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June 19th 1955: Qrs. Jack t.-mime.

2 Derins Villzs,
Bridge.

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:A&iiXBoUddg*gg§E_BnLDGn

These are a few items of interest around my village of
Patrixbourne 433 Bridge, and District near by. some are taken
from Old Books and Directories; also from memories of aged
inhabitants told to my late husband and myself durinn my 65 years

residence here.

As we all know, the Romans landed at Jalmer. There, a

Hotize Board is eregted to mark the spot of landins. They came

to land that was very rouvh and rurged, towards Adisham gowns on
to Sarhum gowns, ané arrived to flyht the last battle at a sunken"
spot, Bourne Park sine of Bridge dill, which is still called
"nnsland's Hole." The Aomans remained on this high ground. do
must remember there was no Dover need then. They made an amphi-
theatre, anﬁ performed feats of skill and daring to empress the
poor old Britons, Lower down the hill there is a spring of water,
il a Iield still called ”doman's Field", and here the domans used
to bathe. This spring flows into the mad; lake in front of Bourne

house. No mansions were there then, only a few humble dwellings

by the ford at Brepse, now Bridye.

It will be noticed that thc Aomans came over the Downs

after leavine Dover, with their famous road makin , mad Bridge is

the second villape on the read. some years later local gentry


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paid for a bridge to cross over the river to make it easier for
their transport. The good firm roads in hast Kent are made from
solid foundations of the Kent Flint stones, of which our Ghurohea
are built. Hhen I was a small child I often stopped on my way to
school to watch an old man seated on a cent of stones with a small
rake in his left hand and a hammer in his right hand, breaking
these stones to use for road making. These stonee had previously
been picked up from the fields by women, employed by the farmers,
who later sold them to the road contractors. How many farmers
would bother about the stones on their fields to day? There is a
special way to measure these cants of stones, WﬁiGh is now a thing

of the past with our tarred Macadam and concrete roade. ouch is

progress!

We have signs of oaxon occupation, for on the ton of
Side hill nearing the present keeper's oottave a daxon ﬁurial
Ground was found. The relics found are good examples of the times

and are called the "Bifrons Jolleotiou" and arexhaidstcne ﬁusaam.

There is a very large wood called Goeley Wood in the
Parish of Bridge which once belonged to at Augustine's Aonaetery

afterwards granted to Sir Thomas Jolepepper. About 1898-99 I well

rememher a mr.é;é§§§£:é%§; who lived in a cottage in Bourne Park.
He was a great Archaeologist and had heard Crom thy woodman that
some stone slabs were together in the wood. He inunected them and
found them to he Tumuli, and then got permission to open them. The

stones that covered them were hroupht from miles away as they are


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‘not of Kent .;tone.

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It was fenced off and it is now possible to
see the place. The road leading to the Tumuli is now called
Kingsley Lane and bears off to Goeley Wood by Flint Gottagee. My
husband and I were talking to some woodman about these, and they
then told us of the marks of the foundations of‘a large mansion
in Goeley Hoods towards the Kingston end. One can recognise this
Park Farm with its beautifully made ﬁgll and Wood Gate and Rark
Gate, which must certainly refer to the Park round this mansion.

. Now a few reminiscences of the Dover dead. The famous
Mile stones could certainly tell us a lot if they could only talk.
They had remained, (for all we know‘, Just where they had been
first erected, until 1940, when they here all taken up owing to
the ecare of invasion. These were replaced after the war, but I,
for one, feel very cross that the Roman Numerals were not kept
intact, as they were, out into the stones. Our new generation
have painted on our everyday numerals. They could at least have
kept us this bit of history to show our many overseas visitors who

pass alone this road.

I will now rive my memories of transport for 60 years,
from 1896. Then, our connections with lanterbury were to walk or
ride, we rode on eolid tyre cycles, sometimes 5 penny farthing
bicycle, tricyclee, pony carts, or horse back. last of all was

the Beach, with its four in hand and Poet Horn. This came from
Folkeetone to 3anterbu_ry daily and was driven by ﬁr. dcott,

passing throuah the village between 22 and l'o’clock, and returning


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between 3~30 and 4 o'clock. About 1900 a great tragedy happened

to the Joach going round the bend at the ﬂed House, Barham. (since

I

by-passed‘. The coach went over, and Mr. scott has killed.
The Pilgrim's passed from the Dover Aoad by Gipsy Jottage,
Cold Harbour Farm, shepherds Jlose, Keeper's Jottage, through
Patrixbourne, Bode or Head Lane as it used to he spelt, to Little
Barton, and dpring Lane to the 3athedralfg.0ne can see how these
names explained to the Pilgrims Just what to find and where to rest.
At Gipey Cottage I erpeot gipeies were to he found. At Gold Harbour,

it was very cold to rest. Shepherds Jlose, something warmer.

