Our History
The Half Moon Inn is an old Coaching Tavern which used to service tired & weary travellers on the toll road from London to Hastings & Rye, which were the two main ports of the day.
First built circa 1510, it was known as The Old Half Moon Inn and was initially a small tavern, a fraction of its size today being only the area behind the Bar & the Top Snug Area with stables where the Pool Room is now.
The present front of the pub was constructed in 1707 and the Inn was then used to stable the changing mail coach horses before the arduous journey up the long & steep Riverhill towards Sevenoaks & London.
It is rumoured that around this time it was one of many haunts used by Dick Turpin who frequented on several occasions. It is home to several ghosts, in particular a hooded figure of a young Victorian lady! There have been many reports of customers inexplicably poked and prodded although this could be down to the beer.
The Half Moon just managed to survive WWII when on 27th October 1940, a Spitfire II, piloted by Officer John Romney Mathers was shot down, dramatically crashing in the car park to the rear of the Pub. In 1972 the engine & cockpit were recovered in remarkably good condition by local enthusiast Malcolm Pettit & remain part of a treasured collection to date with several mentions in the RAF Museum.