LostLost Laandndsscacapes pes HERITAGEL TRAILS A stone age burial mound shrouded in legend,a beautifully preserved water mill (right) and a long lost manor house.These are just some of the highlights on the Lost Landscapes Heritage Trails in this booklet - two new circular walks from the North Downs Way. The main trail explores both sides of the Stour Valley, to the north and east of Chilham,past lovely traditional orchards,through the wonderfully named Old Wives Lees and on to the spectacular views and Neolithic heritage of Julliberrie Down.The second trail heads west,through Shottenden,to the dramatic Mount and ancient Perry Wood, returning through acres of orchards.

The main text of the booklet consists of detailed directions and information on points of interest for the main trail. The secondary trail has no detailed directions but the route is shown on a map and there are notes to help you and information on points of interest. The back pages of the booklet cover other local heritage themes.

The Lost Landscapes project With grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (through the Local Heritage Initiative) and the Rail Link Countryside Initiative, the Lost Landscapes project,organised by the North Downs Way National Trail,has been taking place in six communities along the North Downs. People in these communities have been looking into the heritage and history of their area and discovering what it is that makes their parishes special.Their contributions are the backbone of this series of trail booklets. The Chilham Heritage Trails have been carefully designed to take in the best heritage features of the area. As you walk you will find that the history has been brought to life by the contributions of local people. Enjoy your journey back in time! About the trails...

Ma p key Main route Steep climb Secondary route Bench A Point of interest in text - main route Viewpoint a Point of interest in text - secondary route CAUTION at this point

The map to the left shows the trail rou t e s , and the booklet contains detailed written directions in num b e r ed steps, but you may find it useful to take an Ordnance Survey map for this area - Explorer no.149 or Landranger no.18 9 . Getting to Chilham By train - Chilham station is on the As h fo rd - C a n t e r b u r y West line between Chartham and Wye. For train times telephone 08457 484950.The station is app r ox. 3/4 mile from the start point at Tayl o r ’ s Hill car park.You can also join the main trail by walking to the cros s r oads of the A28 and A252 at Bagham - start the trail at point K. By car - take the A251 from junction 9 of the M20,signposted Faver s h a m .D r i v e through the Eureka Science Park and a housing estate,keeping straight ahead.Turn left at some traffic lights.St a y on the A251 through Boughton Le e s . Reach and turn right at the rou n d a b o u t , onto the A2 5 2 . After about 3.5 miles,look for a turning on the right,signposted Chilham Village Centre and car park.Tak e this turning and immediately turn right into Tayl o r s Hill car park. By bus - the 667 service from goes along the A2 5 2 , past the turning for Tayl o r ’ s Hill car park.The 652 se r vice from Canterbury to As h fo r d goes along the A28 and stops at Bagham. Be safe,be prep a re d Please take care when walking on roads (use pavement if available or keep to the right) and when crossing roa d s or railway s . Points where caution should be exer cised are highlighted on the map and in the text.Alw a ys wear suitable clothing and foo t we a r .Al l o w plenty of time for your walk - about an hour for ever y 2 miles (more for el d e r l y or inexperienced walker s ) .A lw a ys keep to the countryside code (see back of booklet).

MAIN TRAIL well lay beneath our fee t . Legend has it that a huge tunnel runs undergrou n d , connecting the fifteenth This trail is shown in purple on the map op p o s i t e . ce n t u r y Woolpack Inn to the castle,and that Be l o w are detailed written direc t i o n s , and infor m a - prisoners wer e once dragged from the castle to the tion on the main points of interest which corres p o n d in n , then the courth o u s e ,to be tried for their crimes. to capital letters on the map. Un fo rt u n a t e l y,all that has been discover ed beneath St a r t at the car park at the bottom of Taylor's Hill. the earth is the remains of an old,large drain.St i l l , fou l deeds of one kind or another! From start to point A Due to its commanding views of the valley,this area 1. Leave the car park and turn right (onto Taylor's Hill) and has seen centuries of human activity.One striking walk uphill into the village square. example of this is .First mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086,its imposing Norman POINT A - THE SQUAR E ,C H I L H A M A square with history on all sides Su r rounded by timber and plaster buildings dating back to the fifteenth century,with an ancient castle and church at either end,the village square in Chilham gives a keen sense of this area ’ s history.

Ho wever , as we shall see on our trail,not all the heritage of Chilham is so plainly on view.For Chilham Square and Castle from the church tower ex a m p l e , as we stand in the square,dark doings may