Patrixbourne, with its old Jhuroh, somewhere to rest and find com ort.-

Spring Lane, somewhere near by a spring to water the horses.
Along this road marzhed soldiers to be camped on the
Downs during the scaresof Napoleon; Jorld Nor I and world war II.
Each war had better equipped soldiers, but all to protect their
country as their forefathers had done at"nngland's Hole". On this
road in 1914, a road of thick chalky dust. not yet tarred, oame e
France to trane—'

hundred or two of London Buses to be conveyed to

port our troops over there. well ofter the first dozen passed by,
the dust became a nuisance. The drivers were only used to clean
London streets. The dust made them cough and sneeze, and they
really thought that the Germans had put something on the road. even
the newspapers mentioned it.
We also had the Jarrier'e van..... the Jarrier used to

get your town shopping for you. He never fornot any order and his

charge was, ld. small, and 26. large, per parcel. Later we had


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motor oars, very early vintage, to the most up to date makes, still
travelling along this wonderful road. Actor buses also, from

the large open bus wkth high backed seats like theatre seats.

when it rained the driver pulled to the side of the road and
adjusted a large hood over the passengers. Just think of our
lovely luxury coaches going along this same road over which Roman
Chariots travelled 2000 years ago!

Enough about the Dover Road. One has only to look above,
and see the many sorts of aeroplanes to wonder at the advancement
of transportation. In 1887 a wonderful means of transport came
to the village. A Railway was made to link up Janterbury and
Folkestone. Passing through the lovely nlham Valley, it was
wonderful to see the country beyond, to Folkestone, and it was a
link with London with day excursions costinp 5/— return. dany
times I want that way to see the sights of London, until motor
buses came past our doors, and deposited us in London. But alas,
this Railway only lasted until 1945. its last glllant use was to

carry the invasion guns)using the track during the Jar.

in the lovely St Mary's ad St Peter's Churches we see
Saxon building. The doorway of St ﬂary's Jhurch is circular,
ornamented with carved work, and emblematical figures of Saxon
architecture; and in St Pete ‘s Church on the south side of the
chancel is a circular arched doorway with eaxon ornaments.

Rehords in old books tell us that, "the ancient Janor

"of Blackmansberry extended over the greater part of Bridge.

It was originally part of the possession of the Abbey of


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"St Augustine's, until the suppression of the Abbey by King

Henry VIII, in the 38th year of his reign. sir Arnold Braems,
descended from a family out of Flanders, came into possession

of the Manor in 1638. On the sight of anoiend Gourt Lodge, a
spacious and magnificent mansion was built and named Bridge
Place. The cost of this mansion so impoverished the estate that
the heirs of sir rhom2§'§e§%@§§§f§ea to part with it in l704.to
Mr. John Taylor of Bifrons who pulled down the greater part of it
leavinr only one thug standing." It is still called Bridge
Place. I remember when General and Lady Bing resided there,
there was a great occasion when the Duchess of Albany, daughter
of Queen Victoria, stayed there after opening some official event:

in Canterbury. In 1954 the Hon. ire. Neame purchased the Bridge

Place dansion.

\ Over that part of Bridge, on the North side of Dover
Road, is the manor called "Bifrons", Going back to Tudor days,
the original builder was sir John Bargrave, an important person
of the 16th century. His son was John, Rector of Harbledown. A
Rev. Edward Taylor, son of the said John Qgglor above, rebuilt
Bifrons as a Georgian mansion, using some of the materials from
Bridge Place. nines it was demolished in 1949, who knows, perhaps
another Bifrons will be built of some future architecture? The
Rev. Edward‘Tay1or sold Bifrons to the ﬂarquis 5: Jonyngham, who
died in 1832. His widow, the marchioness, continued to live

there until her death. The Janor is still owned by her heirs.


