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Pluckley
Pluckley maps
Historic maps of Pluckley and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Pluckley maps
Pluckley area books
Displaying 1 of 23 books about Pluckley and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Pluckley
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Pluckley.
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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
Kent memories
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.
Monkery Bottom
One of the land owners living in Hothfield and well known for her generosity was Mrs Tufton. Although she lived a half mile up a dark lane, she would make it worth the walk to go sing her a few Christmas carols. In the spring she would hire buses to take Hothfield children down to the seaside for the day. Theres more at www.monkerybottom.ca
Monkery Bottom
My mother always said she left Monkery Bottom a brighter place than she had found it. The old bus was no longer the unsightly, rusting hulk, it had once been. It now stood boldly in its place as if it were entitled to be there. The chestnut tree now growing out of the engine compartment was in full leaf and added a rather exotic flavour to the place. The white- washed exterior, with the large red poker-dot curtains, and school art work littering the windows made for a colourful sight. Yes! with out a doubt my mother did leave Monkery Bottom a brighter place than she had found it. Monkery Bottom lies in a hollow along the Faversham road, about two miles from Charing. Its was here my mother had rented an old bus and we would spend the winter of forty-eight living there.
Charing
The village of Charing is located on the south slope of the North Downs along Pilgrims Way. Much of the village as not changed in six hundred years. Shops and homes with there oriel windows still overlook the main street.
Hothfield School
With Hothfield School situated on the common, Miss Bottle, the Head Mistress, had another strict rule. No students were allowed to go anywhere near the bugs at recess. Like flees to a dog though, the boys couldn't stay away from the swamps. In the spring, it was a great place to hunt for frogs, slow worms and newts. There were many times, while in the pursuit of some aquatic trophy, the school bell would ring and in a mad dash to get back to class, students would occasionally end up with a wet foot or two. This meant you would have to sit through afternoon class with soggy feet. There were times when the teacher would ask the rhetorical question, "Has anybody been playing in the bogs at recess?" No one would ever admit to it, but the puddles under some desk were a dead giveaway. www.monkerybottom.ca
Ashford
I used to work in the Chicken & Grill that was situated behind the tank in Ashford; it was a very busy little cafe especially lunchtimes; I met my second husband there; resulting in 42 years together till he died in 2006.
Another popular place was the Bon Bon in the High Street; mostly teenagers would gather there in the evenings & it was where I met my first husband.
The Toffs Jaz Club was very popular around this time; also The Three Jays.
There was a roller skating rink in Ashford at this time also very popular.
