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Bearsted Remembers: An interview with Ron and Shirley King
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History
Location: Kent
We hope this summary is useful. If anyone has anything to add (or any corrections) please contact us.
1707, 1746
The BWT land probably originally belonged to the manor of Mott or Moat Hall, which is shown by estate maps to be near Holy Cross Church, but early ownership is not clear.
1808-45
Leases survive referring to the Wise, Savage and Kipping families and "all that Manor and Manor place of Moathall"
1871
The occupier of Moat Hall was described as “Landowner.” His Bailiff lived on the Ashford Road, so the land in between may have belonged to him.
1881
George Wakefield, the occupier of Moat Hall farmed 235 acres, employing 17 men, a groom, 4 gardeners and 3 boys.
1987
Wards acquired the BWT site (which had been used for fruit and vegetable growing) still designated as agricultural land.
1988
Wards asked Maidstone Borough Council to re-designate the land for housing in the Local Plan
1989
Wards discussed proposals for 60 houses on 8 acres with Bearsted Parish Council
1990
The Local Plan designated the site an "area of local landscape importance." but the Parish Council agreed to support Wards if they included six low-cost homes, a football pitch, pavilion and car park. At a public meeting held in October villagers strongly disagreed with the Council.
1991
A second public meeting was followed by the formation of an Action Group to fight the development. 100 signatures were collected for a petition to Maidstone Borough Council asking for a third public meeting. In due course the Action Group put their case to Maidstone Borough Council, and Bearsted Parish Council was asked to review its position. A third public meeting was so well attended that it had to move out of the WI Hall onto the village green. A motion against the development was carried by 487 votes to 45. A public enquiry meeting chaired by an inspector from the Department of Environment was subsequently held in Maidstone.
1992
The Department of Environment report confirmed the site to be an "area of landscape importance." The inspector refused permission for the boundary line to be moved and so it remained agricultural land in the new borough plan. That decision meant that Wards had to wait until the next borough plan to try again to have the line changed.
1994
The Action Group asked Maidstone Borough Council to grant change of use from agricultural land to "public open space and nature conservation area"
1995
The Kent Trust for Nature Conservation agreed that the site had potential as a Nature Reserve in the Len Valley Corridor.
1996
Wards made a modified application for 27 homes with sports facilities and a public car park.
1997
Bearsted Amenity Society was formed to fight the development
2003
On the afternoon of the Bearsted Fayre in June, Wards suddenly began clearing trees from the site, provoking a massive public outcry. At this point Mr & Mrs Ashness, the owners of Mote Hall, most generously decided to buy the land from Wards in order to protect it as green space, and give the bulk of it to the village in perpetuity. In August a group of 50 volunteers started work to clear rubbish from the site. In October the land was offered to The (National) Woodland Trust, who refused it, so the decision was taken to create a local charity to own and manage the land. In December Medway Valley Countryside Partnership was appointed to produce a management plan for the land.
2004
The first meeting of the Bearsted Woodland Trust Management Committee was held in January. Major site clearing work was undertaken by 100 volunteers in April. The first BWT newsletter was distributed to 3,000 homes in June and 250 families joined the ‘Friends of BWT.’ A BWT stall at Bearsted Fayre helped recruitment. An Open Garden was held at Mote Hall in July. The Jubilee Video Team donated their remaining stock to sell for the benefit of children using the site. The first public meeting (AGM) was held in October. 200 woodland and 50 individual trees were sponsored, and planted by over 150 volunteers in November.
2005
Successful grant applications were made to Living Spaces, the Local Heritage Initiative and the Colyer Fergusson and Woodland Trusts. A new gate was installed at the entrance near the Bowls Club. The Phase 2 planting scheme and a membership renewal campaign were launched in June. BWT were prominent at Bearsted Fayre, and membership rose above 500 families. A second open afternoon at Mote Hall for members and their families displayed the plan for Phase Two planting and recruited more new members. In August the wheelchair paths were completed and regular monthly working parties began. Newsletter No.7 announced a generous future bequest of 12 acres to BWT by Miss Pauline Moore, the owner of the nearby riding school, who officially opened the new paths in September.
2006
In February BWT proposals for Gore Cottage land were circulated to the whole village.
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