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29-04-2023, 11:03
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-valley-of-vision.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQdjBjcjqmOe9mjRoXQGefIx7gaYwoCHU5-e59ilDoWAfTnxriOJEf7ymPwduSAcUeajasrAeffCoDkGa6s6p km9VB7qYz0bos9Moh_AWw_pZXcnP-KQIc3ngp1xZgJ38s9jggs50HWx2vz9f_5vw3dr9AbwNMvh97mK TWRQ-1nXveLMl8Y_ynVin/w225-h400/IMG_20230421_135127.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQdjBjcjqmOe9mjRoXQGefIx7gaYwoCHU5-e59ilDoWAfTnxriOJEf7ymPwduSAcUeajasrAeffCoDkGa6s6p km9VB7qYz0bos9Moh_AWw_pZXcnP-KQIc3ngp1xZgJ38s9jggs50HWx2vz9f_5vw3dr9AbwNMvh97mK TWRQ-1nXveLMl8Y_ynVin/s4000/IMG_20230421_135127.jpg)
After one of the driest February’s on record the followingmonths of March and April have turned out to be the complete opposite, withmore than enough rain to make up for February’s shortfall and surely enough nowto see us through into summer. The water companies, of course, will insist thatdespite all the heavy rain, many reservoirs are still only partially full, butI get the impression they are pulling our collective legs. If they worked instead,to repair countless leaks affecting the water supply system, then I'm surethere will be no water shortage.So, what to do on a wet Friday when your wife has got a loadof tax vouchers to issue? Don’t ask, but Mrs PBT’s does bookkeeping for arather disparate group of jobbing builders, and at certain times of the yearthese “tradesmen” need to let HMRC know how much they’ve earned and what theyare allowed to offset against tax.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcPlpiOf1uGvwp1wcSf9opq6N_Wd7V4W-aF_B4ng_tW70zUL35ldPPSPNmvlct-pQBm_7uMB-D7z-AVscRkTMAqp-F4Q4YYgfpBw3ZpKSWJ9dIgag5suSp5yumizuEcm2Rjfonx2rno L9oGT4LXBUx4X011mEjQBFa25TnRlFY0cvql4vqU6bt8zu/w400-h225/Shoreham%20Church.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcPlpiOf1uGvwp1wcSf9opq6N_Wd7V4W-aF_B4ng_tW70zUL35ldPPSPNmvlct-pQBm_7uMB-D7z-AVscRkTMAqp-F4Q4YYgfpBw3ZpKSWJ9dIgag5suSp5yumizuEcm2Rjfonx2rno L9oGT4LXBUx4X011mEjQBFa25TnRlFY0cvql4vqU6bt8zu/s3969/Shoreham%20Church.jpg)
That’s my take on it, and I might well be wrong, but it’s atask that requires a lot of concentration, so when my dear lady wife is up toher neck in financial matters, I’m better off out of the way. So, with me atloose end I decided to head off through the rain to somewhere I could enjoy somedecent scenery and a nice quiet pub where I could enjoy a pint or two of beer.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1ZilIJMXOXed4EaIyI4Gz1cbFXbmK5ZIqYU9zgIA0g 3p1AtMEARTDPS1knSrV1SZJWRsFtBMl6elhVbamuX068TSL-kN408uuILPslKnVJcLoI55QTd4jAKBhvMIdx0QWvuuEdwxIGdw KDjmpqV8iMHqUQXKSRffaZdWA5HkWlAsilk7__HJrtxC/w400-h225/IMG_20230421_135532.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1ZilIJMXOXed4EaIyI4Gz1cbFXbmK5ZIqYU9zgIA0g 3p1AtMEARTDPS1knSrV1SZJWRsFtBMl6elhVbamuX068TSL-kN408uuILPslKnVJcLoI55QTd4jAKBhvMIdx0QWvuuEdwxIGdw KDjmpqV8iMHqUQXKSRffaZdWA5HkWlAsilk7__HJrtxC/s4000/IMG_20230421_135532.jpg)
