newchurch

NEWCHURCH
A HISTORY
The story of a village at the heart
of the Romney Marsh
A Newchurch History
The village of Newchurch has a long and
fascinating history. In 2001 volunteers
began extensive research so that a history
of the village could be published. Funding
was provided by the Countryside Agency
to publish this work as a future resource for
schools and residents alike, resulting in the
production of this booklet in 2003.
A set of interpretative panels have been
produced and are on display in St Peter
and St Paul’s church, and this book is
complimented by a website:
www. newchurchhistory.co.uk, (also available on CD) which we hope will continue
to develop as a community history project
after this initial phase of research and
publication.
We hope you enjoy this book.
It has not been possible to include
everything, but gathering information
continues and further contributions are
welcome.
School photograph c.1922, taken at Newchurch Mixed School
With Thanks
The production of this book, the Newchurch History Project CD and website has been made
possible with the kind assistance of:
The Imperial War Museum, Dover Museum,
Ivy Baker, Winfred Wimble, Lance Beeching, Charles Homewood, Jo Nelson, Denis Cole, David Terry
Charles Jenkinson, Libby Baxter, Cordelia Courtney, Derrick & Paula Chiverrell, Valerie & David Denby,
Syd Goodsell, Tony & Jan Day, Mrs. Jan Button, Mrs. Joyce Button, Tony Moore, Tony Lackner
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Romney Marsh Research Trust monograph • The Gift of the Sea, Anne Roper
A Plan of Romney Marsh, a Bibliography • A Saunter Through Kent, Charles Igglesden
The Canterbury Cathedral Archive, East Kent Archive Centre, The Centre for Kentish Studies
THE PROJECT HAS BEEN ENABLED BY FUNDING FROM:
1
The Law & The Land
This unique environment was shaped first by the sea and then by the
actions of man. The Domesday Book records the rich variety of our
ancestors’ activities here.
How the Marsh Developed
4000 years ago the marsh was a lowland
forest. Over some thousands of years, due
to crustal subsidence, the land was flooded
by the sea.
As deposits of sand and shingle were
washed in by the sea, an initial protective
shingle barrier was formed near to the
present shoreline. When further deposits
built up, creeks and estuaries were formed
where the water drained into the sea.
More sand and shingle was washed in
which eventually blocked the creeks and
estuaries, and alluvial soil washed down
from the higher ground accumulated.
Position of Newchurch Today
The marshes to show the approximate periods during which the
various lands were inned
In the 4th century, a lagoon existed where
Newchurch and the surrounding villages
are now, but by the late Saxon and
Domesday survey times, this area had been
reclaimed from the sea and most of the
coastal changes were then taking place
around Appledore, Rye and Winchelsea.
Portus Lemanis
Shingle Banks
NEW ROMNEY
LYDD
The Domesday Book
This book was compiled by order of
William The Conqueror containing a
survey of all the lands in England, their
value, owners, and other information, for
tax purposes. Newchurch has several
mentions in The Domesday Book, but
then, it seemed, there was no settlement
under that name. It was the Hundred (an
area which contained 100 families) of
Newchurch, which included Bilsington,
Ruckinge and St. Mary in the Marsh
At that time Kent had been divided into
seven lathes, and The Hundred of
Newchurch was in the lathe of Limowart.
Current coastline
The marshes in about 400AD
Thus the layers now forming the land mass
of Romney Marsh are of alluvial soil, sand
and peat (formed by the decaying early
vegetation).
With the building of the sea wall and the
draining by the dykes by man, Romney
Marsh was created north of the Rhee Wall.
Further changes took place during the
violent storms of the 13th century.
2
D TO
ROA
ON
INGT
BILS
ROA
DT
ON
EW
ROM
NEY
A plan of the dykes and sewers at Newchurch, which have remained almost unchanged over hundreds of years
The lathe is now Shepway, which was divided
into three Bailiwicks or legal authorities.
The information that can be gleaned from
the translation gives a good insight into
the social status of the inhabitants as well
as the owner of the land at the time.
And he has, besides, one denn which lay in
FANE, ADAM’S Manor. There, there are
two bordars rendering thirty pence. It is worth,
and has always been worth, five shillings.
In Limowart Lath in Nevcerce.
The BISHOP OF BAIEUX holds, in
demesne, BILSVITONE. It answers for
four sulings. There is the arable land of
fifteen teams. In demesne, there are five.
And forty-seven villans, with twenty-seven
Translations from the texts
In Blachebvrne Hundred, and in
Nevcerce Hundred
Heraldus holds half a suling, less one virge.
Six socmen held it of King Edward. And it
answers for as much. There is the arable
land of five teams. In demesne, there are
two. And thirty-one bordars have three
teams. One slave there. In the time of King
Edward, it was worth sixty shillings. And
afterwards, thirty shillings. Now, four
pounds and fifteen shillings.
3
bordars, have fourteen teams. A Church
there. And ten saltworks of a hundred
pence. And ten acres of meadow. Wood of
fifty hogs. And two fisheries of five pence.
In the time of KING EDWARD it was
worth ten pounds. And afterwards, thirty
pounds. Now, fifty pounds. And yet it
renders seventy pounds of farm. ALNOD
(Cilt) held it. In this Manor the Bishop
placed three denns which remained without
the division of the Earl of Ow.
A copy of an extract from the original
Domesday Book.
A ‘team’ at work,
from the Domesday Book early translation
DICTIONARY MEANINGS
demesne a manor house with lands
adjacent to it, not let out to
tenants.
villan
a free villager - later in C13th
a serf, free in relation to all but
his lord.
bordar
a villan who held his hut at his
lord’s pleasure.
team
a set of animals harnessed
together.
yoke
area of land that could be
ploughed in a day.
suling
approximately 200 acres.
alod
ownership.
hundred a division of a county in
England, originally supposed to
contain a hundred families.
socman existed in Anglo Saxon times
in the Marsh villages. An
inferior class of landowner who
was compelled to carry out
husbandry and other work for
the profit of the king or some
ecclesiastical dignitary.
In Limowart Lath in Nevcerce Hundred
The same HUGH holds, in ROMNEY
MARSH, one yoke. There is the arable land
of………. Two socmen held one half of this
land. And two villans the other. Now, there
are four villans there, having one team.
This land was worth, and is worth, twelve
shillings.
The same HUGH holds half a yoke, which
one socman held. There are two bordars
there now. This land is appraised in
TITENTONE, because it is ploughed there
with the demesne teams.
The Hundred and the Burgesses of
DOURE, and the men of the Abbot of ST.
AUGUSTINE and ESTREALATH, testify
this. That the land of ETRETONE, which
the Cannons of St. Martin of DOURE
claim against HUGH de MONTFORT,
that VLWILE WILDE held it alod, in the
time of King Edward. And it answers for
one yoke. And he has there one team in
demesne. And five bordars with one team.
And one mill of twenty shillings. It is worth,
and has been worth, ten pounds.
4
At the time of the Domesday survey, there
were 18 socmen in the Hundred of
Newchurch, who are described as holding
land belonging to the Monarch and to
whom a proportion of his revenue was
contributed. They were not serfs, for they
held courts of their own and levied taxes
for draining and embanking the marsh. All
thieves were liable to be hanged and there
was a gallows in Newchurch. It is said that
it was at the roadside, where Clarklands
houses are now, with the bodies being
buried in the middle of the road.
The dykes keep the land drained. © D. Chiverrell
The resultant ‘Laws and Constitution of
Romney Marsh’ then became the basis of
sea defence and land drainage
throughout the realm.
In 1462, a royal charter gave owners of
the 23 marsh manors, known as The
Lords of The Level, together with the
Jurats and an elected Bailiff, the
additional responsibility for the law and
order and for local government. They
had the power to try and punish felons
and had its own police force. This
charter also exempted marsh dwellers
from paying tax to the crown or
government.
Newchurch was part of their jurisdiction,
and was close to the headquarters at
Dymchurch which was rebuilt in the
16th century after a fire, and is now
known as New Hall.
A Socman discusses the land with a clergyman
The Charters, The Corporation, the Control and the
Constitution of Romney Marsh
Once Romney Marsh was drained it
began to flourish. There was no central
control for the strengthening of the sea
walls or the maintenance of the dykes
and it was left to the mutual co-operation
between owners who could have been
badly affected by neglect.
In 1252, a royal charter granted by Henry
III gave 24 elected Jurats of the Marsh,
known as The Corporation of the Marsh,
full powers to collect a water rate, or
scots, for the maintenance of the sea wall
and drainage.
New Hall at Dymchurch, HQ of The Corporation,
who presided over Newchurch. © D. Chiverrell
5
In 1883, The Municipal Corporation Act
transferred all The Corporation’s
administrative powers to The Rural Sanitary
District and then in 1896 this became
The Rural District Council.
In 1930, The Land Drainage Act transferred
all The Corporation’s remaining functions
to catchment and internal drainage boards,
and The Corporation had no further
responsibilities.
Blackthorn, which was grown for use in the sea wall.
