HISTORY

The Unicorn has been a pub for at least 250 years, having originally belonged to a Thomas Kingswood. By 1741 it became vested in Elizabeth Gilbert of Marden, the widow of Fernden Gilbert, and their son John, who sold to Edward Cole of Marden "...all that messuage or tenement commonly called or known by the name or sign of the Unicorn ... and also all the third part of a water pit ... and 8 acres called Lower or Lilley Field."
Edward Cole left it to his son Peter Coleman Cole and after he died it went to his brother John. By his will in 1803, when he is described as living in Horsmonden, he left his property in trust for Stephen, John and William Walter. William bought out the interests of the other two, and two years later in 1824 sold the Unicorn to Thomas Day, an innkeeper of Marden, probably the son of the last occupant who had just died.
It remained in his ownership and that of his widow Caroline until 1876 when it was bought by Godfrey Burrell, William Jude and Ernest Osgood Hanbury, brewers of Wateringbury.

Known Occupants of 'The Unicorn'

Before 1741
Margaret Grigsby (widow), Joseph Jarvis, Richard Chapman, Richard Mallyon

In occupation before 1822 (and in 1822)
Thomas Day

1824
Thomas Day

1860
Thomas and Walter Day
(another member of the Day family was landlord of the White Lyon across the entrance to the market - "The Lyon and the Unicorn")

1876
Walter Day, Stevenson

9 March 1880
George Price

30 June 1885
Frederick William Gilbert

January 1896
Mrs Gilbert (widow)

December 1904
G Clarett

March 1905
W B Warner

August 1907
A M Taylor

June 1911
W A Wade

April 1912 (and in December 1915)
C Bromley

3 January 1918
C Stephens

29 September 1931
Frederick John Stephens

6 May 1936
Edward Millsted

2 July 1956
George Willis Delo

17 May 1961
Ernest Edward Curtis

6 July 1964
Charles Robert Peter Ghick Beadle

10 September 198X
Ronald Charles Dunn, Colin and Sue Watts, Jan Othen, Tony Rimlett and Sally Catt

August 2000
Keith and Ros Rookledge