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10-02-2024, 20:10
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/hunting-down-huntsman-at-eridge.html)
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Anyone whohas been following this blog recently might be forgiven for thinking I’m becomingsomewhat obsessed with the pubs that lie along the A26 road south ofTunbridge Wells. So we have the Boar’s Head Inn, just to the north of Crowborough and the Cooper’s Arms slightly to the east. Then there's the Nevill Arms at EridgeGreen, where I ended up after my walk last Saturday. Then, for my first Pub Friday in February, I once again headed south to Eridge once more. However, unlike last weekend’swalk which ended up at Eridge Green, this time I headed further south along theA26, to Eridge station – an isolated settlement consisting of a handful ofhouses, the railway station, plus the Huntsman (https://huntsmanpuberidge.co.uk/)pub.
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I've been waitingsix months now to cross the Huntsman off my list of pubs to visit, following myaborted visit back in July. That was scuppered, by a power outage forcing thepub to close for a few days. So, after taking the No. 29 bus to Eridge station fromTunbridge Wells, my heart started to sink when, I noticed several contractorsvehicles, plus workmen in hi-vis jackets and hard hats milling around outsidethe station. One of the trucks had an extendable cage on the rear, allowing theoccupant to work on the cables overhead. Was the curse of no electricity aboutto strike again? Fortunately, as I drew closer, the signs on the side of thevans indicated they were from BT Open Reach, rather than UK Power Networks.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8A_x69pFGnptOBUskGK8qm8GzP0BtQDpco8bFRhXvKv O4kTfA-iTg8xNbc9m-JCP777bA6_Fon1hNB2GQQjW_fBDzi3JZbiVjkR-DKPiE6CZopgEsgTukvjFDvHGchTFXlqdthu3Hm36M66zs1T3Op mrPkq7zrxo5L2ntO_YlQF2AnDDf7KFdkp-90gE/w400-h225/Eridge%20station.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8A_x69pFGnptOBUskGK8qm8GzP0BtQDpco8bFRhXvKv O4kTfA-iTg8xNbc9m-JCP777bA6_Fon1hNB2GQQjW_fBDzi3JZbiVjkR-DKPiE6CZopgEsgTukvjFDvHGchTFXlqdthu3Hm36M66zs1T3Op mrPkq7zrxo5L2ntO_YlQF2AnDDf7KFdkp-90gE/s4000/Eridge%20station.jpg)
Breathing asigh of relief, I hurried along to the Huntsman and entered the pub for thefirst time since way before the pandemic, and for what was probably only myfourth visit ever. When I first moved Tonbridge late in 1984, the Huntsman at Eridgewas one of just two pubs locally, that belonged to the late and much lamented Horsham brewers,King & Barnes. This small independent brewery was renowned for its range ofdistinctive and hoppy beers, but sadly ceased production in 2000. The Huntsman’slocation, next door to Eridge station, meant it was easy to reach by publictransport, but that was about to change.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0eGE4mmg7Ez9lqpYMbmksSlZcyzbDOPHCviGtIAtbW Jl6Al0nZeLTtGcPx4SQ-RbdHKiTidkLOkO4Z_cri0TtMP9ERu2eQlVmeVKWVHgrXQaei9x 4bEDTGrREhmxLg2HyHleD18ZA7MbZaRGohGJhadydNjbNV3tkv KLNOBrEPZRQBfzPb9BixeBMbs/w400-h300/T.%20Wells%20West.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0eGE4mmg7Ez9lqpYMbmksSlZcyzbDOPHCviGtIAtbW Jl6Al0nZeLTtGcPx4SQ-RbdHKiTidkLOkO4Z_cri0TtMP9ERu2eQlVmeVKWVHgrXQaei9x 4bEDTGrREhmxLg2HyHleD18ZA7MbZaRGohGJhadydNjbNV3tkv KLNOBrEPZRQBfzPb9BixeBMbs/s4608/T.%20Wells%20West.JPG)
The railway betweenTunbridge Wells and Eridge, had been under the threat of closure for some time,and in 1985, British Rail enacted legislation that closed the line. At the timeI was quite active within the local CAMRA group which, in those days, was knownas the Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells branch. Along with a handful of otherpeople, I was instrumental in getting the branch get back off its feet, after alengthy spell in the doldrums. Right from the start, we decided that visitingas many local pubs as possible, would go a long way towards achieving this aim,and that wherever possible we would use public transport. One individualinvolved in this exercise, worked British Rail, and was well aware of theimpending closure of the line to Eridge. So, just a few weeks before rail servicesceased, a small group of us boarded the train at Tonbridge and travelled rightthrough to Eridge. The line wasn't electrified so the train we travelled on wasone of the notorious diesel "thumpers". After reaching Tunbridge Wells Central (nowthe only mainline station in the town), the line branched off to the south and afterpassing through a tunnel, emerged at Tunbridge Wells West.
