Rolvenden
Rolvenden maps (2 available)
Map of Kent
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
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Rolvenden books (11 available)
Rolvenden memories
Read and share memories of Rolvenden and Kent inspired by Frith photos
MY BEAUTIFUL KENTISH BIRTHPLACE
I was born in East House, Tenterden Road, Rolvenden on 2nd November 1938. My dad was about to join the RAF and I was born in my grandparents' home. There were large cellars below the house - very scarey. East House and West House are joined in the centre by a 'shop' which was the Post Office and telephone exchange in the 1920/30s. My mother, Molly Allsop, was one of the operators of the switchboard in the switch room. Few people had telephones. My grandfather, Joe Allsop JP, was the village postmaster and the mail, telegrams and telephones were all run from that property. In the 1930s the Post Office was moved over the road to a small old double fronted ...read more here
Contributed by Jill Howell
Kent memories
MY BEAUTIFUL KENTISH BIRTHPLACE
I was born in East House, Tenterden Road, Rolvenden on 2nd November 1938. My dad was about to join the RAF and I was born in my grandparents' home. There were large cellars below the house - very scarey. East House and West House are joined in the centre by a 'shop' which was the Post Office and telephone exchange in the 1920/30s. My mother, Molly Allsop, was one of the operators of the switchboard in the switch room. Few people had telephones. My grandfather, Joe Allsop JP, was the village postmaster and the mail, telegrams and telephones were all run from that property. In the 1930s the Post Office was moved over the road to a small old double fronted ...read more here
A memory of Rolvenden contributed by Jill Howell
Visiting my parents in Iden Green
I have very fond memories of visiting my parents, Margaret & Percy Thorburn who owned Coveney Cottage from 1961 until 1980.
We used to come down from London on the National Coach to Benenden and then a Fuggles Garage car/taxi would take us down to Iden Green. Alternatively we would meet my parents in the pub (name temporarily forgotten) and have a drink before driving back to their cottage.
I remember the village when it had its own public house and village shop, and lots of the older residents, Fred & Lily of Lilac Cottage, Mrs Daw from the other half of Coveney Cottage, Joan Witterkoff of Seerose Cottage, to name but a few.
My parents are ...read more here
A memory of Iden Green contributed by Anne Kennedy
Clare House
Does anyone know where the name Clare House came from? Is this property in the High Street, north side? I had relations surnamed 'Clare' who lived in a very similar property in the 1930/40s. The front door is different now, and steps went up to it. Any information please?
A memory of Tenterden contributed by Jill Howell
Extracts From Rolvenden & Kent books
Many villagers left their homes here between 1830 and 1850 when the parish gave them money to go to Australia. This often meant that they would never return and see scenes like the one pictured here - the 13th-century church of St Mary and all the history that goes with it. The church's most famous vicar was John Frankish, one of the martyrs of 1555 burned at the stake in Canterbury.
An extract from from"Kent Revisited Photographic Memories".
On the right is the old Belle Vue Tavern
dating back to the 1760s, which was an
earlier haunt for smugglers. In 1831,
the landlord Mr John Cramp received
a visit from the Duchess of Kent and
her daughter Princess Victoria; they
dined on potted shrimp paste. Later,
Mr Cramp received the Royal
Appointment of Purveyor of Essence
of Shrimps in Ordinary to Her Majesty
the Queen. On the left are the Floral
Tea Gardens followed by the Pear Tree
Inn, later Samuel Banger’s potted
shrimp paste factory. His small paste
pots had highly decorated lids
depicting scenes of Pegwell; today
they are valuable antiques.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
Work on building this
elegant square started in
1802 after James Townley
bought the ground. The
buildings on the left were
officers’ quarters during the
Napoleonic Wars. The
square was a large parade
ground, and nearby
Addington Street was a
military camp. Frith’s
photographer was standing
outside No 6 Royal Road,
where Vincent Van Gogh
had stayed.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
Here we see three of eight classical-style statues holding lanterns which stood at the
junction of the High Street and George Street outside Sangers Amphitheatre and
Hotel between 1911 and 1913. Six statues were removed and erected outside the
Hall by the sea in Margate; the other two remained until 1939. There was
controversy surrounding these figures: in 1908, Alderman Gwyn called them ‘an
eyesore and a disfigurement’. Lord George Sanger had seen the originals of the
statues in Paris outside the Grand Opera House in 1883, and had eight replicas cast,
paying £50 per figure for the transport and erection of these statues. Opposite is
Lloyds Bank, which moved to new premises in 1928, renting the building to the
NatWest Bank. The piano sign next door denotes Golden & Wind’s premises.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".
Here we have a tranquil view at low water of the inner basin. On the extreme right is the Clock House. To its left in
Smeaton’s dry dock is a sailing vessel being repaired. The fishing smacks in the foreground have RE numbers, denoting that
they are registered in Ramsgate; later the E was dropped and only the letter R used.
An extract from from"Ramsgate Old and New Photographic Memories".