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The Marohioness was a famous beauty of George IV's Court. ﬁhen
she had previously resided at 3harlton dark, Bishopcbourne, and

the King visited her there, a large saloon was added to the mansion
for the entertainment of his Court. This place is now one of Dr.
Barnardo's Homes. During her lifetime she was very generous to the
villages of Patrixbourne and Bridge. She opened a school for girls
at the Lower Lodge Gate.

Lame.-J«c2:¢»1 tom!-

special clothes. Then she sunported the Free schools of Parrixbourne

These girls were very proud of their

and Bridge, helped towards the formation of a Volunteer Fire Brigade,

and had a small Gas Works erected to supply the mansion and villages -

a wonderful thing in her generation. She gave a large Reading Room
and Library to Bridge Parish, and in 1847 a.sma1l organ to Patrix-
bourne Church. (Later another organ was given by Mrs. Spencer Anunt
in memory of her husband‘. After her death the mansion was let to
51. John ﬂiller, Mr. Marshall, Jr. Frank Penn, G01. Hon. dilo Talbot,
and then demolished.

Another of the Manors is"Bereacre" afterwards called Great
and Little Barakers, and is now called Great and Little Pett Farms.
when looking at Pett Farms now, one must remember that there was no
railway embankment then, and it must have been very bleak. Another
manor, ancient, is "ﬂigham", formerly owned by the Higham

family, and

very
later the Hughes Hallett family, who sold it to ﬁr. Gay,

who in turn sold to Countess Zborcweki, who died before the great

alterations we=e made. Her son Count Zborowski in\herited it and

he was killed, mater racing abroad. Ar. Walter Whigham then bought

it and renamed it "Highland Court". On his death the Hospital


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Committee bought it for an Annexe to Canterbury Hospital. Another
Manor was "aﬂnvllle" which was formglly owned by the Grippen
In 1896 Mr. J. Paokham owned and farmed it.

family. On his death

Mr. diller rented it from the Jonynghams. Later Hr. Crawford

rented it, and in 1954 it was sold to Mr. Jim ﬂaunt.

As the land was mostly agricultural there was always
outdoor employment for the women and children from early spring to
late autumn. They did not earn much money, but were a jolly oom-
pany,with their hop-tying, stone picking, oherrying, hay-making,
pea and bean harvesting, gleaming, plum picking, hop picking, and
hot the up to date machines of today! There is
a hop garden called Flint Garden. It has been growing hope since
the days of Queen Lllzabeth I without a break. If one looks
at the Binman's knife now, one will see it is the same as weapons
used in her time. I doubt if the farmers know the age of their
Binmensvtools which are used year after year. Again traneportion
plays a great part in hop picking. Gone are the days of fetching
pickers in tarmwagona, or traction engines with three trucks.
These broughfpiokere from Dover, "what a ridel". Now there are
motor buses to fetch and oarry the pickers.

The modern outdoor employment for women is fruit picking.
The good agricultural ground all round our village is planted up
with strawberries, ourrants, raspberries, pears and apples,(ear1y
and late‘, It is a beautiful. sight when all the blossoms are out,
altho the trees are pruned and sprayed with man lashes, the farmers

still revert to numerous hives of bees to pollinate them. These


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hives are hired from an apiary until the blossom is finished.

women when picking hope in the Bifrons Gardens were supplied with

hot tea at lunch time; another kind thought of the m&IOh1OD888w

This was carried on until the first world war.

From extracts taken from an old directory by Samuel

Bagshaw, 1855. 102 years ago, we learn that "the Church at Bridge

"dedicated to at Peter is an edifice with Nave, Jhancel, side
Aisles and north Transept, with a spire steeple. At the
south east corner there are 3 balls under a circular arch;
against the north wall of the Ghanoel are two rows-of small 1
imagery, beautifully carved in stone, the uppermost represent-
ing God the Father with several figures on each side; the
lower one contains symbolioal figures from the Old Testament.
Underneath is the figure of a man lying full length with his
hands uplifted. Another monument has the figure of a skull,
with a snake entering in at one eye, and a hand with one
finger pointing up to it, as if it had been the cause of the
person's death. The Parish depister contains many entries
from 1580 — 1660. The livine has always been esteemed as a
chapel to Patrixbourne. There is a ﬁesleyan Ghapel in Bering
Road in the village." (This was demolished in 1951‘.
"The free School is supported by subscription. There is an
infants‘ School chiefly supported by Mrs. Gregory of Bridge
Hill house. The Bridge Poor Law Union, situated i mile North

of the Jhurch comprehends 22 Parishes with a population of

10,943 souls. The Union House is a spacio s brick fabric


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"built in 1855 at a cost of £4,500, for the aooomodation of
350 inmates. Additions an_d alterations have since been made
making the total cost £5,000.

