Updated
Monday, 30 August, 2010
Footpath Walk - Saturday 18th September
You are invited to join a walk on Saturday 18th September starting by the entrance to Finchurst Farm, Summerhill, Goudhurst TN17 1JT (the Goudhurst to Marden Road) (OS 726402) at 2pm and returning there by 4 pm. Drive along the road from Goudhurst towards Marden. About 1.5 miles from Goudhurst, a quarter of a mile past the Ballards Hill turn off to Horsmonden, there is a footpath finger post (PROW WC3 to the north-west) pointing along a driveway on the left. Drive some 50 metres in, past one or two houses and we will show you where to park.
The walk will be at an easy pace on footpaths that lead to a footbridge over the river Teise. Thereafter the route takes us up on to the ridge near Grovehurst Lane, with its fine views over the Teise valley, along the ridge, then back down to the river at Stone Bridge, and returning to Finchurst Farm through woods. It will involve a few stiles and, depending on the weather, there could be some muddy stretches.
Everyone is welcome to join this walk. If you need a lift or would be willing to share a car or have questions about the walk please contact d.boniface@hotmail.co.uk or by telephone at 01580 211430 or mobile on the day 07518 894 915.
David & Pamela Boniface
Civic Amenity Vehicle Weekend Service
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council proposes to reduce the frequency of this service.
Goudhurst – Balcombes Hill Car Park
Currently 3 hours every fortnight on Sundays to
50 minutes on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 1.10 pm to 2.00 pm
Kilndown – Beresford Close
Currently 1¾ hours once a month to
45 minutes on the 4th Saturday of each month from 12 noon to 12.45 pm
Curtisden Green – outside Bethany School
Currently 1 hour once a month to
No service.
Apart from being a cost cutting measure, TWBC aims to encourage more re-use, recycling and composting of materials that would otherwise by sent to landfill sites – an increasingly costly option. There are no proposed changes to the current kerbside collections of paper, tins and plastic as well as compostable material. The static glass recycling banks in the Parish will remain.
If you would like to comment on these Weekend Amenity Vehicle proposals, please write to the Head of Environment and Street Scene, TWBC, Town Hall, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1RS or e-mail recycling@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.
It would be helpful if you would send a copy to Anthony Farnfield clerk@goudhurst.co.uk so that your Parish Council is aware of your views.
The consultation is open until 24 September 2010.
Finchcocks
01580 211702
www.finchcocks.co.uk
Finchcocks is open to the public on Sunday and Bank Holiday afternoons until the end of September with additional Wednesday and Thursday afternoons throughout the month of August.
Groups are welcome from until December by prior arrangement.
Many events take place including a Midsummer Music Series, September Festival, a Christmas Concert series and Fairs in May and November.
2010 is also Chopin year, and Finchcocks possesses two wonderful period
pianos associated with this composer: a Pleyel and an Erard -
and there will be concerts and talks in the September Festival.
Other events in 2010 will include a weekend devoted to the chamber organ,
with concerts and seminars.
There are Open Days on Sunday afternoons from 2pm-6pm, when visitors can experience the full range of
the collection in lively and amusing musical demonstration-recitals throughout the afternoon.
NEW CHAIRMAN AT GOUDHURST PARISH COUNCIL
Cllr Mrs Barbara Stafford was elected as the new Chairman of Goudhurst Parish Council at the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council on 10 May. Mrs Stafford, who has served as Councillor for eleven years and previously as Clerk for four years, is the first woman to be elected to the post.
She takes over from Cllr Tom Crookall who is standing down after seven years in the Chair but who will remain a member of the council.
Mrs Stafford said “I am very pleased to become Chairman at a time when we have such an enthusiastic and united membership of the council. After the uncertainties of the General Election it is good to have been elected unopposed! Tom Crookall has set a very high standard and good example to follow and I hope I shall serve the Council and Goudhurst parish well”.
Cllr Peter Rolington was elected Vice Chairman of the Parish Council. Mr Rolington is the Chairman of West Kent Neighbourhood Watch Association and produces the twice weekly West Kent Watch, the crime and crime reduction e-newsletter for the region.
NATIONAL EXPRESS COACH TO LONDON
The Lamberhurst stop on the National Express daily coach service 023 Bexhill : Flimwell : Lamberhurst: Tunbridge Wells to London Victoria will be reinstated from 14 June 2010.
Anthony Farnfield, Clerk to Goudhurst Parish Council
Goudhurst British Legion
The British Legion in Goudhurst now has its own dedicated page
The Goudhurst Branch is active in sending ‘goody boxes’ to our front line troops in Afghanistan. For that we need shoe boxes – lots of them! If you have any spare, please contact Mrs Rosemary Southon 01580 211791. She parcels up packets of sweets, pot noodles, socks and other home comforts. From the letters we receive in return, we know these parcels are very welcome.
A TASTE OF KILNDOWN
The Kilndown cookery book, published in aid of the Village Hall Project, is available.
96 pages, over 90 recipes, and black-and-white illustrations. Price £5.99
(plus £1 post and packing). Cheques should be made payable to Kilndown
Village Hall.
Copies can be obtained from the Quarry Centre on Saturday mornings, or
from Hilary Bird at
Rogers Rough
Chicks Lane
Kilndown
Kent TN17 2RP
tel 01892 890554
The Peacock
The Peacock building is listed and described as 17th century or earlier. It is said
that at one time a well-known smuggler called William Brackfield owned the pub,
and apparently during a search for contraband, by the authorities, twelve bottles
of spirits were concealed successfully under a chair occupied by an old lady.
