email ~ 8 May 2008
Nigel Very good to see you Sunday, glad to hear how well things are going at the Inn. Rebecca and I had a delicious dinner See you soon Regards Keith
letter ~ 5 January 2008
Nigel
Many thanks to you and your staff for looking after us so well on 19th December.
With best wishes for a happy & healthy 2008.
Sally P
email - 2 January 2008
Dear Nigel and Staff,
Thank you all for making our staff lunch so enjoyable on the 19th December. We had a lovely time.
Happy New Year to everyone.
Dot G
Marley Limited
email - 2 January 2008
Dear Nigel
Our thanks to you for a wonderful evening and for all the splendid meals in 2007. Here's to more in 2008!
With best wishes
Marion and John Mobsby
email - 2 January 2008
Nigel, Chris, The Chefs and all of The Staff;
We had a fantastic Evening, the food was outstanding and the service matched it!
Thanks to all of you for making our Celebrations and Welcome to the New Year so Enjoyable.
Wishing All of You A Very Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year.
The Mills Party
email - 22 December 2007
Hi Nigel.
Good morning.
Just wanted to send you this e-mail to say a massive "thank you" to you ALL at the Castle for making our day so very special.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Bestest regards as ever.
James.
email - 30 November 2007
Nigel
It is remiss of me not to have put fingers to keyboard before now to thank you, and, through you, Chris and his team for the excellent staging of the annual lunch of the past chairmen of the Probus Club of Sevenoaks last Thursday. The arrangements were excellent, as were the fare and the service. Everyone enjoyed themselves and I have received nothing but complimentary comments this past week. Thank you, and well done.
I have introduced Chris to Dennis B...... who will be responsible for organising next year's lunch and I understand that the date of Thursday, 27th November 2008 is now in the diary.
Best wishes,
Robert.
email - 11 November 2007
Dear Nigel
Just to say a huge 'thank you' for the effort and care that went into the lunch which you and your staff produced at the Castle Inn on Wednesday 7 November, prior to the Thanksgiving Service for my father at St Mary's Church in Ide Hill.
The quality of the food, wine, location and service was absolutely splendid. You and all your excellent team worked like real troupers to ensure that everything was as good as it could be - and, given the potentially difficult circumstances of the occasion, it was just that. All the family have contacted me to say how much it was appreciated.
Many thanks again.
With best wishes
Rosie Keane (formerly Simon)
letter - 9 November 2007
Thank you so much for everyone's help at the Castle Inn with our 100th Birthday Party ~ you all helped to make it a really happy occasion.
Anna R
email - 8 October 2007
Dear Nigel and Chris,
Just a brief note to thank you and your staff for providing such a wonderful family birthday lunch yesterday.
Chris, his team and the chefs must be congratulated. The food and service were excellent and everyone in our party of 19, including the 9 children, thoroughly enjoyed the splendid occasion. Everything went smoothly even with competition from the England v Australia Rugby World Cup on the TV in
the bar!
Thank you all once again for a truly memorable birthday party.
Best wishes,
Peter and Catherine K
email - 30 July 2007
Dear Mr Lucas and Chris,
Just to repeat and put in writing our appreciation of the excellent hospitality, customer care, food and service at our Ruby Wedding celebrations. Please extend our thanks to all the staff involved.
Many, many thanks,
Ron & Dorothy Sutton
email - 8 June 2007
Dear Nigel, Chris & Team
Thank you SO much for a wonderful day last Saturday - it was truly marvellous in every way and Dad couldnt have wanted for anything better ... for once he was almost speechless!
The menu - both what it looked and like and what it tasted like - was superb and we all felt very very welcome.
Wishing you all a very successful summer and happy days ahead. We look forward to our next visit.
love
Katharine, Andrew, Harry, Freda
Letter - 6 June 2007
Dear Nigel, Chris "et al"
Thank you all for your sterling efforts on Saturday you certainly ensured my 70th birthday went off with a bang.
The food and service was absolutely brilliant and your "Menu" outstanding. I have been showing it to all and sundry and your computer skills have been greatly admired.
Once again many many thanks for all your kindness.
Yours,
Harry B
email - 26 March 2007
Nigel,
Very many thanks to all the team for a splendid occasion on Saturday. It all went like clockwork and we received many very appreciative comments from our friends for the excellent food and service. Particular thanks must go to Chris and Andrew for their unobtrusive and timely work in the restaurant.
