This inn known by the name and sign of the White Hart was bui1t in the 18th year of Richard II, in 1395. Though the original structure is contained mainly in parts of the interior the bui1ding exterior has changed, having undergone extensive alterations down through the centuries, particularly in the late 17th century when the present facade was erected and again in the 18th.

When first bui1t the property, then a dwelling house was part of the estate of one Thomas Fordred gent. of Lympne, in whose descendants it remained unti1 the Year 1468, when at length it passed by sale to John Frenche esq. of Newingreen parish, and it was whi1st in his possession and with his consent, that the governing body of the port of Hythe, granted a licence to the house and to one Francis Burley, a fisherman and ale house keeper of Folkestone. It was in the same year, 1475, that the house came to he registered under the tit1e of the "White Hart" though at the time of registration it was written as the "Whytte Harte'' and in later years as the "Whyte Hearte".

By the turn of half a century after its day of opening as a drinking house, the White Hart had become a thriving inn and with the new licensing legislation act of 1552, the house was granted a wine licence by the authority of two justices of the peace, thereto cancelling all previous rights of the Mayor of Hythe to issue licences. In that year the inn was in the hands of Joane Fynche and was kept by William Sidder, innkeeper of Hythe. He had for a number of years kept another inn in the high street called the "George" which is now the "King's Head".

In 1580, the executors of the Fynche estate sold the "White Hart" to Thomas Hart gent. of Sellindge. At this date one Thomas Hobday, saddler was keeper here. He kept the inn until his death in 1610, at which he is described as an "Austlar at the Whit Harte". After his death the house came to he kept by his daughter Jane. It was around this date that the Mayor and Jurats of Hythe assembled here at the inn, and dined after electing new members of parliament for the port. In 1625, a letter from the Duke of Buckingham recommending his parliamentary choice, was read out. After giving the matter consideration the Mayor and Jurate elected their own choice, drafted a reply to the Duke and dined at the "White Hart".

By 1648, the property was in the hands of Henry Hart gent. of Sellindge. In that year he sold the "White Hart" and its wine licence to one Ferdinando Bassuch. In 1649 he, as Ferdinando Bassett, became Mayor of Hythe and was re-elected in 1654. He died in 1661 and left the inn to his sons Richard and John. In 1668 Richard Bassett sold his share to his brother and returned to sea. John Bassett remained at the inn and prospered. By 167O, the "White Hart" was considered to be an inn of some importance, for in that year John Bassett was granted the right to issue his own trade tokens. These tokens were brought about by the shortage of minted coins in the 17th century. One side bore the name and sign of the Inn whi1st the reverse, that of its keeper.

John Bassett, like his father went on to become Mayor of Hythe as did many members of his fami1y after him. The "White Hart" remained in the hands of the Bassetts unti1 1733, when in that year it came into the possession of one Julius Deedes. His father also called Julius was a physician at Canterbury, and was a member of parliament for Hythe. In the years 1678, 1685 and 1688. the inn remained in the Deedes fami1y for many generations, eventually passing to William Deedes. In 1794, the present town hall adjoining the inn was bui1t, during the course of which, a connecting doorway was made between the upper floor of the inn and the lobby of the counci1 chamber, enabling the Mayor to use one of the rooms as a robing chamber, for which the inn charged a small fee. It was around the late 18th and early 19th centuries that the "White Hart" became a posting inn. At the turn of the 18th century it was billed as a "Commercial and posting inn", advertising the luxury of a "hip bath and shower". It was around this period that the civil engineer John Rennie who had built the Waterloo, Southwark and London bridges and was a consulting engineer on the Royal Military Canal, stayed at the "White Hart". His host wasThomas Jupp. By 1860 the inn had become the "White Hart Commercia1 Inn and Family Hotel". Its keeper was John Fisher. He was succeeded in 1870 by John Cobay, whose father had kept the nearby "Swan Hotel" for many years. John Cobay kept the "White Hart" for the remainder of the 19th century and into the 20th.

At the outbreak of world war 1, a meeting was held here at the "White Hart" and a branch of the Association of men of Kent and Kentish men was formed. In the 193O's nearby Lympne airport became a favoured take-off point for international record breaking flights and those pilots taking part chose to stay at The "White Hart". Jim Mollison and Tommy Rose stayed here before they made their record breaking flight to Cape Town, as did Charles Scott, who flew to Australia and Jean Batten who made it to New Zealand. The "White Hart" remained open for the duration of world war II, welcoming and entertaining servicemen. Though keeper Ben Strawsen was very alarmed one evening to find that 3 bottles of his whiskey had been stolen by 3 soldiers. The offenders were caught' and fined 2 pounds each. During the 5O's and 60's the Irish novelist Elizabeth Bowen used to entertain here and described the "White Hart" in one of her works for posterity.