For some reason the village of Shoreham sprang to mind, andI'm talking here about the Kent village of Shoreham rather than the better-knownShoreham-by-Sea, on the South Coast. The Kentish Shoreham nestles inthe floor of the valley scoured out by the River Darent. The latter is a fairly small river but is responsible,over the millennia for carving this valley deep into the chalk hill of thesurrounding North Downs.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7dIe3mE9r1SibqR5rCYkD45cSHkUxtzVmDoaGaEx7i MwXYna6ICau9Ismzzw02aVs6LI9H58h110QDgkK-1NtFnnd04MD8Gp9kQ5iCKgVOowPsydojt4p0dTkLsUx8BbcA9e lpWjJz5ozgykfU6JO00DAxNS7ilsxzUVBEz3DrBiYKI4q4kUsh em/w400-h225/IMG_20230421_134105.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7dIe3mE9r1SibqR5rCYkD45cSHkUxtzVmDoaGaEx7i MwXYna6ICau9Ismzzw02aVs6LI9H58h110QDgkK-1NtFnnd04MD8Gp9kQ5iCKgVOowPsydojt4p0dTkLsUx8BbcA9e lpWjJz5ozgykfU6JO00DAxNS7ilsxzUVBEz3DrBiYKI4q4kUsh em/s4000/IMG_20230421_134105.jpg)
According to Wikipedia,just over 2,000 souls live in Shoreham, but if you walk down into the villagefrom the railway station, higher up in the valley, you get the feeling that theinhabitants have all disappeared. With the settlement hidden away in the floorof the valley, this is an easy assumption to make, despite proximity to the M25and Sevenoaks, which is only a few miles away. I've been to Shoreham several times previously, either aspart of a download walk or because there was some CAMRA related event takingplace. Most of these involved arriving by train, and then walking to the Crown,which is the furthermost pub at the northern end of the village, and then workour way back towards the station, visiting the other pubs on the way. There usedto be four public houses in Shoreham, but with the closure of the Two Brewersin 2019, there are now only three.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIfc-qlzjr5mS00iK5AsJ-duD6gEux6bBa63pk5jy1mwkoKHt3dhRYWEJilKjey1Ro5aQ-9zRJfEbiBMtW0bDf9e72G-iNYeEf1YTD7mCjtvr-2hSpCJMLFD0yizZ-5PBv6LWEL8pNEO2-851RWLShcc2Xie9H2SfQtKJlMaTI_A2Q_TgOYWy1m81/w400-h225/IMG_20230421_135231.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIfc-qlzjr5mS00iK5AsJ-duD6gEux6bBa63pk5jy1mwkoKHt3dhRYWEJilKjey1Ro5aQ-9zRJfEbiBMtW0bDf9e72G-iNYeEf1YTD7mCjtvr-2hSpCJMLFD0yizZ-5PBv6LWEL8pNEO2-851RWLShcc2Xie9H2SfQtKJlMaTI_A2Q_TgOYWy1m81/s4000/IMG_20230421_135231.jpg)
This time around, the pub I wanted to visit, was the Samuel Palmer (https://thesamuelpalmer.com/), a rather upmarket gastro pub. Formerly known as Ye Olde George Inn. Thepub was quite often missed, due to time restraints regarding last train home,so for this reason, along with the change of name, the Samuel Palmer was theobvious choice for an overdue visit.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6INTu9sTSQYY1VfTYoNk2B6sipkwEnUh7Wh6lA3qAEG EY4n97bPwjAY3EvoZ2LI84U9AHzdUuf02kInRtK2qf-KYbpHzaI2CHVzRfyrI-PNPWhSwOcGjoGWoEO2MtoyGb00KTJ7s5mbBxirZ0zLRj0g-HLH8HjDZAoSpLn7KBkgXdIN1nQf2oTa69/w400-h216/Palmers%20Cottage.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6INTu9sTSQYY1VfTYoNk2B6sipkwEnUh7Wh6lA3qAEG EY4n97bPwjAY3EvoZ2LI84U9AHzdUuf02kInRtK2qf-KYbpHzaI2CHVzRfyrI-PNPWhSwOcGjoGWoEO2MtoyGb00KTJ7s5mbBxirZ0zLRj0g-HLH8HjDZAoSpLn7KBkgXdIN1nQf2oTa69/s3862/Palmers%20Cottage.jpg)
