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Bethersden
Bethersden maps
Historic maps of Bethersden and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Bethersden maps
Bethersden area books
Displaying 1 of 24 books about Bethersden and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Bethersden
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Bethersden.
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Lovelace Family
I am searching for any references or memories relating to the LOVELACE family
I am told there was a Lovelace Place and a Lovelace Chapel in the Roman Catholic church. If any person has any such knowledge, please contact me via this site.
Kent memories
The Christmas Party at Harbourne Hall
My name is Linda Bannister and I was born at Lodge Farm, High Halden. Does anyone remember Harbourne Hall before it was demolished? My fond memory is of a Christmas Party at the Hall when I was five years old. My memory is as follows:-
The milk churn stand stood on the side of the lane by the big old oak tree and as you rounded the corner our house stood on the left. It was once the lodge to the big hall, otherwise known as Harbourne Hall, which was approached by a long roughly made up road which in spring was adorned with masses of daffodils. The Hall was built of bright red bricks with a flat roof. At one end it had a belfry and on windy nights the bell would tinkle in the wind. Huge fir trees surrounded the Hall with its long dark windows and somewhat stark appearance. There was a court yard behind the main Hall where there was a door which led to... Read more
Harbourne Farm
Hello Linda. My name is Linda too and I am the grandaughter of George Hamilton, who owned Harbourne Farm. Of course I remember Harbourne Hall well, as I do you. We played together often, and I have a photo to prove it. We are both playing in an old stone sink in the garden of the farm. The farm buildings as they are now are quite beautiful and I wish I could afford to buy it.!! My sister and I have very fond memories of our idyllic childhood on that farm. My grandmother did bed and breakfast and the house was always full of guests from all over the world. This meant that sometimes we had to sleep in the loft!! quite an adventure. Sadly my Mother died last year, but I know she would have loved to see the photos of the farm buildings as they are now. I remember the majestic Harbourne Hall. I remember one owner emigrating to Australia and another opening the Hall as a Country... Read more
Harbourne Hall
My name is Jo Latter and Harbourne Hall was built by my Gt Gt Uncle Henry Latter. I only remember seeing the Hall once before it was pulled down and even then I did not go inside. I would love to have contact with anyone who has any photos of the Hall inside or out as I only have one which is of the tower. My email address is personal@jlatter.co.uk and I look forward to hearing.
KIRKBANK
My mother's name is Norah Eleen Kirkbank and I am looking for any old pictures or information on the Kirkbanks. I have some old photos taken by my grandfather taken in the late 1800s or early 1900s, including the school. My mother's address was 9 The Green. My great-grandfather lived at Kirkbank Cottages, Kirkbank Corner.
HARBOURNE HALL
I remember, Major Matt and Mrs Maureen Forrester living at Harbourne Hall very well. I remember, Michael and Karen Beresford as young teenagers home from school at Harbourne Hall. I used to live in the East Wing during 1970's. Major and Mrs Forrester were kind and very sociable people. I still have some photos of one of the Rolls Royce and Bentley car club annual events at the Hall. Together with Joe and Vera Balser, we used to have many happy times at Harbourne Hall. I was very sad when it was demolished.
Hop Picking
I used to go to Little Chart Farm, Pluckley as a child, being born in the East End in 1946. My memories are of freedom and adventure, long, happy carefree days spent in the beautiful Kent countryside, for a few weeks each summer. My aunt and uncle Ivy and Tom Smart had a wooden hut on the farm and my parents and I used to join them for a holiday. The picking of hops was a hard, thirsty and dirty job, their hands were stained green and smelt strongly of the hops. We kids used to explore, the surrounding area, scrumping apples from the orchards, and being chased by then farmer, visiting the spooky ruined church, of which there was supposed to be a haunting by a hooded monk. A phantom coach and horses was said to be seen or sometimes just heard thundering past one of the local pubs. One of the drawbacks used to be visiting the 'loo', which was on the edge of the woods, you would... Read more
