LostLost Laandndsscacapes pes HERITAGEL TRAILS Lost watermills, the ghost of Catherine How a r d and the mys t e r y of a manor that di s ap p e a re d . These are just some of the highlights on the Lost Landscapes Heritage Trails in this booklet – two new circular walks fr om the Way. The main trail takes you through Eyhorne Stre e t ,w h e re you will learn about its industrial past, then up onto the dow n s ,t h rough ancient woo d l a n d s , and returning via the main village.The secondary trail takes you west of the village, past the ancient manor of Ripple and back along the Pilgrim’s Way. The main text of the booklet consists of detailed directions and in f ormation 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 ar e notes to help you and information on points of interes t . The back pages of the booklet cover other local heritage themes.

The Lost Landscapes proj e c t 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 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 special.Their contributions are the backbone of this series of trail booklets. The Hollingbourne 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. En j o y your journey back in time! About the trails...

KEY TO MAP Main route Steep climb Secondary route Bench A Point of interest in text - main route Steps a Point of interest in text - secondary route Viewpoint 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,bu t you may find it useful to take with you an map for this area – Explorer no.148 or Landranger 188. Getting to Hollingbourne By train – Hollingbourne station is on the As h fo r d-- line,be t w een and .Fort r a i n times telephone 08457 484950. By car – Leave the M20 at junction 8 and fol l o w signs for the A2 0 . Come to a roundabout and turn left towa r ds and .Come to another roundabout and turn left,signposted Hollingbourne.Cr oss the M20 and Rail Link and come into Eyhorne Stree t .D r i v e th r ough the village,passing a sharp left hand bend.Once out of the vi l l a g e ,turn left,signposted Hollingbourne Station.Dr i v e to the end and park by the station building. By bus – The number 13 from Maidstone passes through the village.Get off at the school,walk under the railwa y,an d turn right for the railwa y station (start point for both trails). Be safe,be prep a re d Please take care when walking on roads (use pavement if available or keep to the right) and crossing roa d 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 elderly or inexperienced walker s ) .A lw a ys kee p to the countryside code (see back of booklet).

MAIN TRAIL POINT A – EYHORNE GREEN This trail is shown in purple on the map op p o s i t e . An ancient meeting place Be l o w are detailed written direc t i o n s , and infor m a t i o n on the main points of interest which correspond to Local tradition has it that the small green to your right ca pital letters on the map. is part of the once much larger Eyhorne Green – the outdoor meeting place of the Hundred of Eyhorne. St a r t this trail in the car park at Hollingbourne railwa y But what exactly was a ‘h u n d re d ’ ? st a t i o n . “K ent was divided for administrative,judicial and From start to point A taxation purposes into seven large divisions called lathes … and these in turn wer e sub-divided into 1. Facing the station building,walk to the left of it and up a smaller areas called hundreds …” footpath that climbs a bank to a stile.Cr oss the stile and turn right along a track . At the end of the track ,e m e r g e into A History of Ken t by F.W .Jes s u p a fie l d . So a ‘h u n d r ed’ was an area of land with its own local 2. Bear left and walk across the field towar ds a gateway as s e m b l y,made up of rep re s e n t a t i v es from and stile.Cr oss the stile then walk along the edge of the co m mu n i t i e s .H e r e on the gree n , it is said, th e fie l d , with a hedge on your left.Th e path then takes you as s e m b l y would have met to elect a constable or hold between two hedges .(T h e local name for this trac k is co u r t proc e e d i n g s . Th r ead Lane.) The hundred of Eyhorne was the largest in Ken t , 3.R e a c h a field gate and cross a stile made from a trac t o r co vering an area from what is now the edge of ty r e.Continue between two hedges until you emerge onto a Gillingham in the north to in the south and road (Athelstan Gree n ) . Tur n right and walk a short distance Lenham in the east.But where does the name to a Tjunction with Musket Lane.Turn left. hu n d r ed come from? F.W . Jessup explains: 4. Fol l o w the lane,en t e r ing the hamlet of Eyhorne Stree t . Come to a small green on your right with a wooden sign “H u n d r eds may have been so called because each was be a r ing the hamlet’s name. reg a r ded originally as containing nominally one hu n d r ed sulungs.”

