Red Lion, Romney Marsh

It's only two stops on the train and a half-mile walk for me. The people I was chatting with yesterday came on a personal recommendation from 100+ miles away. Four ales straight from the barrel, proper cider, the place is how a pub used to be years ago. It's probably not *everybody's* cup of tea, but I like it ! But don't arrive between 3pm and 6pm - it's traditional opening hours too!

Sometimes a pub can disappoint when so much has been said to recommend it but the Red Lion really does have that wow factor to justify its position as one of the countries most unique and oustanding pubs. The interior is divided into 3 rooms with the main bar to the left of the entrance. Each room has barely enough space for a couple of well worn tables and a few old pew seats with homemade cushions. In the main bar itself, a few chairs are scattered around the edge of the room beneath the low beamed ceiling which is plastered with old coins and banknoters and has developed a gravity challenging bulge. The old marble bar top has 4 pumps although the beers are poured direct from the casks behind the bar, 2 Ales, a mild and a cider being the norm (Surrey Hills Ranmore Ale, Ellgoods Double Swan, Surrey Hills Hammer Mild and Double Vison Cider on my visit). There are no electric pumps so lagers and keg beers are satisfyingly absent. Behind the main bar is a small room with an upright piano as its focal point. Old books and magazines are randomly piled up and numerous traditional pub games (cribbage, solitaire, naughts and crosses) as well as a few rather baffling ones (the Canada Dry mixer game?) recall the joys we had prior to the invention of computer games and electronic gadgets (and I'm not THAT old). Note also the old Allwin machine on the wall by the entrance that sadly didn't look very functional. Whilst the general décor has remained undisturbed for decades, there are a few more modern additions like the millenium quilt (presumably knocked together by various locals) that jockeys for position amongst the ciggy card collections, corkscrews, keys, a somewhat random selection of fading pictures and WW2 posters. Dotted about are other odds and sods like looms and airraid sirens making it seem like a mix of Treasure Trove and Steptoe & Son. The tile floor public bar continues with the archive approach with more WW2 memorabelia and a fantsastic sign near the door advising that the room is now illuminated by Edison Electric Lamps and not to try lighting them with a match. It probably made good sense when it was put there. Maybe the no smoking signs will be of similar interest in years to come. Yet more traditional games (dominoes, table skittles, shove halfpenny and a rather challenging dart board) and books are there for general use. Through the serving hatch you can view an old room presumably used for off licence sales in days gone by. Naturally the toilets are of the outside variety complete with cobwebs a plenty. The beer garden is quite small but extremely well kept and attractive and includes a small aviary. All in all, a quite stunning and original pub, the type of which has all but disappeared and you really need no excuse to pay it a visit. If you are lucky you will meet the lovely Doris who has run the pub for generations although these days she has a bit more of a helping hand. If you do visit, check the opening times first as they are as dated as the pub.

This is a classic pub where time has stood still.No musak,no machines and no food, just good beer and conversation.One very small front bar with a couple of equally small seperate drinking rooms with one being dedicated to the land army.There are several real ales on gravity and a couple of ciders straight from the cask.This pub is a gem and I believe it is on the CAMRA Inventory list of pubs.One mile walk from Appledore railway station.Not to be missed.