The Bell

The story

The Bell in Ticehurst – Michelin-Recommended British Pub & Dining

The Bell, Ticehurst

The story of The Bell stretches back to around 1560, when the building first stood as a coaching inn on the High Street. Today, it remains what it has always been at heart: a public house. The current custodians have smoothed out the rougher edges while preserving the wonderful imperfections that make the place feel lived-in and genuine. It is a home from home, rooted in the village of Ticehurst on the Kent and East Sussex border.

The kitchen takes its cue from the seasons and the local landscape. The approach is straightforward: blend people, produce and place to create uncomplicated, unhurried food. The menus change daily, reflecting the availability of locally sourced ingredients. From the bar you might order Padron peppers with turmeric aioli, or a crisp squid with sweet chilli. Bigger plates include a marinated pork chop chargrilled on The Big Green Egg, beer battered haddock, and a tandoori-spiced monkfish tail. Wood-fired pizzas, burgers from the grill, and a classic Arctic roll – a nod to the inn’s early days – round out the offering. The style is modern British cooking, direct and satisfying.

The Bell’s quality has not gone unnoticed. It holds a Michelin Recommended award, a recognition that sits naturally alongside its identity as a proper local pub. The team describe the accolade as part of a steady stream of awards, including being named Best Destination Pub in the Muddy Stilettos Awards and Sunday Times Best Pub Hotel. But the focus remains on the everyday: long Sunday lunches, a well-poured pint, and a welcome that extends to everyone, from regulars at the bar to couples celebrating weddings.

The building itself has layers. A Tudor core, later additions of bedrooms and an assembly room for concerts and community gatherings, and now seven quirky hotel bedrooms and four lodges set in a garden. The Bell is a place that has hosted travellers for centuries – in 1645, a bed cost one penny, including linen and food. Those bricks still hold life.