Dering Road
Dering Road in Bridge commemorates Colonel Cholmeley Dering, a younger brother
of Sir Edward Dering of Surrenden Dering, the seventh baronet. He is well known in
Kentish annals as commander of the New Romney Fencible Cavalry (Duke of York's
Own), which he raised in East Kent in 1794 and with which he served in Ireland for
three years, receiving the thanks of the Lord Lieutenant and both Houses of
Parliament in that country for his eminent services during the rebellion of I798. The
regiment was disbanded in October, 1800, on its return from Ireland. One year before,
probably in anticipation of the event, Colonel Dering had bought Howletts [in
Ickham] (?) from its builder, Isaac Baugh, and was in consequence the second owner
of that most distinguished house, one of the best of its size and style in England. On
the death of his elder brother in 1811 he became guardian of the infant eighth Dering
baronet and had to remove to Surrenden from Howletts, which he sold about 1816 to
George Gipps Esq., son and heir of one of the founders of the Canterbury Bank. In
1817 he was returned as MP for New Romney. He died in 1836 and was buried at
Pluckley. Howletts remained in the Gipps family until about forty years ago.
Another local Irish connection!
Howletts (or Owlets, as it was formerly called) was formerly the inheritance of Isaac
family, but they lost it before the reign of Elizabeth I. In I558 it belonged to John
Dorante ( a benefactor to Littlebourne) whose descendants alienated it to Sir Henry
Palmer who resided here and died in I611, and by his will gave it to Sir Isaac Sidley,
his son-in-law, who conveyed his right to his brother-in-law Sir Henry Palmer, and he
about I620 alienated it to Sir Charles Hales of Thanington, but afterwards of
Howletts, who died in I623. His grandson Sir Robert Hales was created baronet 1660
during the time of whose grandson Sir Thomas this seat fell down and the family
removed to another house nearer the church in this parish (Bekesbourne), where they
afterwards resided. At length his descendant Sir Philip Hales in 1787 alienated the
scite of it, with the gardens and offices remaining, and belonging to it, to Isaac Baugh
who. .. has lately built for his residence a mansion on these grounds at a small
distance north-westward from the scite of the ancient house. . . (Ed. Hasted, vol 3 p
716)
Aunt Betsy's Lane