Well done the Castle!
Best Wishes,
Derek & Gillian
email - 28 January 2007
Dear Nigel, Chris, Bill, Chef and all the team,
Thank you all so much for giving us such a wonderful, relaxed evening – we enjoyed every minute and so did our guests. It was like having all our friends to dinner at home but without having to do any work – I could get used to this! We loved the food, the wines and the brilliant service – how Chris manages to be in about 6 places at once and still look calm and smiling, I just don't know! And a huge thank you for rushing out after us with all the presents, camera, etc. that, in our merry state, we'd left behind!
We'll be in to see you all again soon so, Nigel, please don't retire for a few weeks! Thank you again for giving us an unforgettable evening.
Best wishes,Richard and Chris Briers
email - 13 January 2007
Dear Nigel
Receiving the bill has prompted me to say again that we all enjoyed the lunch very much. Everyone was delighted with the food and Chris and your boys looked after us very well.
May I also take this opportunity, as you are retiring, to thank you most sincerely for all the wonderful evenings we have enjoyed over so many years, both privately and with Marley. It is a reflection on your personality and ability that the Castle Inn has provided food and service to such a consistently high standard over so many years.
I wish you a long and very happy retirement - you deserve it!
With best wishes and kind regards
David
email - 6 January 2007
Just a quick note to say we had dinner at the Castle over the Christmas break with my mother and we all had such a super meal. Great chef - efficient and amusing maitre d' and a lovely warm seat by the radiator. So sorry that you've decided to retire - we are all of us, unfortunately, getting to that stage! All the best.
Chris and Rosemary H
email - 12 December 2006
Dear Nigel
I just wanted to thank you for providing such a marvellous lunch for us on Friday. I am sure that both the wonderful food and attentive service were very much appreciated by our guests.
With very best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Sue Howard
Letter - 18 September 2006
Dear Nigel, Chris & all
Just a note to say thank you for a fabulous night out last Saturday.
Everything was just perfect for our big day. The food was faultless, everyone commented on how delicious it was. The service was excellent & the atmosphere lovely and relaxed.
We are really grateful for all the effort you put in and would not have changed a thing.
Thank you once again & be seeing you soon.
Paul & Sarah W
email - 26 October 2006
I would, once again, like to thank you for your hospitatlity on Monday (23rd Oct.)when our party visited your establishment for lunch. As you know we had just scattered my brother's ashes in Sheffield Park and the occasion could have been quite difficult. As it was it turned out to be a celebration of Tony's life and your hospitality and graciousness contributed to that.
Thank you.
E Boothman
Letter - 18 September 2006
Dear Nigel, Chris & all
Just a note to say thank you for a fabulous night out last Saturday.
Everything was just perfect for our big day. The food was faultless, everyone commented on how delicious it was. The service was excellent & the atmosphere lovely and relaxed.
We are really grateful for all the effort you put in and would not have changed a thing.
Thank you once again & be seeing you soon.
Paul & Sarah W
top table.co.uk - Here is our most recent diner review for Castle Inn.
Iris Millis 30/07/06
We went for a relaxed Sunday lunch and that was exactly what we got. The setting is lovely, food was superb and of local origin, and the staff very friendly and helpful. We will definitely go again!
email - 18 August 2006
Dear Nigel
Thank you for the quick link! I would like to say how excited I was today at discovering the Castle Inn. I eat out a great deal being a food critic/ guru (!! not a self given title!)- and I am always delighted when I am given a perfect meal ( which does not happen often!) Today was just that - every dish was delicious - fresh ingredients, beautifully served - a joy indeed. My mother who accompanied me was visiting from India and we just stopped off and could not believe how incredibly lucky we were. I cannot wait to bring more overseas guests - but will make sure I also recommend the Castle Inn to the many people who ask me for restaurant suggestions.
I look forward to coming again next month when I have some visitors from the US.
with best wishes
from Pinky Lilani
Spice Magic
Letter - 19 July 2006 from Cowden
Dear Nigel
It was a truly splendid evening on Saturday night......I wanted to say how well Chris and everyone looked after us and a good time was had by all. Needless to say the food was up to its usual excellent standards.
I now hasten to enclose my cheque.....Thanks very much to Chris and all his colleagues for looking after us so well.
With very best wishes to you all.