© D. Chiverrell
Forming the sea wall.
The Importance of Blackthorn
Bundles of blackthorn were cut from the
trees and bushes on the marsh, which
were sealed with mud and turf and driven
into the sea wall.
When dry this was as hard as concrete
and was the mainstay of maintaining the
sea wall.
When The Corporation were given their
powers, they introduced laws to ensure
landowners grew blackthorn, and provide
this material for the sea defences. It was
not allowed to be cut without permission
and anyone who did so was liable to have
an ear cut off. Such was its importance.
The dykes provide ideal habitats for a wide variety of wildlife. © D. Chiverrell
6
St Peter & St Paul’s
The church of St Peter & St Paul, circa 1880
The history of the church
Originally this was a small church built in
the early thirteenth century, probably by
monks from Bilsington Priory, and
consecrated by Archbishop Rich in 1238.
The original chancel is the earliest part of
the church, which was enlarged in the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries with the
addition of the nave, tower and aisles. The
north chapel is dedicated to the Blessed
Virgin and the south chapel is dedicated to
St. Michael and St. Thomas of Canterbury.
In the 14th century porch covering the
north door, there is a holy water stoup. This
was to allow all those entering this door to
dip their fingers into the consecrated water
in the stoup, and make the sign of the cross
on their forehead and breast, to remind
them of their baptismal vows.
buttresses were
erected to prevent
it from falling down
and building work
was stopped. Many
years were to pass
before it was
deemed safe to
complete, and the
tower can clearly be
seen to be crooked.
At this time a
The leaning tower.
Roger Simon gave
13s 4d ‘to the new belfry of Newchurch’.
At the west end of the church is a superb
late Medieval font with an octagonal bowl.
There is a shield on seven of the eight
sides, one has a sword of St. Paul, another
the crossed keys of St. Peter, and others
bearing the White Rose of York, the Red
Rose of Lancaster and the Tudor Rose. It is
thought that this font may have been built
The church’s leaning tower was built in
two stages. When partly built, it’s weight
on unstable ground had caused it to lean
alarmingly towards the west. Large
7
as a thanks offering for peace under the
first Tudor King, Henry VII (1485) after
the Wars of the Roses.
1875. There is also a 19th century brass
alms dish resting on the piscine with a
monogram of I.H.S. in the centre and
the inscription ‘God Loveth a cheerful
Giver’ around the rim.
The pipe organ was bought from St. James
church, Alperton in 1928. Its move to
Newchurch, repairs and repainting by
Brown and Sons of Canterbury cost £70.
The hand blower was worked by the older
children of the village until the electric
blower was added in 1959. It is dedicated to
the memory of John and Sarah Homewood.
The treasured
possessions
unfortunately
now have to be
kept in a bank
vault. Of
particular merit
is the silver
Elizabethan
chalice, some six
inches high and
Church silver. © D. Chiverrell
marked so as to
date it as 1568-9. Matching this is a
silver paten-cover engraved ‘Newchurch’
with the date letter for 1727-8, and
another made in 1766-7.
Brass candlesticks and alms dish. © D. Chiverrell
New processional brass cross
In June 1966, the
Rev. Nigel O’Connor
received and dedicated
a new processional brass
cross in front of a large
congregation. This was
to replace the old
wooden one and had
been made by two local
15 and 17 year old
brothers, Melvyn and
New processional cross.
Lance Beeching, at
© D. Chiverrell
their school workshop
and evening metalwork classes.
Another chalice and paten was presented
in memory of the Reverend Benjamin
Cobb, who was rector and Vicar until
Restoration
Much restoration has been carried out
over the centuries. In 1845 the chancel
was repaired and a new stained glass
window was presented by the Reverend
Nares at a cost of £600. In the top sexfoil
the Ascension is depicted, below which
are the two symbols of Christ, the lamb
with Nimbus cross (the symbol of
sacrifice) and the cross adorned banner
(triumphant symbol of the Resurrection).
Then there is a pelican feeding it’s young
with it’s own blood (my blood is their blood).
Lower are the symbols representing the
Four Evangelists, winged man of
St. Matthew, winged lion of St. Mark
winged ox of St. Luke and an eagle of
St. John. There was a fatality during
restoration work on the tower in 1850.
Matthew Tumble fell from the cradle he
was working from. A stone at ground
level on the south side of the tower
marks the spot where he fell.
In the six years from 1909 to 1915, the
Rector (the Reverend George
8
Brocklehurst) and his wife had some
major restoration work carried out. A
plaque on the south wall of the chancel
tells us that the pews were taken out to
repair the roof, plaster taken down from
the roof, the floors covered with red and
black tiles in the nave and rush bottom
chairs were brought in for seating. This
cost about £290.
Repairs, particularly to the roofs and gutters,
were necessary in 1965–1972, and in 2002
major strengthening of the Chancel roof,
costing some £13,000 became essential.
Window presented by Reverend Nares in 1845. © D. Chiverrell
Repairing the church roof in 2002.
The Bells of Newchurch
In 1552, the church inventory mentions four
bells. These were replaced in 1637 with five
new bells, which were hung in the old frame
adapted to take the five bells. By 1845, the
treble had cracked. It was recast and fitted into
the old frame, which was then nearly 300
years old. In 1968 it was decided the old frame
had to be changed as its age was causing many
problems. The following minute appears in the
PCC minutes dated 8th January 1965.
Secretary reported letter received from
Mr. T. E. Collins, 17 Hamilton Road,
Thornton Heath, enclosing report on the
church bells following his visit and inspection on
Dec 17.
He reported that the bells should not be rung
again in their present condition except No.4
for 5 minute intervals. The bells needed
complete overhaul, tuning and rehanging in
new bell frame. Overall cost £1600. Letter sent
to Mr. Collins thanking him for his assistance
enclosing 30/- expenses.
The bells were removed and a new bell frame
was erected to hang six bells, the opportunity
being taken to include an additional treble in
memory of bellringer John Willis. In February
1969 the six bells rang out for the first time.
The new six bell bell frame in St Peter and St Paul’s tower,
installed in 1969. © D. Chiverrell
9
Prior to the
installation of the
new bells, Percy
Head, a bellringer
for over forty years,
had devised an
ingenious system
for ringing the bell
single-handed.
His story featured
in the press.
Description of the existing bells and the
new memorial bell, installed in 1969.
The Bell Pit
In 1973, an old bell pit was discovered in the
churchyard by Bill Beeching, the sexton, as he
was digging a grave. This was the cause of
great excitement and experts from the
Whitechapel Bell Foundry were keen to see it.
It was probably used by an itinerant bell maker
and could have been used for original bells
from as early as
12th or 13th
century, as the
bells made in
1637 were made
by John Wilmer
of Borden who
had his own
foundry.
The late Bill Beeching, sexton and discoverer of the bell pit,
shown here weaving baskets.
10
The Clergy of Newchurch
Rectors of Newchurch
Master Richard de Copeland
Mag Robert de Sidestone
Dom John de Hasele
Giles de Wingrework
Thomas de Melborn
Wm. de Melborn
Wm. Braybroke
John de Broughing
Richard atte Broke
John atte Lee
Wm. Aston
Thos. Atherton
Andrew Coryton
Wm Eyrans
R. C. Rypon
Mgr R. Cordon
Robert Hereford
John Parmenter
Simon Horges
John Riche
Thos. Parham
Ed. Hyggas
Thos. Baschurch
Ingeham Bedhill
R. Gyeate
Martin Tindall
Humphrey Jordeyn
Vicars of Newchurch (ordained in 1297)
1285
1287
1289
1359
1361
1370
1373
1379
1386
1387
1390
1400
1400
1402
1407
1445
1446
–
1472
1482
1507
1507
1515
1522
–
1542
1559
Leglhorn
Edmund Cranmer
Rob. ad Crucem
Roger Colyn
Wm. atte Cherche
Richard Clerke
Thos. Islip
Wm. Taylor
John Whyting
Walter Frost
H. Hennon
Wm. Postland
Wm. Pollard
Walter Cadie
Hugh Deye
Simon Moos
Wm. Bebington
Richard Barker
Walter Spalding
Wm. Leeche
Thos Fendik
Thos. Maltby
Adam Lydley
R.C.Bergrove
Wm. Water
Wm. Peete
R.C.Croft
Adam More
Thos Smyth
From 1662 Rectory and Vicarages were amalgamated
Paul Knell
1662
C. Brocklehurst
Ed Sleighton
1672
T. L. Stack
John Pompot
1686
C.D.Lampin
Josiah Woodward
1712
W.J.Sharland
Samuel Waller
1712
A.B.Jones
Wm. Wilson
1731
C.Donaldson
A. Kite
1738
M. E. Semple
Robert Tournay
1765
R.Wood
C. Stoddard
1784
D. A. Pope
B. Davies
1814
N. G. O’Connor
E. R. Nares
1835
D. Maple
C. E. Plater
1847
J. H. Walker
F. Harrison
1854
S. R. Underhill
B.Cobb
1869
P. Ashman
R. Smith
1875
Roger Ellis
W. Cobb
1877
W. Lillie
1895
11
1297
1357
1360
1371
1373
1376
1387
–
1403
1405
1406
1410
1410
1410
1411
1412
1413
1443
1445
1456
1474
1476
1477
1505
1508
1515
1528
1533
1907
1916
1920
1941
1942
1950
1956
1959
1963
1965
1976
1982
1988
1993
2000
Tithe Maps and Registers
Tithe Map of 1840 with land and property numbered, as shown in the register
The Tithe Maps, together with the Tithe
Registers, provide valuable information about
the owners and occupiers of all the land and
buildings in the parish on the date of the
register. The Tithe Registers show the areas of
land on which a tithe payment was made to the
Rector. This was originally made in the form of
1
⁄10th of the produce, which the Rector would
store in his tithe barn until required.
of produce was six hundred and thirty two
pounds and three shillings.
