Bredhurst
Encyclopedia
Bredhurst is a village
in Kent
, that forms part of the Borough of Maidstone
. Its population is 330 (1990). There has been a settlement on the site of the present day Bredhurst since neolithic times because of fertile fields and the good wood supply. The village is quite close to the M2 motorway but retains a traditional feel.
Bredhurst is centred on The Bell Inn and Bredhurst Church of England
primary school. The first dates from the Tudor period
, the latter wasfounded in 1866. The school averages just over 125 pupils with about sixteen pupils per year. Every year on or about the first Saturday of May, Bredhurst School holds its annual mayday
celebration. This event is marked by Maypole dancing, the crowning of the May Queen
, the pageant of Saint George
and the dragon, a procession, and many stalls. The procession starts at abbots court farm and ends at bredhurst school, down the street. The traffic is stopped and the whole village is decked in bunting and banners.
Bredhurst manor dates from the time of King Edward III. It was bought by John of Gaunt in 1379 before King Richard II gave it to Simon de Burley
in 1384. Burley lost the manor when he was accused of high treason
in 1390.
By 1551, Sir Thomas Cheney
was owner of the manor, followed by the Kemsley family later in the 16th century. Isabel Kemsley stipulated that her son John should hold 'a drinking' in the village on All Saints' Day and this tradition continued until the 19th century, when it was replaced with the more popular mayday celebrations.
In 1500-1900: The Bell public house dates from this period, the first mention of it appearing in 1753, the lisensee being John Howting. The pub may originally have been known as the Bluebell. It was not, however, the first pub in the parish. 'Horseshoes Cottage The Street Bredhurst' was in fact the first pub in the parish and was named 'Ye Horseshoes' and at times was utilized as the Manorial Court on occasions. In 1892 the reading room and village cub opened and was located in the northern half of two joined cottages in The Street known today as 'Horseshoes'and they survived into the 20th century.
The 19th century owners of the manor were the Romilly family, terminating when it was sold by the widow of the fourth Baron Romilly, William Guy Gospard Romilly (who died in 1983). It was later bought by a family who do not have a title, who sold most of the grounds off.
St Peter's church at Bredhurst is situated in woodland separate to the village. Typical of downland
flint churches, it combines its 13th century origins with 19th century additions including a small bellcote with two bells. There is a small graveyard. Inside the church are a number of memorials to people who died fighting under the union jack in the first and second world war. During the 16th century when the Reformation
was taking place the treasures of the church were hidden by the incumbent
and his parishioners and have never been found. The treasure included a golden chalice
and the golden altar plate. The famous Bredhurst paten
, which held the communion bread, was found and restored in 1907. It is made of copper and was originally gilded, and dates from 1180-1260. It is one of only four known to be in existence and all the others were found in the graves of bishops or archbishops. The paten is said to be priceless and is kept at the Victoria & Albert Museum as part of their "sacred silver" collection.
Bredhurst was largely untouched during the blitz
and the whole Second World War
in 1939 evacuation
started, large numbers of children evacuated from cities to the country side and Bredhurst. The evacuees went to bredhurst school.
Bredhurst School was built in 1867 during the later part of the victorian era
. In the log book of Bredhurst school the rural dean
was reported to say "I am glad to find that a very good school has been built which is of great advantage to the Parish and of material benefit to the rising generation.” The school was typically Victorian with high windows in the schoolroom to avoid distractions to pupils, a central stove to provide heating and the Schoolmistress' accommodation adjoining. The earliest log book shows that Mrs S.Belcher was Headmistress and was supported by two assistant mistresses and the Vicar who lived in the Rectory, an imposing edifice which stood where Fir Tree Grove is now situated. The curriculum differed greatly from today's and included drill for the boys, knitting and needlework for the girls, recitations and object lessons on subjects as diverse “The Tongue of a Bee” and “Dairying and Cattle Feeding.” These object lessons were sometimes given by the Managers of the School or the Vicar and were illustrated by lantern slides. Bredhurst has always been a Church school and as such the regular three hour Scripture lessons were very important. The Vicar attends very frequently to teach the children Bible stories, Catechisms and Psalms. Many of the issues faced by the Victorian school remain the same today; financial restraints, heating, maintenance, behavioural problems, visits from the School (nit) Nurse, dentist etc., etc. In those days, however, there were more holidays in which to recover the equilibrium. There were holidays to accommodate hop picking, fruit picking, harvesting, Ascension Day, Whitsun
, Empire Day, Independence Day
, school treats/picnics, Sunday school outings, choir
outings, Bank holidays, all ‘Royal' events and even ‘whim' holidays granted at the Managers discretion! All these in addition to the regular Christmas
, Easter
and summer holidays! Today however there are holidays for christmas
, summer and easter
as well as may day
and half term breaks.
