Loose, Kent
Encyclopedia
Loose is a village some 2 miles (3 km) south of Maidstone
, Kent
, situated at the head of the Loose Valley. The village and the Loose Valley form the Loose Valley Conservation Area. The fast flowing River Loose which rises near Langley
runs through the centre of the village and once supported a paper making industry, evidence of which can still be found today. An area around the village is also known as Loose but Loose village itself is based in the Loose valley and extends along Busbridge Road towards Tovil
.
The name ‘Loose’ might take its name from the Loose stream, which 'loses' itself for several miles under ground from the point where it rises in Langley. (Edward Hasted: Hlosan in Saxon, signifying to lose or be lost).
Old Loose Hill descends into Loose village and the valley, the hill being so steep that in the 18th and 19th century consecutive landlords of The Chequers public house kept horses which were hired out to help haul carts to the top of the hill. The road is still lined with haul stones around which ropes were tied to help relieve he horses of the weight of the carts. Across the stream from the Chequers is Brooks Field.
In the village the Brooks path, a picturesque causeway along the Loose stream which joins the two ends of the village, divides the mill pond which once fed the village mill. All Saints church, of the Diocese of Canterbury
, overlooks this section of river. A local tradition has it that if one sticks a pin in the old Yew tree in the churchyard then runs around it anticlockwise at midnight one will, if one looks through a small window above the Charlton memorial against the church wall, see a vision of a woman killing a baby. The Reverend Richard Boys
was vicar here and also chaplain of St Helena during Napolon Bonaparte's exile on the island. The Reverend Boys is buried in the churchyard.
To the east of the village is the Loose Viaduct, attributed to Thomas Telford
in 1830 to carry the Maidstone
to Hastings
road (the present day A229
) across the Loose Valley. The village has two public houses. The Chequers is in the valley beside the river and The Walnut Tree is on the main A229 opposite Loose Infant school and Loose Junior school; separate schools but sharing the same site. A third pub, The Kings Arms, was closed in 2005 and is now a private house.
World famous 'Gonzo' illustrator Ralph Steadman
lives in Loose, and the 'Beechgrove Garden' (BBC Scotland) presenter Carole Baxter was born in Loose
Loose is pronounced 'Looze' to rhyme with booze.
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...
, 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...
, situated at the head of the Loose Valley. The village and the Loose Valley form the Loose Valley Conservation Area. The fast flowing River Loose which rises near Langley
Langley, Kent
Langley is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the A274 road leading south from Maidstone to Headcorn .-History:...
runs through the centre of the village and once supported a paper making industry, evidence of which can still be found today. An area around the village is also known as Loose but Loose village itself is based in the Loose valley and extends along Busbridge Road towards Tovil
Tovil
Tovil is a civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone, in Kent in the South East of England.It is a mixture of residential and industrial zoning, with an increase in commercial usage towards the centre of Maidstone, and more arable use on the outskirts....
.
The name ‘Loose’ might take its name from the Loose stream, which 'loses' itself for several miles under ground from the point where it rises in Langley. (Edward Hasted: Hlosan in Saxon, signifying to lose or be lost).
History
Loose originates from Saxon times but its main period of development was during the Industrial Revolution when Loose, Boughton Monchelsea and Bockingford developed around the seven mills which were driven by the Loose stream. There are several remains of the mills, including millraces at Leg O'Mutton pond, Gurney's Mill, Loose village mill in Bridge Street, the mill ponds at Little and Great Ivy mills and further down the valley in Crismill and Hayle, where the old paper mill stands with its only remaining chimney. This site has now been redeveloped as housing. Further south are disused mine pits where ragstone was once mined, some of which was sent sent for use at the Tower of London. South along the Loose Road (A229), terminating at the Post Office, a tram track ran which transported Loose residents to and from Maidstone.Old Loose Hill descends into Loose village and the valley, the hill being so steep that in the 18th and 19th century consecutive landlords of The Chequers public house kept horses which were hired out to help haul carts to the top of the hill. The road is still lined with haul stones around which ropes were tied to help relieve he horses of the weight of the carts. Across the stream from the Chequers is Brooks Field.
Features
Diocese of Canterbury
The Diocese of Canterbury is a Church of England diocese covering eastern Kent, founded by St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597. It is centred on Canterbury Cathedral, and is the oldest see of the Church of England....
, overlooks this section of river. A local tradition has it that if one sticks a pin in the old Yew tree in the churchyard then runs around it anticlockwise at midnight one will, if one looks through a small window above the Charlton memorial against the church wall, see a vision of a woman killing a baby. The Reverend Richard Boys
Richard Boys
Reverend Richard Boys MA was a Church of England clergyman and author, most notable for his tenure as Chaplain on St. Helena at the time of Napoleon Bonaparte's exile there...
was vicar here and also chaplain of St Helena during Napolon Bonaparte's exile on the island. The Reverend Boys is buried in the churchyard.
To the east of the village is the Loose Viaduct, attributed to Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
in 1830 to carry the 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...
to Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
road (the present day A229
A229 road
The A229 is a major road running north-south through Kent.The road begins in the Medway town of Rochester at the foot of Star Hill forming a junction with the A2 road. It then climbs up through the built-up area of Chatham, passing Troy Town and Rochester Airport before descending the slope of the...
) across the Loose Valley. The village has two public houses. The Chequers is in the valley beside the river and The Walnut Tree is on the main A229 opposite Loose Infant school and Loose Junior school; separate schools but sharing the same site. A third pub, The Kings Arms, was closed in 2005 and is now a private house.
World famous 'Gonzo' illustrator Ralph Steadman
Ralph Steadman
Ralph Steadman is a British cartoonist and caricaturist who is perhaps best known for his work with American author Hunter S. Thompson.-Personal life:Steadman was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, and brought up in Towyn, North Wales...
lives in Loose, and the 'Beechgrove Garden' (BBC Scotland) presenter Carole Baxter was born in Loose
Loose is pronounced 'Looze' to rhyme with booze.