Comparison of the old Tithe Maps shows little
change over the years. What changes there
are, are more likely due to improvement in
mapping than changes in the landscape.
In the late 18th century, under the direction of
Major General Roy, the foundations of a
general survey of the British Isles began.
Using the technique of triangulation from a
relatively short base-line set up on Hounslow
Heath and a further base-line for verification
on Romney Marsh in 1787, accurate
measurements were made using the new
Ramsden’s 100 foot metal chain.
The method of payment was changed in 1847
when a fixed payment instead of tithes
(moduses) became payable, as can be seen in
the accompanying Tithe Register extracts.
From the 1847 Tithe Register we can see that
the total amount payable to the Rector instead
12
Above and below right: Extracts from tithe register of 1847
Surveyor’s benchmark, c.1828, in the grounds
of The Manor House. © D. Chiverrell
Added to the later 19th Century
maps were points showing
heights above average sea level,
which was particularly important
in Newchurch and the whole of
Romney Marsh. Surveyor’s
bench marks were inscribed onto
walls and their height above
average sea levels shown on the
maps.
13
The following Terrier, or inventory, was written by Reverend Nares, showing all property
owned by him in 1833.
A true note or Terrier of all The Glebes, Lands, Meadows, Gardens, Orchards,
Houses, stocks, implements, tenements, portions of tithes and other rights, belonging to
the Rectory of NEWCHURCH in the County of Kent & Diocese of CANTERBURY.
One small Manse or dwelling house with about three acres and a half of Glebe Land
including the Church Yard and contiguous thereto, and to the parsonage. Also one acre
of glebe detached and surrounded by the land of Charles Phillips Esq‘ called Cobbes
place, let at a rent of forty shillings yearly – one small garden, one Barn and stable,
built by the present Incumbent in the year 1827 – no orchard.
The Rectorial and Vicarial tithes belong to the Incumbent. The Rectory formerly
detached and without Lure of Souls, but now held to have merged in the Vicarage.
about three acres and a half of Glebe Land sold by The Late Incumbent under The Act
of Parliament for the redemption of The Land Tax. The Rectory and Vicarage are
valued separately in the Kings Books. The Church, a spacious and large building, is
exempt from The Jurisdiction of The Archdeacon. The population small; under 300 by
The Last Census, 1831.
Edward Nares Rector & Vicar
Of Newchurch Oct. 22. 1833
Archibald Stoakes
Thos Piddlesden
}
} Churchwardens
The 14th century porch, North door of St Pater & St Paul’s church.© D.Chiverrell
14
Farming the Marsh
Farming has been the centre of Newchurch life until very recent times.
Still the most important local industry, it has developed through marsh
drainage, and the economic effect of wars and mechanisation.
Group pose by the stacks at Frostlands, circa 1920
compared with about 2000 cattle, and
twenty years later this figure had grown to
225,000. At this time 80% of the marsh
was pasture.
Although there were many small
freeholders, by the 13th century most of
the marsh was owned by the church,
which was either farmed or leased out.
Large areas of pasture and arable land
existed and at this time there were fewer
sheep in the area than in other parts of
Kent. The sheep were kept for their meat,
wool and milk, which was used for making
cheese. The monks were building up their
sheep flocks at this time, although they
were hampered by disease, drought and
flooding. Disease and poverty had reduced
the number of people on the marsh by
16th century, and many farms, houses and
churches were left abandoned to decay
and collapse.
Map of Newchurch showing the areas of pasture and
arable land in 1847. Darker areas represent the arable land.
The land was bought up by absentee
landlords, who lived some distance away,
to form larger holdings. These were laid
down to pasture, which was less labour
intensive than the growing of crops.
Thus the numbers of sheep grew on the
marsh, which became synonymous with
sheep from that time. It is estimated that
in 1870 there were about 170,000 sheep
As most of the land was now owned by
these absentee farmers, ‘lookers’ were
employed to take care of the sheep. So
from the 17th to 19th centuries, ‘sheep
houses’ or ‘looker’s huts’ were built so that
the lookers could use them as temporary
accommodation and for storing any tools or
medicines. They were mainly used during
15
lambing, but also at other times such as for
shearing or attending to the fly, maggot
and footrot in the summer. The huts were
brick built with tiled roofs; their only
comfort a large fireplace. There, the looker
and perhaps his boy helper and dog, could
keep warm, and weak lambs could be
revived. Surrounding the hut were
numerous pens where the sheep could be
kept close at hand and perhaps a cow for
his own needs and providing extra milk for
lambs. The looker could spend six weeks at
a time in the hut during lambing, relying
on his family to bring his provisions.
There were four known looker’s huts in
Newchurch, but none have survived:
near Norwood Farm: (O.S. grid ref. TR 045306)
near Willow Farm: (O.S. grid ref. TR 054299)
near Pickney Bush Farm : (O.S. grid ref.
TR 060291)
mile east of Church: (O.S. grid ref. TR 062314)
During World War II, in early 1940,
farmers were forced to plough more than
1
⁄3rd of their land for food production.
To protect the flocks, the best sheep
were ‘evacuated’ by train to other inland
areas when preparations were made to
flood areas of the marsh should invaders
attack.
It is estimated that by the year 2000,
less than 30% of the marsh was
permanent pasture, whilst a vast array of
crops were grown.
Looker’s hut: This shows a typical looker’s hut, although none were
exactly the same. This one has been removed from a field in Midley
and rebuilt by Dennis Cole at his farm in St.Mary-in-the-Marsh.
© D. Chiverrell
Above: Mrs.Winnie Wimble on hay-cart c.1935
Right: Building the stack at Frostlands
Below: Delice Lloyds driving tractor
16
Farm riot at Newchurch – 20th August, 1821
After the end of the Napoleonic War in
1815, smugglers were targeted by the
revenue men in an effort to reduce the
trade. Gangs formed and violence increased
dramatically. The notorious Aldington gang
was led by George Ransley.
In February of 1821 a battle between the
gang and a Royal Navy party resulted in a
naval officer and 4 smugglers being killed,
and 3 officers, 6 seamen and 16 smugglers
being injured. Six months later the farm
riot took place at Newchurch, no doubt
influenced by this violence (and possibly
including some of the Aldington gang), as
well as the lack of work and low pay and
the reducing income from the smuggling.
Henry Kingsnorth of Bilsington made a
deposition that he saw about 12 persons with
large sticks or bludgeons. One he knew was
George Horne of Aldington Frith who went to
reapers in the cornfields to persuade his
workers to join them as they went towards
Newchurch. He heard voices calling to his
labourers to strike. He asked them what they
were doing and he replied swearing, “we are
come to fix the price of cutting the Wheat in
this field”. Another said “he would be dead if
he would not fix the price, and he would bring
down 200 men”. Some of those gathered were
recognised and named. They then went away
towards the cornfield of James Watts.
Mr. Edward Flattery of Newchurch saw a
number of persons, and one Gilham said that
they, the mob, would kill them if they did not
leave the fields. So he locked himself with his
wife and child in Mr. Piddlesden’s granary. He
saw 40 to 50 persons approaching and forced
open the door and they were thrown out
from about 9 feet, when he was kicked, two
ribs were broken, then they threw him in a
hole of dirty water.
Josiah Rolphe saw a person lying prostrate
with his head downwards in the dung in the
yard, fearing the consequences he slipped
away, unperceived from the crowd assembled.
He further declared he saw Thomas Hart in a
very menacing manner shake the tail over
the head of Archibald Stokes who was there
in his position as constable endeavouring to
disperse the rioters.
Clifford Pope of Newchurch saw a number of
people armed with Bludgeon or Faggott bats
pursuing their course over the marshland
towards the dwelling house of his Master
William Piddlesden, Farmer at Newchurch,
and as they were passing along he heard
many voices call out to the different labourers
in the Harvest Field, if they did not quit their
work they would murder them. Richard
Lucas with a large fence pole breaking upon
the granary door and throwing out from 8-9
feet 2 men, their wives and children, beaten
and lying dangerously of their wounds. He
named some of the mob.
