Such a pretty town, rightly called 'The Jewel of The Weald'. The name actually means 'pasture of the men of Thanet'. Tenterden was originally the property of the manor of Minster in Thanet.
The town pump and the town Sign, which incorporates the Arms of the Cinque Ports*. Its riverside today is not navigable to large vessels and its status as a wool manufacturing centre has been lost.
* Cinque Ports were exempt from regular taxation, were largely self-governing, and were entitled to have a representative at royal coronations.
The town's name is derived from the Old English "Tenet Waraden", meaning a den or forest clearing in the forest which belonged to the men of Thanet.
In the above picture, you can see the tower of St. Mildred's parish church. It is well worth stepping back from the High Street, and paying it a visit. The construction of such a richly decorative church, one of the largest in the county, is said to have caused resentment within the Cinque Ports.
A bishop is said to have built it with the money or materials intended to have been used to maintain the sea wall at Sandwich.
This apparently caused the silting up of Sandwich harbour, and the creation of the Goodwin Sands! Trade then moved from Sandwich to Smallhythe, the port for Tenterden, and the money went with it
St Mildred was a 7th-century princess of Kent, who served as abbess of the nunnery at Minster-in-Thanet. Tenterden manor was granted to Thanet Minster around the time of Mildred's death.
It has a lovely selection of gargoyles all around
Horatia, the illegitimate daughter of Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton, married the vicar, Reverend Philip Ward, here in 1822. Horatia was born in 1801. Lord Nelson died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and Emma Hamilton died in 1815.
To the right of the churchyard, there is a little brick path that leads to The Wonky House.
The A28 which runs through the town and serves as the High Street, links Margate/Canterbury/Ashford/Tenterden/Hastings.
Here is is a very broad, tree-lined avenue, with the War Memorial at the centre of town.
the top of the memorial bears the Invicta white horse of Kent one side, and the Cinque Port Arms on the other
There are a couple of plaques on posts in the grass near to the memorial, including one commemorating the mayor who planted the trees along the High Street.
There's a lovely old glass lamp outside the building that was Ridley the Chemists, now Paydens
At the top of Sayers Lane (which leads to Waitrose!), in a house covered with 'mathematical tiles'. In 1784, a tax was introduced on bricks, by George III to help fund the wars in the American Colonies. Because of this, a lot of new houses at that time were covered in ceramic tiles in order to avoid the 2/6d per thousand tax.
Next to the Town Hall, stands the old Woolpack Hotel, known locally as the 'Woolly', which was built in the 15th. century
The lovely Art Deco Embassy cinema opened in 1937, but closed in 1969 and became a shopping centre
As you approach East Cross, there is a large paved area, which is presumably privately owned. As this plaque on the adjoining wall makes clear.............................Not dedicated to the public, but maybe 'Dedicated To The One I Love'
Further on in East Cross, your eyes get drawn towards the beauty shop. It's not my taste, but when you're stuck at the traffic lights, it's a pretty thing to look at.
As you head further along the Ashford Road, past the house with the tower, mockingly referred to as 'Tenterden Castle'........The house was built in the late 1700s but the tower wasn't added until 1904, when it was owned by John Ellis Mace, who wrote a book called 'Old Tenterden', and whose father was Mayor of Tenterden in 1856. The house is now Grade II listed
.....................you come to the Old Meeting House, now the Unitarian Church, where Benjamin Franklin once worshipped in 1774. He came there to hear Joseph Priestley preach, who, as well as defining oxygen as a component of air, also invented carbonated water and so is to be thanked for our fizzy drinks!
Tenterden has a very attractive Recreation Ground and park at the East Cross end of town. It often plays host to travelling fairs, as well as being the location for all sorts of local festivals. It is also home for the Beacon, which was last lit a few weeks ago for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
There is a small garden with seating, between the Appledore Road and the Ashford Road, separate from the main park. There is a marker explaining how this little garden came about, and since 2001, that has been joined by a concrete block which contains a time capsule.
The park has public conveniences and a large children's playground. It also plays host to a travelling fair every summer, and various town festivals. It really is used as a community hub.
Crossing the road by the school, you will find a pleasant footpath between the school and the surgery. This runs parallel to the High Street for quite distance, eventually leading to Theatre Square.
Just as you turn into the square, over to the left is an old brick built hut. You can see immediately what it's original use was
On the opposite side of the road from the church, there is an alley called Bell's Lane. This is well-worth a stroll, as it opens into a picturesque lane of flower-covered old cottages, which includes Theatre Cottage, Theatre Square, Nelson Cottage and Playwright Cottage.
Now, Pebbles House. A remarkable house erected by a Dr. Mace, with a central doorway big enough for him to ride his horse through to the stabling at the rear! The last owner left it to the Town Council, together with the rear garden. This is now beautifully tended by the Council workers, and is called the Millenium Garden. It's an absolute haven of peace and quiet, flowers and birdsong, in a busy world.
Emerging from the garden, outside the White Lion pub is a very old waymarker, still mostly legible, at least on three sides.
Look at the buildings around here, and you will spot some lovely old lead drainpipes
Down by West Cross, at the bottom of the town, is the William Caxton pub, owned by Shepherd Neame, the oldest brewing firm in the country. (It's just changed hands, and is now called 'The Print House'). William Caxton, who printed the first English book in 1477, was possibly born in Tenterden
And on the opposite corner, stands a gatehouse to Heronden Hall that was seriously damaged by the Great Storm of 1987. As it is a listed building, it has thankfully been rebuilt, and adds character to these busy crossroads
Halfway along the High Street, you come to Station Road. Guess where that leads....................
The Vine pub at the top of Station Road, once had a sign pointing the way to the Railway Station. This was removed when British Railways closed the line through Tenterden.
I'm glad to say this sign has now been fully restored and once again points the way to the Station, now running trains for the Kent & Est Sussex Railway
Halfway down Station Road, at the back of a small car park, is a wooden building which houses the Tenterden Town Museum. It's free (although donations are always welcome) and worth a visit. You can't miss it - it has a mobile boiler and a chaff cutting machine outside!
There is a path (Church Path) leading from the Station back up to the Church. I'm not saying it's steep, but if you're not fit, you'd do better to walk back up Station Road!
However, at the bottom of Church Path, just walk few yards up, and then on the right is a private road. You are permitted, however, to just go onto the road, where you will find a recently restored wishing well. This was originally made in 1863, and is now used to raise funds for the Savannah Charitable Trust, which provides an education for some of the poorest children in West Africa.
I'll just finish with a postbox 'topper' which has been a craze for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, leave you to admire the clever woolwork that has gone into its' creation:
Kent & East Sussex Railway
The Kent and East Sussex Railway opened in 1900 when it was known as the Rother Valley Railway. It was a light railway, intended to operate only until operating profits could be generated to rebuild it using more permanent heavy rail techniques.
In 1923 the railway introduced a unique carriage; a pair of Ford buses linked back to back and fitted with rail wheels. The railway could not compete with the convenience of road travel and finally ceased operation in 1954. A charitable society was formed with the aim of restoring the railway to passenger service, and regular service began again in 1974.
The railway uses a mix of steam and diesel locomotives, including two 'Terrier' steam locomotives built in 1872. The line, which currently runs as far as Bodiam via Rolvenden and Northiam, is being extended to Robertsbridge (near Hastings) in East Sussex. The station is now quite a complex, with a cafe, shop and Colonel Stephenson's Railway Museum to enjoy, as well as the locomotives.
The railway's engine sheds and works are at Rolvenden station, and are occasionally open to the public
No comments:
Post a Comment