The Oak and Ivy Inn, Hawkhurst once the stomping ground of a notorious group of smugglers, known as the Hawkhurst Gang.

This was the main headquarters of the Infamous Hawkhurst gang.Looks peaceful now. The gang used to frequent this inn and work out ways to smuggle more items in and out of the country.

Named after the village of Hawkhurst, the gang was first mentioned as the Holkhourst Genge in 1735. The gang was based in the "Oak and Ivy Inn", Hawkhurst. A secondary headquarters was The Mermaid Inn in the town of Rye, where they would sit with their loaded weapons on the table. Many local legends and folklore are based on the alleged network of tunnels built by the gang. However, many hidden cellars and remote barns could have been used for storage so it is unlikely that tunnels would have been needed at that period when large armed gangs operated openly, often riding through the larger towns in daylight.

The Bell Hotel has been an important centre of Sandwich life since Tudor times. A Bell Inn has existed on The Quay, adjacent to the Barbican Gate and Toll, overlooking what would have been the harbour, now the River Stour, since about 1300. Known as the "Bell Tavern" in the 17th century.