Jane Ashman wife of Thomas Ashman of
Brabourne, on oath said that as she was
coming out of The Bull Public House at
Newchurch with her husband and upon
going back again to take her daughter’s part
who was stopped by a mob or party of men
in the House, she was accosted and assaulted
and beaten and two of her teeth were
knocked out by one of them named John
Harris with his fist and upon her husband
endeavouring to interfere he said he would
do the same to him if he did not hold his
tongue for that they were Pikeys and he
would not be driven by them and if he could
have his will he would have them murdered.
Sarah Ashman the daughter of the above
named Jane Ashman made a deposition
that Woodland and Tups took violently
hold of her, tore her cap off her head and
swore before she went out of the room
they would know what she was made of
and upon her father interfering they let
her get up and turned them both out of
doors into the street and replied if they
said a word more they would murder them.
In 1830 the Swing riots started on Romney
Marsh (though not severe in Newchurch)
and escalated to many other parts of the
country when it was seen that mechanisation in farming would result in fewer jobs.
17
A Life on the Land:
Reminiscences of Charles Homewood (born 1917)
work but I liked to be like
the men, and it was better
than school. After school
and work I was allowed to look
after the odd horse with the waggoner.
That meant I had to feed and water the
horse before six, back in for breakfast, back to
the horse, push up its bed and get the horse
ready to go to work with the men on the
farm at 7 o’clock. At 4 o’clock we come in
and get hay in and cut it up. About five I
have my tea, then at 8 o’clock go out to the
horse to see if the waggoner wanted any help
to bed down the horses for the night. The
rest of the day was my own. I was lucky as I
could go where I liked as long as I told my
parents who I was going with and what time
I would be home, but work came first.
From the time I was about 10, if there was a
load of straw to put on the rail at Ham
Street or take to a farm in Bethersden, father
would say to the waggoner “You can have
the third horse and Charles will come to
lead the front horse”. This meant there was
a third horse to pull the load up the hills. I
would lead the horse one way, and when the
wagon was empty on the way back, I would
ride on the wagon with my horse tied to the
back. Later father got a Ford lorry. That
saved the walking. But when we left the
farm with a load of straw, the lorry was very
slow going up Bilsington hill and I had to
walk behind to see if the load was OK.
About 1922, when I was five, father had a
tractor, registration number KK100, which
had iron wheels and was alright on our
beach roads. After a year or two we had at
least two more as we were helping other
farmers out doing contract work. These all
had the same number KK100 which cost
just five shillings a year.
The first thing I can remember is a fire at the
barn, the corn stacks and cow sheds on the
other side of the road to Wills Farm.
It belonged to my father and was in the dry
summer of 1921. The horse drawn fire
engine from Bilsington had only a hand
pump, which used the water from the spring
well close to Wills Farmhouse. All the firemen
could do was spray the stacks and sheds.
Charles Homewood on a horse drawn hay rake, c.1930
About this time a tower was built in the
field opposite the new village hall on Brian
Wimble’s farm, and was nearly 200 feet high
It was a listening tower with a small hut
connected to the big hut where the
children’s play area is now.
After school I never had time to play. When
I got home there were the sheep pots to turn
over so they would be dry when I fed the
sheep in the morning, the milk shed to clean
out and the pigs to feed. Sometimes after tea
I would go with my father to the barn to
clean the corn, make bonds (straw ropes to
tie up the straw behind the thresher) so there
was no peace but plenty to eat.
From the age of 10 or 11, on the Easter
school holiday, I would be out with the sheep
in the lambing field. In the summer holiday
I helped to get the harvest in. It was hard
18
Of course, I was eager to get on a tractor,
which was great. To start you had to swing
the engine over fast to make the spark, then
to get into gear there was a lot of grating as
the gear oil was very thick. To turn at the
end of the field we had to do some tricky
manoeuvres as
there was
nothing to lift
up to make the
tractor turn
easy and no
brake. If you
Above:Edward driving a Rushton
were on loose
tractor at the rear and Charles
ground the
Homewood driving a Ford with their
sisters May and Rose, c.1938.
tractor would
Below:Edward and Frank Homewood
go almost
working with a reaper, c.1940
straight.
walk round the shops till eight, then to the
pictures. There would be about six of us, and
it cost 2p to park the bike and 8p for the
pictures. On Sunday evenings we would bike
the nine miles to Hythe or perhaps go to
Rye or just ride around the country. On
winter evenings we would stay at home and
play cards. Later we would go down to the
pub and the one who won the most would
buy the drinks, so you had to win a lot to be
in pocket.
When the war started it meant more work
and less time off. I was lucky as I had to stay
on the land to feed the people. That was
fine, I was always at home at night, but it
was very hard work at times. The work had
to be done and most of the young men had
gone into the forces. There was a lot more
corn as a tenth of the grass had to be
ploughed. This put a lot of extra work for
our old tools and we could not get new parts
when they broke. We had to work harder on
Sundays repairing things so that they could
keep going to get the work done. As the war
went on,the army came to help with the
harvest, which was a great help. But they
only worked from 8 o’clock until 4.30 while
I worked from 6.30 until 8pm., and then I
had to do fire duty three evenings a week
after that. When the army left, some would
say they were going on 28 days leave, while I
hadn’t had a day off for a long time.
About 1934
we had new
Fordson with
iron wheels.
A year later we
had rubber tyres, the first in the village.
I did a lot of work for other farmers about
this time, discing and drilling or ploughing,
then back home to work with lambing,
haying, harvesting and back to ploughing in
the Autumn. In the winter I would go round
the farms on the marsh threshing grass seed
and wild white clover. This work did not
take up all my time so I had to help out at
the farm with the corn threshing and steam
ploughing.
At 14 when I left school, my best hobby was
shooting. There were a lot of vermin,
rabbits, rooks and pigeons. My first gun was a
410 which I liked best as it was lighter than
the twelve bore. I would try to keep the big
flocks of rooks and pigeons off the fields of
peas and corn. On Saturday we worked until
4 and then it was a rush to be ready by six to
bike nine miles to Ashford for an evening
Steam engine and plough, circa 1925
Steam engines were used alongside petrol and diesel machinery
until the early 1940s,much later than is commonly supposed.
19
Gammons Farm accounts for April 1919
Gammons Farm accounts for November 1919
Gammons Farm accounts for July 1931
20
Steam Power
Steam power revolutionised farming. Mechanical
threshers and steam engine drawn ploughs reduced
the need for manual labour and horse teams.
Steam Ploughing
Steam engine, showing the cable that was used to pull the
plough from one side of the field to the other.
A second steam engine would pull it back again.
Above: These two steam engines were made in 1916 and were a
common sight as they drew a plough across 14 to 16 acres of land
a day. They were idle from 1943 and stood alongside the
Newchurch to Romney Road in a field belonging to the Link
brothers for 14 years before being removed in July 1957. They
were towed away to the famous Pegden Brothers premises at
Lyminge where they were restored and called Frostlands and
Rooklands after the names of the Link brothers farms.
Above: Farm workers take a rest by haystack, c.1938
Below: Chris Homewood after a fire at Brooker Farm, c.1970
Above and below: Strawberry pickers at Brooker Farm, c.1980
© Jo Nelson
21
Owlers and Smugglers
Smuggling was at the heart of Newchurch life from the 16th century,
reaching a climax in the 18th century, and declining with reduced
duty in 1831.
Smuggling began in the mediaeval period
with the illegal export of wool. At that time
the export of wool to Europe had been
prohibited to protect the English weaving
industry from its competitors. While the
weaving industry benefited from this ruling,
more wool was being produced than they
needed and the price dropped. It was no
wonder that a lucrative illegal
business should develop to sell
wool abroad for a bigger
profit and protect the
interests of the sheep
farmers and workers.
nocturnal activities. The Owlers would
collect the wool from their hiding places,
meet up and transport it to the sea shore,
where a large open rowing boat was waiting
to take it out to an offshore smuggler’s lugger.
These activities were extended after customs
duties on imports were introduced in the latter
part of the 13th century. As customs duties
were so high on such things as tea,
liquor, tobacco, salt, silks and
laces smuggling was a
lucrative and organised
business in which most
people became involved
Those involved in
and benefited. Trips to buy
smuggling were generally
the goods were financed by
not looked upon as villains
the rich and respectable
as most people benefited
citizens who would make a
Launching a Lugger.
Engraving1820.Collection of Dover Museum
from it. These early smugglers
profit, the inn keepers and their
were known as ‘Owlers’, as they worked
customers could buy more cheaply and the
stealthily at night, calling to one another in
men engaged in ‘moonlighting’ by moving
an eerie way, like owls. The ditches and
the goods inland from the shore would have
dykes, where the marsh mists would hang,
their share, as would the farmers who left their
provided ideal hiding places for their
stables and lodges unlocked.
22
Increased Violence and the
Demise of Smuggling
Rudyard Kipling summed this up in his
immortal ‘Smugglers song’
If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse's feet
Don’t go drawing back the blind,
or looking in the street
Them that asks no questions isn’t told a lie,
Watch the wall my darling,
while the Gentlemen go by!
