The claim
A weatherboarded and timber-framed inn on the lane through Westbere, above the Stour marshes east of Canterbury. Low beams, a carved corner post and a garden behind. It closes on Mondays and splits the day in two the rest of the week, with food at lunch and in the evening.
What the records show
The Yew Tree gives 1348, the plague year, and CAMRA repeats a 14th-century date. Historic England reads the fabric as probably C15 in its easternmost part, with a moulded dragon post, diagonal ground-floor braces, a jettied window bay and an original arched doorcase — good late-medieval carpentry, but not 1348, and the listing says nothing about drinking. No licence or record from the 14th century was traced, so the date stands as tradition. The rest of the building is later, weatherboarded and much extended.
What to look for inside
- Moulded dragon post at the corner of the medieval range
- Above the Stour marshes east of Canterbury
- Named for the yews in the churchyard opposite
Visiting
Ye Olde Yew Tree Inn is in Westbere, England, at 32 Westbere Lane, Westbere, Canterbury CT2 0HH. We do not list opening times, because they change; the pub’s own site is the place to check before you set out.
Sources
- historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1085489
- camra.org.uk/pubs/olde-yew-tree-westbere-132788
- www.yewtreewestbere.co.uk/
- www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol9/pp68-74
- ratings.food.gov.uk/business/1871379
Know something we don’t?Suggest a correctionLast checked Sept 2026
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