ONE of Kent's historic country inns, the 15th century Crown Inn in Sarre village, has been sold with a new lease by its owners and operators Shepherd Neame.

The Grade I listed building is locally known as The Cherry Brandy House because of a cherished recipe for cherry brandy brought to the area by the Huguenots escaping the religious persecution of Louis XIV.

The secret recipe remains jealously guarded, and is still served today, and is regarded as the most exclusive cherry brandy in the world.

The building was a half-way house and early posting inn between Canterbury and Thanet.

Dating from around 1500, many original features remain including a 16th century priest hole discovered in the roof space during restoration.

Survivors of the Charge of the Light Brigade held their reunion dinners at the Crown Inn and it has been visited by stars of stage and screen and well as Charles Dickens and Rudyard Kipling.

The detached, two-storey property on the A28 Ramsgate Road near St Nicholas at Wade features a bar, restaurant and function room, 14 en-suite letting bedrooms, owner’s cottage, gardens and car park. The Dickens Room and patio are licensed for civil weddings.

The new lessee is Clive Franklyn, who has returned to the UK from Spain, with his wife Penny.

The couple previously owned the King’s Head, a smaller freehold pub with rooms opposite the Crown Inn, which they bought in 1999 and then sold five years later.