The Board consists of 22 Guardians and 4 ex offioo Guardians.
Ghairman........ Charles Jollard.

Surgeons~....... Ar. A. Sioard. Jr. William donkey, Mr. Thomas,

sankey Cooper, Ir. Robert cooper-Kersey,
Mr. Frederick Harvey Sankey, Mr. Edward Long.

Relieving Officer. Mr~ Gharles Holman.

C1erk............Mr. William Forth.

Parishes included Adishum, Barham, Beakesbourne, Bishopshourne,
Eridge, Shartham, Fordwioh, Harbledown, Hardres,(Lower and Upper‘
Iokham, Kingston, Littlebourne, Naokington, Patrixbourne,

Petham, Stodmsrsh, Thanington, Naltham, Westgate Without,
ﬂiokhambreux and ﬂomenswold.

Average weekly cost of indoor paupers for the quarter ending,

ﬁiohaelmas 1847 was 3/4%, of which sum 5§d. was for clothing".

Ay oomments in 1955 are that the schools are now State
owned and,are ﬂwr children up to llyears plus. Seniors can pass
for entry to Grammar, Art and Technical schools, and 13:: to the
Secondary ﬁodern School at Starry. These children are conveyed by
bus daily to the schools nowadays. The Primary §ohoo1'sbHeadmistress
is Miss. aeath. the Poor Law Institution is another great member
of the Welfare state. It is now a peoples hospital and nursing
home for aged folk. The buildings are vastly improved and the

residents are well looked after by a trained Matron, Miss Eborn,

 


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‘well as good food and clothes.

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and trained nurses; and are given hocket money of 7/6 per week as
"The Gloee", as it is nee called
does not stipulate any parishes. desidente come from distances far
and wide. I dank know the actual cost per person per week but it is
far above the 3/4% per week of 100 years ago. Again what a lot of
Surgeons then, today there ie one, Dr. Mercer of iittlebourne.

Among Bagehaw's list of Public Houses, he names only,
"The Red Lion", "The white Horse", and a Aalt House and Brewery
whtbh is now “The Plough and Harrow". The Post Office was at the
"White Horse" and.the tehant, Mr. dichard sherrard was the Postmaster.
One must remember that not many villagers could read and erite in
those days. There was a Miller, Mr. Johnson; a Tailor, Mr. Sit}
Collard; Blacksmith, Mr. Fagg; Clock Maker, Mr. Hardimen;
Saddler, Mr. Aartin; schoolmaster, ﬁx. dichards.

when I came here in 1895 the Post_Office was at the
Grocerfe Shop, Mr. Perry; Miller, Ar. White; Tailor, Mr. Stevens;
Veterinary ourgeon, ﬁr. Howard; Blacksmith, Mr. Gilbert; Slack
Maker, Mr._Bi1ly'Hurdiman; Saddler, mt. Taylor; schoolmaster,
Mr. Wye .- Now in 1955. the Post ia'laster is, -ifs s.--aoberte and the am
Office is in his own house.’ No Mill Or Miller, no Tailor. ﬁo Vet,

no Smithyg no Glock Jaker, No Saddler. < -

‘More extracts from Samuel Bagshaw's Directory of 1855
tell us that "Patrixbourne is a small village 3 miles south east
from Janterbury, in a very healthy district with the Little atone

running through the Parish. 31086 to it in the valley is the Jhurch


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"Court Lodge and Vicarage near together. In 1841 therie were
53 houses and 251 inhabitants.
The Church, dedicated to St Mary is very ancient wit;h
Nave,Transit, south Chancel and Spire. The East windows are
of beautiful stained glass; it contains many ancient memorials,
scimptuous monument of white marble has been erected to the
late Marquis Gonyngham who died in 1832. The living is that or
a vicgrage with the Ghape1_of Bridge annexed. The Free School
is supported by the Marchioness Gongngham, about 50 children
attend. The living of the Churches was given and appropriated
to the Priory of Merton, Surrey, as early as 1258 in uiich state
they continued until the dissolution of the Priory in the 31st.
year of Henry VIII's reign, when they came with the Manors into
the King's hands, since which they have passed in the same
tract of ownership; the Parish was chiefly owned by Odo Bishop
of Baieux at the time of the Doomsday Boohhﬁurvey about 1080.
Shortly afterwards it was divided into £3ii§§s, one of which
was called gamer of Patrixbourne Merton, and was held by
ﬂarg§§§?>M:rri%ge to John De Poratis a Norman, who soon after

