GOUDHURST

 Goudhurst is a village in Kent on the Weald, about 12 miles (19 km) south of Maidstone. It stands on a crossroads (A262 & B2079), where there is a large village pond. The land surrounding the pond, is known as The Plain, and the building behind the pond, is the village hall. 

The word Goudhurst is derived from the Old English guo hyrst, meaning Battle Hill, or the wooded hill on which a battle has been fought. The name apparently commemorates a battle fought on this high ground in Saxon times. Whichever road you take from the crossroads, will be a steep one! The church is often known as the Cathedral of the Weald. 

There are a remarkable 217 listed buildings in Goudhurst, including five oast houses. Goudhurst was a centre of the Wealden iron trade from the 15th century and had a thriving weaving industry. It was also at the centre of a hop-growing region. Opposite the churchyard is a row of old weavers' cottages. Flemish weavers came to Kent around 1330, and the cottages were built about 20 years later in 1350. Weavers based here became wealthy by weaving broadcloth.

Next to the weavers' cottages, stands the Old Lime House. The figures (crudely carved and known locally as Adam and Eve and the Soup Tureen) were added by Thomas Apps, who had a lime store and builders yard here.

The Flemish weavers brought more than weaving skills to Goudhurst; they brought a taste for beer brewed with hops and a knowledge of how to brew it. They started planting small hop gardens and within a few generations, the Weald was covered in hop farms. For hundreds of years, hop-picking was an annual event, with workers from London descending on Goudhurst each year to pick hops. Which is why the village sign features fruit and an oast house.

The oast house stands at the crossroads in the middle of the village, next to the Old Bank.

In 1341, the Archbishop decreed that the Rector of Goudhurst should recieve an annual tithe including herbs sown in gardens. This led to a dispute as to whether hops are grown in gardens or fields. the vicar wished for a greater tithe, and tried to claim a part of all hop production, he lost the argument. However the hop fields are known locally as 'Hop Gardens'.

During the Tudor period, the Kentish Weald was known as the 'black country' for its thriving iron mining industry. Sir Alexander Culpepper's forge at nearby Bedgebury cast the cannon used to fight the Spanish Armada.

By the 18th century, the iron industry had died, and this area of Kent was a centre for smuggling. The infamous Hawkhurst Gang ruled the Goudhurst area under the leadership of George Kingsmill, a native of Goudhurst. The residents of Goudhurst decided to fight back against the Hawkhurst Gang's reign of terror and formed a militia under William Sturt.

Kingsmill swore to defeat the militia, and  on Monday 20th April 1747 the gang marched on the town. Women and children took refuge in the church, and in a battle that raged through the churchyard and the neighbouring Star and Eagle pub, three smugglers including Kingsmill's brother George were killed and others of the gang were captured and imprisoned in the church vestry.

Kingsmill was eventually captured and executed at Tyburn in London, but his body was brought back to Goudhurst where it was hung in chains. The 'Battle of Goudhurst' broke the power of the Hawkhurst Gang forever.

This is the Star and Eagle Inn. Originally called the Star & Crown. Passages from the cellars to the church next door, were supposedly used by the gang of smugglers. 

Church House, which stands next to Church Cottage, both listed. Originally a cloth hall, the building was subsequently a Tavern, a barracks for the anti-smuggling Militia band at Goudhurst and the base of William Rootes Snr's. Bicycle business c.1900 from which developed the Rootes motor group. Picture shows just how steep the hill down to the centre of the village is

Halfway down the hill, on the other side of the road, is the curious basement to a house called 'Spyways', a 14th. century residential building. Not been able to establish what or why it is as yet.

And so to St. Mary's church.....

The church's location made it a perfect spot for a lookout during both World Wars. From the top of the tower, which rises to exactly 500 feet above sea level, on a clear day it is said you can see 51 churches and even spot the Canary Wharf Tower in London.

The tower which was built in the early 1300's was struck by lightning in 1637 and caught fire. The fire was so intensive that the bells melted, and the tower had to be rebuilt.

During the Second World War in 1940 the church was damaged by two parachute mines, which exploded destroying most of the windows. The church tower was used by the Home Guard as an observation platform.

There's an attractive small side door on the north side

But the main entrance is through the west door, below the tower. This opens into a generous porch, which contains this beautiful mosaic.

The most interesting monument by far is that of Sir Alexander Culpepper and his wife, which dates to 1537. This is one of just 80 surviving wooden effigy tombs in Britain.

This monument is a tabletop tomb, with painted wooden effigies of the deceased in beautifully detailed period costumes. The couple lies side by side. Sir Alexander is clad in a red and gold surcoat over armour. His head is bare. Queen Elizabeth I knighted Alexander Culpepper in 1573 when she stayed at his Bedgebury estate.

His wife is portrayed in a black dress with a red cloak over, and an ornate headdress of the style familiar to anyone who has viewed Elizabethan portraits by Hans Holbein. The knight was known as 'Ould Sir Alexander'. The memorial is raised up, but some kind soul has thought of visitors and provided a small step-stool so that you can climb a few steps up and get a very good vantage point to investigate the effigies.

Carved into the window jamb immediately above the Culpepper tomb is a small scene depicting kneeling members of the family with a likeness of St George slaying his dragon, and a Virgin and Child. This carving has been dated to 1537.

The church houses many memorials to the Culpepper Family.  Their iron foundries at Bedgebury cast guns used against the Spanish Armada.

Other members of the Culpepper family are remembered with memorials in the Lady Chapel, sometimes called the Bedgebury Chapel. Here you can see the oldest memorial in the church; the brass of John Bedgebury (d. 1424), who may have fought at the Battle of Agincourt.

Bedgebury is one of the oldest manors in England, with a grant dated AD 815. After John de Bedgebury's death, the manor of Bedgebury passed to the Culpepper family.

The first Culpepper of Bedgebury was Sir John, whose brass memorial, dated 1480, is beside the altar. He is shown wearing armour of the plate and mail type.

Sir John's memorial is overshadowed by a quite wonderful alabaster Tudor monument to the Culpeppers. Four generations of the family are commemorated in this lovely memorial, carved in 1599. In an upper niche is Sir Thomas Culpepper, Sheriff under Edward VI. Beneath Sir Thomas is his son Alexander with Mary, his wife.

Sir Alexander Culpepper was an influential nobleman who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. The queen is known to have visited him at Bedgebury. Beneath Sir Alexander is a likeness of his son Anthony, with his wife Ann, who was the daughter of the Mayor of London. At the bottom of the memorial are carvings of their sixteen children. kneeling in suitably reverential attitudes of prayer.

On the south wall of the sanctuary is another memorial, an Italian marble one of William Campion (d. 1665). In 1722 the Campion family donated the candelabra that still hangs in the nave.

There is also a wall memorial tablet to another William Campion, who died in 1702. William Campion (6 February 1640 – 20 September 1702) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1689 and 1702.

Campion was the son of Sir William Campion of Combwell, and his wife Grace Parker, daughter of Sir Thomas Parker of Ratton Sussex. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and admitted to Middle Temple in 1657.

Campion was elected Member of Parliament for Seaford in 1689 and held the seat until July 1698. He was then re-elected for Seaford in December 1698 and held the seat until 1701. In 1701 he was elected MP for Kent and held the seat until his death in 1702. Campion died aged 62 

Here are a few more random shots taken in the church, including the pulpit and the font.

Altogether a very beautiful church, which is being well looked after.