Here's a little potted history of our Pub. It's as factually accurate as I can be. If you have any more info you can add to this we'd be delighted to hear from you!

This Inn known by the sign of the Blue Anchor was built in the eleventh year of George 2nd, in 1738, though the original structure is confined mainly to the rear of the present building, and has been altered and added to down through the centuries.

The house was first licensed in the year 1765, when a restrictive ale licence was issued to one Ezra Ballard, a farmer and grazier of Bilsington parish. At this date the house bore no title but by the turn of ten years it had come to be called the “Blue Anchor ale House”. However when first built the house was a farm dwelling belonging to the estate of William Fagge, yeoman of Ashford. He possessed this house with its land, which then totalled some six acres and other lands and properties at Ashford and Aldington until his death in 1761, whereupon by the terms of his will his estate passed to his sons, Thomas and Ashley. This property and others nearby fell to Ashley Fagge, who in 1765 sold this house and a parcel of land totalling three acres to the aforementioned Ballard.

Ezra Ballard remained here, working the land, while his wife Naomi carried out the day to day running of the ale house, until his death in 1779, upon th event of which she was left the property in his will. She remained here until her death in 1786. During her stay she became known as the “widdow Ballard of the Blue Anker Rucking”.  After her death her son Isaac ran the house until at length he sold to one James Wilson, grazier and beer seller. He in 1788 applied for and was granted a full licence for the premises. He became James Wilson victualler and the house the “Blue Anchor Inn”.

In April 1799, an argument broke out in the “Blue Anchor”, during the course of which James Wilson’s wife was assaulted. Her assailant was one William Ransley, brother of James and Cousin of George, who later became the leader of the “Aldington gang” an infamous gang of smugglers of the early 19th century. William Ransley was tried for the assault on Ann Wilson and received a three month prison sentence, which he served in Canterbury Gaol. However on Thursday August 24th 1800, he was hanged on Penenden Heath with his brother James, for the crime of burglary, along with Isaac Ballard, one time keeper of the “Blue Anchor”, for highway robbery, John Parsons for sheep stealing and Robert Radford for rape, a crime that was perpetrated outside the “Blue Anchor Inn”.

Late in 1826 the “Blue Anchor” was again connected with the Ransley family. By November of that year most of George Ransleys gang had been rounded up and was awaiting trial at Maidstone, however, two brothers James and John Hogben known to be gang members, had still to be taken. On 25th November 1826 they were seen going into the “Blue Anchor Inn” by two Bow Street runners, who after lying in wait arrested the men upon their departure. They with other gang members were eventually transported to Tasmania. Another member of the gang also transported was Paul Pierce, he was the son of Thomas Pierce, keeper of the “Blue Anchor” from 1813 until 1831.

By 1850 the “Blue Anchor” was enjoying a more peaceful situation, though it was rumoured that cock fighting took place here and later still bare knuckle pugilist contests were fought on ground behind the inn. In 1850 one George Godden, wheelwright kept the house. He was here until 1859, when in that year one John Russell senior farmer and grazier took over. John Russell junior was a miller of Ruckinge. The “Blue Anchor” had strong connections with the trade, for Benjamin Wyor who took over from James Wilson in 1802 was a miller as was Thomas Shellon, who took over from him staying until 1813. John Russell senior died in 1881 and was succeeded by his widow Hannah. She is also described as a farmer of Ruckinge. She stayed until her death in 1886, when in that year one Benjamin Dalloway took over, he was also a miller. Two more keepers followed him to mark the close of the 19th century. In 1891, one Thomas Hawkins came here, staying until 1898, when one Clarke Lonkhurst took over staying until 1908, he was succeeded by Edwin Baldock, who held the licence for the duration of world war 1, handing over at its close to Frank Palin, who stayed until1926 and was succeeded by Frederick Tarling and he in 1936 by Harry Augustus Blackburn who held the licence for the duration of world war 2.