3 The term sulung ref ers to the amount of land that You are here 4 pairs of oxen could cultivate,equivalent to 240 ac re s . In theory a ‘h u n d r ed’ would have been an area of 24,000 acres , although in practice they varied a Pond gr eat deal in size. To have been part of this system,this settlement mus t date back at least to the Anglo-Saxon period,and a coin from this time,found in the garden of nearby Eyhorne House,is evidence of this.Ho wever ,th e di s c o ver y of a Roman pot not far from here,in 1929, indicates even earlier settlement.The wor d ‘s t r eet’ in the place name Eyhorne Street suggests the pres e n c e of a Roman roa d . Manager’s house - Barn still used as a dwelling From point A to point B 5.C a r r y on to a T junction with the main road through the vi l l a g e.Turn left and walk through the village until you rea c h the Windmill . Eyhorne Mill 6. Fol l o w the Public Footpath sign down the side of the pub, aw ay from the main roa d . Walk past the village hall. 7. Come to a large,modern barn,bear left and walk down Reservoir still visible the side of the barn.Behind the barn you will see a metal as shallow depression field gate – go through and stop with a pond to your left (does not hold water) and a stream to your rig h t . POINT B – GROVE MILL

A hamlet built from paper Plan of Grove Mill from sale documents dated 1892. You may find it hard to believe,but quaint little Features still existing are marked as dotted lines. Present Eyhorne Street has an industrial past.At the heart of day features are superimposed as solid lines. this industry wer e the watermills along the Bourne st re a m . Hollingbourne resident Alan Williams has was a paper mill.Pap e r making was the driving forc e Alan has found this wonderful description of the mill’s traced the fascinating story of these mills: behind the early industrialisation of Eyhorne Stree t . large chimney being pulled down : “T h r oughout their histories,these mills have adapt e d The changing economic for tunes that Alan describes “11th Jul y 1894 … At 4.30 pm great crowds of their function to suit the economic and technological meant that Grove Mill was milling corn by 1865, spectators assembled … about 5 o’clock the last changes … Fol l o wing the for tunes of these mills has be fo r e going back to paper making and finally closing su p p o r ting bricks wer e rem o ved … then it began to been complicated by the fact that not only did they do wn and being demolished in the late 19th century. tre m b l e ,then to swa y and finally it all brok e to pieces in fre q u e n t l y change roles and owners but the air and came to the ground with a grand crash.” in c o n s i s t e n t l y,their names.” The chimney of Grove Mill being demolished in 1894 The Diary of DeVisme Th o m a s The Lost Watermills of Hollingbourne – Alan also unearthed some sale documents for thesis by Alan Wi l l i a m s Gr ove Mi l l , including a plan of the site and an inven t o r y You are now standing close to the site of of the buildings,which give a fascinating snapshot of the on e of these lost watermills – Grove site just befor e its demise.The first impression is of Mi l l . Al a n Williams believes this is a ver y some ver y large buildings,including a 382 foot long old mill site,rec o r ded in Domesday,th e ‘d r ying roo m ’ , and a rag sorting house 105 feet long location of a succession of mill buildings and three stories high! The machinery was also being th r ough the centuries. sold and included a range of equipment the purpose of which one can only guess at: Fr om Al a n ’ s res e a r ch we know that a ne w mill was built here in the 18th “Rag duster,so r ting lattices,tw o rag boilers,fi v e ce n t u ry : insurance documents tell us that wa s h i n g , beating and poaching engines,tw o cat iron one James Austen insured his ‘n ew - b u i l t ’ stuff chests,nine water,stuff and vacuum pumps.” mill in 1762.These documents also tell us The buildings on the plan include another lost mill – something else important – Grove Mill The wheel housing at Old Mill in 1973 The mill pond can still be seen from Old Mill Road.(Alan Williams) 4 5 Eyhorne Mill – which was one of the buildings in the From point B to point C From point C to point D complex but already disused by this time (you can find out more about Eyhorne Mill on the secondary rou t e 8. Continue along the path,as it bends to the left and onto 16 . Fol l o w this Byway between two hedges ,for about in this booklet). a gravel track , with a hedge on your rig h t . Fol l o w the path 1/ 3m i l e .(Along this path a lump of bron z e was found in until you rea c h a post and a stile on the rig h t . 1932 that may have been buried for safety by a Bron z e Not far to the south-west of here was a third lost Ag e metalsmith.It is now in Maidstone Museum.) mi l l – Park Mill. Hi s t o r i c a l l y it was often grouped with 9. Turn and walk back towar ds the village,di a g onally acros s Gr ove Mill and at times both wer e wor k ed by the the field to the corner,wh e r e you will see a large tree and a 17 . At the end,rea c h a T junction and turn right onto the same paper maker s .F u r ther down s t r eam was a st i l e . No r th Downs Way .After a short distance,you will come to fou r th paper mill – Old Mill – home of the famous a marked junction with two trac ks off to the left.Tak e the 10 .C r oss the stile,turn right and walk between a fence and second one (right hand). Wh a t m a n ’ s brand.Wh a t m a n ’ s paper was of the a tall hedge (of Leylandii tree s ) . The path bends left and highest quality,used for many important documents, descends into a garde n . Keep rig h t , fol l o wing another tall 18 . Walk steeply uphill and come to a point where the including the US constitution. Leylandii hedge then cross a stile. byw ay bends to the rig h t . (This spot is a good viewp o i n t . ) Continue uphill and at an unmarked junction,fork left into 