{"id":"69394e4b7202e9abd62bd0af","title":"Ightham Mote And Fairlawne Estate","path":"walks/routes/recommended/ightham-mote-and-fairlawne-estate","contentMarkdown":"# Kent Ramblers: Walk 69\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_069.jpg)\n\n## Points of Interest\n\n### Fairlawne Estate\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P069a.jpg)\n\nThe original moated manor on the site was called Fair \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLane and belonged in the 17th century to Sir Henry Vane \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe Younger. He supported Parliament against \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCharles I in the Civil War, but opposed the King's \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\texecution and fell out of favour with Cromwell. \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDespite this, on the restoration of the monarchy, \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCharles II thought Vane's views on democratic reform \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdangerous and had him sentenced to death on a charge of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttreason. Samuel Pepys, who watched the execution \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ton Tower Hill in June 1662, recorded that Vane \"appeared \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe most resolved man that ever died in that manner, and \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tshowed more of heat than cowardize, but yet with \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\thumility and gravity\". Vane is buried in \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tShipbourne church.\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P069b.jpg)\n\nIn the 20th century the estate was owned by Sir Peter \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCazalet who trained horses owned by the Queen Mother who \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twas a regular overnight visitor. The current owner \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tis Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.\n\nIn 2011 the Prince attempted to close a public \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfootpath across the estate but local residents rebelled \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tand, supported by local Ramblers, won an appeal to the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlanning Inspectorate to keep it open.\n\nThe present house was built in the early 18th \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcentury.\n\n### Underriver House\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P069d.jpg)\n\nThe Queen Anne house was built in 1697 for Richard \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGoodhugh. In 1790 the house was bought by the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWoodgate family of nearby Riverhill House and by 1840 it \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twas let to Charles Townsend who was visited by Samuel \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPalmer, a renowned landscape artist who from 1826 to \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t1835 was based at nearby Shoreham. Palmer called \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe area around Underriver his 'Golden Valley', \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfeaturing in several of his paintings. In 1976 \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tmusic producer John Coletta bought the house where he \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tentertained celebrity guests such as his friend Charlie \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDrake. The house has since changed hands at least \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttwice.\n\n### Stables at Absalom�s Farm\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P069c.jpg)\n\nThis Grade II listed building is on your left as you \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbegin your ascent of Rooks Hill. Low stone walls \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tare topped by a brick layer, black weatherboarding and a \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\thipped, tiled roof. It is part of a group of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tlisted buildings including a pair of oast houses, the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfarmhouse, a granary, a cowshed and a cobbled courtyard \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ton the other side of the stables.\n\n### Public Transport\n\nStart and finish the walk at Shipbourne and get a bus \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom Tonbridge or Borough Green.\n\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_069.htm on 2025-12-11 09:19","contentHtml":"

Kent Ramblers: Walk 69

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Points of Interest

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Fairlawne Estate

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The original moated manor on the site was called Fair \n\t\t\t\t\t\tLane and belonged in the 17th century to Sir Henry Vane \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe Younger. He supported Parliament against \n\t\t\t\t\t\tCharles I in the Civil War, but opposed the King's \n\t\t\t\t\t\texecution and fell out of favour with Cromwell.
\t\t\t\t\t\tDespite this, on the restoration of the monarchy, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tCharles II thought Vane's views on democratic reform \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdangerous and had him sentenced to death on a charge of \n\t\t\t\t\t\ttreason. Samuel Pepys, who watched the execution \n\t\t\t\t\t\ton Tower Hill in June 1662, recorded that Vane "appeared \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe most resolved man that ever died in that manner, and \n\t\t\t\t\t\tshowed more of heat than cowardize, but yet with \n\t\t\t\t\t\thumility and gravity". Vane is buried in \n\t\t\t\t\t\tShipbourne church.

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In the 20th century the estate was owned by Sir Peter \n\t\t\t\t\t\tCazalet who trained horses owned by the Queen Mother who \n\t\t\t\t\t\twas a regular overnight visitor. The current owner \n\t\t\t\t\t\tis Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

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In 2011 the Prince attempted to close a public \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfootpath across the estate but local residents rebelled \n\t\t\t\t\t\tand, supported by local Ramblers, won an appeal to the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlanning Inspectorate to keep it open.

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The present house was built in the early 18th \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcentury.

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Underriver House

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The Queen Anne house was built in 1697 for Richard \n\t\t\t\t\t\tGoodhugh. In 1790 the house was bought by the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tWoodgate family of nearby Riverhill House and by 1840 it \n\t\t\t\t\t\twas let to Charles Townsend who was visited by Samuel \n\t\t\t\t\t\tPalmer, a renowned landscape artist who from 1826 to \n\t\t\t\t\t\t1835 was based at nearby Shoreham. Palmer called \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe area around Underriver his 'Golden Valley', \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfeaturing in several of his paintings. In 1976 \n\t\t\t\t\t\tmusic producer John Coletta bought the house where he \n\t\t\t\t\t\tentertained celebrity guests such as his friend Charlie \n\t\t\t\t\t\tDrake. The house has since changed hands at least \n\t\t\t\t\t\ttwice.

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Stables at Absalom�s Farm

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This Grade II listed building is on your left as you \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbegin your ascent of Rooks Hill. Low stone walls \n\t\t\t\t\t\tare topped by a brick layer, black weatherboarding and a \n\t\t\t\t\t\thipped, tiled roof. It is part of a group of \n\t\t\t\t\t\tlisted buildings including a pair of oast houses, the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfarmhouse, a granary, a cowshed and a cobbled courtyard \n\t\t\t\t\t\ton the other side of the stables.

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Public Transport

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Start and finish the walk at Shipbourne and get a bus \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom Tonbridge or Borough Green.

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Automatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_069.htm on 2025-12-11 09:19

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