Martin C
email - 10 July 2006 from Stuttgart
Hello, Nigel and Chris
what a wonderful place.Not easy, to find the right words. But it was allways a highlight, coming to your place...
The first time, it happened in 1978. In between I came back, alone and with friends from far away Stuttgart-Area/Germany.I lived in Kent,long a ago.Your beautifull place,the garden,the food - the athmosphere, I will never forget.
Last month, a few friends, followed my recommending to your place. I told them...it is a must, visiting your place.
And now? They came back. Touched.Full of unspoken inspiration.
So, thanks to you and all of you there....now you got another more Fans. And we all going back ' memory lane'...
1978 until 2006. Great. A rariety in our times,isn't it?
Take care. All the best for you all.
Wishing you a successfull time.
Highest regards from Stuttgart
from Jelena,Gert and friends
email - 10 July 2006 from Chiddingstone
You're far too kind. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since 1978.
email - 11 July 2006 from Stuttgart
thanks for your mail. You're right, a lot water has gone....since...
As long as we are coming back to roots, the mixture between the past and future is worth to keep going...
In October it could be, coming to visit you.With friends and our band, before performing in Stoke-on Trent. So we would like to see you for a whole day...
Further details etc., coming up by mail.o.k.?
Have a nice day. Don't work too hard :-)
Regards from
Gert
letter - 30 June 2006
Dear Nigel, Chris, and everyone at the Castle Inn,
Enclosed is our cheque to settle the bill for our party on Saturday 24th June. It comes with our thanks to you all for all your efforts that stood behind an absolutely wonderful day. We had a marvellous time, our guests enjoyed themselves enormously and the children (often the hardest to please) were easy and comfortable..You looked after us splendidly, and if it's OK to heap praise on one person - Chris is a star. He managed us all beautifully. I have had so many compliments about his easy relaxed competence that he should blush! The roast Beef also came in for nearly as much fulsome praise, and the wines.
People have commented on the perfection of the location - "a slice of England and summer as we all like to imagine it" - was one.
We were completely bowled over by the day, which was everything we hoped and you are hugely deserving of your thriving business. We first visited the Castle ten years ago, and it was on the memory of that evening that we contacted you. To have maintained that standard of hospitality and service excellence is a tremendous achievement.
With best wishes for your continued success, many thanks again.
Alysen and Chris B
Cornwall
letter - 27 June 2006 - from the mother of Alysen
Dear Sir
Very many thanks for your superb hospitality - on Saturday - for my daughter's & her husband's combined birthday party - we all enjoyed ourselves immensely.
Yours,
Rosemary Harvey
Banbury
email - 13 June 2006
Dear Mr. Lucas,
Re: THANKS A MILLION!!!!!
I wanted to write to you immediately, and say thank you very much for a very well arranged luncheon for my mother. The whole occasion was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone, and we all appreciated all the trouble that you and your staff went to in order to make this a very special and memorable day.
We all loved the menu covers and the matching name cards. They were very impressive, and made the day that extra bit special.
The flowers looked gorgeous, as a focal point in the middle of the table. Thank you very much for ordering these!
The food was absolutely delicious, and the varied choice was commented on by everyone. Please compliment your chef and staff on the excellent lunch prepared under such hot conditions. A huge vote of thanks was also due to Chris for his service which was exemplary.
We shall all have very happy memories of nearly five perfect hours together, and my mother said it was the best party that she had ever had!!!!!
Once, again, many grateful thanks!
Yours sincerely,
Deirdre Pineo.
email - 9 June 2006
Dear Nigel - thank you very much indeed for sorting us all out so efficiently and promptly yesterday - everybody thoroughly enjoyed their lunch time stop and the food that was provided - you did a magnificent job - very much appreciated.
If we may we would like to repeat the exercise on 29th June - there will be less people - I imagine 30 at the most and I will let you know in good time menu choices from the current menu which I will download shortly for people -if there are any changes let me know.
In my rush to settle the bill I forgot to add a tip which I will rectify when we return on the 29th if that is ok.
Once again very many thanks from all of us.
Best wishes
Vicki
Tonbridge
email - 2 June 2006
Having enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the Castle Inn last Monday I
cannot wait for an excuse to return, so in the meantime perhaps you
would enter my email address in to your monthly prize draw.
