Kew is chiefly famous for the Royal Botanic Gardens but the village has great charm and a history of its own.
The heart of the village around the green has changed little since the 18th century, when it was a regular venue for fairs and cricket. The Coach and Horses, standing opposite the green and only a short walk from Kew Gardens, has always been at the heart of village life, providing rest and refreshment for visitors and locals.
It is an 18th-century building, with Victorian expansion and improvement. It was further enlarged in 2000 to the side and back, providing 31 modern hotel bedrooms, though it had been receiving overnight visitors for more than 200 years.
It has been a Young’s house since 1831, when it was one of only three inns and taverns in Kew. In 1857, the pub was described in the Young’s property book as 'pleasant and thriving premises', which remains true today.
There is an interesting link between the pub and the history of photography. In 1827, a Frenchman, Joseph Niepce, came to stay at the pub while looking for funding from George IV via the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Niepce had produced a primitive photography in 1816, 23 years before Fox Talbot. He wrote to his children from the Coach and Horses: 'Our hosts are very nice people but the meals are bad and the beds worse and it is very expensive. It costs us for your mama and me over 100 francs (£4) for board and lodging,' this was, of course, before Young's took over!
