History of The Old Eden
The original building was constructed at the latter end of the 15th Century as a small medieval Kentish hall house with a central room open to the roof and an open fire for heating and cooking.
The 'pineapple' brick fireplaces in the centre and at the southern end of the pub were added in the 16th Century when the hall house was converted into four cottages.
Other original features that still exist from this period are the moulded beam and door head at the left hand end of the bar. The big flat wall joists typical of medieval houses can still be seen in the restaurant.
The end cottage to the north of the building was converted to a modest beer house in 1865 with the addition of a cross wing and named The Old House at Home.
The pub remained a beer house to 1937 when a wine license was acquired. A full license was granted in 1949 when the net monopoly value of £72 was paid.
In 1984 the two adjacent cottages were incorporated into the pub with the third cottage being demolished to make way for the car park. This is when the name changed to The Old Eden.
The River Eden has been prone to flooding and at the left hand end of the bar is a marker indicating the flood level September 1968 1.825 metres or 6' 1" in old English!