The pub is now owned by the nearby MountVineyard, who have spent a considerable sum renovating and smartening the placeup (within the bounds of its listing). A courtyard/terrace area has been openedup, behind the building, and in spite of its upmarket theme, dogs are welcomeboth there and in the main bar, although not in the main restaurant or functionrooms. Situated right at the southern entrance to the village, thepub’s new name relates to the 19th Century, artist Samuel Palmer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Palmer). Takinghis inspiration from what he referred to as this North Downs “Valley ofVision”, Palmer moved into a rundown cottage in the centre of the village,where he produced some of his best pastoral paintings - Ina Shoreham Garden (https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O17825/in-a-shoreham-garden-watercolour-palmer-samuel/) and ACornfield by Moonlight (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1985-0504-1), both in watercolours, for those who are interested in art.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQ7dCWSm1bZ0mQXa9SXjrb1LVhKXRLG5AxuL7M9oMK5 qfI0ocjAjM2QQxY4_uiGzl2-NpLQKppv47uEOdHkee9l47-ohWpYNR6zbQ_lFGJRl-YB307h_olEe8SyU0iQIUc66S6LHlp-ey8O-_Rf_-PYtsT-vofd-0Pi2h6Rj5W4zXacjNTLLBLrHD/w400-h225/IMG_20230421_135954.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQ7dCWSm1bZ0mQXa9SXjrb1LVhKXRLG5AxuL7M9oMK5 qfI0ocjAjM2QQxY4_uiGzl2-NpLQKppv47uEOdHkee9l47-ohWpYNR6zbQ_lFGJRl-YB307h_olEe8SyU0iQIUc66S6LHlp-ey8O-_Rf_-PYtsT-vofd-0Pi2h6Rj5W4zXacjNTLLBLrHD/s4000/IMG_20230421_135954.jpg)
My journey to Shoreham that Friday, involved a change oftrain at Sevenoaks station, and then a short ride of just three stations to thevillage. The rain had stopped by the time I alighted from the train, and aftercrossing to the opposite platform, I followed the off-road, gravel path whichleads down in to the village. A walk through the churchyard, along a path linedon both sides with rows of carefully clipped yew bushes, brought me outopposite the Samuel Palmer, but I wanted to do a spot of exploring first, andthen have a pint.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJi18zDXO091ubygTqemccwENMEsglEQ7U4nVupt4_0 tpAFVzGiMbpB7l4lEY5dW45Kh45Cr3Ze0nFBTZ8h02eCvUDrAy uGAHrgwePg5zfI3Rim5lS27k_7Fu82zIk7lZGpo8oziDBCg2do lwEl-q0jTB1PtQD8dCIP3uqBoWYtjOsTjaEpS2zgpK/w400-h225/IMG_20230421_135755.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJi18zDXO091ubygTqemccwENMEsglEQ7U4nVupt4_0 tpAFVzGiMbpB7l4lEY5dW45Kh45Cr3Ze0nFBTZ8h02eCvUDrAy uGAHrgwePg5zfI3Rim5lS27k_7Fu82zIk7lZGpo8oziDBCg2do lwEl-q0jTB1PtQD8dCIP3uqBoWYtjOsTjaEpS2zgpK/s4000/IMG_20230421_135755.jpg)