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This was amuch larger and more grandiose station, having been originally constructed bythe London Brighton & South Coast Railway, which operated direct trainservices to London as well as to Brighton and the Sussex coast. Following years ofcutbacks and line closures, the West station found itself increasingly isolatedfrom other parts of the network. It stood next to a large, former marshalling yard,and this made it a prime target for redevelopment, especially for a cashstrapped British Rail. This was the main reason for the closure of the line andthe sale of the site to supermarket giant, Sainsbury’s.
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Back in 1985,the line continued from Tunbridge Wells West, to Eridge, passing through GroombridgeJunction. The latter was once an important stop on the line, and was the pointwhere services diverged, either north to London, or south towards Brighton. We left the train and visited the Huntsman,where we enjoyed some truly excellent King & Barnes beers, but regrettably, thatwas the only time I travelled on the Tonbridge to Eridge line, at least as partof the main rail network. Fast forward 25 years, and trains are once again runningfrom Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge, thanks to a hard-working group of volunteerswhose vision allowed the line to reopen as a restored Heritage Railway known asthe Spa Valley Railway (SVR). (https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/article.php/15/history-line-closure)
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The next timeI visited the Huntsman was with a group of fellow CAMRA members, and the SVR wasour means of conveyance. By that time King & Barnes were no more, havingbeen taken over in 2000 by Dorset brewer, Hall & Woodhouse (Badger Ales). TheHorsham brewery was closed, and Badger beers were supplied to the formerK&B estate. I remember sitting outside on that gorgeous, baking hotsummer's day when we enjoyed some excellent Badger beers along with a meal. Itseemed hard to believe that a quarter of a century had passed between that andmy first visit, but life has a habit of creeping up on you and catching youunaware.
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Since then,my visits to the Huntsman have been very intermittent, despite the pub beingrelatively easy to visit by bus, so on Friday I finally bit the bullet and boarded the12.19 No. 29 bus from Tunbridge Wells, towards Crowborough and Uckfield. Ialighted at the stop for Eridge station, and after crossing the busy A26 withgreat care, made my way to this small and remote country pub, which owes it existenceto the coming of the railway. This waswhere I passed the BT contractors hard at work.Relieved atfinding the Huntsman open, I stepped inside, and it was only then that Iremembered quite how small the pub is. The seating areas inside, form an “L” shape,with a narrow section immediately in front of the bar, and a larger, and more commodiousdining area, extending to the rear of the building, and to the right of the barcounter. This section of the pub was full, almost exclusively with diners, despitethe time not having reached one o’clock, but fortunately I spotted a small, unoccupiedtable, with space for just two persons, at the far left of the bar.
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Before sittingdown I ordered a beer, the choice being Long Man Best Bitter or Larkin’s Pale.With both beers of a similar strength, I went for the Larkin’s to begin with,and very good it was too. I scored it a 4.0 on Untappd, but with hindsight itwas worthy of a higher score. The Long Man was also good, but here I think the3.75 I awarded it, was the correct score. Not long after I arrived, a group offour dinners arrived, and their presence meant the entire pub was fullyoccupied. I remarked on the number of people present to the girl behind thebar, and she said they hadn’t expected to be quite so busy. She, and her malecolleague coped admirably though, serving the drinks as well as bringing thefood out to the hungry diners.