3 keep still stands,dominating the village as it was POINT B - BOTT OM OF CHURCH HILL Env i r onmental Stewa rd s h i p ) , which pays farmers to intended to when first built.Local historian maintain important landscape fea t u re s . The traditional George Mabbitt,in his wor k ,C h i l h a m ,T h e Fragments of the past and management of this orch a r d has allowed an Unique Village recounts the story of its abundance of flora and fauna to flourish around the de vel o p m e n t : memories of childhood apple tree s . “S i r ed of Canterbury was the last Saxon Lord of The field to your right is traditionally known as Gr owing on the branches,38 differ ent species of the Manor…He is said to have fought at 'L o wer Orch a r d' - a name that tells us something lichen have been rec o rd e d , one of which,Pa r m e l i a Hastings with Harol d , but then we hear no more about it's past use.Local resident Don Poole made ac e t a b u l u m , is a rare species,declining in the south- of him, he may have fallen in battle…his manor one of his many prehistoric archaeological finds in this east of .The holes and niches in the trees pro- was usurped by Fulbert the Norman.This was fi e l d . His enthusiasm for arch a e o l o g y had been vide ideal nesting for various species of birds . the most likel y time for the castle to be built, sp a r k ed when he found an early Acheullian hand axe ma ybe using part of the old Saxon structure.. . ” in his garde n . He started field walking all over the La s t , but definitely not least,we must pause to men- View across Chilham Square towards local countryside and tells us that his collection tion the apples themselves , which are made up of Built to house Fulbert and his entourage,the the church, 1914 (Gordon Howe) rep r esents "...a succession of periods from early about half Bramley,and half Worc e s t e r .Traditional fruit castle's other purpose was to serve as a symbol Stone Age to Saxon times.” varieties are an important part of 's history as of domination over the local population,ma n y of Of further interest is the heron r y.Mentioned in a the Garden of England. whom would have been for ced to help construct it. document from 1280,it was one of the oldest and At the other end of time's spectrum,local res i d e n t Ma r y Carlton,a local resident of Chilham has more largest in the country at the beginning of the John Clark has told us that in Lower Orch a r d used Chilham parish is still ver y much a fruit growing area . recent and fonder memories of a less rep re s s i v e tw entieth century,with around 130 nests.Ge o r g e to be allotments belonging to the school,wh e r e the A comparison of a present day Ordnance Survey ca s t l e ,and its then own e r ,Lo r d Edmund Davi e s : Mabbit recounts the tradition that if the herons ever ch i l d r en grew their own prod u c e .Joh n , who grew up ma p with one dated 1945,sent to us by local res i d e n t fail to return here by St.Val e n t i n e ’ s Day,tragedy will in Chilham,has many stories of the area . He rem e m - Mrs B Busby,sh o ws that there are actually more st r i k e the owner of the castle.This could well derive bers the mistletoe growing along Church Hill (you orc h a r ds now than then.This is ver y unusual in Kent - fr om the fact that herons wer e considered a delicacy can still see it in the trees you have just passed) and fruit growing has declined in most area s . in mediaeval times,and the tragedy would be of a tells the story of his uncle's rather unconven t i o n a l ga s t r onomic nature. method of obtaining it at Christmas time - using a shotgun to blast it out of the trees! During WW I I , a We now turn our attention to the church .T h o u g h B52 bomber crash landed just across the A28 from mentioned in the Domesday Book,most of the he r e.John tells us it was rep a i r ed in situ and pr esent external structure of St.Ma ry ’ s dates from remembers watching it take off across the fields. the fifteenth century,while the interior was largely res t o r ed in the Victorian era. From point B to point C The churchy a r d presents us with an interesting 4.Cr oss the main road (A252 Canterbury Road) and wal k fea t u r e, that of the ancient yew tree .Pro b a b l y planted up the lane directly opposite . in the seventh century AD ,it has survi v ed many ha z a r ds over the centuries,including having half of it CAUT I O N : This main road is busy,please take care. being rem o ved in 1792 so that the villagers could see the church clock! 5. Come to a cros s r oads and go straight on (up Long Hill), fol l o wing the North Downs Way sign. 1945 Ordnance Survey map Chilham Castle NOT E : A leaflet on the many historic buildings in the Sq u a r e (and elsewh e r e in the village) is available from CAUT I O N : This lane can be busy. “He was ver y good to the village,and ever y the Tudor Lodge Gift Shop. Christmas a party was given at the old village hall.Al l 6.R e a c h the top of the hill and pass some large metal the children at the school could ask for a parti c u l a r From point A to point B gates on your left.You will see an old orcha r d on your left. pr esent” 2. Walk across the Square,to war ds the White Horse pub, POINT C - CORK FARM APPLE ORCHARD The adjoining mansion house incorporates the then turn left down Church Hill.You are now on the North remains of an earlier eleventh century hall.It was Do wns Way . Heritage grows on trees designed by Inigo Jones for the then Lord Sir Dudley Di g g e s , and was completed in 1616.The grou n d s CAUT I O N : This is a narrow roa d , and although not busy is On reaching Cork Farm we are presented with an ha ve,over the yea r s , been shaped by two of this open to traf fi c . op p o r tunity to focus on some of the area ’ s traditional co u n t ry ’ s finest landscape garde n e r s , John Tra n d e s c a n t la n d s c ap e s . in the 1620’s, and Capability Brown in the 1780’s. 3. Pass the chu r c h on your right and rea c h the bottom of Since 1993 this orch a r d has been part of a scheme the hill.Stop befor e you cross the main roa d . Present day map called ‘C o u n t r yside Stewa r dship’ (now known as