As I followed the narrow lane, past the pub and then downtowards the centre of Shoreham, I could hear the sound of rushing water. Reachingthe bottom of the slope and turning the corner, led me to the source of thenoise, namely the fast-flowing River Darent, its waters swollen by the recent heavyrains. The river is crossed by a narrow bridge, and not far from there, on the left-handside of the road, I could see the King’s Arms, the second of Shoreham’s threepubs. It’s an attractive looking, white-paintedbuilding, and I was going to pop in for a pint, and to refresh my memory, but spottingthe group of people standing outside, made me realise a funeral wake was takingplace inside, so not wishing to intrude, I gave up on the idea, and insteadheaded back to the Samuel Palmer.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGn1sSGAXUmMWWkSG6ID0N2-Xh7R_ub9MRTux6liEe9sGHgkVtJbXotsfqObp8g-FhJu7XXZI8kV0QI34D8LCEqS-XoWML1LO19swDD6Zfmi37MCgqzZCI-v98Gxor3Uop60MsG_l_CaF_k1g7fY0zjkr5t8eKSlIXzWsIb44 72xTcqmwZadsXQDrp/w400-h248/Sam%20Palmer%20side%20view.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGn1sSGAXUmMWWkSG6ID0N2-Xh7R_ub9MRTux6liEe9sGHgkVtJbXotsfqObp8g-FhJu7XXZI8kV0QI34D8LCEqS-XoWML1LO19swDD6Zfmi37MCgqzZCI-v98Gxor3Uop60MsG_l_CaF_k1g7fY0zjkr5t8eKSlIXzWsIb44 72xTcqmwZadsXQDrp/s3320/Sam%20Palmer%20side%20view.jpg)
I had a quick look atthe painter’s former cottage, which looked far from the rustic, rundown, ruralidyll I was expecting, and a few minutes later, set foot inside the pub thatbares the artist’s name. I’ve been having a spot of bother with the camera onmy phone. The memory is approaching saturation point, which means that not allphotos are loading correctly. Unfortunately, this means there aren’t that manyphotos of the Samuel Palmer’s interior, so “bear with” as they say, but whatthe few photos I did manage to take, don’t reveal, is the scale of what’sinside.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBgEYF60Q_VR6VkA_ou5RFJLy04QaCzJ18VWL1Pc3IY 2Pkec3XwRkbyag41df5bP5vo73N1SPjkPzBRwjlpdB0C3m6wHI vVMl1Eg8nudyBfKe5JCq-tDxVdvbdHThnTgukK6fLXaLbuDQvVhPaSU-8Xe2wSKZQ-jSf9D2n24aRSaJ69R1zZLboqlu/w400-h225/Sam%20Palmer%20Dining.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBgEYF60Q_VR6VkA_ou5RFJLy04QaCzJ18VWL1Pc3IY 2Pkec3XwRkbyag41df5bP5vo73N1SPjkPzBRwjlpdB0C3m6wHI vVMl1Eg8nudyBfKe5JCq-tDxVdvbdHThnTgukK6fLXaLbuDQvVhPaSU-8Xe2wSKZQ-jSf9D2n24aRSaJ69R1zZLboqlu/s4000/Sam%20Palmer%20Dining.jpg)
There are plenty of exposed old beams, an open fireplace tothe left, and a couple of cosy, wood-panelled rooms. Further round is a bright andspacious restaurant area which, judging by the height of the open-plan pitched roof,must be a recent addition. Of much more interest to me than the architecture,was the presence on the bar of a hand-pump dispensing Larkin’s Best Bitter,which was a rare sight indeed. I say rare, because the 4.4% Best Bitter, brewedby Larkin’s is hardly ever seen in local pubs, most of which prefer to stockthe weaker, and to my mind, inferior Traditional. At 3.4% abv, the latteris a full percentage point lower in strength than the Best, and this is reflectedin both the body and the taste of the beer.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEeD76L_oidCNTkn1Q0UFum4xyI1qKGRZBeTVDFJg3yJ 9aOkreMq1-tCZep6LiEHGRhADwk4ZYeZ9W6F2rrG8eESxqw_GYq765lnEGx4 IKf5H90P9XQ_wsApoLakz1gIoHO8KKwvgmLa-Ld-2AkNEKoz2YVX5RKc-hdQGptHpRpllEF99bhb2U-5a6/w225-h400/Larkins%20Best%20Bitter.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEeD76L_oidCNTkn1Q0UFum4xyI1qKGRZBeTVDFJg3yJ 9aOkreMq1-tCZep6LiEHGRhADwk4ZYeZ9W6F2rrG8eESxqw_GYq765lnEGx4 IKf5H90P9XQ_wsApoLakz1gIoHO8KKwvgmLa-Ld-2AkNEKoz2YVX5RKc-hdQGptHpRpllEF99bhb2U-5a6/s4000/Larkins%20Best%20Bitter.jpg)