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It was goodto see a pub so full, especially one so remote. I suspect that most of the customers would have driven there, despitethere being an hourly train service in both directions, from Edenbridge and Uckfield,as well as a half-hourly bus service from Tunbridge Wells or Uckfield. What Iwasn’t quite so impressed with was the lack of snacks – filled rolls, and thelike, a Scotch egg, or slice of pork pie. This insistence on full meals only,at lunchtimes, has become increasingly common in this part of the country, andin my view, pubs are missing out here. Not all customers want a substantialmeal during the middle of the day, and falling into this category, I feel ourneeds are not being catered for adequately if you’ll excuse the pun.
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This gripeaside, I enjoyed renewing my acquaintance with the Huntsman (https://huntsmanpuberidge.co.uk/), and I won’t leaveit so long next time. There is a large garden and outdoor drinking area, to theleft of, and beside the pub, set at the same level as the nearby train tracks. Asummer visit then sounds like a good idea, especially if one picks a day whenthe SVR are running trains down to Eridge. A heritage pub, plus a heritagerailway, sound like the ideal combination!
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More... (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/hunting-down-huntsman-at-eridge.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp15U8X1Z49fz2r3TynAb1ypZU3sWCz-s6yRx3538K7evvy4nymzVDl5X4t3GrrPimYHVMjKHP_McsTrY9 4lo3yUbSWkYwmFM4IXzlHTn3bQzjQj_Ww37oNoji-765r1J-sMsk1eIONydhs-KeHidQt_MXHFc0YbAvXDY6MgemjEOAeWAXSrfXxsF7d0Y/w400-h225/Huntsman%20front%20July.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp15U8X1Z49fz2r3TynAb1ypZU3sWCz-s6yRx3538K7evvy4nymzVDl5X4t3GrrPimYHVMjKHP_McsTrY9 4lo3yUbSWkYwmFM4IXzlHTn3bQzjQj_Ww37oNoji-765r1J-sMsk1eIONydhs-KeHidQt_MXHFc0YbAvXDY6MgemjEOAeWAXSrfXxsF7d0Y/s3881/Huntsman%20front%20July.jpg)
Anyone whohas been following this blog recently might be forgiven for thinking I’m becomingsomewhat obsessed with the pubs that lie along the A26 road south ofTunbridge Wells. So we have the Boar’s Head Inn, just to the north of Crowborough and the Cooper’s Arms slightly to the east. Then there's the Nevill Arms at EridgeGreen, where I ended up after my walk last Saturday. Then, for my first Pub Friday in February, I once again headed south to Eridge once more. However, unlike last weekend’swalk which ended up at Eridge Green, this time I headed further south along theA26, to Eridge station – an isolated settlement consisting of a handful ofhouses, the railway station, plus the Huntsman (https://huntsmanpuberidge.co.uk/)pub.
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I've been waitingsix months now to cross the Huntsman off my list of pubs to visit, following myaborted visit back in July. That was scuppered, by a power outage forcing thepub to close for a few days. So, after taking the No. 29 bus to Eridge station fromTunbridge Wells, my heart started to sink when, I noticed several contractorsvehicles, plus workmen in hi-vis jackets and hard hats milling around outsidethe station. One of the trucks had an extendable cage on the rear, allowing theoccupant to work on the cables overhead. Was the curse of no electricity aboutto strike again? Fortunately, as I drew closer, the signs on the side of thevans indicated they were from BT Open Reach, rather than UK Power Networks.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8A_x69pFGnptOBUskGK8qm8GzP0BtQDpco8bFRhXvKv O4kTfA-iTg8xNbc9m-JCP777bA6_Fon1hNB2GQQjW_fBDzi3JZbiVjkR-DKPiE6CZopgEsgTukvjFDvHGchTFXlqdthu3Hm36M66zs1T3Op mrPkq7zrxo5L2ntO_YlQF2AnDDf7KFdkp-90gE/w400-h225/Eridge%20station.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8A_x69pFGnptOBUskGK8qm8GzP0BtQDpco8bFRhXvKv O4kTfA-iTg8xNbc9m-JCP777bA6_Fon1hNB2GQQjW_fBDzi3JZbiVjkR-DKPiE6CZopgEsgTukvjFDvHGchTFXlqdthu3Hm36M66zs1T3Op mrPkq7zrxo5L2ntO_YlQF2AnDDf7KFdkp-90gE/s4000/Eridge%20station.jpg)
Breathing asigh of relief, I hurried along to the Huntsman and entered the pub for thefirst time since way before the pandemic, and for what was probably only myfourth visit ever. When I first moved Tonbridge late in 1984, the Huntsman at Eridgewas one of just two pubs locally, that belonged to the late and much lamented Horsham brewers,King & Barnes. This small independent brewery was renowned for its range ofdistinctive and hoppy beers, but sadly ceased production in 2000. The Huntsman’slocation, next door to Eridge station, meant it was easy to reach by publictransport, but that was about to change.
