Kent Ramblers: Walk 128

Points of Interest

Goudhurst

Prosperity first came to the village in the 14th century when Edward III banned the import of cloth and encouraged the establishment of a domestic industry by allowing Flemish weavers to establish businesses across Kent including at Sandwich and Goudhurst.

The weavers' cottages opposite the church date from the 17th century. The master weaver lived in what is now Church House opposite the Star and Eagle inn.

Church House assumed a very different economic significance in the early 20th century when the basement was used as the workshop for William Rootes' cycle sales and repair business which eventually turned to motor engineering and in 1928 after various takeovers became the Rootes Group.

St Margaret�s Church�

' was built in the 14th century to serve the surrounding farms. The village of Horsmonden then grew up some distance away near the ironworks but retained the old church to serve the residents.

Sprivers

Owned by the National Trust, the house dates from 1756, built by the Courthope family whose wealth came from the Wealden iron industry, to replace a 15th century house of the same name nearby. Much of the 108 acres of parkland, orchards and woods is open to walkers at all times but the house is let and not open to the public although available for hire as a wedding venue.

Public Transport

Bus 297 from Tunbridge Wells to Tenterden, which runs roughly every couple of hours except Sundays, visits both Horsmonden and Goudhurst.

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