Previous Meetings

The above meeting was re-arranged from last January, due to the Power cut in parts of the Village. It was well worth the wait, to hear Roger Smith give an interesting, illustrated talk on various Village Signs in Kent.

In Mayfield, Sussex, there was to be a Village Sign Exhibition / Competition, agreed by the Duke of York, King George VI. A newspaper cutting was shown of a Competition organised by The Daily Mail. Kent had 300 Parishes & won 1st Prize. Roger then showed slides of:-

Alkham, nr Dover–carved in wood re George VI coronation
Barham, nr Canterbury-made in York by Robert Thompson
Barming – got name from Brambe Vine in Oakenwoods, shows Domesday scene & red / white Ribbon
Biddenden – Siamese Twins who lived to 43
Bettersden

Biggin Hill

Bilsington

Birchington

Bo-Beep-Corner, near Pembury
Bonnington

Boughton Monchelsea
Brasted Bridge
Birling – 2 spring dancing pilgrims in the wood
Chart Sutton – 1982 Festival, 1782 Church burnt down
Chislehurst – Elizabeth 1st Knighting Walsingham
Conyer, near Faversham in 2007 – made in metal
Coxheath – Motto – Our Village, Our Home
Crockenhill – WI 1980, but blew down in 1987 storms
Cudham, Biggin Hill
Detling – huge structure carved in stone
Downe – shows local Church
East Farleigh – 5 signs – Hops/Oast house/Bridge
East Peckham – newly replaced

Eccles

Eynsford - unveiled by a 90 yr old resident, who is now 108, the oldest person born in the village
Goudhurst

Great Chart

Halling
Harrietsham

Hartley

Hawkhurst

Hawkinge

Headcorn
Higham – Charles Dickens 1812 – 1870 characters are on signs on all Village approach roads,
High Halstow – by WI, depicting 25 years in the Village
Hollingbourne – very elaborate, carved all in wood
Horsmonden

Kemsing

Kingston – showing eg of Saxon Jewellery
Lamberhurst

Larkfield
Old Lenham sign – with no name, now there’s a new sign
Linton, nr Maidstone - illuminated at night, 1 of 5 in Kent
Littlebourne

Loose

Lower Halstow

Lyminge
Otterham, nr Maidstone – no sign now
Plaxtol

Riverhead

Rolvenden
Ruckinge - 3rd sign here with OS ref. 1st OS map from here
Ryarsh

St Peter’s in Thanet

Saltwood
Sandhurst

Sandling

Staplehurst
Stockbury

Sundridge

Teston
Tovil

Trottiscliffe (pronounced Trosley)
Tunstall – 2000 Upnor – Royal Engineers Badge
Wateringbury

West Malling

Westbere
Whitfield – shows faces in a cross on the post, of one family’s 15 babies who all died, eldest being 15 months old
Wittersham – Isle of Oxney

Woodchurch
Worth

Yalding.

Cuxton & Meopham do have signs but no pictures available today. The Village Sign Society has published some books, 2 of which are on Kent, with the 3rd being written by Roger Smith. Kent now has over 170 signs & some areas require planning permission.

Report written by Claire Howes.