Richard Jarman
Twickenham
Thanks
email - 29 May 2006
Dear Nigel,
We just wanted to say that we had a lovely time on Sunday evening when we came for dinner with our twins Hannah and Amy and our youngest Sophie.
It was great talking to you both and you made us feel very welcome.
Thanks again,
Phil, Lorna, Hannah, Amy and Sophie.
Teddington ~ Middlesex
email - 29 May 2006
Hi,
I would like to thank you for a wonderful evening on Friday.
The food was excellent, the ambience delightful and we could not have
asked for better service.
We will certainly be returning in the near future.
Thank you, once again.
Regards
Sherril Bell
Otford ~ Sevenoaks
email - 16 May 2006
Dear Nigel
Thank you so much for ensuring that my request was fulfilled!
Hope your 65th was as enjoyable as my husband's 42nd, thanks to the superb service by Chris and fabulous culinary delights!
Please thank all involved for their efforts. We certainly will be booking up in the near future to bring all the family!
Thanks Again!
Best wishes from Emma.
email - 7 May 2006
Could I please reserve a table for two in your restaurant for 7.30pm Wednesday 10th May – it's our wedding anniversary and want to celebrate it where I know the food and service is v/good.
J Stewart
Godstone
email - 13 April 2006
We dropped in to the Castle Inn last Christmas when we visited Hever. Very enjoyable. Just came across your website by chance, and would like to be added to your email list for the 'dinner for two' monthly draw. What a lovely excuse to come back for another visit!
Thank you,
D Barrs
Hertfordshire
email - 10 April 2006
Dear Nigel
Many thanks for the fabulous evening you and your staff provided on Saturday 8th April when the L.A.D.S. enjoyed a wonderful dinner in the 'Steatfeild Room'. Everyone in the party wishes me to pass-on their thanks for a memorable evening and are already enquiring as to when we can do it again?
The service provided by Chris and your staff was excellent throughout, not forgetting of course the chefs who prepared the excellent meal and we would appreciate you passing on our thanks to all.
I would also like to thank you personally for producing the menu cards on the tables which included some 'old photographs' of previous L.A.D.S. events, some of which had not been seen for in excess of 30 years:- these certainly provided interesting debate during the evening!!
We look forward to seeing you again in the near future.
Kind regards
David
email - 3 April 2006
Hi,
Just a quick email to say hello after having a great lunch and meeting you yesterday. We enjoyed our time in the area and look forward to visiting again.
All best
Andrew and Christina
email - 28 March 2006
Dear Nigel,
Just wanted to say a very big thank you for looking after us on Saturday night, we all had a great time and the food was superb! Many thanks
Kind regards
Louise Smith
e mail - 10 March 2006
Hello Nigel
I just wanted to say 'Thank you' for yesterday. As always you provided an excellent service, great food and made people feel comfortable with your very relaxed attitude but never loosing sight of what is important!
Therefore we all had a lovely time despite the fact we had to work . We could have done with more time - as usual with my company!!
Please pass my regards and a big 'Thank you ' to Chris - everybody loved the food especially the breakfast of Bacon Rolls/Croissant ! Sometimes the small things in life can make a big difference... Have a good weekend !
See you soon
Best regards
Cornelia
7 March 2006 - written on a bill ~ Toulouse Lautrec style!!
Merci beaucoup ~ le repas était éxcellente?!
17 January 2006
Dear Nigel and Chris
Just a note to say thank you very much for making my 'Big Birthday' a night to remember!
Everyone had a wonderful time and the food was excellent and delicious as usual. Sorry for the state we left the restauarnt in and the fire.
Please thank all your staff for their smiles and service.
Love & kisses
Sheila
Blindley Heath ~ Surrey
email - 14 November 2005
Just wanted to let you know how much we love receiving your newsletters etc - they really are such a treat!!!
We fell in love with the Castle Inn when we were house-hunting in the area and it was the only place where we could have a cup of tea after 5pm...unfortunately we ended up moving a little further away than we'd hoped
( we had our eye on one of the little cottages just next door at one point!), but we're only in Wadhurst and the Castle Inn is still a great favourite - at all times of day!
A little while ago I came for afternoon tea with a friend from London, and we felt so snug, cosy and comforted by the Inn that we ended up staying for soup and wine..
Thank you so much for such a wonderful haven!!!
