{"id":"69394e737202e9abd62bd0c4","title":"Horsmonden To Goudhurst","path":"walks/routes/recommended/horsmonden-to-goudhurst","contentMarkdown":"# Kent Ramblers: Walk 128\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_128.jpg)\n\n## Points of Interest\n\n### Goudhurst\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P128c.jpg)\n\nProsperity first came to the village in the 14th \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcentury when Edward III banned the import of cloth and \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tencouraged the establishment of a domestic industry by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tallowing Flemish weavers to establish businesses across \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tKent including at Sandwich and Goudhurst.\n\nThe weavers' cottages opposite the church date from \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe 17th century. The master weaver lived in what \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tis now Church House opposite the Star and Eagle inn.\n\nChurch House assumed a very different economic \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsignificance in the early 20th century when the basement \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twas used as the workshop for William Rootes' cycle sales \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tand repair business which eventually turned to motor \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tengineering and in 1928 after various takeovers became \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe Rootes Group.\n\n### St Margaret�s Church�\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/p128b.jpg)\n\n' was built in the 14th century to serve the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsurrounding farms. The village of Horsmonden then \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tgrew up some distance away near the ironworks but \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tretained the old church to serve the residents.\n\n### Sprivers\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P128a.jpg)\n\nOwned by the National Trust, the house dates from \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t1756, built by the Courthope family whose wealth came \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom the Wealden iron industry, to replace a 15th \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcentury house of the same name nearby. Much of the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t108 acres of parkland, orchards and woods is open to \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twalkers at all times but the house is let and not open \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tto the public although available for hire as a wedding \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tvenue.\n\n### Public Transport\n\nBus 297 from Tunbridge Wells to Tenterden, which runs \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\troughly every couple of hours except Sundays, visits \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tboth Horsmonden and Goudhurst.\n\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_128.htm on 2025-12-11 08:56","contentHtml":"

Kent Ramblers: Walk 128

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Points of Interest

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Goudhurst

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Prosperity first came to the village in the 14th \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcentury when Edward III banned the import of cloth and \n\t\t\t\t\t\tencouraged the establishment of a domestic industry by \n\t\t\t\t\t\tallowing Flemish weavers to establish businesses across \n\t\t\t\t\t\tKent including at Sandwich and Goudhurst.

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The weavers' cottages opposite the church date from \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe 17th century. The master weaver lived in what \n\t\t\t\t\t\tis now Church House opposite the Star and Eagle inn.

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Church House assumed a very different economic \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsignificance in the early 20th century when the basement \n\t\t\t\t\t\twas used as the workshop for William Rootes' cycle sales \n\t\t\t\t\t\tand repair business which eventually turned to motor \n\t\t\t\t\t\tengineering and in 1928 after various takeovers became \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe Rootes Group.

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St Margaret�s Church�

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' was built in the 14th century to serve the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsurrounding farms. The village of Horsmonden then \n\t\t\t\t\t\tgrew up some distance away near the ironworks but \n\t\t\t\t\t\tretained the old church to serve the residents.

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Sprivers

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Owned by the National Trust, the house dates from \n\t\t\t\t\t\t1756, built by the Courthope family whose wealth came \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom the Wealden iron industry, to replace a 15th \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcentury house of the same name nearby. Much of the \n\t\t\t\t\t\t108 acres of parkland, orchards and woods is open to \n\t\t\t\t\t\twalkers at all times but the house is let and not open \n\t\t\t\t\t\tto the public although available for hire as a wedding \n\t\t\t\t\t\tvenue.

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Public Transport

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Bus 297 from Tunbridge Wells to Tenterden, which runs \n\t\t\t\t\t\troughly every couple of hours except Sundays, visits \n\t\t\t\t\t\tboth Horsmonden and Goudhurst.

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Automatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_128.htm on 2025-12-11 08:56

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