The Seven Stars Inn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seven Stars Inn |
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The inn from the northwest
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| Location | 34 High Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5AJ |
| Built | c. 1400 |
| Architectural style(s) | Medieval |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Designated | 3 August 1961 |
| Reference no. | 1275146 |
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The Seven Stars Inn is a very old building in Robertsbridge, East Sussex. It was built in the 1300s and used to be a public house, which is like a restaurant and hotel. It's a great example of a medieval building, showing how places looked a long time ago. This inn has been part of many interesting stories, some true and some just rumors. It was closed for business in 2016.
What the Building Looks Like
The Seven Stars Inn was built around 1400. It was designed as a Wealden hall house, which was a popular style for large homes back then. It uses traditional timber frames, which means its structure is made from strong wooden beams. This building is so important that it's listed as a Grade II* historic building.
Over the years, the inn has been changed a bit. It was updated in the 1500s and again in the 1800s. You can see its special design with a part that goes back in the middle. Curved wooden supports, called brackets, hold up the roof's edges. The second floor also sticks out a bit, supported by these brackets. Inside, the roof is held up by a special Crown-post system. A company called Harveys, a brewery from Lewes, has owned the pub since 2002. The building has looked mostly the same for at least 300 years.
A Look into the Past
Robertsbridge was a busy and rich village in the Middle Ages. This was because it was given permission to hold a market in the 1200s. The Seven Stars Inn was built during this time when the village was doing very well. In fact, it's one of the oldest buildings still standing in Robertsbridge, with only one other building being about 10 years older.
There are some fun stories about the inn. One popular rumor says that King Charles II might have hidden there for a short time. This was during his escape from England after a big battle called the Battle of Worcester. However, this story is probably not true. Charles II actually escaped by ship from a place called Shoreham, which was in a different direction.
Smugglers and Hidden Goods
The Robertsbridge area was once controlled by a group of criminals called the Hawkhurst Gang. They were involved in smuggling between 1735 and 1749. Smuggling means bringing goods into a country secretly to avoid paying taxes. A well-known member of this gang, John Amos, lived in Robertsbridge.
The Hawkhurst Gang was very powerful. They operated across a large area, from Kent to Dorset. They were so bold that they used as many as 500 horses to carry their secret goods. They even raided a government building where customs officers kept captured items to get their goods back!
Robertsbridge itself was the site of a famous event involving smugglers. About 30 smugglers gathered together, had a lot to drink, and then attacked a wagon full of captured tea on Silver Hill. During this attack, a customs officer was killed.
A famous Member of Parliament named Horace Walpole wrote a letter in 1752 about a difficult trip he had. He arrived in "Rotherbridge" (which was Robertsbridge) after passing Silver Hill. He found that there was only one bed available at the inn. He wrote that "all the rest were inhabited by smugglers." This shows how common smugglers were in the area back then.
Ghostly Tales
According to a local newspaper, the Seven Stars Inn has been called one of the top ten most haunted pubs in the country. In July 2013, a group called Hidden Worlds Paranormal Support Group announced they would investigate the inn. They wanted to help the owners with reports of a poltergeist and other strange, ghostly activities.
