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Lost Landscapes
Location: Kent
The ‘Lost Landscapes’ project follows on from the successful ‘Heritage Tales Along the North Downs Way’ project in 2001.
We are developing six ‘centres’ at Cuxton, Detling, Hollingbourne, Charing, Chilham and Chartham. Communities in each of these centres will establish circular walks to promote awareness of the locally distinctive landscape and heritage.
Each community has helped to produce heritage leaflets to guide people around the marked trails. Villagers, societies and primary schools have been getting involved in research into past land use, the history of agriculture and industry, and the origins of field/wood names and local legends.
Project outputs will include: a Kentish Studies dossier - lodged in the County Archives and heritage leaflets available to the public free of charge.
At each community there has been a series of heritage walking events. At a Chartham walk people dressed to depict historic characters of the area were discovered during the walk. At a walk in Chilham we learned about the traditional hop industry around the village of Shottenden and the watercress beds along the River Stour. At Detling we heard about the ruined castles that used to dominate the downs. Schoolchildren in Hollingbourne Primary School have invited elderly villagers to the school for a 'tea and chat' afternoon where they could talk about their memories of the changing landscapes. Around Charing we have learned about the secret underground army that would defend the South East of England in the event of a Nazi invasion.
There is a lady in Chartham who has carried out much work on the history of field names in the parish and we are looking at an innovative way of interpretation along the North Downs Way in this area by carving field names on waymark posts.
In Cuxton there is a fascinating document of parish records relating to tithes, boundaries, woodland and leases covering the period from 1631 to 1901. As part of a Medway Archive plan to digitise these valuable records, these records are now available to the local community as part of the Lost Landscapes Project. There is also a map dated 1670 of Whorne's Place in Cuxton which has now been purchased for the local community. This purchase has been made possible with a contribution from the Lost Landscapes Project.
The first heritage walks leaflet for Cuxton has now been produced. It was launched with a walk on May 21st as part of the inaugural Medway Walking Festival.
The remaining leaflets will be produced over the summer period.
Group Name |
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Kent County Council |
| Project Contact |
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Tony Gowers, environmental Management Unit, Kent County Council, 2nd Floor, Invicta House, maidstone, Kent. Tel. 01622 221525
anthony.gowers@kent.gov.uk |
| Project Postcode |
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ME14 1XX |
| Finishing Date |
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September 2006 |
| Local Community Involvement / Partnerships: |
| Burham C.E. Primary School, Kent Downs AONB Office, Chilham St Mary's C.E. Primary School, Local Wardens, Maidstone Borough Council, hollingbourne Primary School, charing Primary School, Local History Societies, kentish stour Countryside Group, medway Valley Countryside Partnership and cuxton Countryside Group |
| Grants: |
Heritage Lottery Fund: £24,750
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