Over the years the school has had a varied career, apart from being an educational establishment it has also served as a billet for soldiers during World War I
, polling station, Parish meeting place and evening school. A special meeting of the Parish took place in June 1903 to appoint Mr H Chapman as Manager for the School for a period of three years. The school also housed a museum with various exhibits originating from the Victorian era which were used extensively during object lessons.
The police were in attendance regularly on Saturdays from 1913 in order to issue pig licences. Parishioners gathered in the schoolroom in 1919 in order to organise a “Peace Celebration” for the village in the form of a cricket match, a fair and tea on the 19th of July 1919 on the village green
There were very few changes or structural improvements made to the School until after World War II.
Now days most of Bredhurst is still made up of farms and woodland
, these include Abbots court farm, aaron bank farm and grange farm. It was reported that there are more animals (livestock) living in Bredhurst than people!
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...
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...
, that forms part of the Borough of Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
. Its population is 330 (1990). There has been a settlement on the site of the present day Bredhurst since neolithic times because of fertile fields and the good wood supply. The village is quite close to the M2 motorway but retains a traditional feel.
Bredhurst is centred on The Bell Inn and Bredhurst Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
primary school. The first dates from the Tudor period
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
, the latter wasfounded in 1866. The school averages just over 125 pupils with about sixteen pupils per year. Every year on or about the first Saturday of May, Bredhurst School holds its annual mayday
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
celebration. This event is marked by Maypole dancing, the crowning of the May Queen
May Queen
The May Queen or Queen of May is a term which has two distinct but related meanings, as a mythical figure and as a holiday personification.-Festivals:...
, the pageant of Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
and the dragon, a procession, and many stalls. The procession starts at abbots court farm and ends at bredhurst school, down the street. The traffic is stopped and the whole village is decked in bunting and banners.
Bredhurst manor dates from the time of King Edward III. It was bought by John of Gaunt in 1379 before King Richard II gave it to Simon de Burley
Simon de Burley
Sir Simon de Burley, KG was holder of the offices of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle between 1384-88, and was a Knight of the Garter....
in 1384. Burley lost the manor when he was accused of high treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
in 1390.
By 1551, Sir Thomas Cheney
Thomas Cheney
Sir Thomas Cheney KG was the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in South-East England, from 1536 until his death.-Early life:...
was owner of the manor, followed by the Kemsley family later in the 16th century. Isabel Kemsley stipulated that her son John should hold 'a drinking' in the village on All Saints' Day and this tradition continued until the 19th century, when it was replaced with the more popular mayday celebrations.
In 1500-1900: The Bell public house dates from this period, the first mention of it appearing in 1753, the lisensee being John Howting. The pub may originally have been known as the Bluebell. It was not, however, the first pub in the parish. 'Horseshoes Cottage The Street Bredhurst' was in fact the first pub in the parish and was named 'Ye Horseshoes' and at times was utilized as the Manorial Court on occasions. In 1892 the reading room and village cub opened and was located in the northern half of two joined cottages in The Street known today as 'Horseshoes'and they survived into the 20th century.
The 19th century owners of the manor were the Romilly family, terminating when it was sold by the widow of the fourth Baron Romilly, William Guy Gospard Romilly (who died in 1983). It was later bought by a family who do not have a title, who sold most of the grounds off.