4 5 From point C to point D “T h e r e doesn’t seem to be a rec o r d of how and POINT F - CHILHAM LAKE when the races wer e stopped,the prize money came 7. Continue along this roa d , into a small settlement - Old fr om a charitable trust tied up with some prop e r ty in From pasture to pit to pond Wives Lees.Come to a playing field with a play area on Fa ver s h a m , so perhaps this was sold off and the your rig h t . mo n e y was lost.If you are between the ages of 16 Chilham Lake was initially dug as a gravel pit in the and 24,it might be wor th your while investigating the 19 5 0 s . It was later purchased by Mid Kent Wat e r POINT D - OLD WIVES LEES lost races.If the trust is still in existence,the prize who transformed the area ,i n vested almost £200,000, mo n e y may be wor th considerably more than the and opened it as their first lake in 1991.It now cover s An old wives tale £10 awa r ded in the 17th century! ” an area of some 26 acres ,h a ving fea t u r es for wildlife such as islands,gr a vel bars and reed beds.Mid Ken t Despite its name,Old Wi v es Lees has little to do From point D to point E Water manage the lake,and a mill on the other side with married ladies of a certain age.Re s e a r ch by of the lake (as we shall see later in the trail). George Mabbit shows us that this area was originally 8. Continue along this road and rea c h a cros s ro a d s .Tur n a manor owned in the fifteenth century by a family rig h t , fol l o wing the North Downs Way sign,do wn Lowe r The lake is stocked with carp,ca t f i s h ,p i k e,tro u t , named Oldwoo d , and ‘Old Wi v es’ is a later corru p - Lees Road.Pass a post box and a North Downs Way tr ench and brea m , some fish weighing in at the 40 lb tion of this name,the wor d ‘lees’ prob a b l y derives ma r k er on a telephone pole. mark! Tufted duck and great crested grebe are just fr om the Anglo-Saxon lea,meaning meadow or open tw o of the many species of bird that frequent the gro u n d . 9. Continue along this road until you come to a right hand wa t e r s . turn called Bowerland Lane. The historian Hasted,writing in the late 18th century, Local resident Mary Carlton recalls how this land was rec o r ds that the manor was then called Olds Lees, 10 . Turn right down Bowerland Lane,and fol l o w the lane as used befor e the lake’ s crea t i o n : but does make refe r ence to its ancient name of Old it bears rig h t .R e a c h a metal field gate and two way - Wood Lees.He also describes a small common or ma r k ed footpaths by an orcha rd . Tak e the left-hand path. Map of Bowerland Farm "W h e r e Chilham Lake is used to be water meadows heath known as Old Wi v es Lees.Most of the for the dairy farm cows at Bagham.The cows cros s e d buildings you see now are 19th century or later, as 11 . Continue on this path,wh i c h passes between vario u s The large field through which you app r oached the over to the farm across the railwa y.” Old Wi v es Lees became a focus for expansion he d g es and fen c e s .Re a c h a metal field gate and go farm was a mixture of arable, fruit and hops,with the Chilham parish in this period. th r ough into a fie l d . evoc a t i v e name of Dingle Dane.At its centre was a And Jim Smith,who lived at Bagham Farm,al s o small woodland called Round Woo d , since lost. remembers a herd of 35 Shorthorn cows using this George Mabbit also tells that the Manor of Oldwoo d 12 . Go straight ahead,along the edge of the field with a are a … was the ven ue of an annual foot race instigated in the shelter belt of trees on your left.Head towar ds some far m As well as the land around the farmstead,the farm se venteenth century by the then Lord of Chilham buildings - this is Bowerland Far m . included holdings on the other side of the A2 8 , "A level crossing gave access to marsh land which is Ma n o r ,Sir Dudley Digges.The princely sum of £10 be t w een it and the railwa y,which at that time was a no w a lake,and also walking the cows past the mill to was awa r ded to the winners of the race,a man and a POINT E - BOWERLAND FAR M rel a t i ve l y new fea t u r e of the landscape . the land behind Jul l i b e rr i e ’ s Grave.. . " ‘maiden’ aged between 16 and 24,held ever y 19th Ma y.It appears that the race was still being held in the A snapshot of agriculture a From point E to point F You now have three options on your rou t e : late eighteenth century,but alas not today. As Mr century ago Mabbit says : 13 . The paths now skirts the edge of a far m yard .G o Co n t i n ue on the main rou t e : stay on the Wh e r e Bowerland Farm now lies was once the small th r ough some large metal gates (please remember to road (Pickleden Lane),going strai g h t manor of Borel a n d . George Mabbit tells us that leave gates as you found them) and onto a narrow lane. ah e a d . rec o r ds for the manor date back to the reign of He n r y VI I I ,w h e n , in 1539,it was owned by one Sir 14 . At a junction,go straight ahead and come to the main Fol l o w the Lakeside Loop:go throu g h Ma t t h e w Brown . road (A28 Canterbury Road).Cr oss the road to the pavement on the other side and turn rig h t . the gate on your right,turn left,fo l l o w A map and accompanying key,dated 1905,pr ovi d e d the lakeside path right round the lake by local resident Roger Pea r s o n ,p r esents us with a CAUT I O N : This is a very busy roa d , please take care. and end up back here. sn a pshot of how this land was managed at the beginning of the twentieth century.Ma n y fields wer e 15 . Tak e the next footpath off to the left,and wal k ar a b l e ,but there wer e also substantial orch a r ds and between two hedges .At the end,cr oss a stile into a garde n . Tak e a short cut:go through the gate on hop garde n s , one five acre pasture and a number of Walk through the garde n ,t o war ds a small timber gate.Go your right,turn left and follow the small woo d s , including one called The Alders th r ough the gate onto a roa d , turn left and go over a leve l la k eside path past the lake and onto a alongside the River Stour.Buildings included cottages cro s s i n g . CAUT I O N : Tak e care on the level cros s i n g . You will la n e ,turning right to rejoin the main with garde n s , an oast house,and of course the main see a metal security fence on your rig h t . Come to a gate in route at point 24. ho m e s t e a d . the fen c e . Old Wives Lees in 1908 Copyright The Francis Frith Collection, SP355QP © www.francisfrith.com

