEER GUIDE RECOGNITION FROM 2007 TO 2019 AND WON ASHFORD, FOLKESTONE & ROMNEY MARSH PUB OF THE YEAR 2012 AND THEN IN 2017, 2018 & 2019!

LOCAL BREWERIES

THE FOLLOWING ARE A LIST OF THE LOCAL BREWERIES YOU WILL SEE POPPING UP AT THE BOWL INN…

BREAKWATER (DOVER)

GADDS’ THE RAMSGATE BREWERY (RAMSGATE)

HOPDAEMON BREWERY (NEWNHAM)

HOP FUZZ BREWERY (WEST HYTHE)

OLD DAIRY BREWERY (TENTERDEN)

TONBRIDGE BREWERY (TONBRIDGE)

WESTERHAM BREWERY (WESTERHAM)

OUR FOOD

ONLY SERVED AT WEEKENDS

SANDWICHES & ROLLS

ALL SERVED ON FRESHLY CUT WHITE OR GRANARY BREAD (OR A FRESH WHITE OR GRANARY ROLL) WITH A SALAD GARNISH & CRISPS

• HOME ROASTED LOCALLY REARED BEEF & HORSERADISH £7.50
• HOME COOKED GAMMON & ENGLISH MUSTARD £6.50
• OAK SMOKED SALMON & CREAM CHEESE £7.50

• MATURE CHEDDAR & CHOICE OF FILLING…
(RED ONION, CUCUMBER, PICKLE OR RED ONION CHUTNEY) £5.50

• CORNISH BRIE & GRAPE (OR CRANBERRY SAUCE) £5.50

CHILDREN’S SANDWICHES

• MATURE CHEDDAR £3.50
• HOME COOKED GAMMON OR HOME ROASTED BEEF £4.00

SALADS

A LARGE PLATE OF SALAD SERVED WITH A CHOICE OF CHEESE, GAMMON OR ROAST BEEF

• SALAD WITH MATURE CHEDDAR, STILTON OR BRIE £8.50
• SALAD WITH HOME ROASTED BEEF OR HOME COOKED GAMMON £10.50

SLICE OF BREAD £1

PLOUGHMAN’S LUNCHES

ALL SERVED WITH FRESHLY CUT WHITE OR GRANARY BREAD (OR A FRESH WHITE OR GRANARY ROLL) WITH A SALAD GARNISH & PICKLES

• HOME COOKED GAMMON £11
• MATURE CHEDDAR, STILTON OR BRIE £11
• HOME COOKED GAMMON & CHEESE (MATURE CHEDDAR, STILTON OR BRIE) £13

HISTORY

RECORDS OF AN ALEHOUSE ON THE SITE OF THE BOWL INN DATE BACK TO THE 1700S, WITH THE NAME FIRST APPEARING IN 1853 WHEN IT APPEARS IN DOCUMENTS DETAILING THE SALE OF THE PUB FROM SAMUEL JOHN SANKEY TO GEORGE ASH. THE PRESENT BUILDINGS WERE PROBABLY BUILT AS TWO AGRICULTURAL WORKERS’ COTTAGES, HAVING BEEN SUBJECT TO MANY ALTERATIONS SINCE.

THE BOWL INN HAS BEEN A HUB OF VILLAGE LIFE SINCE IT FIRST BEGAN. IT SERVED AS A MEETING PLACE FOR THE RAT AND SPARROW CLUB, WHERE MEMBERS WOULD GATHER ON A WEEKLY BASIS, BRINGING A LONG THEIR HAUL OF SPARROWS HEADS AND RATS TAILS TO BE COUNTED. AT THE END OF EACH YEAR THE MEMBER WITH THE HIGHEST TALLY RECEIVED A COLD DINNER AND A MODEST REWARD, PREPARED BY THE LANDLORD. THE BARN NEXT TO THE PUB, NOW FILLED WITH ANTIQUES AND CURIOSITIES, WAS FORMERLY A SKITTLE ALLEY.

RON AND ANN TOOK OVER THE PUB IN 2004, CLEANING AND RESTORING THE HISTORIC LISTED BUILDING, AND MAKING IT ONCE AGAIN A VIBRANT PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

FINDING US

WE ARE SITUATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF CANTERBURY, ASHFORD AND FOLKESTONE ON THE NORTH DOWNS IN KENT… JUST UP THE HILL FROM WYE.