11 . Go straight ahead then bear left.Fol l o w the fences of wo o d l a n d . ga rd e n s ,passing a stile into a garde n . You will see a stile The interior of the foxhole. st r aight ahead.Cr oss the stile onto a small brid g e which ta k es you across a stream and into a fie l d . POINT D – HIGH WOOD and wreak sabotage behind enemy lines.Men who Woodlands young and old wor k ed in farming wer e favou r ed because they had 12 . Fol l o w the edge of the fie l d , keeping the hedge on your an intimate knowledge of the countrys i d e .Th e y wer e le f t , then cut off the corner,be a r ing right across the fie l d . As you walk through this woo d l a n d ,k n o wn as High recruited in utmost secrec y ,going to cover t locations 13 . You will see an arch under the rai l w ay line – head Woo d ,c o m p a r e the woodland to the left of the path to be trained in the techniques of guerrilla warfare, to war ds it.Go through the arch and come to a field gate with that on the right.If they look quite differe n t such as how to kill an enemy silently.Recruits wer e and stile.Cr oss the stile and walk up a driv e way to rea c h a th a t ’ s because,in woodland terms,one is a you n g s t e r not allowed to discuss their new role with anyon e , roa d .C r oss the road and to where the path continues and one is an old Man.The woodland on the right is not even their wives , so that their whereabouts could between two fen c e s .Th i s will lead you to another road – the you n g s t e r .It was planted in the 20th century as a ne ver be divulged.In fact they wer e bound to silence The mill pond at nearby Park Mill in 1973. Part of the main road through the village.Turn rig h t . place for game shooting.The woodland on the left is by the Official Secrets Act until recent yea r s , and only this pond still exists, with the rest lost to the ancient – it dates back to at least 1600 and is then did the general public learn of their existence. construction of the M20 and 14 . The pavement bears right and takes you past a pl a y pro b a b l y much older.To find out more about ancient Channel Tunnel Rail Link.(Alan Williams) ar ea on your right and towar ds the pavilion at the edge of woo d l a n d s , read the section Special Woodlands on Going back to an earlier period of Britain’s military the playing fie l d .B e fo r e you rea c h the building,turn left and page 14. pa s t , Mr P Rigall has passed on some fascinating With so many mills in a small area ,E y h o r n eS t re e t , for walk onto a road (Gree n w ay Court Road).Turn rig h t .( A in f ormation about the field to your right,and about about 100 yea r s , became the hub of a thriving sp i t fi r e crashed near here in 1940 during an assault by From point D to point E the track you are walking on: 200 German aircraf t . ) in d u s t r y,which determined its character,as Al a n 19 . Fol l o w the byw ay through the woods for about “The footpath … is called Drakes Lane and local explains in the conclusion of his thesis: 15 . Stay on this road for about 1/4 mile,pass a turning on 1/ 3m i l e .The byw ay then comes out of the woods,bu t legend has it that crews recruited on the of “Eyhorne Street underwent a change as a result of the right and come to a Byway off to the le f t . ta k es you along the edge of woodland for about another wer e marched to to man the the introduction of the paper making industry during 1/4 mile. warships at anchor there … legend also has it that th e y camped for the night on top of the Down s the 18th century … Commercial businesses took POINT C – TARGET COTT AGE 20 . The byw ay then bends left,aw ay from the woodland, roo t .S m a l l private residences sprang up and these an d the field they used was alwa ys known as ac r oss a fie l d , between two fen c e s .Af t e r a short distance Dr a ke ’ s La n d . ” pr emises wer e in-filled with rows of industrial Safe as houses? you will come to a narrow strip of woodland on your left. wor k ers’ cottages.At the decline of the paper making The large house standing to one side of this byw a y The track is still marked as Drake Lane on modern activity during the late 19th century,the arch i t e c t u r a l replaced an old dwelling with the peculiar name of POINT E – DRAKE LA N E map s . Whether or not this story is true,it is fun to pattern of the lower village was set.” Target Cottage.Local resident Mr P.Rigall tells us that imagine wea r y recruits trudging along here,rea c h i n g this name could not have been more literal – the Secret armies and naval the camp site in this field,pe r h a ps with some rel i e f , house was used as a military range post! Mr Rigall legends but also with some trepidation about the coming goes on to say : ha r dships of life in Sir Francis Drake’ s navy . We now find ourselves in an area with a fascinating “I have picked up two artefacts relating to military mi l i t a r y history.Not far from here is a WWII ‘f ox From point E to point F pr esence in the past above the PilgrimsWay,one was ho l e ’ . This was one of a network of secret bunker s the spur from a cava l r y boot and rec e n t l y a lead bullet set up across the countryside in preparation for the 21 . Fol l o w the Byway until you rea c h a roa d of heavyc a l i b r e (.50).” worst case scenario – inva s i o n . ( Road) and turn left.Almost immediately you will come to a byw ay off to the rig h t . It seems that this area of the had a history of If Hitler’s army had ever crossed the Channel, a se l e c t mi l i t a r y usage.This app a re n t l y ended after WWII – Mr band of local men,recruited to what was known 22 . Fol l o w this bywa y , past a sharp bend to the left Rigall told us how a family moved in,taking out the si m p l y as the ‘s e c r et army’ , would have taken refuge in then to the rig h t . Continue along this bywa y , to the ma h o g a n y rifle racks. these bolt holes,sat out the inva s i o n ,o n l y to emerge ed g e of a woodland.