With all good wishes,
The Filpi family
PS. We would be happy to receive your newsletters by email if it makes life easier for you!
email - 23 August 2005
Dear Nigel and Chris
On behalf of the Laddingford crowd, may I take this opportunity of thanking you for a superb lunch on Friday afternoon, the service was excellent, the quality again excellent, and the wines - even more so!
Please convey our appreciation to your kitchen staff for their co-operation.
With kind regards
Derek
PAGE ASSOCIATES
Laddingford
email - 8 August 2005
Dear Nigel
We just wanted to say how much we enjoyed our meals at the Castle Inn on our visit to Chiddingstone. We came for our evening meal on our first night and enjoyed it so much we had to come back for lunch the next day before leaving. We only wish we lived nearer! Everyone was so friendly and the food is fabulous, it made our visit extra special, even the weather was good to us!
It was my first time to the area to see where my husbands ancestors lived, which was very interesting, and the visit to the church seeing all the 'Streatfeild's', and staying with Mervyn and Jane we were able to compare our family trees and realised we tied in along the line!
We will definitely be back, we have told loads of people about your pub, keep up the good work and hopefully see you in the near future.
If you still do the competition where ones email address is entered into your monthly prize draw, please don't hesitate to add ours.
Thank you.
Kind regards
Chris & Judith Streatfeild
Cumbria
email - 5 August 2005
Dear Castle Inn,
Thank you so much for your warm and kind welcome and for our splendid lunch in idyllic surroundings yesterday; we've clearly found the perfect spot for halfway family meetings. The circular walk to Penshurst was an added bonus - we look forward to trying it in all seasons.
Thank you again
Linda Squire
email - 3 July 2005
Dear Nigel
We just wanted to say a huge thank you to you all for such a lovely lunch yesterday for my Mum's birthday. A big thank you especially to Chris for looking after us all so well. We all had a wonderful time and my Mum was just thrilled with everything. I hope it won't be long before we can think of a good enough excuse to come back again!
Kind regards
Anna Shadbolt
email - 1 July 2005
Hi, p lease enter us into your monthly prize draw (John Shaw and Frances Free). We recently enjoyed a wonderful meal at The Castle Inn during a visit to Kent and can't wait to come back ! We have recommended friends who are visiting Kent during July to dine with you.
Best wishes,
Frances Free
Dorchester
23 June 2005
Dear Nigel
Thank you for making us - me, daughter, horse and dog so welcome, it really was a rather magical evening. I can see the horse is a firm convert to the Castle too. J ulie Hart
email - 24 June 2005
Hi There,
We had a wonderful lunch with you today and could you please add my email address to your prize draw?
Fantastic wine list too! The Loire valley Reuilly was ideal for salmon in this hot weather.
Many thanks, Chris Lane
email - 21 June 2005
Dear Nigel
After our visitors had left, we went straight off for a few days holiday to recover!
They all had a great time, helped a lot by the weather, of course; but also by the
excellent service we enjoyed at The Castle Inn and Hever last Monday.
It was much appreciated.
Please pass on our thanks to your staff - especially the chef: a number of our usually
critical Continental Friends commented on the absolutely First Class Meal you provided.
Despite the distance from Shenfiled to Chiddingstone Lesley and I will doubtless find an
excuse to call in again some time.
Till then, thanks again.......
Kind regards
Alex
email - 21 June 2005
Just enjoyed a light lunch at your establishment...looked at the website...next thing I know, I'm emailing you my e-address!
Bill Gatfield
email - 9 June 2005
Just a quick note to tell you how much we enjoyed our Sunday Lunch with you last weekend. The food was perfect. We will definitely return soon. We would like to have had more vegetarian choices on the menu. If we informed you before arriving would it be possible to have a different vegetarian meal cooked? Answer: Yes, we would be delighted, just speak to one of the chefs.
email- 28 April 2005
I love the Castle Inn and I love the food and yes I would like to be entered into your monthly prize draw 'Dinner for two'. Please find enclosed my email address.
email - 15 April 2005
We would just like to let you know how much we enjoyed the excellent lunch we shared with our friends Elizabeth &Tony B...... today......Lovely welcoming atmosphere,excellent service & of course our renewed compliments to the Chef....Please add us to your Mailing list as we should like to hear of any interesting events( & maybe we will be lucky in your monthly Prize Draw!)
Again.... Many Thanks
Jacques & Anne Blanc.