6 7 From point F to point G Their management of this 16 hectare site has been POINT I - JULLIBERRIE'S GRAVE aimed at reclaiming an open habitat and restoring the 16 . Continue along this lane and cross a brid g e over the chalk grassland which had been lost.Goats have been Who is buried at Julliberrie? River Stour.Come to a right hand turn. used to graze the res e r ve - they will tackle the scrub quite happ i l y and make an ideal natural management We now arri v e at a site steeped in legend,hi s t o r y POINT G - PICKLEDEN LANE to o l . and a little mys t e r y.Ho w long this area has been called Jul l i b e rr i e ’ s Down , and the Neolithic long bar- Pausing near 'The Splash' The res e r ve is home to many valuable plants, row called Jul l i b e r rie's Grave,is unknown , but these including the pyramidal and man orch i d s . You may see names date back to at least the eighteenth century. Local resident Mary Carlton has childhood memories evidence of badgers in the area , or an adder basking of this location: in the sun.The rare black veined moth,has rec e n t l y The generally accepted origin of these names is that a re-colonised the res e r ve.It is thought to have done Roman general,one Quintus Laberius Durus was Julliberrie’s Grave “Sometimes we went the other way,do wn Gypsy so via a 'corridor' of open habitat created to link killed in a battle in the surrounding countryside La n e ,to Stile Farm and Pickleden,to the left.I was Br oadham Down to nearby Down Bank - one of during Julius Caesar's first attempted invasion in 55 ne r vous of the gyp s i e s , but nothing ever happ e n e d . ” on l y four sites in the UK where it had been BC .He was believed to have been buried here,an d the Neolithic,the latest Stone age that change rec o rd e d . hence the name was derived : ac c e l e r a t e d .T h e y benefited from an additional Stile Farm,which Mary mentions,is at the end of the migration of peoples from Southern Europe who dead end road on your right.Re c o r ds for this farm Ju l i u s ’ s Laberius = Julliberrie pr oved culturally ahead, so that small settled date back to 1695,when it was in the possession of a co m m unities devel o p e d , tilling the land and harves t i n g Peter Web s t e r . George Mabbit, in his history of the area , raises cro p s , keeping and breeding lives t o c k ,d o m e s t i c a t i n g questions as to the validity of this story,citing evi - horses and dogs,cooking with pots and pans,bu i l d i n g Ma r y continue s :“ T o the left,to Pickleden,was ‘T h e dence that the likel y situation for any battle betwee n shelters and homes,hunting with ever more sophisti- Sp l a s h ’ , and we took jam jars and collected newt s . ” Romans and Britons would have been at Bigbury Hill cated wea pons and tactics,using spears and Fort , near Canterbury.In d e e d , in Judith Glover ’ s book, ha r p o o n s ,b o ws and arrows , nets and snares . . . " From point G to point H The Place Names of Ken t , another possible origin of the name is suggested. Another major fea t u r e of the early Neolithic is the 17 . Continue slightly uphill,past two sharp bends and a construction of long barrows , and here we have one footpath off to the rig h t . Pass a footpath off to the left at a This is Cillan Beorg,which is Old English for ‘C i l l a ’ s which archaeologists categorise as a Wessex type.It s sharp bend. mo u n d ’ .F u r ther evidence for this theory was the pr esent length is some 144 fee t , with a maximum existence of a settlement nearby with the name Ci l l a n height of 7 fee t , and though no ditch is visible now, At this point it is possible to link to the Lost Landscapes Ha m ,which was,of course,Ch i l h a m ! one can be traced around the barrows northern end. tr ails in Charth a m , as shown on the route map. Ge n e r a l l y believed to be communal burial sites,th e Black vein moth No matter what is the true origin of the name,th i s mo t i v es of the people who originally constructed 18 . Continue uphill,and at the top rea c h a cros s ro a d s .Tur n ea rt h w ork dates back far earlier than Roman times. them have yet to be fully understood. right onto a Byway ,fol l o wing a sign for the Stour Val l e y Walk a little further into the woods beyon d Local resident Don Poole tells us that excava t i o n s Wal k . Walk between two hedges. ( T h e r e are lovely views of Br oadham Down and you will come to the site of ha ve revea l e d … Ho wever ,the Roman connection supposed in the the Stour Valley here.) Fol l o w this byw ay for about 1 mile. some lost cottages,sh o wn on a 1784 Ordn a n c e name is not all fancy.Often these ancient sites wer e Su r vey drawing but not on any subsequent maps . “H u m a n l y struck flint cores ,f l a k es and scrapers and a reused over the millennia,as a way perhaps for 19 .R e a c h a right hand bend,with a large open field on Th e r e is little evidence of dwellings here,but there is fine but damaged polished flint axe of a type su c c e s s i v e generations to mark their claim on the your left with a footpath running diagonally across it. a deep well in this area which may have supplied characteristic of the Nordic Regions of Scandinavi a , land and its people.The excavation of 1937 yielded them with water. No r th Germany and Holland.The 1987 hurri c a n e the discover y of a significant Roman pres e n c e . To visit Broadham Down Nature Reserve,fo l l o w felled several large trees in the vicinity revealing more this path.You will see signs at the entrance to the From point H to point I Neolithic flint material and a small piece of human George Mabbit relates that as well as Roman coins res e r ve.Feel free to exp l o r e but keep to marked skull and bone.Ver y recent field walking around the and pottery shards , four Roman burials wer e interred paths and do not disturb grazing animals (dogs 20 . Continue along the Byway ,rea c h a left-hand bend and lo n g - b a r row has produced even more flint cores , in the mound.All dated from about 40 AD ,and he on leads).Return to this point to continue the a stile on the rig h t .C r oss over and fol l o w the foo t p a t h fl a ke s , blades and scrape r s . " summarises the finds for us … main rou t e . round the edge of the field (there are good views of the Bu r ial One vi l l a g e from the top of the fie l d ) . The monument is actually a long barrow dating from POINT H - BROADHAM DOWN the early Neolithic period (app r oxi m a t e l y 4000 to In h u m a t i o n , child 5-7 yea r s ,b r onze bracelet on right 21 . The path veers rig h t , out of the fie l d ,t h r ough a hedge. 2000 BC).Don describes the period for us… arm and bronze broo c h Restoring a special grassland Re a c h a way m a r k ed cros s r oads of paths.Turn left,fol l o w Bu r ial Two the path as it bends to the left and emerges into a fie l d . “The earliest of our ancestors,who could have been In h u m a t i o n , girl 17 years old,with pottery ves s e l s In i t i a l l y an area of chalk down l a n d ,B r oadham Down Turn right and walk for a short distance.You will find he r e a couple of hundred thousand years ago or was donated in 1997 to the Kent Wi l d l i f e Tru s t ,w h o yo u r self at one end of a long mound with bramble and mo r e,wer e hunter-g a t h e r s , leading a nomadic Bu r ial Th re e un d e r took a program of scrub rem o val and fen c i n g . scrub on it. existence in a wilderness envi ro n m e n t . It was during Inhumation and crem a t i o n , young adult.Pot t e r y ves s e l s