Eyhorne Street on a postcard dated 1907, showing the rows of workers’ cottages 7 6 24 .R e a c h a gate at the edge of the wood and go throu g h From point G to point H tw o ways .F i r s t l y,th e y are managing survi v i n g into a fie l d . Turn left,fol l o wing the edge of the wood.Th e 26 . Turn right and fol l o w the trac k up the side of a woodlands in traditional ways , halting the neglect that byw ay bends to the rig h t , stay along the edge of the fie l d small valley and come to a ro a d .C ross the road and af f ects so many old woo d l a n d s . Yo uh ave just walked and look for a stile on your left. ta k e a footpath into the woods.The path bears left and th r ough Chitt’s Woo d , one of these surviving ancient 25 .C r oss the stile into a large pasture,pass a group of oak you walk along the edge of the wood, past a woo d s . tr ees and walk diagonally across the fie l d , heading for the or small pit to your rig h t . Se c o n d l y,the Trust are reversing the loss of fea t u r es of stile in the corner,to the right of some farm buildings.Cro s s 27 .R e a c h a stile and cross into a large fie l d . Tur n left and the landscape that have occurred over time: the stile and fol l o w a short path to a gravel track . walk along the edge of the fie l d . At a marked junction of “The main management objective is to res t o r e lost pa t h s ,go straight ahead,ac r oss the large fie l d ,t o war ds the woodlands and hedges …” POINT G – MORDENDEN WOOD wo o d s .(On a clear day it is possible to see the North Ken t coast from here.You can also see the water tower at Wh i t e On-site information panel,pr oduced by Woodland Tru s t Mordenden no more Pos t . ) As you walk along the footpath you will see one of In contrast to the valley north of Drake Lane 2 8 .R e a ch a stile and cross into woodland.Wal k st ra i g h t the newl y planted areas of woodland on your right. The beautiful valley near and Pl a n t a t i o n , this part of the walk has seen a ver y major This new planting means that while the story all change to its landscape .If you look to the left,be yon d th r ough the woods and rea c h a lane.Tur n rig h t .A f t e r ar ound is one of lost woo d l a n d s ,h e r e on the the nearest farm buildings of Gotteridge,you should the road bears left,pass a turning to the right and take Estate at least,na t i v e woodland is ret u r n i n g . POINT F – DRAKE LANE WOO D be able to see strip of woodland on the horizon, a byw ay off to the left, just befor e a sign saying ‘C o l ye r s kn o wn as Mordenden Woo d . This is the rather sad Wen t s ’ . Fol l o w this byw ay to a point where it bends to From point I to point J Drake, and the remnant of a once much larger woodland of about the rig h t . 31 . Pass a footpath off to the right - keep straight ahead.At valley where time stood still 50 acres .L i k e many ancient woodlands it was lost in the next marked junction,turn left,onto the North Down s the 20th century,pe r h a ps cleared in the drive for POINT H – JACK CADE’S HOLE. Way into woodland.Walk through the wood,rea c h a kissing The Francis Drake connection in local place names agricultural intensification after WW I I . Kent still has gate and walk through on to open down l a n d . (This area is co n t i nu e s . The woodland you are about to enter is much ancient woo d l a n d , but this does not change the The hiding place of a rebel? ‘access land’and provides excellent views. ) kn o wn as Drake Lane Woo d ;f u r ther on you will pass fact that once lost,these woods can never be About 400 yards due south of where you are now,in Dr a k e Lane Plantation; and you are still walking on rep l a c e d , because planted woodland does not have the large field you can see to your left is a large pit 32 . Turn left and fol l o w the North Downs Way along the Dr a k e Lane. top of the down . Come to a kissing gate and go throu g h the same ecological and archaeological value.For kn o wn as Jack Cade’s Hole.Local legend has it that into scrubby woodland.(A number of local people have told In the fields near this woodland are many deneholes. mo r e about ancient woo d l a n d s , read the ‘S p e c i a l this was one of the hiding places used by the us that the area on your right (Eden’s Hole) was a trai n i n g Deneholes wer e deep ver tical shafts dug into the Woodlands’ section. notorious leader of ‘C a d e ’ s Rebellion’,an uprising that ar ea used by the Home Guard in WW I I . ) as mines.Most are medieval or later and wer e took place in 1450.Whether the legend is true we will used to extract chalk for putting on the fields,to pro b a b l y never know – there are certa i n l y other 33 . Continue through the woods,rea c h a kissing gate and reduce acidity of soil (just as you might lime you r locations that lay claim to having been a bolt hole for walk through on to open down l a n d . Fol l o w the path along ga r den soil).This agricultural explanation of these this infamous rebel (including one on the secondary the downs and through a patch of scrubby woodland. mysterious holes is now generally accepted,but there route in this booklet).Co n t r a r y to popular belief, 34 . The path goes slightly down h i l l ,t o war ds a field gate and ha ve been other theories,one being that they wer e POINT G Cade was no peasant revol u t i o n a r y – his fol l o wers in kissing gate.Go throu g h , keeping to the top of the down s . dug as hiding places from marauding Danes Kent wer e from the middle and upper classes,so it Come to a post with a North Downs Way way m a r ke r . (denehole being a corruption of Dane hole). pe r h a ps seems unlikel y he would have needed to take refuge in a hole in a field! To find out more on Cade, No r th of Drake Lane Plantation is an area where the read the section about Jack Cade on page 14. POINT J – HOLLINGBOURNE DOWN S whole landscape is a piece of history – a valley where time has stood still and the pattern of woods and From point H to point I Treasure under your feet fields is much as it was 500 years ago,when it was The views from Hollingbourne Downs are truly pa r t of the Medieval manors of Wormshill and 29 . Continue along the bywa y ,into the woods.Pass a bend ma g n i f i c e n t , but the land under your feet is also full of Be d m o n t o n . Visible fea t u r es include ‘ly n c h e t s ’ ,w h i c h to the rig h t . At a marked junction,bear left,staying on the in t e re s t . Did you realise that the grassland you are ar e long earth banks created on hill slopes by gravi t y bywa y .You will have woods on your left and thick hedges on walking on is a national trea s u r e? A large part of as a plough moves across the hillside.Fu r ther north your rig h t . Hollingbourne Downs is nationally protected as a ‘S i t e at Gotteridge Wood is a 250m long and 20m wide 30 . Pass a footpath off to the left and keep strai g h to n . of Special Scientific Interest’ or ‘S S S I ’ . So what’s special ditch that formed part of a medieval enclosure. about it? From point F to point G POINT I – HUCKING ESTATE “This section of the North Downs … supports a 23 . Walk through the woods and pass a sharp bend to Return of the native variety of habitats characteristic of calcareo u s th el e f t . Staying on the bywa y ,come out of the woods, [chalky] soils, including unimproved chalk grassland bend sharply to the right then go back into woodland. You may have seen signs telling you that you have now … A number of plant species indicative of the (T h et r aditional name for the woodland on your left is A first edition ordnance survey map of this area, en t e r ed the Hucking Estate.Th e estate is owned by chalk soils are pres e n t , including … musk orch i d showing the lost woodland of Mordenden. The the Woodland Tru s t , a national charity dedicated to and man orchid …” High Field Woo d , that on your right was known as trail route is shown as a dotted line Bro o m Woo d . ) co n s e r ving native woo d s . Their management of the estate is bucking the trends of landscape change in SSSI Notification – Natural

8 9 door of the Dirty Habit (then the King’s Head pub) out of the other and into the village,wh e r e the road was flooded for three days.) CAUT I O N : This is a blind bend on a busy roa d , with a junction and no pavement,please take care. 38 . Walk downhill through Hollingbourne village.Just befor e a bend to the left,stop and look to your right and you will see Hollingbourne Manor.