Five and twenty ponies, trotting through the dark –
Brandy for the parson, ’baccy for the clerk:
Laces for a lady, letters for a spy.
And watch the wall, my darling,
while the Gentlemen go by!
After the war with France in 1815, more men
were available to prevent smuggling, which
became more difficult. Gangs of smugglers
had formed and violence had increased.
The Aldington
Gang, some from
Newchurch and
the surrounding
villages, worked
on the marsh in
the 1820s, and
were also called
‘The Blues’.
George Ransley
was their leader
and he came
from a family
‘Unloading Tubs’
steeped in crime.
Collection of Dover Museum
His two cousins were both hanged for
highway robbery in 1800. Many of his
relatives lived in Newchurch and the
surrounding villages of the Hundred of
Ogdens Cigarette Card c.1920, from a smuggling series,
illustrating “Watch the wall my darling…”
Collection of Dover Museum
Of the many places that were used to store this
contraband, many of the clergy allowed their
churches to be used. Many a money bag or
contraband was left for the revenue officers
and others so they would not interfere.
Running round the woodlump,
if you chance to find,
Little barrels, roped and tarred,
all full of brandy wine
Don’t you shout to come and look,
nor use ’em for your play.
Put the brushwood back again –
and they’ll be gone next day.
If you meet King George’s men,
dressed in blue and red,
You be careful what you say,
and mindful what is said.
If they call you “pretty maid”,
and chuck you ’neath the chin’
Don’t you tell where no one is,
nor yet where no one’s been
‘Smugglers Alarmed’
Print circa1800, Collection of Dover Museum
23
Newchurch. Many cases of ‘run goods’
were found there. Now it was the
smugglers themselves rather than the
contraband that the revenue men were
after, and any captured and found guilty
were likely to be hanged or transported
to Australasia.
In February 1821, the gang, numbering
some 200 men, were intercepted on
Camber Sands by a group of blockade men
after unloading their contraband. They
were chased across the marsh to Brookland
where a bloody battle took place. One
naval officer and four smugglers were killed
and three officers , six seamen and sixteen
smugglers were wounded. One smuggler,
Cephas Quested, was arrested and hanged
in July 1821 after refusing to name his
colleagues.
Smuggling declined after many of the
customs dues on imported goods were
abolished in 1831, as there was no
incentive to take the chance of capture
for little profit.
Right: Ogden’s ‘Smuggling’ Cigarette Card c.1920.
Collection of Dover Museum
The Black Bull Inn, Newchurch
This was the haunt of many a smuggler. In its window a pink tinted lamp,
known as a strawberry lamp, was placed to warn smugglers that Revenue men were about.
24
All Join In!
Smuggling was an integral part of every day village life, providing much needed extra
income to boost the meagre incomes from work on the land. These extracts from The
Corporation archives show some of the goods and activities for which Newchurch villagers
were caught and punished.
Smuggled Goods
John Woodlands of Newchurch was fined £100, reduced by
mitigation on confessing by £25 with £4.5s.0d expenses
For the forfeiture of 43 gallons and 1 quart of foreign brandy and 40
gallons of foreign geneva seized the same being Run Goods liable to
the duties of Excise and the penalty of £100 incurred by knowingly
harbouring keeping and concealing the same contrary to the form of
the statute in Kent, case made and provided and confessed
Suspected
Suspect that contraband goods are fraudulently hid and
concealed in some place or places in or about the said house of
John Cole in parish of Newchurch with intent to defraud H.M.
of the duties thereon.
Hath received information to that effect
Tub Men carried barrels of
R.Haynes Sworn 16/9/1825
contraband overland from the
Suspect that contraband goods are fraudulently hid and concealed
boats to the smugglers stores.
Ogden’s
‘Smuggling’ Cigarette Card
in some place or places in or about the said house of Richard John
c.1920. Collection of Dover Museum.
in the parish of Newchurch with intent to defraud H.M. of the
duties thereon.
Hath received information to that effect.
R.Haynes Sworn 16/9/1825
Suspect that contraband goods are fraudulently hid and concealed in some place or places in
or about the said house of William Joules in the parish of Newchurch with intent to defraud
H.M. of the duties thereon.
Hath received information to that effect
R.Haynes Sworn 16/9/1825
‘The Creepers’, Ogden’s ‘Smuggling’ Cigarette Card c.1920. Collection of Dover Museum.
Barrels of contraband were towed by a boat, weighted and dropped just offshore by smugglers. There they remained,
anchored, to be collected later, when the revenue men were not looking. Here officers are seeking the hidden barrels.
25
A Lucky Escape?
James Vidler lived in Newchurch in the early
1800s. He was heavily involved in smuggling,
but an unusual accident allowed him to escape
justice and remain a local resident until his
death.
Revenue Officers saw three smugglers carrying
kegs of spirits. The kegs were dropped as soon
as they chased the offenders towards
Newchurch churchyard, where they hoped to
dodge their pursuers. Unfortunately, that day a
grave had been dug by the sexton and one of
the smugglers fell to the bottom. His name was
James Vidler and he spent the night there in
torrential rain with a broken leg, unable to
climb out. After being rescued, he was hidden
for a long time in one of the houses in the
village, but the broken leg was never properly
set. He walked about as a cripple for the rest of
his life. Not only lame from the fractured limb,
but bent double with rheumatism which he
contracted that night. He lived to the age of
ninety, but would never go to church, “lest he
fell into one o’dem open graves”.
His two accomplices, however, were caught
and transported to a convict settlement.
James Vidler’s fall into a newly dug grave caused lifelong
disability, but saved him from transportation.
Right: ‘The Warrior’,
Ogden’s ‘Smuggling’ Cigarette Card
c.1920. This card shows a ‘Revenue
Man’of the Coastal Blockkade
operative from 1816-1826
Collection of Dover Museum
Left: Smugglers,
William Heath, contemporary
illustration. Collection of Dover Museum
26
Tipping the Balance
Newchurch played an important role in the development of early aircraft
detection systems and was the site of an Advanced Landing Ground in
WWII. Brave pilots based at Newchurch ALG tipped ‘Doodlebugs’ by
nudging them with the wings of fast aircraft such as the ‘Tempest’.
Early Aircraft Detection Systems
Due to its flat terrain and its important
position close to France, Romney Marsh
was selected for experiments to detect
aircraft approaching.
In 1924, 32 ‘listening discs’ were constructed
across the marsh, in 2 straight parallel lines
three miles apart with each disc half a mile
apart. These discs, some 20 feet across with
microphones in the centre, were all
controlled from The Newchurch Hut.
The discs were connected to The
Newchurch Hut by cables, which supplied
the current for the microphones and the
impulses back to the scientists at The
Newchurch Hut.
These listening discs were superceded by
microphones installed on masts in about
1930. The first was ‘Lofty’, some 156 feet
high built at Newchurch close to the hut
on land owned by Mr. Palmar. Due to its
height, lighting was later installed to avoid
collisions by low flying aircraft. As there
was no mains gas or electricity at
Newchurch, these lights were fuelled by a
The Newchurch Hut
HQ for pre-radar Early Aircraft Detection Devices
bank of gas cylinders. Later another shorter
mast was built close to the first and two
more near Old
Romney. These
continued to
be connected to
The Newchurch
Hut where the
civilian scientists
worked with their
technical and
secret equipment
The two towers at Newchurch,
until about 1932.
"Lofty" and "Titch"
The remains of a listening disk, one of 32 connected to Newchurch Hut
27
Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Newchurch
There were four ALGs built on Romney
Marsh as well as others across the South
East, but Newchurch was to become one of
the most successful and busiest of all. They
were temporary airfields built for a possible
invasion of France
Squadrons based at the Newchurch
Advanced Landing Ground
The first squadrons of Spitfires arrived in
July 1943 and were used as escort for
American bombers based in East Anglia,
but within three months the ALG was
closed for upgrading.
It re-opened in April 1944 with squadrons
of Tempests, Spitfires and Typhoons.
These were used for air cover during the
‘D day’ landings and later in June 1944
they were ordered to deal with the new
threat of the V1 Flying Bombs
(Doodlebugs).
The first Doodlebug shot down by the
Newchurch Wing was on 16th June and
the final tally shot down by the
Newchurch Wing was 638.
After months of intense activity, when the
threat posed by the V1s had subsided, the
Wing were moved on to other duties.
In September 1944 the site was returned
to agriculture.
