The Wat Tyler, Dartford

Much of Dartford’s medieval High Street is now hidden behind Victorian Facades but one small corner by the Norman church still retains its 14th Century appearance. Part of this picturesque patch of buildings is the Wat Tyler (previously called the Crown & Anchor), named aftare the 1381 peasants revolt leader who supposedly lived in the building however there is no realistic evidence that he ever lived in Dartford at all. Despite the wonderful medieval exterior, the interior is probably the remnants of a 60’s refurbishment and the pub is generally stuck in a bit of a timewarp but it does have its own intrinsic charm. The décor and furnishings are quite basic and a bit worn around the edges with pews, rugs on the bare floors, beamed ceilings, lanterns and large sections of original exposed brickwork. Around the walls you will find a few antique firearms (presumably not loaded), old photos of town and a small display of old pump clips. Don’t rely on the large clock – it is always 10 minutes wrong! At the rear of the pub is a small raised secluded room that offers a bit of intimacy away from the main body of the pub. There is a dart board, a basic TV with a recent upgrade to freeview and piped music which is usually 70’s rock (everything is 30 years out of date here). There is no beer garden but some outside seating can be found in the passageway outside (Bullace Lane) which itself used to be one of the main routes into town but is now little more than an alleyway to Waitrose car park. The beers are among the best in town for quality, choice and price. The mainstays are Courage Best and John Smith (Cask) but there are always 3 guest ales that tend to be strong, darker beers and rarely will they not have one of a mild / stout / porter (on occasions they may have all 3). Occasionally Brains or Rev James may make an appearance in place of one of the regulars. They also regularly stock ales from local breweries (Millis, Nelson, Westerham etc) and a recently added pump is set aside for a real cider. Prices are much lower than many of the pubs in town and offer good value considering most of the ales are of premium strength. The main area of concern is that some of the regulars can be quite annoying when they have exceeded their maximum alcohol intake level, which is quite often. Whilst they are generally harmless enough and probably mean no offence, the language on show can not only be offputting but quite intrusive although I have noticed the staff beginning to take a firmer grip of things in recent weeks. On the whole the people are pretty chatty and welcoming and no pub trip to Dartford would be complete without a decent session here.