POINT K – HOLLINGBOURNE MANOR The mill pond (above) and wheel (right) at Hollingbourne Manor House is an impres s i v e and Manor Mill in 1973 (Alan Williams) well pres e r ved grade I listed building,dating from POINT L – MANOR MILL about 1570.The original design would have been an E- s h ap e ,but the north-east wing was destroyed in a A tale of two villages Man orchid: a rare plant thriving fi r e,le a ving the L-shaped building that survi v es today. on Hollingbourne Downs Close to the 16th century Hollingbourne Manor and Fea t u r es of interest include a fine flint and brick the church lies Manor Mill.If you ’ re counting you will ga r den wall to the north - e a s t , and some impres s i v e realise that makes five water mills that have existed ‘U n i m p r oved chalk grassland’ is grassland growing on wr ought iron double garden gates to the south-wes t . chalky soils that has not been ploughed,fer tilised or along the Bourne at one time or another,which is Th e r e are also some fragments of a thick walled quite a few for such a small area . had pesticides used on it.It is a piece of living history, building in the south-west corner,po s s i b l y dating from rel a t i ve l y unaffected by the ravages of modern farming. the thirteenth century,and a pointed arched stone Alan Williams wrote about Manor Mill in his thesis.He But what was the underlying reason for this But not all parts of the Hollingbourne Downs have opening to the south end of the hall. be l i e ves this to be an old mill site,dating back to di f fe r ence? Alan explains: remained undisturbed.Just to the east of here is an Do m e s d a y,and “an integral part of the manorial Hollingbourne Manor by C.J Richardson, 1843 “The area in which industrialisation took place was ar ea known as Baldwin’s Rough.Local res i d e n t pro p e rt y ” . It was almost certa i n l y used to mill the lord en t i re l y within the bounds of the old Manor of An d r ew Brice told us that there used to be a large of the manor’s corn. El n o t h i n g t o n . The Manor of Hollingbourne chalk quarry and three lime kilns here.The pit was Fr om rec o r ds we know that in 1868,it was still a corn remained the prop e r ty of the Dean and Chapter of ac t i v e in the late 19th century,and disused by 1908. mi l l , despite the growth of the paper milling industry Ca n t e r b u r y … Whilst the area owned by the Dean The chalk would have been burnt in the kilns to turn just down the roa d , and despite the fact that it was,as and Chapter remained whole and intact, the lands it into quicklime for mortar and other uses. Alan puts it,“i d e a l l y suited and sited for pape r m a k i n g ” . of Elnothington Manor became fragmented into Su r p r i s i n g l y,the quarry was not a disaster for the His theory is that the differ ent usage of mills actually smaller units of freehold prop e r ty …” flora of the downs - the chalk grassland re- c o l o n i s e d reflects the ‘t w o villages in one’ character of The upper village remained agricultural in nature the disused pit and some of the most valuable plants Ho l l i n g b o u r n e ,which intrigues so many visitors.Th e because the manor was in the control of the can now be found there. upper part, which you are now standing in,is quite ch u rc h , who let it to a few wea l t h y, fa r m i n g di f fe re n t , and quite separate from the lower part – From point J to point K la n d ow n e r s .M e a n w h i l e , in Eyhorne Stree t ,t h e r e Eyhorne Stree t . By exploring the history of the lost wer e opportunities for the new breed of early 35 . Fol l o w the way m a r k er arrow, turning rig h t ,d ow n mills we start to understand this separation.Much of industrialists to buy prop e rt y , because Elnothington hi l l . Come to a kissing gate and go through into an Eyhorne Street grew up quite quickly around the rapi d Manor had been brok en into smaller, mo r e ag ri c u l t u r al fie l d . Walk along the edge of the fie l d ,w i t h expansion of the paper making industry,while the af fo r dable land holdings. a hedge on your left. upper village,ce n t r ed on the church and Hollingbourne Ma n o r ,gr ew slowl y,mo r e like a typical agricultural But what became of Elnothington? You won ’ t find 36 . Come to the corner of the field and continue se t t l e m e n t . th i s place name on a modern map.You can find out dow n wa rd s ,close to a house.The path runs alongside the mo r e about this mysterious lost manor on the main roa d , with a handrai l . Come to some steps which se c o n d a r y trail. lead you down to the roa d . Turn right and head down h i l l . (Just by the cric ket ground on the way into Hollingbourne From point L to start have been found iron age coins issued by the pre- R o m a n 40 . Walk into the chu r c hyard . Tak e a footpath that goes to kings of Kent as well as Roman coins closer to the Pilgrim ’ s the right hand side of the chu r ch . Walk between two Way which cuts through the north of the village.) From point K to point L he d ge s ,then out of the chu r c h yar d into a large fie l d . 37 . Go straight ahead into the village at the cros s ro a d s , 39 . Continue along the road until you come to another 41 .C r oss the field then fol l o w the path down the side of a past the Dirty Habit res t a u ra n t . (Long-standing residents of bend in the road by the chu r ch .C r oss the road and wal k sc hool and come to the main roa d . Turn rig h t . The roa d the village have told us about the flood of September 15th to war ds the chu r ch . Look to your right and you will see bends to the left.Pass a bench and go under the rai l wa y , and 16th,19 6 8 . It rained continuously for two days,an d some red bric k buildings,one of which is Manor Mill. th r ough an arch. Tak e the next right - this is the road that water came running off the down s ,do wn this hill,in one leads to the station.