KEY:
1 Army gunsite
2 “Sommerfeld” wire mesh as
runways
3 3 Squadron dispersal
4 Blister hangars for servicing
aircraft
5 56 Squadron dispersal
6 486NZ Squadron dispersal
7 Wing HQ in existing
cottages
8 3 Sqd ground crew tented
accommodation
9 Cottage damaged by V1
10 V1 crater
11 Farm building (Stickles)
12 Farm buildings
used as cookhouse
and mess
Bulk fuel store
Map showing the layout of the
Advanced Landing Ground at Newchurch
The site chosen was flat and required little
clearing apart from a few trees and the burying
of telegraph wires, which was completed early
in 1943. The runways were formed with two
intersecting strips made with heavy metal
mesh (Sommerfeld Track landing strips) laid
straight onto the grass. The ground at the
Newchurch site was regarded as firm enough
for dispersed aircraft so no hardstanding was
provided. Originally two blister hangars were
built for the servicing of aircraft and later two
more were added. Most of the personnel lived
in tents on the airfield while the rest lived in
local houses.
Squadrons involved:
July 1943
number 19 and 132
squadrons flying Spitfires.
August 1943
number 132 with 602
squadron flying Spitfires
and 184 squadron flying
Hurricanes.
October 1943 Airfield closed for
upgrading.
April 1944
number 3 and 486
(New Zealand) flying
Tempests and number 56
flying Spitfires and
Typhoons (replaced in
July with Tempests).
September 1944 No further squadrons use
Newchurch.
Hangar at Newchurch
28
Two Tempests taking off for a sortie over the Caen area. IWM CH14097
Destroying the Doodlebugs
Wing Commander Roland Beamont,
DSO, DFC, and Bar, a flying ace
‘Bee’ Beamont arrived at the Newchurch
ALG in April 1944. Squadrons 3, 56 and 486
were under his command, flying Spitfires,
Typhoons and Tempests. In early June, after
shooting down an enemy aircraft over France,
his Tempest was damaged and he was forced
to get his aircraft back to Newchurch.
When the wing was transferred to combat
the new menace of the flying bombs later
in June, Beamont was responsible for
personally destroying 31.
After the war he had a long and
distinguished career as a test pilot, and
died in December 2001 at the age of 81.
Wing Commander Roland Beamont
In Memoriam – Alfred Clark
On 11th September
1940, a hurricane
piloted by Pilot Officer
Alfred Clarke crashed
into a field near
Rooklands Farm.
The 20 year old pilot
was shot down by a
Messerschmitt while
attempting to attack a
group of 30 enemy
bombers. His remains
have been left
undisturbed and this
headstone was erected
in his memory, close to
the crash site, many
years later when his
identity was confirmed.
Flight sergeant Rose who shot down the first flying bomb in
daylight, draws a sketch on the blackboard for the Intelligence
Officer and other pilots
IWM CH 13428
29
An RAF ground crew servicing and refueling a Tempest that had
just returned from a patrol over Normandy IWM CH14088
Below: Pilots discuss tactics IWM CH 18814
Above: Flying officer F.O. Weekes of Barbados and F.S. Joseph
of Trinidad with Spitfire from Bombay Squadron
IWM CH11478
Remembering the War
Extracts from Douglas Palmer’s letters
I was a young RAF ground crew member stationed
at Newchurch through April-August 1944. Our
living conditions were very Spartan, just tents in a
field. Our main job was to deal with the V1 flying
bombs. The V1 campaign started just after the
‘D Day’ invasion on June 6th and more or less
ended in September when our armies overran the
launching sites in France and Belgium.
tented accommodation alongside the garden of
the cottages, now the site of a house. We used the
churchyard in the village for our motor transport
depot and the airmens’ mess and cookhouse was
in the farm buildings of Brooker’s Farm. An army
gunsite was located at the north end of the airfield
and we had several machine gun mountings near
our tents for use against the V1s.
Looking through some old correspondence I found
the letter from Mr. Stickles, who I believe is the son
of the farmer who owned the Newchurch Airfield.
He said the occupants of the cottage damaged by
the V1 who we helped from the cottage (I had
jumped in the ditch at the time) were ‘Waggoner’
Will Punyer and his wife. I understand from Mr.
Stickles he was a man of status in the village and his
cottage was called ‘Black House’. He died in 1947
and his wife about ten years later. As a young lad of
about ten Mr. Stickles watched us refuel and rearm
the Tempest aircraft.
The Spitfire could only just keep up with a
V1 but the Tempest, according to our Wing
Commander Roland Beaumont, could make
530mph in a shallow dive. Roland did a very
good job at Newchurch, keeping all the
squadrons operational and ending up with the
wing destroying 638 V1s. He went on to a
career in test flying. Once he tried to break the
altitude record during the time of ‘The Cold
War’. The people on the ground were anxious
to know the height he had attained, but
Beaumont was cagy as the Russians could have
been listening in. He just said “there’s no one
else up here”.
Our Wing HQ was in the existing cottages on the
east side of the road towards Oak Farm and our
30
Extracts from ‘The Marshman’,
September 1974
On 31st August 1940 I saw the Dornier bomber
that had crash landed astride the Bilsington
Road and the anti-aircraft gun and searchlight
unit established at the junction of St.Mary’s
Road and Pickney Bush Lane.
It was in November 1940 when The Field
Ambulance Company I was serving with
stumbled into The Old Rectory for a few hours
sleep before getting ready to meet the expected
invasion from across the Channel. My memories
of Newchurch and the surrounding countryside in
those days is one of extreme bleakness. My
warmer memories are of the welcome given to us
by the people of the village and their valiant
efforts to entertain us when we were off duty.
Newchurch Villager
Ivy Homewood on
the ALG & WWII
Apart from a few enemy
planes over us, it really
started during the
withdrawal from
Dunkirk. It looked as if a
fog was rising over France,
all the washing on the
clothes-lines was spotted with
black smudges, as were the daises in the garden.
We could hear the gunfire and the trains going
into Ashford for a fuel stop. It seemed to settle
down with only a few droves of enemy bombers
on a mission to bomb London for a while.
The barn which was the centre of most of the
social activities was minus it’s tiles. The barn
dances that were organized were a masterpiece of
improvisation but how we enjoyed them.
The new village store is built on part of the field
used for our morning P.T. and where we played
football matches. One such match was a very
much interrupted affair and a fight between
British and German planes developed right over
our heads and seemed to go on for a long time.
We scattered off the field taking refuge in the
dyke several times, as it seemed we were
becoming the target for straffing.
Then came The Battle of Britain, lots of roads
had gun emplacements, barbed wire was placed
on all the sea walls and many bridges were
blown up and cards issued so you could enter
Romney Marsh past checkpoints.
Some of us were housed next to the pub and I
remember being shaken out of a deep sleep when
a stick of bombs landed in the fields not very far
away. If they had not been dropped a few seconds
later there would not have been a lot of
Newchurch left standing.
A letter arrived from the Air Ministry stating
they would take 199 acres of our farm for a
runway for a landing ground. This came into
action in the spring of 1942. We would watch
the Spitfires go off and counted them on their
return. Sad to say, some never returned.
Part of my time in Newchurch was spent serving
in the Officers’ Mess which was located in a very
tumbledown cottage by the side of the dyke, now
a very attractive home which has had some
additions to it.
E.A. Hearl, 4 August, 1974
The next year was the invasion. We knew
something was up as all the planes had their
wings painted in black and white stripes, then at
night they were all washed off and then
repainted. There was a pipeline laid through the
village and under the sea (P.L.U.T.O.) to carry
oil to our troops in France after they made a
landing. We could hear the guns and tanks
rumbling across the water from France.
Syd Goodsell Remembers…
I remember the many times
I saw the ALG in operational
conditions while cycling
around the marsh. Edward
G. Robinson, the American
film actor of yesteryear and
Ernest Hemingway, the
author, both lived under canvas
there at the Newchurch airfield,
probably on journalistic missions at the height
of the flying bomb period. I also remember ten
or twelve of these flying bombs flying across the
marsh at Newchurch all at once.
Then there were the flying bombs. The first one
passed over at night and we thought it was a
plane on fire. They came over on all days and
when the engine stopped we all ran for cover.
We saw one of our Spitfires turn a bomb over
and it came down close to the village. When the
flying bombs stopped, it was quieter and life
began to get back to normal.
31
Changing Places
Was there an earlier Newchurch village and church, pillaged and raised to the
ground by the Danes in about 900AD, which gave its name to the Hundred?
The earliest part of our present church dates from the 13th century when other
dwellings existed here. Then, and since, the village has seen many changes.
A Changing Village
The oldest surviving dwelling in Newchurch
is the rear part of Norwood Farmhouse
which was built in the 16th century. An
older barn, close to Honeywood Farmhouse,
was built in the 15th century.
The two extracts (below right) of the 1847
tithe register show a cluster of cottages and
houses to the west of the Black Bull, now
mainly gone. The only remaining buildings
are Bridge Cottage and Newchurch House
Restaurant. There was also a slaughter house
and a butcher’s shop there, and a cobbler’s
shop was opposite at some time. One of the
forges was by the road just to the east of
The Black Bull.
Norwood Farmhouse
The rear part of this farmhouse was built in 16th century.
Outside is Mrs Winifred Wimble aged 92. © D. Chiverrell
the ownership and occupiers at that time.
The owner, Archibald Stoakes was Lord
of the Manor and Level. The three
cottages No.269 refer to The Poorhouse
near to Norwood Farm.