Larkin’s founder, the now sadly deceased Bob Dockerty, always claimedthat “Trad” as it is known in the trade, was popular in rural pubs, due to itslow strength. Drinkers could enjoy a couple of pints of this beer, and then drivehome, safe in the knowledge they were unlikely to fail the breathalyser. Thismay well have been the case, but for those times when you are NOT driving, Tradfails to satisfy, and is not really the beer for those who like a bit of bodyin their beer. Imagine my excitement then as the barman pulled my rich, foaming,and full-bodied pint of Larkin’s Best, and I’m pleased to report it tastedevery bit as good as it looked, but it was £5.25 a pint!I sat at a table, opposite the bar enjoying my beer, andtaking in the sights and the comings and goings in the pub. Diners, whether sittingin the bar area, or in the more upmarket section at the back, appeared to make upthe majority of the Samuel Palmer’s customers, but there were a few casualdrinkers – dog walkers, or the occasional rambler. I only stayed for the one pint,before making the walk, back up the hill to Shoreham station, but I enjoyed my visitto this upmarket pub, and I especiallyenjoyed my pint of Larkin’s Best.
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQdjBjcjqmOe9mjRoXQGefIx7gaYwoCHU5-e59ilDoWAfTnxriOJEf7ymPwduSAcUeajasrAeffCoDkGa6s6p km9VB7qYz0bos9Moh_AWw_pZXcnP-KQIc3ngp1xZgJ38s9jggs50HWx2vz9f_5vw3dr9AbwNMvh97mK TWRQ-1nXveLMl8Y_ynVin/w225-h400/IMG_20230421_135127.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQdjBjcjqmOe9mjRoXQGefIx7gaYwoCHU5-e59ilDoWAfTnxriOJEf7ymPwduSAcUeajasrAeffCoDkGa6s6p km9VB7qYz0bos9Moh_AWw_pZXcnP-KQIc3ngp1xZgJ38s9jggs50HWx2vz9f_5vw3dr9AbwNMvh97mK TWRQ-1nXveLMl8Y_ynVin/s4000/IMG_20230421_135127.jpg)
After one of the driest February’s on record the followingmonths of March and April have turned out to be the complete opposite, withmore than enough rain to make up for February’s shortfall and surely enough nowto see us through into summer. The water companies, of course, will insist thatdespite all the heavy rain, many reservoirs are still only partially full, butI get the impression they are pulling our collective legs. If they worked instead,to repair countless leaks affecting the water supply system, then I'm surethere will be no water shortage.So, what to do on a wet Friday when your wife has got a loadof tax vouchers to issue? Don’t ask, but Mrs PBT’s does bookkeeping for arather disparate group of jobbing builders, and at certain times of the yearthese “tradesmen” need to let HMRC know how much they’ve earned and what theyare allowed to offset against tax.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcPlpiOf1uGvwp1wcSf9opq6N_Wd7V4W-aF_B4ng_tW70zUL35ldPPSPNmvlct-pQBm_7uMB-D7z-AVscRkTMAqp-F4Q4YYgfpBw3ZpKSWJ9dIgag5suSp5yumizuEcm2Rjfonx2rno L9oGT4LXBUx4X011mEjQBFa25TnRlFY0cvql4vqU6bt8zu/w400-h225/Shoreham%20Church.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcPlpiOf1uGvwp1wcSf9opq6N_Wd7V4W-aF_B4ng_tW70zUL35ldPPSPNmvlct-pQBm_7uMB-D7z-AVscRkTMAqp-F4Q4YYgfpBw3ZpKSWJ9dIgag5suSp5yumizuEcm2Rjfonx2rno L9oGT4LXBUx4X011mEjQBFa25TnRlFY0cvql4vqU6bt8zu/s3969/Shoreham%20Church.jpg)