8 9 "A nur s e r y growing area was in a chalk hole,to the POINT L - THE AVE N U E Bu r ial Fou r We turn to Mr.Mabbit again for a description of this right of Mill Cottage garde n s , the main beds are still Cre m a t i o n ,a d u l t , urn and dish remarkable site and its buildings: id e n t i f i a b l e .It was hard wor k , all day knee deep in When the landscape wa t e r ,either planting or cutting.Ba s k ets of cress wen t Though later than the first Roman incursions into this “The building is large for a rural mill consisting of five off by rail,pre s u m a b l y to the London market s . " changed overnight la n d , these finds clearly show a substantial Roman st o r i e s , together with the miller’s house,stables and a pr esence in the early history of this area , and a wa g on shed;and in the prime of its life it wor k ed six From point J to point K The Great Storm of 1987 which did so much connection between Jul l i b e r rie's Grave and Roman pairs of mill stones (and) during this time a steam damage to the Kent countrys i d e ,dr a s t i c a l l y altering inv a d e r s . engine was installed to work in conjunction with the 23 . Turn right and fol l o w the drive over a brid g e.Pass the its landscape in a few short hours,did not spare water wheel...The main structural beams are of oak, Mid Kent Fisheries offices and cross another brid g e.Re a c h Ch i l h a m . The Avenu e ,wh e r e you stand now,was not From point I to point J with the first floor being bricked between the a sign reading 'Chilham Nature Wal k ' . excluded from the destruction wrought that night. ti m b e r s , and the upper floors are weather boarde d . Local resident Graham Swan rec o r ded the damage 22 .R e t r ace your steps back to the cros s r oads and turn left. Most of the machinery can still be seen,and it doesn’t 24 . Walk towar ds a level crossing and go over it. and destruction of many other trees in the village, Walk down h i l l . You will see the River Stour below you to ta k e much imagination to visualise the great water including two which stood in the square at the your rig h t . Come to a gravel drive with a large white wheel turning the mill stones again.” CAUT I O N : Tak e care on the level cros s i n g junction with School Hill,and many in the church building on the other side of the riv e r . ya rd . The ancient yew tree we saw at the start of our The mill finally ceased operation in 1934,the last 25 . Walk past some light industrial buildings and rea c h the trail was also damaged,though thankfully not POINT J - CHILHAM MILL miller being a gentleman name Joe Jor dan who had main road (A28 Canterbury Road).Cr oss the road and de s t r oyed . wor k ed as a miller for almost seventy yea r s . It then walk up Bagham Lane,di r ectly opposite. Not a 'run of the mill' mill la y idle until 1976,when it was purchased by Mid Not far from here was found yet more evidence for Kent Wat e r ,who are the present CAUTION:This is a very busy roa d , please take care. substantial Roman activity in the Chilham area .I n own e r s . 19 6 2 , whilst laying a pipe line here,council wor k m a n POINT K - BAGH A M di s c o ver ed various shards of pottery and what Th e y undertook a costly ren ov a t i o n app e a r ed to be the burnt remains of bone. and conversion prog r a m m e ,and now Farming moves with the times Subsequent investigation revealed that these wer e its purpose is as a pumping station for ac t u a l l y Roman cremation burials,dating from the the high quality chalk water present in On reaching Bagham we turn again to the memories second century AD . the area . of Jim Smith,who moved to Bagham Farm in 1944. The farm was then rented from the Castle Estate, From point L to point M Cr edit must be given to Mid Ken t and cover ed 145 acres .C o ws wer e kep t , "...housed in Water for blending in so well the co wsheds at night in the winter,machine milking with 26 . Continue along this roa d , coming back into the out- modern day pumping equipment with churn collections by Sharps Dairies of Ramsgate." sk i r ts of Chilham.Pass a right hand turn (Fel b o r ough Close) the character of the original building. and keep straight on into the village.The road bends slightly In d e e d , it may have escaped your notice After an outbreak of foot and mouth in 1952,th e to the right as you pass the Woo l p a c k Inn.Re a c h a turning that one of the buildings is not original, farm moved from dairying to other prod u c t i o n : for Heron's Close but was rec e n t l y constructed by Mid Kent Water to house their diesel "Landrace pigs wer e the fastest producing POINT M - HERON'S CLOSE po wer ed alternators. ba c o n e r s . . . C h i c k ens producing large numbers of eggs...Hops wer e (also) grown here at Bagham,up Lost by a stone-age hunter Also of note in the area are the famous the New Cut,but that ceased in the 1930’s, and the Our final point of interest on this trail is here,or Chilham Mill in disrepair before its restoration (Mid Kent Holdings) water cress beds. Ma r y Carlton’s top of the kiln had gone befor e our time." childhood memories of these beds and mo r e prec i s e l y in one of the gardens at Heron ’ s The Domesday Book rec o r ds that there wer e a total the mill paint an evoc a t i v e picture of the wor k i n g Mr .Smith also remembers a thriving pub here called Cl o s e .For it was there that the occupier unearthed a of six and a half mills in Chilham (the ‘h a l f ’ would have ec o n o m y of this site: The Alma (now a private house),and a servi c e m e n ' s le a f - s h a ped Neolithic flint arrow head,5.1 cm long been a seventh mill under construction).Tod a y,this is club known as The Adolf Club.Th e r e was also a and 1.8 cm wide. the only mill building left.It dates from the 19th "I remember the mill working and seeing the men prisoner of war camp:"...the field where the rec .is ce n t u r y,but George Mabbitt's res e a r ch shows : co ver ed in white dust from the bags of flour as they no w,but I don’t know how much use it got . " A poignant moment to finish our journey throu g h “It is almost certain that this mill is on,or near the came down . We loved watching the big wheel come Ch i l h a m ’ s heritage,taking us right back to the site of an original Saxon mill." round...On the other side there wer e won d e r f u l From point K to point L beginnings of human activity in this land. wa t e rc r ess beds.We could buy a huge bunch for a The present building is widely reg a r ded as the best few pence.Mr Barratt was the watercr ess man and 25 . Stay on this road as it bends through 90 degree s , From point M to start pre s e r ved water mill in the South East of England. It is he was helped by Sid Ken n e t t .T h e y loaded up a pony passing a right hand turn. often refe r red to as the ‘F r ench mill’,due to the tr a p and sent it to London on the train." 27 . Walk on,up h i l l , along The Stree t , and back into Th e Fr ench origin of the six pairs of grinding stones that CAUT I O N : Use the pavement on the right hand side of Sq u a r e.Cr oss the Square and ret r ace your steps down wer e once used. Jim Smith also remembers Mr.Ba r ratt and Mr. this roa d . Taylor's Hill,ba c k to the car park. Kennett working the cress beds…