the year 1200 gave it to his newly elected priory at Beaulieu

_in Normandy to which afterwards became an alien cell in which

state it continued till the reign of Henry IV, when it was
granted to the Priory of Augustines Cannons of Merton in Surrey,

hence the name Patrixbourne Merton. Agter the suppression of

Henry VIII, the Manor with the Rectory and Advowson of Vicarage

"to Sir Thomas Cheney to hold to him and his heirs "Males er in
G


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J "as a castle of Rochester, The pretent holder of the Manor with the
Rectory and Advowson is the ﬁarohioness of Oonyngham and also pwner of
_Patrixﬁourne Chaney,

There are two cottages in this parish eaoh divided into two dwellings

which were given by the Taylor family to the use of the Parish,"

My remarks are that there is a cottage of thhs description near the email
shop and beerhouse,Thore is a brick,built in the front marked 1899,

Another is a nice house built the same near the Bridge and stream floiing

r‘,

w ’"y the garden, The cottages of Eutrixhourno were sold ahout 1950 B? the

ﬁponyngham family, The boundary between Patrixbourne and Bekeshourne is the
‘main street,so that one side of the street is Bekosbourne and the Churdh
ﬁ~”ﬁidG is Fatrixbourne,
T“ We consider our villages very hea1thy,and our inhabitants live to a great

3579

O _ I knew a Mrs Hayzen,a sweet old lady,who lived to br lOO.”ﬁ5ﬁ Her

hair was doneﬂﬁﬁ with side curls, She was very interesting to talk to,
she had been to Australia twioe,each tine doing round the Cape in
pindjammers,What pluck to travel sdaig those comfortless days?

:r on the Downs of Bridge Hill was a Race Gourse,whioh must have a verﬁ
\' lgood thing for Bridge, It was closed about 1874,S_ I understand the Stake:
have been transferred to Folhestone and Wye.Race3, The Downs were then
made into a fine Golf Gourse,w1th a Golf Professional,and Groundsman,

K‘: nice Golf House and Club House_ The pretty round cottage on Frognall
;ane was the home of the Grounds and Club Steward, Atter the 1914.18 war
ghe Club House was the Headqﬁarters of the Bridge and District British
Legion, Later the place was demollished_Now there are no Golf links,

The land was ploughed up by the Highland m:tate_ It was always said to

common land,but who can argue,even if such things as Horse Racing and


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Golf Links were there_ side Hill was also common lend_ We always held all

village treats there. I well remember school treats on Ascension Day,

ﬂﬂﬁfil Jubi1ees,and Coronation Days of King Edward VII,Ting George V,end
King George VI with sports and feasts, But it had to be another spot for
I

E1izabeth_II's ooronat1on,ror side dill was plougheﬁ up,l

‘ _ .
Are the villages losing all their rights and oustoms?, The Village Green
was between Waterloo Cottages and Brewery Gene, A well was there when I

came to Bridge and was used by the oottagers, Now lodges and cottages

_e.re built there_

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\‘L l The inhabitants were very fortunate during the 9 world were,

rt

. "r119l4.l8,bombs were dropped ﬂﬁdﬂ7 by zeppelins near Rode Farm,@etrixBoumn
‘,. -

In the 1939-45 war,enemy bombers were brougxt down,long range shells from

, '"“renoe fell near our Council Houses at Bridg9’W9 were in the direct Iiﬁe
h route for the "Doodle Bugs” and Rockets meant for Eondon_

We lost two cottages at Futrixbourne,but fortunately with no loss of life
or injury to any one,

With the memory of the famous "Battle of Britain‘ fought over our heads,

Qolose the items of the I-Iistoryr of Briﬁge and ?a.trix"uourne from
% B_o,56 to A,D,1955,

3‘
,4

\*t

ﬁrs Jack Friend,



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