That’s my take on it, and I might well be wrong, but it’s atask that requires a lot of concentration, so when my dear lady wife is up toher neck in financial matters, I’m better off out of the way. So, with me atloose end I decided to head off through the rain to somewhere I could enjoy somedecent scenery and a nice quiet pub where I could enjoy a pint or two of beer.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1ZilIJMXOXed4EaIyI4Gz1cbFXbmK5ZIqYU9zgIA0g 3p1AtMEARTDPS1knSrV1SZJWRsFtBMl6elhVbamuX068TSL-kN408uuILPslKnVJcLoI55QTd4jAKBhvMIdx0QWvuuEdwxIGdw KDjmpqV8iMHqUQXKSRffaZdWA5HkWlAsilk7__HJrtxC/w400-h225/IMG_20230421_135532.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1ZilIJMXOXed4EaIyI4Gz1cbFXbmK5ZIqYU9zgIA0g 3p1AtMEARTDPS1knSrV1SZJWRsFtBMl6elhVbamuX068TSL-kN408uuILPslKnVJcLoI55QTd4jAKBhvMIdx0QWvuuEdwxIGdw KDjmpqV8iMHqUQXKSRffaZdWA5HkWlAsilk7__HJrtxC/s4000/IMG_20230421_135532.jpg)
For some reason the village of Shoreham sprang to mind, andI'm talking here about the Kent village of Shoreham rather than the better-knownShoreham-by-Sea, on the South Coast. The Kentish Shoreham nestles inthe floor of the valley scoured out by the River Darent. The latter is a fairly small river but is responsible,over the millennia for carving this valley deep into the chalk hill of thesurrounding North Downs.
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According to Wikipedia,just over 2,000 souls live in Shoreham, but if you walk down into the villagefrom the railway station, higher up in the valley, you get the feeling that theinhabitants have all disappeared. With the settlement hidden away in the floorof the valley, this is an easy assumption to make, despite proximity to the M25and Sevenoaks, which is only a few miles away. I've been to Shoreham several times previously, either aspart of a download walk or because there was some CAMRA related event takingplace. Most of these involved arriving by train, and then walking to the Crown,which is the furthermost pub at the northern end of the village, and then workour way back towards the station, visiting the other pubs on the way. There usedto be four public houses in Shoreham, but with the closure of the Two Brewersin 2019, there are now only three.
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This time around, the pub I wanted to visit, was the Samuel Palmer (https://thesamuelpalmer.com/), a rather upmarket gastro pub. Formerly known as Ye Olde George Inn. Thepub was quite often missed, due to time restraints regarding last train home,so for this reason, along with the change of name, the Samuel Palmer was theobvious choice for an overdue visit.