10 11 SE C O N DA R Y TRAIL marks on the walls have lead to this conclusion,an d Point e - The Mount ‘’Sometimes known as Selling mill or Shottenden mill, This trail is shown in oran g e on the map at the front of this chalk would have had many uses,es p e c i a l l y as an it is shown on a map prep a r ed by Philip Symonson of bo o k l e t .T h e r e are no detailed written direc t i o n s .Be l o w is agricultural soil improver . This prominent and unusual geological fea t u r e,vi s i b l e Ro c h e s t e r ,as one of the 39 windmills of Kent in in f ormation on the main points of interest and notes on for miles arou n d , is known as ‘The Mount’.This hill of 15 9 6 . A mill was still working as a flour mill on the the route at points where it may not be clear where to go. Dene holes are extrem e l y common in the chalk pe b b l y soil,clad with pine and bracken is an outcrop same site in 1910,but like other mills,it was allowed These points correspond to lower case letters on the map. la n d s c a pe of Ken t , and at least two others have been of acidic sands and gravel s . Situated at the top is a to decay,and was finally pulled down in 1920.’’ found nearby at Shottenden,including one with an mound measuring 13m east to wes t , 16m north to St a r t at the car park at the bottom of Tay l o r ’ s Hill. un usual series of foot holes spiralling up in the chalk. south and 2.2m high.Surmounting this is a woo d e n Point g - Shillinghold Manor vi e wing platfor m , that offers a spectacular panorama Point a - Soles Hill Far m Point d - Shottenden of the surrounding countrys i d e .Looking East, Writing at the end of the eighteenth century,Ken t Ca n t e r b u r y Cathedral may be seen,and on a clear historian Hasted states that there was … Re c o r ds for Soles Hill farm date back to 1750,an d Earliest rec o r ds for the ancient hamlet of Shottenden da y,the view can extend to the sea at Peg w ell Bay. on the east side is the probable site of the arch e r y date back to 1175.Situated close to the highest point ‘’…a manor here, situated about half a mile north - butts in the village.One possible origin of the name is in the Parish of Chilham, it was then known as The history and origins of the mound are somewh a t west from the church , adjoining to Selling,(w h i c h ) that it comes from the Old English ‘s o l ’ ,m e a n i n g So t i n d o n a , and it is likel y that the name derives from ob s c u r e.While flint tools have been found nearby,it is was once of eminent account, though now almost mud dy pool. the Old English sceoting dun meaning shooting or not a barrow,and it is too small to have been a sunk into obscurity.’’ pr ojecting hill. mound for a windmill. Some believe it was Point b - Pole Woo d constructed for preachers to use,and it is known The manor he describes is that of Shillinghold;it s A local resident whose father lived in Shottenden in lo c a l l y as ‘The Pulpit’.It is also thought to have been manor house is thought to have stood in the field to Pole Woo d , meaning a pollarded wood is mentioned the 1930’s,l i v ed through many changes in the hamlet , pa r t of the semaph o r e communication system your right,no w an orch a rd . It was first rec o r ded in in a 1338 inquisition post-morte m .S o m e t i m e s and lists a number of buildings and businesses that connecting Deal to the Admiralty in London. 1087 as Cherinchehelle,fr om the Old English sc i l l i n g a kn o wn as escheats,these wer e inquiries,un d e rt a ke n ha ve changed use or disapp e a re d … Ho wever ,its most likel y origin is as an ornamental hi e l d e ,meaning slope of the shield bearers or after the death of a feudal tenant in chief (that is,a fea t u r e,po s s i b l y built by one of the Earls of Sondes to wa rr i o r s . It even t u a l l y came direc t l y into the di r ect tenant of the crown ) , to establish which lands ‘’ B a ptist Chape l ,M i s s i o n a r y Chapel (which was the su r vey his land. possession of Edward VI in the fifteenth century,bu t wer e held by the deceased,and who should succeed school house),Public House (Plough Inn),Post Office, in 1538 it was granted by Henry VIII to the Hawk i n s to them.Th e y survi v e from around 1240 until the bl a c k s m i t h s ,u n d e rt a k ers and a local builder (Horto n fa m i l y,who still owned it at the turn of the eighteenth Restoration in 1660,when feudal tenur e was fa m i ly ) .’ ’ ce n t u r y.Ho wever ,by the end of that century,Ha s t e d ab o l i s h e d . is describing the ruins of the once substantial manor One fascinating local story relates to an attack during ho u s e … Ea r l y Ordnance Survey maps show an avi a r y in the the Second World War when a shell from the wood - perhaps part of the castle grou n d s . infamous German gun ‘Big Bertha’ is said to have hit ‘’…in the wood still known by the name Shillingheld the village.Ac c o r ding to the story,a gypsy was injured Woo d , being part of a farm called Stone Style in Point c - Howlett's Far m in the explosion,ha ving two fingers blown off,on one Se l l i n g . In this wood there still appear among the of which was a ring belonging to the King of the various entren c h m e n t s … e vident marks of large Re fe r red to in a 1327 subsidy roll (a Medieval tax Gy p s y ’s . The ring has never fou n d . buildings having once been erected in it.’’ rec o r d) the name Howl e t t ’ s Farm derives from William Hughelot mentioned in that rec o rd . One can be for g i v en for thinking that the gypsy's ring View from The Mount Although there are no longer any visible signs of the is the stuff of fol k l o r e,but in fact that is not the only ho u s e ,ar chaeological investigations suggest this was In 1993,a collapsed chalk chamber was discover ed in dubious aspect of this tale.Although ‘Big Bertha’ was Point f - Per ry Woo d the site of the manor house.The rather complex an orch a r d on this farm.It measured 3.7m deep,an d an enormous howi t z e r ,weighing some 75 tonnes, an d ea rt h wo r k s , situated on a slight gravel ridge,co n s i s t e d 4.3m long,and at its eastern end was a filled in shaft. able to fire a 2,100 lb shell over 9 miles,Sh o t t e n d e n Per ry Wood contains the remains of a Neolithic of a large,almost triangular enclosure which was Su b s e q u e n t l y filled in,this structure is an example of would have been well out of its range,and it was ea rt h w ork in the woods to the wes t .E x c a vations bounded by two low banks.In the western half of this what is known as a 'dene hole'. used during the 1914 -1918 war,not World War II.As ca r ried out in 1967 unearthed arrowh e a d s , tools and ar ea wer e found various fea t u r es of note: As well as to the whereabouts of the Gypsy’s lost finger,its various cooking utensils,revealing an area of some enclosures and two wel l s , footings of flint The origins and precise use of dene holes has been location has yet to be nailed down . considerable activity during that period. wa l l i n g , some up to three feet thick,indicated the the subject of much speculation over the yea r s .T h e y pr obable sites of several buildings.Th e r e was also a wer e once thought to be holes dug to shelter from The woodland itself consists of traditionally coppiced large irreg u l a r l y shaped earth w ork that was Danish inva d e r s , ‘dene’ being a corruption of Dane,or sweet chestnut , which has provided ideal conditions su r rounded by a deep dry ditch;ti l e s ,b r i c k s , coins and as sites for the underground storage of grain.Lo c a l for the growth of many wild flower s , including urns wer e also discovere d . In the eastern half,tr a c e s fol k l o r e has it that they can open up in the night and bluebells and wood sage. of small fields or crofts could be made out. swa l l o w anyone unlucky enough to be in the area , Comparisons to a rec e n t l y excavated medieval and that an individual known as Clabberknapper lives A windmill once stood in this area . Local historian settlement in Joydens Woo d ,D a rt fo rd , point to it in them. George Mabbitt in his wor k , Ch i l h a m , the Unique Vi l l a g e being highly likel y that this is the site of Shillinghold describes it thus: Manor as described by Hasted. Recent res e a r ch shows that they are most likel y the remains of small chalk mines.Studies of tools and

