Smarden
Encyclopedia
Smarden is a civil parish
and village
, west of Ashford
in Kent
, South East England
.
The village has The Church of St. Michael
which because of its high scissor beam roof is sometimes known as "The Barn of Kent".
Smarden borders the villages of Pluckley
and Egerton to the North, Bethersden
to the East, Headcorn
to the West and Biddenden
to the South.
Smarden has a thriving village 'Post Office and Stores', Butcher's shop, an Art Gallery and three Public houses; The Flying Horse, The Bell and The Chequers.
of the parish. The area was covered by the forest
of Anderida and when clearings were made, the River Beult
(a tributary
of the River Medway
) formed the drainage channel. The local wool
len industry was encouraged by King Edward III
who brought weaver
craftsmen
over from Flanders
to create what was to become one of England
's biggest industries. Edward in recognition granted the village a Royal Charter
in 1333 permitting them to hold a weekly market
and an annual fair thus elevating the status from village to "Town". Elizabeth I
, en route from Sissinghurst Castle
to Boughton Malherbe
in 1576, was so impressed by what she saw and ratified the previously granted Charter. A copy of the Charter hangs in the village church.
Including
Parish Council,
PCC (Parocial Church Council),
FOSC (Friend's of Smarden Church),
Charter Hall,
WI,
Meals On Wheels,
Volunteer Car Scheme,
Smarden Youth,
Cricket,
Football,
Good Neighbour Scheme,
Local History Society,
Primary School,
Royal British Legion,
Pre School,
Gardeners Society,
Baby and Toddler Group,
The Smarden Players),
Conservative Association
s were built in the 15th and 16th centuries, many of which remain today. The Cloth Hall (1430) is an example of a fifteenth century yeoman
's timber
hall house. Although built as a farm
it became the central clearing warehouse
for the local cloth industry; the broad-cloth would have been taken from there to the port of Faversham
.
During the Second World War, houses in Smarden, such as Gilletts, were used to relocate evacuees from London in.
(1906–1987) English author, political writer, publisher and one time chairman of the British Housewives’ League lived in Smarden. She married John Becker in London during the Spring of 1945, but retained her maiden name. They moved to the village where she gave birth to a daughter (Elizabeth) in 1946 and a son (John) in 1948. After the tragic death of her husband, she moved to live in Sussex during the 1950s and 1960s and later Oxford. She died in London 1987.
http://www.smardenpc.kentparishes.gov.uk/ This handy site gives some interesting historical and local information, pictures of the village; and provides links to, and information about businesses and societies within the village.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
and village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
, west of Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
.
The village has The Church of St. Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
which because of its high scissor beam roof is sometimes known as "The Barn of Kent".
Smarden borders the villages of Pluckley
Pluckley
Pluckley is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, United Kingdom. It is located close to the North Downs, and is approximately 5 miles west of Ashford...
and Egerton to the North, Bethersden
Bethersden
Bethersden is a small village and civil parish five miles west of Ashford, Kent.The village has two public houses – The Bull and The George...
to the East, Headcorn
Headcorn
Headcorn is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the floodplain of the River Beult south east of Maidstone....
to the West and Biddenden
Biddenden
Biddenden is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village lies on the Weald of Kent, some five miles north of Tenterden. It was centre for Wealden iron industry and also of clothmaking. During the reign of Edward III some Flemish clothworkers settled in the area...
to the South.
Smarden has a thriving village 'Post Office and Stores', Butcher's shop, an Art Gallery and three Public houses; The Flying Horse, The Bell and The Chequers.
History
The earliest known date for Smarden is 1205, when Adam de Essex became the RectorRector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the parish. The area was covered by the forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
of Anderida and when clearings were made, the River Beult
River Beult
The River Beult is a tributary of the River Medway. It has several sources west of Ashford, including one at Woodchurch. It then flows through Headcorn. At Hunton, above Yalding it is joined by the major stream of the River Teise. Town bridge lies 10¼ miles from Allington, it is the longest...
(a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the River Medway
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
) formed the drainage channel. The local wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
len industry was encouraged by King Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
who brought weaver
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
craftsmen
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
over from Flanders
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
to create what was to become one of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's biggest industries. Edward in recognition granted the village a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
in 1333 permitting them to hold a weekly market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
and an annual fair thus elevating the status from village to "Town". Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, en route from Sissinghurst Castle
Sissinghurst Castle Garden
The garden at Sissinghurst Castle in the Weald of Kent, near Cranbrook, Goudhurst and Tenterden, is owned and maintained by the National Trust. It is among the most famous gardens in England.-History:...
to Boughton Malherbe
Boughton Malherbe
For other "Boughtons" in Kent see Boughton under Blean; Boughton Malherbe; and Boughton MonchelseaBoughton Malherbe is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone district of Kent, England, situated between Maidstone and Ashford...
in 1576, was so impressed by what she saw and ratified the previously granted Charter. A copy of the Charter hangs in the village church.
Organisations
Smarden has a number of community organisations/interest groupsIncluding
Parish Council,
PCC (Parocial Church Council),
FOSC (Friend's of Smarden Church),
Charter Hall,
WI,
Meals On Wheels,
Volunteer Car Scheme,
Smarden Youth,
Cricket,
Football,
Good Neighbour Scheme,
Local History Society,
Primary School,
Royal British Legion,
Pre School,
Gardeners Society,
Baby and Toddler Group,
The Smarden Players),
Conservative Association
Houses
Smarden became very prosperous and some fine houseHouse
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
s were built in the 15th and 16th centuries, many of which remain today. The Cloth Hall (1430) is an example of a fifteenth century yeoman
Yeoman
Yeoman refers chiefly to a free man owning his own farm, especially from the Elizabethan era to the 17th century. Work requiring a great deal of effort or labor, such as would be done by a yeoman farmer, came to be described as "yeoman's work"...
's timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
hall house. Although built as a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
it became the central clearing warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
for the local cloth industry; the broad-cloth would have been taken from there to the port of Faversham
Faversham
Faversham is a market town and civil parish in the Swale borough of Kent, England. The parish of Faversham grew up around an ancient sea port on Faversham Creek and was the birthplace of the explosives industry in England.-History:...
.
During the Second World War, houses in Smarden, such as Gilletts, were used to relocate evacuees from London in.
Notable people
Dorothy CrispDorothy Crisp
- Biography :Born in Leeds 17 May 1906, she became a public speaker and writer on nationalism, contributing to the National Review in the 1920s. Among her books were The Rebirth of Conservatism and Why we Lost Singapore . She was a British political commentator with contacts in high places at the...
(1906–1987) English author, political writer, publisher and one time chairman of the British Housewives’ League lived in Smarden. She married John Becker in London during the Spring of 1945, but retained her maiden name. They moved to the village where she gave birth to a daughter (Elizabeth) in 1946 and a son (John) in 1948. After the tragic death of her husband, she moved to live in Sussex during the 1950s and 1960s and later Oxford. She died in London 1987.
http://www.smardenpc.kentparishes.gov.uk/ This handy site gives some interesting historical and local information, pictures of the village; and provides links to, and information about businesses and societies within the village.