Although this is hearsay, certainly somebody of that name was married in
Goudhurst in 1795 and in the census record of 1841 a Thomas Brackfield was living
at Iden Green with his family and described as an agricultural labourer. By 1851
his name had been corrupted to Brakefield but with the same wife Elizabeth he
was now described as an agricultural labourer and beer shopkeeper. The couple
had four children and by 1861 his son James had taken on the pub, married and
produced a daughter.....read more in this extract from December's Parish Magazine
Parish Footpaths
Did you know that we have just over 40 miles of public rights of way in Goudhurst parish? Walking should be easy and enjoyable in and around the area. To achieve this the local footpaths need to be kept clear of overgrown hedges and brambles, and wobbly stiles and marker posts need to be repaired.
Roger Coles has, for many years, organised volunteers to walk the paths to report on their condition so that the Parish Council can arrange the necessary maintenance work, sometimes in conjunction with Kent County Council. The volunteers are known as Hon Footpaths Officers and they have made an enormous contribution to raising and maintaining the standards of our paths. However, some of the volunteers have now retired and replacements are needed. If you would like to become involved, even on a very occasional basis, please contact Cllr David Boniface on 01580 211430 or the Clerk to the Parish Council, Anthony Farnfield 01580 212552 or clerk@goudhurst.co.uk
Kent Police
“Police and Community Together”
(PACT)
Kent Police, in association with Town & Country Housing Group, hold public surgeries for members of the community to discuss, in confidence, any issues which may be causing concerns and would otherwise not be brought to their attention.
The surgeries are part of a multiple agency event and a representative from Town & Country Housing Group will be present, with Neighbourhood Officers for Goudhurst.
Mr Matthew Hammond from Town & Country Housing Group
PC Tim Moody (07800 675343)
KCC Community Warden Krissy Howlett 07813 713740
Surgeries are held on the 1st Friday every month.
All members of the community are invited to the meetings.
The Goudhurst and Kilndown Millennium Book
This splendid book by local resident Mr WJC (Bill) Musgrave MBE records the millennium celebrations in the villages of Goudhurst and Kilndown, together with matters of general interest, directories and historical notes and reminiscences. It runs to 1,157 pages, together with a very comprehensive index. The book was written by Bill Musgrave as a companion volume to the 1935 Goudhurst Jubilee Book and the 1937 Goudhurst Coronation Book by the local historian Mr AW Tiffin. These two books have proved immensely popular over the years and, now long out of print, fetch considerable prices on the second-hand market.
The book is in blue hard-back and is priced at £40. A leather-bound edition is available at £80. Copies may be obtained from the Local History Society (telephone to the treasurer, John Benfield, on 01580 211517).
The Goudhurst and Kilndown Local History Society was founded in 1964. It aims to promote interest in local history by holding meetings, recording the life of the two villages, preserving old documents and artefacts, encouraging historical research and producing publications. Meetings, with speakers, are held monthly during the winter months. The annual membership subscription is only £5. Membership enquiries should be addressed to the secretary, Mrs Rosemary Southon, telephone 01580 211791.
If you are trying to trace long-lost relatives
from this area please read the following, an extract from a letter to the parish magazine from the Local History Society's Bob Brown..
"As chairman of the Goudhurst & Kilndown Local History Society I hear many favourable comments about the Goudhurst website and we have had photographs etc sent from around the world for our archives which we would never have received without it. A downside can be when we are contacted by those who are obsessive about their research and bombard us with emails or phone calls. Only last night I had a phone call at half past midnight from someone who got very abusive when asked to ring at a more sociable hour!"
Policing the Parish
Cranbrook Police Station opening hours: 0930-1400 Mon-Fri. 0900-1700 Sat.
Cranbrook Police Station General Enquiries: 01580 711000
Emergency: 999 (if there is a threat to life or a crime is in progress)
West Kent Police: 01732 771055
Main Switchboard: 01622 690055 (to report a non-urgent crime)
Crime Reduction Unit: 01892 502104
Crime Stoppers: 0800 555111
Neighbourhood Police Officer P.C. Tim Moody: 07800 675343
KCC Community WardenKrissy Howlett 07813 713740
Kent police website:
http://www.kent.police.uk/ 
See if your home is in an area at risk from flooding
Visit the Environment Agency's search service. Just enter your postcode and it will show you a map showing flood risk in your area.
Go to: Environment Agency Website
Handy Van Service
The Help the Aged HandyVan service is a unique home security service, where trained HandyVan fitters visit your home and install equipment such as door chains and viewers, window locks and smoke detectors.
A fleet of 35 HandyVans are based around Britain and deliver a free service to those who meet the following criteria:
1. Applicants must be over 60 years of age.
2. Applicants do not pay income tax (excluding tax on personal pensions).
3. Applicant's disposable savings/assets do not exceed £16,000 (Not including the value of their home).
Everyone is vulnerable to burglary, and the HandyVan service enables people to feel safer in their homes. Prevention is always the key to a safe, secure home and HandyVan fitters will work to help you ensure that your home is free from the risk of burglary.
If you would benefit from the HandyVan service, or you know someone who would, then please call the team on 01255 473 999 or email: seniorsafety@helptheaged.org.uk
Follow Parish Council activities in detail
and check progress of planning applications.
Parish Council news page
© 2010 Whilst every effort has been made to maintain accuracy, no responsibility is accepted for any errors in content.