PS Sorry to have kept you so late but I still had my watch on old time !! Time flies when we are enjoying ourselves!
email - 4 March 2005
Dear Nigel
Just a few lines to say thank you to you, Chris, Chef and all your staff for giving Jemma such a great evening last Saturday. I guess you could tell by the volume of the conversations and the general moving about, that everyone had a great time.
We have spoken to Julie during the week and she said that those guests who had not been to the Inn before were very impressed and enjoyed the food and atmosphere.
The evening passed so quickly and we couldn't believe how late it was when we got home, a very good sign that it had been a thoroughly enjoyable night.
Thanks again to you all at The Castle.
Love
Chris and Bob xx
email - 23 February 2005
Dear Nigel
We had a great lunch yesterday. Excellent food served brilliantly by the young Polish waitress. The rack of lamb was the most tender and delicious I have tasted. Is it locally produced? All the food and drink very much appreciated after the Chiddingstone/Penshurst walk from your website. Will recommend!
Best wishes
Tony Webb
From somewhere in deepest southern France
30 January 2005
Dear Nigel
Thank you for your service in the past, your imagination in your marketing and most especially for running such a beautiful public house, an institution that Great Britain should be so proud of......but unfortunately, we have joined the emigrants to the South of France to escape parking wardens, traffic cameras, congestion charges and the ever-rising cost of living in London and the South-East...so please remove us from your mailing list, but let us assure you that we shall still drop in to your fine establishment whenever we are in your area.
Yours sincerely,
Laura & Paul Southon
23 December 2004
Scallops Farm
Ide Hill
Sevenoaks
Dear Nigel
Many thanks to the Castle Inn team for the superb dinner on Tuesday.
The room décor, food, table and flowers were perfect. Thoroughly enjoyed by all & Mother in Law has a memorable event to recall her auspicious birthday.
Regards...........
24 December 2004
Sevenoaks
Nigel
Thank you so much to you and your staff for providing such a delicious lunch yesterday and our apologies for the mess we must have left............. We all had a wonderful time and hope you are able to reserve the restaurant for us again next year for Thursday, 22 December.
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from all at Marley.
Marley Ltd
Paris 23 December - via email
Thank you very much for the meal we have eaten with your company, previous Friday 17 December. Your meal was very nice and your wines Gewurztraminer and saint-Emilion too, like your old porto, your 'Maury' and your peach liquor.We hope to live to my next birthday next year, at castle inn.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for your family and you.
Henri.
19 December 2004
email
Have had dinner with you on several occasions now with family and friends. Always excellent , well done !
Joe and Sue
30 November 2004
Scallops Farm
Ide Hill
Sevenoaks
Dear Nigel
Many thanks to you & your team for Sunday's wine tasting and dinner. Interesting selection of wines, complimented by great food and excellent service. Thoroughly enjoyed by all!
Warm regards.
23 November 2004
Linton, Kent
Dear Nigel
........lovely luncheon we had with you on the 14th of this month, I can assure you that they all really enjoyed the setting, the food and the wine. Very complimentary letters of thanks . Please......thank all your staff for looking after us so well - incidentally the table was perfect! Look forward to seeing you after Christmas, once again thank you for your help and kindness , wishing all at the Castle a very happy and successful festive period.
Restaurant Spy
There are genuine cobwebbed windows in the toilets at the Castle Inn in Chiddingstone, near the castle. Its not difficult to understand the attraction of the place for the numerous TV and film production companies that use the 14th century inn for films such as "A Room with a View" and "Elizabeth" to name but two.
The buildings and grounds are exquisitely beautiful - two bars, a restaurant and sumptuous gardens with a tiny bridge across a (largely) unrunning stream in which to enjoy your ale or food. There is lots of room outside with borders stuffed with improbable clusters of exotic flowers and shrubs and families are welcomed. There is a kids menu, and an outside bar for the occasional hot summer sunny days. And the food is good too.