12 13 The missionary chapel, Shottenden Special ‘A In 1943,film maker Michael Powell returned to Canterbury and the Special ‘A east Kent countryside in which he had spent his boyhood more than woodlandswoodlands Glance at any map of this area and you will quickly see that Canterbury 25 years earlier,to make his most heartf elt and haunting movi e , A Chilham is quite a wel l - w ooded parish.Much of this Canterbury Ca n t e r b u r y Tal e . woodland is 'ancient',but what does this term mean? Tale Tale’’ Powel l , and his partner Emeric Pres s b u r g e r ,set their story in Natural England's definition is:"An ancient woodland is one that has existed since at least 1600 A D,and possibly 'C h i l l i n g b o u r n e ' , a fictional village a few minutes by train from much longer.Prior to this date,planting of woodland was ver y uncommon which suggests that if a wood was Ca n t e r b u r y.Se veral scenes wer e filmed at places we can easily visit pr esent in 1600 it is likel y to have been there for some time previ o u s l y,and may be a remnant of the original to d a y in and around Chilham. 'w i l d w ood' which once cover ed most of Britain ..." Ho r tons' Yard ,S h o t t e n d e n , was the location for a scene in which local wheelwrights and blacksmiths You can also find clues about whether a woodland is ancient by looking at various aspects of the woodland app e a r ed with Sheila Sim (now Lady At t e n b o r ough) and Sgt John Sweet of the US Ar m y.Episodes wer e env i ro n m e n t . For example,ce r tain plants are known as 'ancient woodland indicators' - if a number of them can be also filmed in Chilham Square,on School Hill and along Old Wye Lane,and the exciting 'battle on the found in a woo d , that is evidence for it being ancient. Ri v er Stour' was fought by two gangs of local schoolboys at Chilham Mill. Co n s e r vationists reg a r d ancient woodland as the closest thing to 'natural' woodland that we have in the managed The gang leaders and the GI later have a pow- w ow on Jul l i b e r rie's Grave,and Sheila Sim and Eric la n d s c a pes of Britain.Those with rare habitats and species are often designated as Sites of Nature Conserva t i o n Por tman's memorable 'scene in the long grass' was filmed on Chilmans Down near the distinctive In t e r est (SNCIs) by Kent Wi l d l i f e Tru s t . Chilham is for tunate in that many of its ancient woodlands are SNCIs.Th e roundel copse. ma p below shows which woodlands in the area are ancient and which are SNCIs. During the Lost Landscapes proj e c t , we found there was a great deal of interest in this wartime classic, both locally and further afield.The Powell and Pressburger Ap p r eciation Society organises annual walks ar ound the locations used in A Canterbury Tal e ,the 2006 tour being attended by an estimated 80 people! To find out more about the tours,the film,and its maker s , go to www.p o wel l - p re s s b u r g e r. o r g .