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The railway betweenTunbridge Wells and Eridge, had been under the threat of closure for some time,and in 1985, British Rail enacted legislation that closed the line. At the timeI was quite active within the local CAMRA group which, in those days, was knownas the Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells branch. Along with a handful of otherpeople, I was instrumental in getting the branch get back off its feet, after alengthy spell in the doldrums. Right from the start, we decided that visitingas many local pubs as possible, would go a long way towards achieving this aim,and that wherever possible we would use public transport. One individualinvolved in this exercise, worked British Rail, and was well aware of theimpending closure of the line to Eridge. So, just a few weeks before rail servicesceased, a small group of us boarded the train at Tonbridge and travelled rightthrough to Eridge. The line wasn't electrified so the train we travelled on wasone of the notorious diesel "thumpers". After reaching Tunbridge Wells Central (nowthe only mainline station in the town), the line branched off to the south and afterpassing through a tunnel, emerged at Tunbridge Wells West.
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This was amuch larger and more grandiose station, having been originally constructed bythe London Brighton & South Coast Railway, which operated direct trainservices to London as well as to Brighton and the Sussex coast. Following years ofcutbacks and line closures, the West station found itself increasingly isolatedfrom other parts of the network. It stood next to a large, former marshalling yard,and this made it a prime target for redevelopment, especially for a cashstrapped British Rail. This was the main reason for the closure of the line andthe sale of the site to supermarket giant, Sainsbury’s.
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Back in 1985,the line continued from Tunbridge Wells West, to Eridge, passing through GroombridgeJunction. The latter was once an important stop on the line, and was the pointwhere services diverged, either north to London, or south towards Brighton. We left the train and visited the Huntsman,where we enjoyed some truly excellent King & Barnes beers, but regrettably, thatwas the only time I travelled on the Tonbridge to Eridge line, at least as partof the main rail network. Fast forward 25 years, and trains are once again runningfrom Tunbridge Wells West to Eridge, thanks to a hard-working group of volunteerswhose vision allowed the line to reopen as a restored Heritage Railway known asthe Spa Valley Railway (SVR). (https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/article.php/15/history-line-closure)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MOYA0KkEZ5FBqA3DqfnIrPFBnAt7A3yfCs7_IGPVRB amvYjj-_CvsX8KaI5es6K-ymoWO__0L_xfc7pUnpizxweNPcfYassk_trUlBCwFLGFPo396F zsXBdqpkDXUwlmQFx5gboSb20kmck9KsBzqORoMs0CXPFOkM1Z YUuHjwnhCX2LsyxTQFup2Tc/w400-h296/Huntsman.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MOYA0KkEZ5FBqA3DqfnIrPFBnAt7A3yfCs7_IGPVRB amvYjj-_CvsX8KaI5es6K-ymoWO__0L_xfc7pUnpizxweNPcfYassk_trUlBCwFLGFPo396F zsXBdqpkDXUwlmQFx5gboSb20kmck9KsBzqORoMs0CXPFOkM1Z YUuHjwnhCX2LsyxTQFup2Tc/s1998/Huntsman.jpg)
The next timeI visited the Huntsman was with a group of fellow CAMRA members, and the SVR wasour means of conveyance. By that time King & Barnes were no more, havingbeen taken over in 2000 by Dorset brewer, Hall & Woodhouse (Badger Ales). TheHorsham brewery was closed, and Badger beers were supplied to the formerK&B estate. I remember sitting outside on that gorgeous, baking hotsummer's day when we enjoyed some excellent Badger beers along with a meal. Itseemed hard to believe that a quarter of a century had passed between that andmy first visit, but life has a habit of creeping up on you and catching youunaware.