The tithe map of 1839 and the tithe
register of 1847 give a good account of
Extracts from the tithe register showing Newchurch
properties, some still standing and some now demolished
Plan
showing old
buildings from tithe
map
32
A Cobblers’ shop once stood opposite Bridge Cottage
Above: This old house was demolished to be replaced by
The Chestnuts, just north of Wills Farm and it is said that
during demolition, several smugglers’ masks were found which
disintegrated and could not be kept.
Left: Bridge Cottage. © D. Chiverrell
Newchurch Tower Windmill
This windmill was the only tower
windmill of six windmills known on
Romney Marsh and was reputed to have
been built by the Reverend Nares.
There is a plaque
on the side of
what remains of
the windmill
‘TOWER MILL
1840’.
It is said that the
Reverend Nares was an expert on grain
and his parishioners would bring samples
to church on Sundays for him to
examine. The mill was used only in
grinding corn for farmers after about
1890, and its use as a mill stopped
completely in 1901, when the expense of
restoring the woodwork and sweeps
Windmill date plaque
Newchurch Tower Windmill, circa 1900
became too great. After the top wooden
part of the mill was pulled down in 1906,
it was used as an agricultural store until
converted into a studio/dwelling together
with the former bakehouse in 1982.
33
Above, left: The old shop, now Newchurch House Restaurant. Above right: a bill from the shop
Newchurch Roads
The roads serving Newchurch from New
Romney, Hythe, Ivychurch and Bilsington
have existed from before the 17th century.
By the first half of the 20th century these
roads were
mostly covered
in beach
shingle, which
was readily
available locally.
With the advent
A cycle, with Lance Beeching in the of heavier farm
attached sidecar about 1948
machinery and
faster transport, the roads were gradually
upgraded to their present state.
Denne & Sons Lorry transporting a steam engine, c.1930
Up until 1920, there was a bus, drawn by
two horses, twice a week on market day,
from New Romney to Ashford. After 1920
there was a motor-bus, but very few cars or
bicycles. Most transport would be horse
drawn. Sheep would be driven to Ashford
market; a notice at the side of the road read
‘a drove passes here every Monday morning
at a certain time for Ashford market. Lodge
at Kingsnorth’. The drove would start off
with just a few sheep and would finish up
with large numbers as it approached Ashford.
At the end of 1873, the total cost of
maintaining the 14 miles of the roads of
Newchurch was £299 5 shillings and five
pence ha’penny.
This was made up as follows
£ s d
manual labour
82 7 31⁄2
team labour
1 7 6
materials
192 9 9
tradesmen’s bills
6 1 4
salaries
16 10 7
other payments
9
and was 14 shillings and sixpence
ha’penny under the budget of £300
Ivy Homewood poses by a visiting car, c.1935
34
Newchurch Water Supply
The first mention of a mains water supply in
Newchurch was in 1911 when Romney
Marsh RDC sent out this letter to all owners
of property in Newchurch.
water supply provided by voluntary subscription of
Landlords – those without house property will not think
of subscribing. And in any voting the ‘outside’ and
‘distant’ occupiers can easily outvote the cottagers
resident near the village.
In any case I must drop the whole matter as I find there
is a definite opinion that it is mere meddlesomeness on
my part having anything to do or say with the ‘water’.
In fact it lost me my election, I could have won probably
2 to 1 if the other side had not exploited against me the
‘water’ and raising of rates to supply water.
You will understand why one drops the matter entirely. I
have a perfect and excellent supply of water for drinking,
cleaning and all purposes at the Rectory. I was only
thinking of the cottagers when I took the matter up.
The only solution is for each house to go to the
expense (like I have) of providing a full and
adequate supply for itself.
Believe me
Yours very truly
G.Brocklehurst
Romney Marsh Rural District Council
New Romney, 24th August 1911
Dear Sir
Newchurch Water Supply
At a recent meeting of the above named council
the medical officer of health again drew the
Council's attention to the necessity for a
satisfactory supply of wholesome water in this
parish and I was instructed to write to owners of
property in the parish of Newchurch asking them if
they would be prepared to attend a meeting at
Newchurch in September to discuss the most
satisfactory means of dealing with this question.
The medical officer of health would be perfectly
willing to meet the owners and to give them any
advice in his power and it is also possible that the
County Medical Officer of Health would be able to
attend such a Meeting.
Please be good enough to inform me as soon as
possible whether you would be willing to attend if a
meeting of the Owners is held as suggested.
Yours faithfully
N. Lamacraft, Clerk to the Council
NEWCHURCH RECTORY,
NEW ROMNEY. S. O., May 23rd
Dear Mr. Lamacraft,
My knowledge from which I drew the conclusion that
water could and ought not to be a matter for a voluntary
rate for Landlords but rather for occupiers was gathered
generally from a canvas in connection with the Urban
Council election. I have no names or information I can
give you. My connection with the matter must end for
the reasons I stated in my last letter.
I will send you £5 any time you decide to proceed with
the scheme voluntarily.
Yours very faithfully
G. Brocklehurst
PS: What has startled me most is the large number of
folk who are open to receive benefits and improvements
at other people's expense altho' they themselves are
better off by far than those they expect to contribute,
and who themselves will not put down a farthing's value
to help the case’. I bar my money going in a matter so
one-sided, as I am sure every other landlord will.
This created some controversy as the following
replies show, due to the reluctance of owners to
fund the scheme.
Reply from Elvy Stickels, 28th August 1911
Dear Sir
In reply to your letter re Newchurch Water Supply.
As there are such a few houses so widely scattered in
Newchurch I suggest that your Council compels
owners of houses to put cement tanks in the ground
with a beach filter and put shooting round the roofs of
their houses and then they would be much better off for
drinking water.
And replies from Revd. G. Brocklehurst,
rector from 1907 to 1916
Prior to this the residents, particularly the less
wealthy cottagers in rented accommodation,
relied on their own or a communal well for all
their needs. The village pump was by the road
at Pump Cottage, next to the pound, until it
was moved to the other side of The Old
School House by the church path, which was
closer to the actual well.
NEWCHURCH RECTORY,
NEW ROMNEY. S. O., April 27, 1912
Dear Mr. Lamacraft,
I beg to send you such papers as belong to
Mr.Hutchings, and the general matter of the
Newchurch water. The separate papers re contracts etc
I have sent to Dr Hick as they came to me from him.
During my canvass I found that there will never be a
35
The Village Hall
On 3rd October 1951 the following
resolution was passed at a meeting of the
Parish Council:
‘The Parish meeting held in the Old School on
3.10.51 unanimously agrees that the Parish,
with the assistance from grants obtainable, take
steps to acquire and adapt the Old School as a
Village Hall for the Parish, and authorizes the
existing Entertainment Committee to serve as
a Planning Committee vested with full
authority by the Parish to proceed to this end’.
The Newchurch Players give a Variety Concert in 1952
The sale was finally achieved in early 1953
at the agreed price of £100. This hall was
in constant use for around 30 years and due
to increasing repair costs and the limited
space, making it necessary to use other
halls for functions of a reasonable size, it
was unanimously agreed
‘To sell the existing premises and land, in
whole or in part subject to outline planning
permission being first obtained’.
Prior to the purchase of the first village
hall, an entertainments committee had
been formed. The primary object of the
committee was the organizing of ‘Whist
Drives’ and ‘Socials’, with surplus funds
going to the school.
For the next two years the Newchurch
Village Hall Charity Management
Committee became homeless but
continued to raise funds with annual Barn
Dances and Cross Country Rides until it
was possible for a new village hall to be
built with the aid of grant funding. The
new Village Hall was completed and
opened by The Right Hon. Michael
Howard QC MP in 1989. An attached
annex was completed in 2001.
Programme for Newchurch Festival week
The modern Newchurch Village Hall, built in 1989
36
Newchurch People
Once the unhealthiest place in Kent, Newchurch benefitted from
improved farming and sanitation to become a thriving community with
some fascinating characters.
The population of Newchurch has varied
widely over the centuries. The Domesday
Book gave the earliest estimate, but this
was for the Hundred of Newchurch,
which included Ruckinge, Bilsington and
St. Mary-in-the-Marsh.
At one time
Romney Marsh had
the worst record in
Kent for health and
life expectancy, not
only due to Bubonic
plague, smallpox
and fevers, which
other areas suffered
from, but also marsh
Jim Root, Blacksmith
ague or malaria.
The last of the blacksmiths in
This most common
Newchurch, Jim is seen here by
Forge House, with a pile of cause of death in the
horseshoes. The original forge
marsh area between
was the other side of the house
before he took over the old the 16th and 19th
carpenters shop on this side. centuries was caused
It finally closed about 1980.
by stagnant
contaminated water – a good breeding
ground for infected mosquitoes, the
insanitary state of the dwellings and lack of
good clean drinking and washing water.
The John Jones Coursing Club met all over the marsh and often at
the Black Bull Inn in Newchurch, weekly from October to March.
while encouraging workers to work on
the marsh by offering higher wages. The
smugglers amongst them could easily earn
six times as much as other workers.
