THE OLD WHITE HART iii 



as they were very expensive, and but seldom 

 asked for. 



About the year 1S14, business having much 

 increased, and the old inn being devoid of modern 

 sanitary requirements, and on an examination of its 

 structure, it was proved to be very insecure. The 

 whole of the front was pulled down and rebuilt 

 in the inartistic style then prevalent, but leaving all 

 the back part, with the Rochester room, kitchens, and 

 appurtenances, intact ; the old gallery was enclosed, 

 windows being inserted. The great staircase was 

 destroyed, and a new one of carved oak was built, 

 starting from the entrance hall, which occupied the 

 site of the old gateway, a new entrance into the yard 

 being provided on the eastern side of the house. 

 The fine old pile of 1663, including the Rochester 

 dining-room, fortunately was left intact. Such was 

 the state of this noted hostelry in 18 14. 



This all happened some time before I was born, 

 but years afterwards I heard people talking of the 

 old house, and everyone regretted that no record, 

 in the shape of a drawing or sketch of the picturesque 

 old front, remained. Yet there is one story about it 

 which my father had been told, and I had heard 

 related by very old people, that whilst the Assizes 

 were being held — the Courts being next door — they 

 had seen serjeants-at-law and other great luminaries 

 of the bar come down between the trials, or at the 

 temporary adjournment of the Courts, going into 

 the ' Change ' and playing single-stick across the 

 table, and drinking their social cup. And that when 