Upper Street, Hollingbourne 10 11 SE C O N DA R Y TRAIL Point f – Elnothington Point h – Eyhorne Mill This trail is shown in oran g e on the map at the front of this Evidence suggests that this area around Broad Street is Although the mill building no longer rem a i n s ,t h e r e is 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 the likel y setting for the ancient manor of Elnothington. still evidence remaining that this was the site of in f ormation on the main points of interest and notes on the No w absorbed into Hollingbourne,this manor was Eyhorne Mill.Most obvious is the small waterfall,wh i c h route at points where it may not be clear where to go. on c e ,as the great eighteenth century historian Hasted can be seen from the pavem e n t . An area of flat land These points correspond to lower case letters on the map. no t e s , of ‘eminent account’.Mentioned in the next to River Farm is the likel y site of the mill pond. To start this trai l , fol l o w steps 1 to 3 for the main rou t e . Do m e s d a y Book,it was then transcribed as ‘A l n o i t o n e ’ , While it is probable that a mill was here for many When you rea c h Musket Lane,turn rig h t , not left. and it is thought by some that echoes of this survi v e in ce n t u r i e s , the earliest refe r ence to it comes from a the name of a nearby farm,‘A l l i n g t o n ’ . fifteenth century will,when a man named Broo k er is Point a – Musketstone area While Hollingbourne and its sub-manors wer e under mentioned as the miller here.In the 1840’s, rec o rd s Bob’s Knoll, Snarkhurst Wood the control of the monks at ,El n o t h i n g t o n sh o w that a Mr James Barnard or Bunya r d owned the The lost manor of Murston was already wel l seems to have been in the hands of Bishop Odo, lands around the mill,and that it was occupied by Mr established when it was mentioned in the Domesday William the Conqueror ’ s half brot h e r .The Domesday John Symmonds.By 1898,a map of this area marks the Book in 1086. Meaning a farmstead situated on moor Point c – Five Wents and a note on the rou t e la n d , the name ‘Murston’ seems to have been adopted en t r y notes that it was about half the size of the main mill as being disused. by the family of de Mores t o n e ,who lived here in the This spot is so-called because it is the junction of five manor at Hollingbourne,containing three ‘sulungs’ (one Local res i d e n t , Mr Pat Moon,has an interesting theory fou r teenth century.While the manor of Murston foo t p a t h s . The junction is marked by a prominent oak sulung being rou g h l y 240 acres ) , eight ploughs,ei g h t e e n relating to this mill.Walk a little further on the same di s ap p e a re d , the name survi ve d , albeit in a corru p t e d tre e .To ‘w end’ your way from here,bear left towa rd s vi l l a g e r s ,t w o and a half mills,and valued at twel v e side of the street as the waterfall and you will find the for m , as ‘M u s ke t s t o n e ’ . a block of woo d l a n d , heading for the right-hand po u n d s . entrance to the drive leading to Tany a r d House.Th e co r n e r .Reach a marker and turn left along the edge of Though considerably shrunken in size,it was still in design of the drying lofts of Tany a r d House,with their Mu s k et Lane,which led you to this point,pre s u m a b l y the woo d l a n d . existence in the Eighteenth Century,when it contained system of louver ed wea t h e r b o a rd s , lead Mr Moon to also took its name from this corru p t i o n . It is now a 4 0a c res of land,20 acres of meadow,20 acres of conclude that they wer e intended for drying pape r dead end,cut in two by the M20 and Channel Tun n e l Point d – Ripple Rail Link.Old Ordnance Survey maps show that it pa s t u r e and 20 acres of woo d , but it is unsure when rather than hides.He believes that James Wh a t m a n , used to continue wes t , past Muskestone itself,pa s t Stop at the second 90 degree corner you come to pre c i s e l y this manor disapp e a re d . In his article in the eighteenth century paper maker behind the Si l v er Hill with its old sand pit,joining what is now the and look south-wes t . You will see a small group of ‘A r chaeologia Cantiana’ (Volume 100, p1 5 3 ) ,h i s t o r i a n famous Whatman brand,ma y have built his first mill A20 at White Heath,site of the Hollingbourne Union ho u s e s , which is the pres e n t - d a y Ripple,and just to Allen Grove pieces together its likel y boundaries … he r e,citing similarities with the design of Wh a t m a n ’ s Workhouse and a gas wor k s . the right of that a wooded area , which is the medieva l “… Elnothington Manor occupied an area rou g h l y Tur k ey Mill near moated site of the original Ripple Manor. enclosed by the North Downs on the north , by the Ma i d s t o n e .Fu rt h e r During the construction of the Rail Link in 