By about 1780 things began to improve after
there was an effort to clear the dykes to
improve drainage and allow the stagnant
water to flow away, and the first anti-malarial
drugs became available. By about 1850, when
more effective drugs appeared, Romney Marsh
became one of the healthiest areas in Kent.
At one time, only 8 adults were recorded
in Newchurch. The 1851 census showed
177 males and 144 females and in 1901
145 males and 99 females.
From about 1550 to 1750, about one third
of infants died at birth or before they
were a year old and four out of ten burials
were for children under five. Due to the
incidence of disease on the marsh and
their unhealthy looks, the people were
described as mean, stupid and apathetic,
not caring whether they lived or died.
The landowners and more affluent would
live outside the marsh on higher ground,
Landlord of The Black Bull, Edward Broad with
Mrs.Isabella Broad and daughter Isobel, c.1932
37
Lawbreakers!
The Eel Catchers
On 3rd of March 1822, Michael Collyer of
Newchurch, inn keeper, was charged with
allowing Gaming with Cards at The Black
Bull and had forfeited the sum of five
pounds, being his first offence.
A fair for toys and all sorts of household
items was held at Newchurch every year on
12th June. Here, eel catchers would display
vast quantities of eels in tubs around the
fair. It was estimated that over a ton of eels
were there, as eel feasts were common in
Newchurch and the surrounding villages.
In 1823, Mary the wife of Soloman Rogers
of Newchurch, was convicted for swearing
four profane oaths – penalty 4 shillings and
1 shilling costs.
The Coronation, June 2nd 1953
Many people had no television at this time.
Newchurch villagers were able to watch the
Coronation procession and Abbey Service
in the village hall on a TV set loaned by Mr.
& Mrs. Bradwell. Later, sports events and a
cricket match between the ladies and
gentlemen were held on the Bull Field.This
was followed by a social in The Bull hall.
On May 25th 1901, George Charles, a
waggoner’s mate living at Newchurch,
pleaded guilty to riding without reins at
Orlestone on May 11th 1901. P.C. Byne
saw defendant, who was in charge of a
team of four horses, riding on the shafts.
Fined 5s., with 9s.6d. costs.
Left: Bond making was one of those jobs that was done on a wet
day on the farm, when it was not possible to carry on outside.
Bonds were straw ropes used to bundle up straw as it came out of
the thresher and were made from bundles of straw with the aid of
a wimble. This was an implement which put the twist into the
bond as the worker gathered handfuls of straw and kneaded it into
the turning, lengthening rope.
Here 90 year old Fred Stutely judges a bond making competition
in Newchurch in 1952.
From left to right are Les Stickles, Punch Ovenden, Alfred Lancaster,
Harold Whitehead, Len Whitehead, Jack Bourne, Fred Stuteley,
Arch Homewood, Frank Homewood, Ern Head, Bill Buckman,
Percy Homewood and Reg Homewood.
Caring for the Poor
Following the Poor Law Amendment Act of
1834, The Rev. Nares, Rector of Newchurch,
attended the first meeting as one of the 20
Board of Guardians for the poor of Romney
Marsh. Initially only children were looked
after in New Romney, able bodied went to
Lydd and the aged and infirm to Brookland.
On acquiring ‘The Union’, at New Romney,
most of the poor were served there, while
some had assistance in their own homes.
The last meeting of the Board took place
in 1930 when it closed.
his will for the benefit of poor old people in
Newchurch and Lympne. The bequest states
that a proportion of certain rentals should
be distributed to ‘six of the poorest and oldest
people in Newchurch and Lympne, who had
been good, honest and industrious people of civil
life and conversation, being true members of the
Church of England, who had never received
alms or relief of this parish or any other, if so
many should be found here, to be disposed of
half-yearly, namely upon the Sunday after
Christmas day and the day of my burial.’
This old charity is still dispensed by the
trustees, although there are difficulties
finding those who may qualify.
There is one public charity in Newchurch.
In 1707 John Finch of Lympne, left land in
38
Newchurch Mixed School
The school closed in 1946 when children
were taken and returned to school in New
Romney by bus, and the school was bought by
the Parish Council for use as a village hall.
From 1885 it became necessary for the
teacher to keep a daily log book, and this
gives us some valuable insight into village life
at that time, as the following extracts show.
Newchurch Mixed School, February 9th, 1885
I, Mary Steer commence my duties as mistress of this school
today. I find the School in great disorder, and generally very
backward. The Rector visited the school this morning.
The Old School is now a private house
Dimensions of the schoolroom were height 11 feet
to wall plate, length 36 feet, width 13 feet 6 inches.
February 16th
Very few children at
school this morning
owing to the heavy rain.
One of the biggest boys
left school.
Early in the 19th century, it was left to the
local church or chapel to open a school
but sometimes it was a wealthy clergyman
or parishioner. A dozen or so elementary
schools were built in Kent from 1800 to
1833, including Newchurch, before the
government made a grant of £20,000 to
Kent to build schools. The National
School was built in Newchurch in 1843
and The Old School House was built
three years later in 1846.
February 23rd:
The attendance is much
Granny Head, the school caretaker,
better today. Mr. Cobb
outside the ‘Old School House’, a
Visited the school this
dwelling belonging to the school, c.1920
afternoon. Began to
teach the children a new song. ‘Soft falls the snow.’
March 2nd:
Admitted one new scholar, and readmitted a little girl after a
long absence through being very ill. Second Standard began to
do their arithmetic on paper.
March 16th: Gave the 1st Standard Infants a lesson in
Arithmetic, and also in Reading.
March 23rd: Revd Cobb visited the school on Friday
afternoon and heard the children sing.
March 30th: The Rector visited the school this morning.
The attendance is very low today.
18th June, 1897: The sheep shearing has taken a good
many boys away from school (as ‘lock boys’) Fred & Percy
Mitchell, James Nye, William Head, John Harris are among
the number
Class photograph taken at Newchurch
School years reminiscences of Charles Homewood (born 1917)
“I remember walking over a mile to school along the road, which was mostly beach. The school had about 50 of us
in 2 classes split into the 5 to 8‘s and 8’s to 14. When I was in the lower class, the bigger boys went over the wall
into the Rector's orchard and threw back some apples. The Rector came round to the school playground and the
apples were still coming over the wall. All the big boys lost their playtime, but they all brought letters to say they had
to go home for their dinners so they would not lose their dinner playtime.
When I was older, on my way to school I had to deliver cans of milk to the Rectory, the shop and the pub, and on
Saturdays and Sundays as well. My hands would get very cold carrying the milk cans in winter, but I would get a 2p
bar of chocolate from the shop and pub, and nothing from the Rectory. I had a bike to ride to school when I was
about 12. Then I had to take my younger sister on the bar as well as the milk.”
39
Village Life:
Newchurch has a history of
a busy social calendar.
Left: A Social Outing
A group outside The Black Bull Inn and
Street Farmhouse about 1928
Below left: At The Rectory
Governess Olive Bolding with Mrs W. Wimble
(nee Milton) at The Rectory about 1923
Below right: Sunday School Float
A decorated float that took part in the New
Romney Carnival in June 1958. From L to R
on trailer: M. Beeching, M. Cripps, J. Homewood,
A. Jennings, A. Homewood, A. Bartho.
From L to R standing: P. Wilkinson, L. Beeching,
M. Homewood, J. Cripps, B. Semple, R. Else.
Barney Cole
This Newchurch character has been the centre of many far-fetched tales and the butt of many
jokes to this day, principally because of the way he dressed. His dress is always described when the
subject of Barney comes up, and was remarkable
for its eccentricity. His trousers are always
described as enormous, slung very low, and
supported below the knees by straps known as
‘yorks’. There were several layers of voluminous
jackets and waistcoats and a narrow black and
white plaid scarf. This was topped with fur
headgear that resembled a woman’s toque.
His job was rock-breaking, and he would sit at
the side of the road on a bag of straw with his
hammers, a piece of leather to protect his
fingers and a pair of wire gauze goggles to
protect his eyes. He was born in 1835 and lived
for much of his life in one of the cottages
known as the Poorhouse, close to Norwood
Farmhouse. He died when he was 87 and is
buried in Newchurch churchyard.
40
NEWCHURCH HISTORY PROJECT
In 2001 volunteers began extensive research so that a
history of the village could be published. Funding was
provided by the Countryside Agency to publish this
work, resulting in the production of this booklet in 2003.
Discover how local people shaped the land and how
Newchurch became a centre of smuggling activity and
played a vital part in the defence of Britain during WWII.
This book is full of treasured photographs of the village in
times gone by, reminiscences of local residents and
fascinating facts.
The accompanying CD Rom features extra material, and
and the website provides an opportunity for further
development of this local archive. Display panels at St
Peter and St Paul’s Church give an overview of the
project for visitors.
www.newchurchhistory.co.uk
PROJECT SPONSORED BY