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Since then,my visits to the Huntsman have been very intermittent, despite the pub beingrelatively easy to visit by bus, so on Friday I finally bit the bullet and boarded the12.19 No. 29 bus from Tunbridge Wells, towards Crowborough and Uckfield. Ialighted at the stop for Eridge station, and after crossing the busy A26 withgreat care, made my way to this small and remote country pub, which owes it existenceto the coming of the railway. This waswhere I passed the BT contractors hard at work.Relieved atfinding the Huntsman open, I stepped inside, and it was only then that Iremembered quite how small the pub is. The seating areas inside, form an “L” shape,with a narrow section immediately in front of the bar, and a larger, and more commodiousdining area, extending to the rear of the building, and to the right of the barcounter. This section of the pub was full, almost exclusively with diners, despitethe time not having reached one o’clock, but fortunately I spotted a small, unoccupiedtable, with space for just two persons, at the far left of the bar.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNq-n-1zpapwFini0WQYqI6uV5mBLHnU22Tc3r-q-qe50fEg8OsQwxk65R8gvGUVNjKgwGZRLHau1K3W4mkaye_FSWP zgjVcrDpBtu7eUac0eZPVSq8q8s71hhJzXoxUBnHy9kSP4W6Uq PHrcy-90ID7ANNPfoRgQbwvXUISIi4FBTUhweHZNPmnSyqI/w400-h225/Huntsman%20beer%20pumps.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNq-n-1zpapwFini0WQYqI6uV5mBLHnU22Tc3r-q-qe50fEg8OsQwxk65R8gvGUVNjKgwGZRLHau1K3W4mkaye_FSWP zgjVcrDpBtu7eUac0eZPVSq8q8s71hhJzXoxUBnHy9kSP4W6Uq PHrcy-90ID7ANNPfoRgQbwvXUISIi4FBTUhweHZNPmnSyqI/s1280/Huntsman%20beer%20pumps.jpg)
Before sittingdown I ordered a beer, the choice being Long Man Best Bitter or Larkin’s Pale.With both beers of a similar strength, I went for the Larkin’s to begin with,and very good it was too. I scored it a 4.0 on Untappd, but with hindsight itwas worthy of a higher score. The Long Man was also good, but here I think the3.75 I awarded it, was the correct score. Not long after I arrived, a group offour dinners arrived, and their presence meant the entire pub was fullyoccupied. I remarked on the number of people present to the girl behind thebar, and she said they hadn’t expected to be quite so busy. She, and her malecolleague coped admirably though, serving the drinks as well as bringing thefood out to the hungry diners.
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It was goodto see a pub so full, especially one so remote. I suspect that most of the customers would have driven there, despitethere being an hourly train service in both directions, from Edenbridge and Uckfield,as well as a half-hourly bus service from Tunbridge Wells or Uckfield. What Iwasn’t quite so impressed with was the lack of snacks – filled rolls, and thelike, a Scotch egg, or slice of pork pie. This insistence on full meals only,at lunchtimes, has become increasingly common in this part of the country, andin my view, pubs are missing out here. Not all customers want a substantialmeal during the middle of the day, and falling into this category, I feel ourneeds are not being catered for adequately if you’ll excuse the pun.
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This gripeaside, I enjoyed renewing my acquaintance with the Huntsman (https://huntsmanpuberidge.co.uk/), and I won’t leaveit so long next time. There is a large garden and outdoor drinking area, to theleft of, and beside the pub, set at the same level as the nearby train tracks. Asummer visit then sounds like a good idea, especially if one picks a day whenthe SVR are running trains down to Eridge. A heritage pub, plus a heritagerailway, sound like the ideal combination!
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