An abandoned 15th-century inn once hailed as a “remarkable pub” has gone up for sale.
Previously known as The Timber Batts, the tavern in Bodsham, near Ashford, has been empty since shutting two years ago.
It was also named Froggies and The Prince of Wales, and was reopened by Sarah and Ross Berry in 2016 after an extended closure.
It developed a reputation for its museum of curiosities collected over several years, with rave reviews coming from all quarters.
KentOnline’s Secret Drinker wrote in June 2023: “It is welcoming, wonderfully quirky, ferociously non-politically correct and punky, but it makes no excuse for its unique approach and you must accept it and enjoy it.
“Believe me, if you have a love for real pubs, run by real, caring down-to-earth people, you’ll fall for this place immediately.”
Speaking on the abstract collection of curiosities, they said it was fascinating to witness “the reactions of visitors to this remarkable pub”.
However, the landlords departed a month after KentOnline’s visit, at the request of the building’s owners, taking the name and the trinkets with them to a new venue in Crundale near Wye.
The owners have now enlisted estate agents Christie & Co, with the building given a price tag of £475,000.
With a “generous character”, the bar could host 60 people in its restaurant, with an extra 40 covers in alternative bar areas with views of the countryside.
There is also customer parking and a two-bedroom owner’s accommodation.
In the listing, Christie & Co bosses said: “The sale offers a great opportunity for a new operator to bring the pub back to life.
“The beamed and timbered bar has an inglenook fireplace the size of a small room and, on a lower level, a reception bar with a large open fire.
“The restaurant has its own large fireplace and exposed wooden beams.”
The Timber Batts is believed to date back to the 15th century and takes its name from a former saw mill nearby, where timber was cut down into battens, or batts.
