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Red Lion, Charing Heath, Shepherd Neame

Welcome to the Red Lion

A Kentish country pub with centuries of tales to tell

A 16th-century country pub in the picturesque village of Charing Heath, between Maidstone and Ashford.

Rooms

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White Horse, Boughton-under-Blean

Our sister pub - the White Horse

We have another beautiful pub with rooms; the White Horse in Boughton-under-Blean.
 

Red Lion, Charing Heath, Shepherd Neame

Catch us on TV!

Four in a Bed, on Channel 4

Red Lion, Charing Heath, Shepherd Neame

Family friendly

Family friendly, with an invitation extended to well-behaved dogs, it’s a relaxed and homely place to savour exceptional ales, wines and spirits, plus a delicious menu of home-cooked country style food.

Built in 1562, the pub exudes character and charm with authentic oak-beamed ceilings and wooden paneling - but it’s not the only historic building around these parts…

Just off the M20 near Leeds Castle, the Red Lion makes an ideal stop-off for a country pub lunch on a day of historical appreciation.

DrinkDrink
FoodFood
Live musicLive music
Outdoor areaOutdoor area
Real fireReal fire
WiFiWiFi
Red Lion, Charing Heath, Shepherd Neame, live music

What's on

There's always something happening at the Red Lion.

Follow us on Facebook to see all details and see our events page for a list of all upcoming events including regular live music.

Red Lion, Charing Heath, Shepherd Neame

History

The Red Lion in Charing Heath has rich history, having been built as a thatched farmhouse in 1562, in the reign of Elizabeth I.

An ale and cider licence was granted in 1709, before the Red Lion officially became an inn later that century.

The pub has been trading ever since - including a period of time when it doubled as a postal sorting office.

Visitors here can see for themselves a piece of the pub's fascinating and somewhat spooky history - a child's leather shoe found in the chimney during refurbishment. Dating from circa 1850, rumour has it that strange things occur if the shoe is taken off the premises…