Bell and Jorrocks, Frittendenback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This is a good village local with some varied real ales. Harveys Sussex Best Bitter, Woodfordes Wherry (possibly the only pub in Kent that has this on as standard), Musket Fife & Drum & Wantsum One Hop Amarillo were the 4 ales on during our visit. There is no real cider. Seating indoors was limited on our visit, as space had been cleared presumably for a band. We found a table next to a large propeller retrieved from a German plane that had been shot down here during WWII. There are a few tables outside the front of the pub and a small area to the side used by smokers. Worth a visit.
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Just popped in for a quick pint on Saturday afternoon, welcoming and friendly staff and locals, beer in excellent condition, lovely place.
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Billyfish has nailed it concisely in his review. The B & J continues to demonstrate what a village local ought to be - good beer and a great atmosphere. Keep up the good work.
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Dropped in here on the weekend for quick one, tidy little place. Unpretentious is the only word I can add to the worthy and wordy reviews below. A good friendly, hard working local where everyone was cheerfully getting on with the job in hand; having a decent pint, eating some straight forward tasty food and partaking in good chat.
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Praise the Lord for a genuine English country pub - a dying species. The Landlord's family have .been here for 40 years. The pub is welcoming and not gastro. In other words, the menu is short, well cooked and interesting. The landlord is cheerful. The regulars actually talk to you. What a blessing. Well worth a detour. Romer
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There is little in the way of honest and useful analysis that I can offer in addition to the review left on the 4th by my regular partner-in-quaff CJG, who has decided this time through a quirk of fantasy that only he can explain that my name should now be 'Thomas' as opposed to 'Telford'.........
Anyway, esoterica aside, he is spot on with his comments here. The B & J is actually an earthy, working rural man's local, and the clientele plainly favour good solid choices on the cask ale front, with a few lagerites topping up the custom. Provided one does not come across as awkward and aloof in this rarefied drinker's den, one should not receive a bad welcome from the regulars, who were perfectly amenable when C and myself bowled up in shirts and jackets and shiny shoes and stood firm at the bar ordering beer with gusto. I had the Moorhouse's Blond (okay not exactly local but well-kepy nonetheless), while my oppo sampled the Dark Star Critical Mass - albeit by the half (bloody girl!).
I noticed later on that a young couple turned up and seemed to be equally at ease with the atmos, so perhaps at different times the pub is home to a broader spread of punters.
Incidentally, the pub is apparently an amalgam of 2 pubs in Frittenden, one called the Bell (housed here), and one called the John Jorrocks (which closed in 1969), named after a fictional 19th century cockney creation of the author RS Surtees. Those of the local hunting fraternity/sorority will be au fait with the character, as Jorrocks gives his name colloquially to the Old Surrey & Burstow and West Kent hunt.
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A quick late afternoon visit to the B&J on the penultimate day of the last decade proved what previous reviewers have already said: this is a fine community pub which (thankfully) leans towards the wet trade. Notwithstanding that I was on the Dark Star Critical Mass - country pubs with good local support can stock strong dark beers - I remember that the bar was heaving with ale drinkers and a few younger lager types. The clientele seemed to be not the well to do sorts that dominate in many Wealden pubs but rather a good mix of farm workers and those enjoying a few days off before going back to work. The atmosphere was merry and myself any my erstwhile partner in pubbage Thomas Wikins Galbraith were made to feel most welcome. As for the pub itself, the interior has not been ponced up and retains a certain cosiness mixed with a welcome rougher edge - wearing wellies at the bar will not get you thrown out, rather you will fit in well. I suspect in the evening it attracts a slightly different set, after what (from the menu) looked like good well-priced fare. All in, an excellent pub which I am disappointed not to have visited before.
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I drive past this pub frequently, and know that it is �the� pub in the district, but haven�t been in for at least thirty years. However, today, on a foul Saturday lunchtime I had a bit of time on my hands, so I went in for a quick pint. I�m a dog lover, so was pleased to see a couple of attentive black dogs patrolling the bar.
An L shaped bar: open fire one end,darts the other: I was very pleased to see a proper Kentish �black� dartboard-no trebles or outer bull.Quiet, as you might expect, given the weather, but it gradually filled up with groups and families.The food looks good and not too pricey.
The beers were Harveys Best, Adnams Bitter and Black Sheep Best, together with various fizzy offerings. The collection of resting pump clips hinted at an interesting guest beer policy. I saw clips for various beers from DarkStar and Westerham, always a good sign in my book.The Harveys was on good form, and made me glad I live in England.
The pub also doubles as the village Post Office, and plays an important role in this isolated community. 9/10
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A great evening spent at the Bell & Jorrocks the other night, with three morris sides (Cinque Ports, Hartley and the incomparable Loose Women) taking over the whole street outside and having a fine time of entertaining music and dance. Top quality Harveys (and several other real ales), as always. Thoroughly recommended.
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I didn't do this place justice when I posted my earlier review, last year. I've been back several times since I wrote that, and can vouch for the fact that it's an absolutely first rate pub - the hub of the community, with the feel of a real local, while at the same time being friendly and welcoming to non-locals, Good beer, good food, and a warm and comfortable feel; what more could you ask?
They've opened up an interesting and well presented function room in the old stables at the back, too.
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Four good ales, all well kept. Cheesy chips too. The place doubles up as being the local post office as well as the pub, so if funds are running short you don�t have to go far to top up the cash. They also do a decent cup of coffee, and usually have pickled eggs (but not today). And they stay open all day on a Saturday � something not many places do in the area.
Whilst there�s sport on the TV, the sound is off, so it�s unobtrusive. I can�t help but feel the place suffers from not having a beer garden, but that�s just me being picky.
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Happened to look in the other week when the place was packed to capacity for some folk music event. Still,they were coping admirably, the beer was good, and, though they made nonsense of Davidgeorge's comment below, the folkies were friendly, as well.
I'll go back again when it's quieter.
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A proper village pub, but one making an extra effort by now providing Post Office facilities, etc. Beer festivals in August and April. Well worth making a detour.
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We went in the Bell & Jorrocks during an Easter Saturday walk having phoned ahead first. The new owners had only moved in the previous Thursday but were already running a comfortable and pleasing pub with potentiual to be a great watering hole. We were told the previous owners had not been doing food at the end of their stint so good job we went when we did because Rosie's home roast ham & brie ploughman's was delicious! The Adnams bitter & Broadside were extremely well kept and set us up perfectly for our afternoon's 9 miles!
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Great Pub if you don't like noise. Genuine country place with good beer.
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a good old fashioned country pub in a small kentish village... Do not expect too much .. but dogs, roasts, beer and in the winter fires...
Gabby - 2 Aug 2004 13:25 |
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