Bell, Smarden

On the roadside the left door leads into the original public bar, which has a modern ’Bar’ etched panel on the inner door. It has a part bare wood and part quarry tiled floor with an early 20th century bar back with mirrored panels and carved pillars holding up the shelves. It has what looks like an old counter with the stain removed. The large brick fireplace on the left is old but with a log burner and the dado panelling looks modern. Another brick fireplace on the right could be old. Nowadays the bar is one part of a three linked rooms for diners, the two small rooms on the right having been brought into use with more modern dado panelling, wooden floors and the odd settle. The door from the car park leads to a good small bar with a genuine flagstone floor. The brick and timber bar is no older than 50 years, the brick fireplace is possibly pre-war with a log fire and good fireback. The rustic bar back shelving is modern. There is an old short passage between the two bars with an uneven brick floor. At the rear a doorway leads to the cellar bar, now a small dining room with uneven brick floor and another brick and timber bar of modernish times, possibly 1960s. Lots of half timbering on the left side rooms. Food-orientated pub.