1999, evidence for this is the The current farmstead of Ripple is a small two- s t o r i e d track from Allington Farm to the ironstone wor k i n g s se veral finds and fea t u r es wer e unearthed not far and Hucking to the east and by the Chrismill-Ripple- fact that Eyhorne Mill fr om here, that shed some light on successive layers of timber framed building showing fea t u r es from the late ended up as part of a se venteenth or early eighteenth century.The name Whitehall road on the west side.On the south side it hi s t o r y in this area . The earliest finds date from the pro b a b l y went almost as far as … Snarkhurst Woo d .” much larger paper mill ea r l y Bronze Ag e ,rou g h l y 2,400 to 1,500 BC.Se ver a l comes from the Old English rip p e l ,meaning a strip of co m p l e x ,k n o wn as the pieces of scattered wor k ed flints wer e discovere d , la n d .H o wever ,a map from 1707 shows that the moat, Mr .Gr ove also manages to deduce a likel y location for Ne w Hollingbourne which may have been associated with a number of some 200 metres to the left,is the site of the original Elnothington Church , which seems to have vanished Pa per Mills centred on fea t u r es discover ed when the nearby motorway manor house,dating back to the thirteenth century. fr om official church rec o r ds by 1557.By studying the ne a r b y Grove Mill (see se r vices wer e built.Mo r e substantial occupation No w se a s o n a l l y dry,and over g r own with oak,ha z e l positioning of churches in this area , he notices a main trail text). seems to date from the late Iron Ag e ,(ap p r ox. .1 0 0 and hornbeam,the moat originally enclosed an area of pattern in their layou t , and that there is usually a gap In t r i g u i n g l y,a griffin BC to 100 AD ) . A small kiln or furnace,us u a l l y some 4,000 square metres , the house being rou g h l y be t w een them of one to two miles.He therefo r e insignia on an excise associated with metalworking slag,was fou n d ,a l o n g 50 metres long by 30 metres wide. places Elnothington church half way betwee n mark for paper made at with several storage or rubbish pits.Th e r e wer e Bro k en roofing tiles and stone footings for a building Hollingbourne Church and the church at Th u r n h a m , the New Hollingbourne rectangular enclosure ditches and post-holes for six ha ve been found here,and the current farmstead of which is here,at Broad Stree t . Pa per Mills is bu i l d i n g s , including a small circular one,as well as a Ripple incorporates some of the remains of this older rem a r k a b l y similar to a so l i t a r y cremation burial. manor house.Tradition has it that after the failed Point g – Godfrey House griffin wea t h e r vane that rebellion of 1450,Jack Cade went into hiding here, Go d f r ey House is Ken t ’ s oldest dated lobby- e n t r y can still be see on top The excise mark showing Point b – Snarkhurst Woo d and it appears that by the middle of the Sixteenth ho u s e ,the inscription stone stating it was built in 1587, of Tany a r d House. the griffin insignia Re c o r ded as ‘Snockhurst’ in 1645,Snarkhurst Wood is Ce n t u r y,when Sir Martin Barnham was the own e r , and res t o r ed in 1859.It is a timber framed,th re e - u n i t an ancient woodland covering some 80 acres .T h e the site of the manor house had been moved to that building with plaster infilling set on a stone base,th e name derives from ‘s n o o k ’ , an old dialect wor d for a of the present building. co n t i n uous jettied front brok en by a three - s t o r ey pr ojecting point of land,and ‘hy r s t ’ , which is Old Of note,im m e d i a t e l y south west of here and situated po rc h . A three - s t o r ey porch is rel a t i ve l y unusual for a English for a wooded hill.This is fairly descriptive of on a western slope of pasture,se veral undulations, house of this period,the third storey being formed in the woo d l a n d , the highest point of which is locally ho l l o ws and earth w orks can just barel y be made out. the main roo f . kn o wn as ‘Bobs Knoll’.In t e re s t i n g l y,this hillock, an These possibly suggest a small area of habitation,lo n g As part of the Lost Landscapes proj e c t ,l o c a l ‘outlier’ of chalk,su p p o r ts a slightly differ ent range of de s e rt e d , connected to the medieval manor. sc h o o l c h i l d r en intervi e wed long-standing residents and flora from the Gault Clay found in the rest of the rec o r ded their memories.Ma n y of them rem e m b e re d woo d .M a n y species of trees are present in Snarkhurst Point e – CAUT I O N Go d f r ey House being used as the doctor’s surgery. Woo d , such as oak,hornbeam and ash,,while some of The Pilgrim’s Way here is a narrow road well used by the varied plants found include bluebells, herb paris, tr a f f i c .Please take care. and greater butterfly orch i d .

