History & local area

Here at The Castle Hotel, it seems history is never far away...

We are situated in the beautiful village of Eynsford, with its very own Norman castle located directly opposite the hotel. The village also boasts two other restaurants and another pub, making it the perfect base for exploring this picturesque corner of Kent.

There's plenty to discover nearby, including Lullingstone Castle & World Garden, the Roman Villa, Eagle Heights Bird of Prey Centre, the stunning lavender fields at Castle Farm, Brands Hatch racing circuit, a local vineyard and the historic town of Sevenoaks, all right on our doorstep.

Within walking distance you'll also find the pretty medieval bridge spanning the River Darent, complete with its famous ford. Just don't take the car through... it's deeper than it looks!

If you'd like to see more of the local area, we highly recommend the Eynsford to Farningham village walk. This gentle circular route takes around an hour, leading you through Eynsford, across fields overlooking the castle and into the charming village of Farningham, with its beautiful river and historic architecture.

Bringing your four-legged friend? There are plenty of off-lead walks to enjoy too. Whether they prefer splashing in the river or exploring woodland trails, Eynsford is perfect for a dog-friendly walking holiday.

A Little History

Eynsford itself dates back to 864 AD, but the first known mention of The Castle Hotel appears under its original name, The Harrow Inn. A Post Office Directory from 1829 records simply: "1829 Henry Booker." We imagine Henry was either the owner of the building or its first landlord.

There isn't much written about Henry, although there was a Francis Booker of Eynsford, born in 1746, who became a famous left-handed English cricketer. Perhaps he was an ancestor?

A major chapter in the hotel's history began in 1904, when Elliott Till of Eynsford, a teetotaller and local benefactor, purchased The Harrow Inn. He refurbished the property, adding new windows and creating the library, which at the time served as the restaurant, with a function room upstairs at the front of the building. We believe this was also when guest bedrooms were added, before he renamed the property The Castle Hotel.

Elliott Till also decreed that the landlord should serve only one alcoholic drink per person, per day! Unsurprisingly, the brewery wasn't too pleased with this decision and took him to the High Court.

If you know any more about the history of this marvellous old inn, we'd love to hear from you.