St Peter's church at Bredhurst is situated in woodland separate to the village. Typical of downland
Downland
A downland is an area of open chalk hills. This term is especially used to describe the chalk countryside in southern England. Areas of downland are often referred to as Downs....
flint churches, it combines its 13th century origins with 19th century additions including a small bellcote with two bells. There is a small graveyard. Inside the church are a number of memorials to people who died fighting under the union jack in the first and second world war. During the 16th century when the Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
was taking place the treasures of the church were hidden by the incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
and his parishioners and have never been found. The treasure included a golden chalice
Chalice (cup)
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for drinking during a ceremony.-Christian:...
and the golden altar plate. The famous Bredhurst paten
Paten
A paten, or diskos, is a small plate, usually made of silver or gold, used to hold Eucharistic bread which is to be consecrated. It is generally used during the service itself, while the reserved hosts are stored in the Tabernacle in a ciborium....
, which held the communion bread, was found and restored in 1907. It is made of copper and was originally gilded, and dates from 1180-1260. It is one of only four known to be in existence and all the others were found in the graves of bishops or archbishops. The paten is said to be priceless and is kept at the Victoria & Albert Museum as part of their "sacred silver" collection.
Bredhurst was largely untouched during the blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
and the whole Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939 evacuation
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
started, large numbers of children evacuated from cities to the country side and Bredhurst. The evacuees went to bredhurst school.
Bredhurst School was built in 1867 during the later part of the victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. In the log book of Bredhurst school the rural dean
Rural Dean
In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, a Rural Dean presides over a Rural Deanery .-Origins and usage:...
was reported to say "I am glad to find that a very good school has been built which is of great advantage to the Parish and of material benefit to the rising generation.” The school was typically Victorian with high windows in the schoolroom to avoid distractions to pupils, a central stove to provide heating and the Schoolmistress' accommodation adjoining. The earliest log book shows that Mrs S.Belcher was Headmistress and was supported by two assistant mistresses and the Vicar who lived in the Rectory, an imposing edifice which stood where Fir Tree Grove is now situated. The curriculum differed greatly from today's and included drill for the boys, knitting and needlework for the girls, recitations and object lessons on subjects as diverse “The Tongue of a Bee” and “Dairying and Cattle Feeding.” These object lessons were sometimes given by the Managers of the School or the Vicar and were illustrated by lantern slides. Bredhurst has always been a Church school and as such the regular three hour Scripture lessons were very important. The Vicar attends very frequently to teach the children Bible stories, Catechisms and Psalms. Many of the issues faced by the Victorian school remain the same today; financial restraints, heating, maintenance, behavioural problems, visits from the School (nit) Nurse, dentist etc., etc. In those days, however, there were more holidays in which to recover the equilibrium. There were holidays to accommodate hop picking, fruit picking, harvesting, Ascension Day, Whitsun
Whitsun
Whitsun is the name used in the UK for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples...
, Empire Day, Independence Day
Independence Day
An Independence Day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's assumption of independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a colony or part of another nation or state, and more rarely after the end of a military occupation...
, school treats/picnics, Sunday school outings, choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
outings, Bank holidays, all ‘Royal' events and even ‘whim' holidays granted at the Managers discretion! All these in addition to the regular Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
and summer holidays! Today however there are holidays for christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, summer and easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
as well as may day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
and half term breaks.
Over the years the school has had a varied career, apart from being an educational establishment it has also served as a billet for soldiers during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, polling station, Parish meeting place and evening school. A special meeting of the Parish took place in June 1903 to appoint Mr H Chapman as Manager for the School for a period of three years. The school also housed a museum with various exhibits originating from the Victorian era which were used extensively during object lessons.
The police were in attendance regularly on Saturdays from 1913 in order to issue pig licences. Parishioners gathered in the schoolroom in 1919 in order to organise a “Peace Celebration” for the village in the form of a cricket match, a fair and tea on the 19th of July 1919 on the village green
There were very few changes or structural improvements made to the School until after World War II.
Now days most of Bredhurst is still made up of farms and woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
, these include Abbots court farm, aaron bank farm and grange farm. It was reported that there are more animals (livestock) living in Bredhurst than people!