12 13 Tanyard House showing the drying lofts and the griffin weather vane (Alan Williams) Catherine haunted Hollingbourne Manor an d Special Gre e n w a y Court. Special But why would Catherine Howa r d haunt woodlands any w h e r e in Hollingbourne? What was her woodlands connection with the village? In most versions of Hollingbourne is quite a well wooded parish. the story she merel y visited with Henry V I I I ,b u t Much of this woodland is termed ‘a n c i e n t ’ ,b u t one pupil rec o rd e d : what does this mean? “Catherine Howa r d learnt to be polite and have manors (sic) in a big house in Hollingbourne.” Natural England's definition is: "An ancient woo d l a n d is one that has existed since at least 1600 A D,an d This might explain the connection with po s s i b l y much longer.Prior to this date,planting of Gre e n w a y Court where, ac c o r ding to local woodland was ver y uncommon which suggests that resident Mr P. R i g a l l ,t h e re was once “a school if a wood was present in 1600 it is likel y to have been for the daughters of gentlefol k . ” th e r e for some time previ o u s l y,and may be a remnant of the original 'wildwood' which once With so much uncerta i n t y , it should be no co ver ed most of Britain ..." surprise that a couple of people mentioned the st o r y only as a deliberate fake: “… an invention to Co n s e r vationists reg a r d ancient woodland as the attract tourists to the house.” closest thing to ‘natural’ woodland that we have in the highly cultivated landscapes of Britain. One pupil was told about Catherine Howa r d Those with rare habitats and species are often haunting Hollingbourne Manor,and “an old lady pro t e c t e d .M a n y of Hollingbourne’s ancient who faded into the wall” at Eyhorne Manor. woodlands are Sites of Nature Conserva t i o n Two ghosts? That might explain the confusion. In t e r est or SNCIs. SNCIs are designated by Th e r e may even be a third – one of the children Ke n tW i l d l i fe Trust as good places for wildlife in wro t e : “Manor Hall ghost – maid who drowned in the county. a mill pond.” The map on the right shows which woodlands in SNCI boundaries Wel l , with so many mills in one parish, it was an the Hollingbourne area are ancient and which are Ancient woodland accident waiting to happ e n ! SN C I s . Parish boundaries

listen to their ‘Complaint’ and grant them a free are a . But it’s impossible to say with a figure like Jack pa r don if they returned to their homes.Th e Ca d e , who quickly became the stuff of legend: Jus t Jack reb e l ’ s grievances ranged from major issues such tw o years after his death, revolutionaries lead by Cade as intimidation and bribery in elections to the John Wilkins claimed that Cade was still alive and Cade rather less serious matter of noblemen from wes t one of their ringleaders. If you are from Kent and a bit anti-establishment, Kent having to travel for five days to attend you will be proud to hear that you are carryi n g Sessions at Canterbury. on a great Kentish tradition.The famous peasants’ The offer of pardon was accepted and the uprising led by Wat Tyler in 1381 had many men Rebellion wea ke n e d , but Cade (who accepted the GhostsGhosts fr om Kent as its ringleaders.Then there was the pa r don under his alias of John Mortimer) did not ‘L o l l a r ds’ rising of 1414, with Sir John Oldcastle of gi v e up the struggle. He went on the run throu g h As part of the Lost Landscapes proj e c t ,c h i l d re n Cooling Castle (on the North Kent marshes) at Kent with a few fol l o wer s , and this is pres u m a b l y at Hollingbourne Primary School intervi e wed its fore f ro n t . wh y local legends of his hiding places exist. He fled long-standing residents of the parish to rec o r d Ca d e ’ s Rebellion began in May 1450, against the to Dartfo r d then Rochester,then to Sheppey, their memories of the area . One story that ba c k g r ound of unrest that would even t u a l l y lead wh e r e he failed to capt u r e Queenborough Castle, se veral people mentioned was of a local and ver y to the Wars of the Roses. Jack Cade camped with then through the Weald into , meeting his regal ghost. One of the children wrot e : death at Heathfield. Ca d e ’ s rebellion was over in this militia (an organised forc e , and not the “Hollingbourne Manor – Henry VI I I ’ s fifth wife peasant rabble one might imagine) at Blackheath. just one month. In August of that yea r , a Commission was appointed to investigate the Catherine Howa r d came to the manor.Wh e n Th e y clashed with the King’s men near Seven o a k s beheaded she haunted the manor …” and defeated them.The King fled to Ken i l wort h ‘t r espasses and extortions’ that Cade had and the rebels took control of London, exe c u t i n g complained of. Ho wever , the story is not consistent. their oppres s o r s . After three days it was the If Cade did flee from Sheppey into the Wea l d ,t h a t Ot h e r ch i l d r en wer e told that she haunts citizens of London who drove them out, but they ma y be when he came through the Hollingbourne Eyhorne Manor or Gree n w a y Court or remained a threat to the King who agreed to Hollingbourne House. One pupil rec o r ded that Hollingbourne Manor, looking spooky (Alan Williams)

14 15 Contributors We would like to thank the following contributors to this booklet (in alphabetical order): Andrew Brice Mike Perring Mr P. Rigall Alan Williams The staff and pupils of Hollingbourne Primary School and all the local residents who told them their memories. Thanks to Andreas Lowson from Chartham for checking the route directions. Secondary route text written by Andrew Hudson. This booklet was edited and designed by Clarity Interpretation [email protected] 01303 249501 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 ,C h a r i n g , Chilham 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.