Saved from extinction by people who loved it so much they couldn’t bear to think of life without it, you’ve got to admire a survivor.

The Farriers Arms (1606) in Mersham likes to include the year it came into being in its name and the inn survived for more than 400 years until closing its doors to drinkers in 2009.

Fortunately for all of us, a hardy band of village regulars were determined to breathe life back into this traditional pub and stumped up to become shareholders to save the place.

So, a mere decade and a half after it was rescued from extinction what’s it like?

From the car park it looks like a pretty little row of about three terraced cottages, but a sign declaring ‘We brew our own beer’ was always going to get me through the door.

Once inside the cute, deceptively small, exterior is immediately forgotten as you’re faced by a huge well-stocked bar and a pub which opens up impressively.

Having been told the Old Forge Brewery, which is on the premises, was founded the year after this place was saved I was only going to have a pint of whatever had been brewed here and selected the 3.7% flagship Farriers 1606 bitter.

At £5.20 it doesn’t come cheap but the taste is impressive, particularly for such a relatively low ABV, and I enjoyed the strong malty flavour. Mrs SD’s staple, a large New Zealand Sav Blanc, was no less expensive at £10.50 but I must say she was equally pleased by its quality. As we all know, ‘You get what you pay for’ and everything about this place shouts quality.

It’s very much a community pub but clearly understands it can’t simply rely on the goodwill of locals and needs to provide a tip-top service to all comers. There is a TV screen but it’s saved for the right occasions and wasn’t switched on, however, a projector and bigger screen had been prepared ready for the rugby.

I saw no sign of a pool table, a dartboard or a jukebox but there was a table loaded with half a dozen or so board games.

Several regulars, seated on stools at the wood-panelled bar, were deep in conversation with the barmaids about all things foodie, a chat which had been initiated by the fact a menu change had just taken place.

We weren’t in to eat, but on the subject of grub, I was mightily impressed by both the smell and the look of the meals coming out of the kitchen and when I wandered through the restaurant to take a gander at the garden two older ladies made a point of stopping me to openly praise the quality of the food.

The garden, by the way, like the rest of this place, is deceptively large and I can imagine it being very popular when we finally get some decent spring weather.

There was background music playing at a low level and I noted much of it was my era – REM and Men Without Hats, to mention but two. I also noted the Farriers holds regular live music evenings and hosts a variety of other events, several involving vintage vehicles.

However, it was obvious school was now out as we’d been joined by a lovely young lady in uniform who clambered onto a bar stool to engage both the barmaid, and the one remaining regular, in a conversation about her iPhone. Our jovial regular cleverly moved the chat on to the benefits of working hard at school but within moments the conversation got away from him again as he was somehow coerced into promising her a pretty substantial sum of money if she passes her exams – what a smart girl!

The wood-burning fires weren’t needed during our visit but I imagine they are very cosy when they’re in action and, although the pub seemed quite bright, it still had fairy lights hanging from every possible beam.

The gents has been renovated with the same care and attention as everywhere else and, with their co-ordinated tiling, were frankly a pleasure to visit.

So, you’ve got a place loved by all who visit, 121 caring owners, a brewery on site making tasty beer, a restaurant using local produce to create show-stopping dishes, a venue for live music to thrive and, to top it all, the smartest kid on the block.

This is a pub where it’s an absolute pleasure to spend a few more pennies.

THE FARRIERS ARMS, THE FORSTAL, MERSHAM, TN25 6NU

Décor: The pub features a great wood-panelled bar, heavy tiled floors and a stack of chunky ceiling beams. But, despite the low ceilings, it’s bright and warm with a perfect blend of old-world charm and modern renovation. *****

Drink: You’ve got to love a pub producing beer from its own on-site brewery. The wine was also given a very upbeat review from Mrs SD and there were plenty of other options available. *****

Price: My incredibly local bitter (Farriers 1606) was £5.20 and a large NZ Sav Blanc was £10.50, a pint of Kronenbourg is £6 and a Peroni and Guinness are £6.90 each. **

Staff: The barmaids could not have been any more friendly and efficient – top marks. Plus, with more than 100 shareholders the pub’s owners are also often present to act as great advocates for the place. *****

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