Service can be wayward - there are two kitchens and if one of your party wants something from the bar menu and another wants something from the restaurant menu you've had it - but there is an underlying sense of dry humour and, to be honest, tension that makes the eating and drinking experience unpredictable but, ultimately, rewarding. Starters of Chicken Liver Parfait and Tomato tartlet were subtle and divine, and mains of Risotto and Rump steak were timely, delicious and, oh joy, hot . An oik behind us asked for the Rump steak well-done but without the red wine sauce and, although I probably would have shown him the door, he was treated with mild amusement. Summer puddings outside in the warm sunshine were rich, sweet and spiky by the spoonful and the whole wonderful, delicious experience unforgettable. A fantastic place to visit - bring your sense of humour with you and you will be well rewarded. M
AA Britain's Best Country Pubs for Food 2005
Well known as a film set, a lovely old inn full of nooks and crannies, and food or all tastes.
This inn is set in one of the prettiest villages in Kent, now in the care of the National Trust. The buildings, with their mullions and casement windows, picturesque roofs and overhanging upper storeys, are superb examples of 15th and 16th century domestic architecture. A drink or a main meal in such surrounding has much appeal, and the Castle handles its popularity skilfully. Good real ales include one brewed in the village, the wine list is over 100 bottles(sic) long, and the range of malts is impressive.
Food includes traditional pub fare (open sandwiches, salads, ploughman's, jacket potatoes, sausages, and chilli con carne) and informal dinners in the saloon bar (duck foie gras terrine, followed by roast rump of lamb on a root vegetable purée, or pan-fried fillet of monkfish with herb mash). A more formal lunch and dinner is served in the intimate restaurant with waiter service. Booking advisable. The website has good links to nearby accommodation, taxis,bicycle hire and local attractions.
Swaffham Priory
Cambridgeshire
22 July 2004
Dear Chris
Thank you so much for the absolutely splendid catering you created and organised for my husband's 50th birthday dinner held on Friday 16 July.
The food was absolutely delicious...we still remember what we ate several days later.........gastronimically excellent!!!
So a big thank you once again..............please add us to your mailing list as we will be
returning very soon.
PS The quality of the food and also the service was outstanding....
Pedlars' Castle
Ide Hill
Sevenoaks
25 July 2004
Dear Nigel
John and I would like to thank everyone at the Castle who helped make our wedding day so special.
We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves; as did our friends who all commented on the delicious food and wines and the impeccable and unobtrusive service.
We had not considered anywhere else for such a special event - we knew it would be perfect at the Castle.
Yours..........
The AA Pub Guide 2004
Such is the appeal of the Castle's picturesque mellow brick exterior that it has served, over the years, as a much favoured film set: 'Elizabeth R', 'Room with a View', 'The Life of Hogarth' and 'The Wicked Lady' all featured scenes shot here. The building dates back to 1420 (when it was known as Waterslip House), but it was first licensed to sell ale in about 1730 (when it was called the Five Bells). Today the Castle is full of nooks and crannies, period furniture and evocative curios, with the beamed bar having been remodelled carefully to preserve its unique character. Outside is a vine-hung courtyard with its own garden bar.
The same family owners have dispensed good ales for 40 years, including Larkins Traditional, brewed nearby at Larkins Farm. The wine list is an oenophile's dream, stretching to well over 100 choices, and there's a great collection of malts. The inn also has a strong reputation for its cooking. The bar menu offers typical pub food: open sandwiches, salads, ploughman's, jacket potatoes, sausages, and chilli con carne; chips, however, are definitely not served.
The Fireside Menu provides informal dinners in the saloon bar, with the likes of duck foie gras terrine, followed by roast rump of lamb on a root vegetable puree, or pan-fried fillet of monkfish with herb mash. At the top end of the dining range, a small, very individual restaurant with waiter service caters for those special occasions. Dishes are priced individually or you can select any three courses for a fixed price - truly excellent value for money. How about a week-day lunch of Dorset cock crab salad; followed by breast of duck with haricots verts and wild mushroom jus; and finishing with white chocolate and orange tart with coconut ice-cream? You will still have change from £20 or 30 Euros - which is accepted currency here.
Hop Garland Cottage
Nettlestead
6 September 2004
Dear Bill (Bill Nichol - Bar Manager)
Just a note to thank you for your organisation of the tea party on Sunday. Everyone enjoyed it very much.
Best wishes
Pat
email
22 September 2004
Hello Chris,
First of all we would like to thank you for everything and as usual we had a
wonderful stay at the castle inn (sic). Our compliments to the chef again because he's
really a fantastic cook with a lot of fantasy in his dishes.
We had a safe journey back to Belgium without any car-problems.
Hope to visit you again in the near future !
Bye Greet and Francky
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