Located in the Bromley village of Downe, The Queen’s Head is one of two local watering holes for locals, dating back to 1565.
The pub is believed to have earned its name from when Queen Elizabeth visited Downe for the baptism of Henry Manning’s daughter Margaret, who lived at Manor House Downe Court.
The pub is believed to have earned its name from when Queen Elizabeth visited Downe for the baptism of Henry Manning’s daughter Margaret. (Image: Emily Davison)
The pub was taken over by husband-and-wife duo Nigel and Jackie Andrews in 2011 following a temporary closure.
Since then, the couple have turned the pub into a “quintessentially British country feeling pub”, influenced by Nigel’s long career in the pub industry managing 800 pubs for companies like Wetherspoons and Stonegate.
Nigel told the News Shopper: “I think most of our customers would call it a quintessentially English traditional pub, and that’s actually what they’ve stated on some of the reviews and things that they’ve done.
“It’s friendly, there’s always someone in here you can come and talk to and it’s just a nice friendly, relaxing place to come and eat or drink.”
Some of the pub’s most notable features are its timber frames, as well as its double fronted fireplace in the main room and raised fireplace in the dining room.
The pub is also home to a tea shop next door, which was converted by Nigel during lockdown to serve locals with produce, before later being converted into a tea room-cum-sweet shop, which is “a popular spot with tourists visiting the village.”
Nigel added: “We used to call Downe a drive-out destination, so from Orpington you can get here under 10 minutes, but it’s like you’ve spent an hour driving out into the heart of Kent to find a country pub.”
Nigel brought his ale expertise from his many other roles to the pub, which always offers at least four rotating cask ales, with a whopping 800 different ales featured over the years, which you can see with a living ale clip exhibit on the old wooden beams of the pub.
As for the food, the pub focuses on traditional British fare, sourcing ingredients from Kent producers, along with their popular fine dining supper club, which runs every four months and has become “hugely popular for locals” according to Nigel.
But if you fancy something more affordable, the pub also offers Pie Night Wednesdays for just £10, along with BOGOF Burger Thursdays where you can get two burgers for the price of one.
This former drinker has had a lasting impression on the pub, evident through the historic photos of Knox-Johnston during his ceremonial return to Downe, along with a signed photo of him that he gifted to his favourite barmaid with a note ‘to my favourite barmaid Pat.”
Even now the pub still plays on its links to this intrepid explorer, with locals invited to exchange a snow globe from a place they’ve been in exchange for a free pint.
Nigel proudly showed his collection of snow globes, adding: “It’s not something you’ll find in every pub you visit, but then not every pub has links to a man who sailed on his own around the world.”
Being a 460-year-old pub, The Queen’s Head also has its share of ghost stories, with some of its most notable sightings including the ghost of Darwin spotted haunting table one in the restaurant.
Nigel added: “Sometimes someone will leave their drink on the table and then it will just start to move and slide and fall off the table.
“Personally I think it’s the vibrations from the cellar cooling, but it keeps that story going.”
In 2014 the pub won CAMRA Pub of the Year and has been featured in 13 CAMRA Good Beer Guides since 2011.
Commenting on Downe, Nigel added that one of the standout things about the village was its “helpful community”.
Nigel explained: “It’s just friendly in Downe, as when you’re in places like Orpington people don’t talk to you as much.
“But when you’re here, when you’re going out for a walk, everybody stops to say hello, whether they know you or not.
“You can get here by bus, but when the bus doesn’t run for whatever reason, like an emergency closure in the road, there’s always someone to drop you home.
“Downe is just a friendly place and that’s one of the best things about having a pub here.”