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The pub is now owned by the nearby MountVineyard, who have spent a considerable sum renovating and smartening the placeup (within the bounds of its listing). A courtyard/terrace area has been openedup, behind the building, and in spite of its upmarket theme, dogs are welcomeboth there and in the main bar, although not in the main restaurant or functionrooms. Situated right at the southern entrance to the village, thepub’s new name relates to the 19th Century, artist Samuel Palmer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Palmer). Takinghis inspiration from what he referred to as this North Downs “Valley ofVision”, Palmer moved into a rundown cottage in the centre of the village,where he produced some of his best pastoral paintings - Ina Shoreham Garden (https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O17825/in-a-shoreham-garden-watercolour-palmer-samuel/) and ACornfield by Moonlight (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1985-0504-1), both in watercolours, for those who are interested in art.
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My journey to Shoreham that Friday, involved a change oftrain at Sevenoaks station, and then a short ride of just three stations to thevillage. The rain had stopped by the time I alighted from the train, and aftercrossing to the opposite platform, I followed the off-road, gravel path whichleads down in to the village. A walk through the churchyard, along a path linedon both sides with rows of carefully clipped yew bushes, brought me outopposite the Samuel Palmer, but I wanted to do a spot of exploring first, andthen have a pint.
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As I followed the narrow lane, past the pub and then downtowards the centre of Shoreham, I could hear the sound of rushing water. Reachingthe bottom of the slope and turning the corner, led me to the source of thenoise, namely the fast-flowing River Darent, its waters swollen by the recent heavyrains. The river is crossed by a narrow bridge, and not far from there, on the left-handside of the road, I could see the King’s Arms, the second of Shoreham’s threepubs. It’s an attractive looking, white-paintedbuilding, and I was going to pop in for a pint, and to refresh my memory, but spottingthe group of people standing outside, made me realise a funeral wake was takingplace inside, so not wishing to intrude, I gave up on the idea, and insteadheaded back to the Samuel Palmer.
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I had a quick look atthe painter’s former cottage, which looked far from the rustic, rundown, ruralidyll I was expecting, and a few minutes later, set foot inside the pub thatbares the artist’s name. I’ve been having a spot of bother with the camera onmy phone. The memory is approaching saturation point, which means that not allphotos are loading correctly. Unfortunately, this means there aren’t that manyphotos of the Samuel Palmer’s interior, so “bear with” as they say, but whatthe few photos I did manage to take, don’t reveal, is the scale of what’sinside.
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There are plenty of exposed old beams, an open fireplace tothe left, and a couple of cosy, wood-panelled rooms. Further round is a bright andspacious restaurant area which, judging by the height of the open-plan pitched roof,must be a recent addition. Of much more interest to me than the architecture,was the presence on the bar of a hand-pump dispensing Larkin’s Best Bitter,which was a rare sight indeed. I say rare, because the 4.4% Best Bitter, brewedby Larkin’s is hardly ever seen in local pubs, most of which prefer to stockthe weaker, and to my mind, inferior Traditional. At 3.4% abv, the latteris a full percentage point lower in strength than the Best, and this is reflectedin both the body and the taste of the beer.
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Larkin’s founder, the now sadly deceased Bob Dockerty, always claimedthat “Trad” as it is known in the trade, was popular in rural pubs, due to itslow strength. Drinkers could enjoy a couple of pints of this beer, and then drivehome, safe in the knowledge they were unlikely to fail the breathalyser. Thismay well have been the case, but for those times when you are NOT driving, Tradfails to satisfy, and is not really the beer for those who like a bit of bodyin their beer. Imagine my excitement then as the barman pulled my rich, foaming,and full-bodied pint of Larkin’s Best, and I’m pleased to report it tastedevery bit as good as it looked, but it was £5.25 a pint!I sat at a table, opposite the bar enjoying my beer, andtaking in the sights and the comings and goings in the pub. Diners, whether sittingin the bar area, or in the more upmarket section at the back, appeared to make upthe majority of the Samuel Palmer’s customers, but there were a few casualdrinkers – dog walkers, or the occasional rambler. I only stayed for the one pint,before making the walk, back up the hill to Shoreham station, but I enjoyed my visitto this upmarket pub, and I especiallyenjoyed my pint of Larkin’s Best.
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