ABOVE LEFT: Horton’s Yard, Shottenden

ABOVE RIGHT: The ‘battle on the River Stour’ filmed near Chilham Mill.

LEFT: The ‘scene in the long grass’ filmed on Chilmans Down.

SNCI boundaries Ancient woodland Parish boundaries

14 15 Contributors We would like to thank the fol l o wing contributors to this booklet (in alphabetical orde r ) : Mrs B.Bu s b y Ma r y Carlton John Clark George Mabbit Roger Pea r s o n Don Poo l e Jim Smith Graham Swan We would also like to express our gratitude to all the other local people who took part in meetings,walks and res e a rc h , and to Chilham Castle Estate and their arch i v i s t , Michael Pet e r s . Thanks to Ken Law from Cuxton for checking the route direc t i o n s . Main and secondary route text written by An d r ew Hudson. Text on A Canterbury Tal e written by Paul Tri t t o n . This booklet was edited and designed by Clarity Interpretation (01303 249501 clarity.i n t e r p re t a t i o n @ v i r g i n . n e t ) . Useful information This circular route is one of a series of Lost Landscapes Heritage Trails that have been developed in the fol l ow i n g parishes along the North Down s : Cu x t o n ,D e t l i n g / T h u r n h a m ,H o l l i n g b o u r n e , and Charth a m . For further information about Lost Landscapes and walking opportunities along the North Downs Way visit ww w. n a t i o n a l t r a i l . c o. u k / n o rt h d o wns or e-mail north d ow n sw ay @ ke n t . g ov.uk or telephone 08458 247600. For further walking opportunities in Kent please visit www.ke n t . g ov.u k / e x p l o re k ent or telephone 08458 247600. The Countryside Code. Be safe - plan ahead and fol l o w arrows or signs Le a ve gates and prop e r ty as you find them Pr otect plants and animals and take your litter home Keep dogs under close control Consider other people Waym a r k i n g During your walk you will see arrows marking various public rights of way: M Footpath (on foot only) M Bridleway (on foot,horseback or pedal cycle) M Byway (all traffic) Please tell us about any problems concerning the paths by using the Kent Report Line - 0845 345 0210.