Chiddingstone

The Parish of Chidingstone lies below the sand hills, and consequently in the district called the Weald. It is about six miles in length from north to south; but not more than two on an average in breadth; the river Eden crosses the centre of it towards Penshurst, where it joins the river Medway. Northward of this stream the country is very much covered with woods, among them are situated Sharp's-place,.Boar place, and nearer the foot of the hill, Boar's-hill, usually called Bowsell-gate, which names, among many others of the like import hereabouts, certainly took their origin from the wild boars, formerly in plenty in these parts. About a mile southward from the Eden is the village of Chidingstone, which from the rise on which it is situated was called High-street, in which is the seat of the elder branch of the family of Streatfield, called Highsreet house, having been their residence from the time of king James I. as it is now of Henry Streatfield, esq. The face of the country throughout this parish is much the same as those last described, within the Weald the soil is very moist, and in general a deep strong clay, the grounds having many fine large oaks interspersed over them, and in the broad hedge rows round the fields. There are many greens and small hamlets in different parts of it, as Wickhurst-green, Bow-beach, Hill-heath, Carey's-cross, Ranesley-heath, and, others. At the southern bounds of this parish the branch of the river Medway, which rises at Gravely hill, in Sussex, directs its course eastward, and divides the two counties. extract from Hasted's History of Kent published in 1797

Chiddingstone directory of homes, farms, churches, schools, inns, and other places of interest that existed prior to 1900 has been compiled from Census data, Ordnance survey maps and books of the period

Parish & other records		Before 1500	1500 to 1550	1550 to 1600	1600 to 1650	1650 to 1700	1700 to 1725	1725 to 1750	1750 to 1775	1775 to 1800	1800 to 1825	1825 to 1850	1850 to 1875	1875 to 1900	1900 to 1925	1925 to 1950	1950 to 1975	1975 to 2000	After 2000
1798	Births			1		1	2	3	19	56	255	516	664	281
218	Christenings				1	1	2	4	17	30	42	100	21
82	Marriages					2	2	2	4	16	28	20	2	6
34	Deaths					1	2	2	1	3	7	9	4	4	1
28	Burials					1	2	2	1	3	6	9	3		1

Books and other documents

The History of Tunbridge Wells by Thomas Benge Burr in 1766 - Page 187

The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent - Volume III by Edward Hasted in 1797 - Page 210

Descriptive Sketches of Tunbridge Wells and the Calverley Estate by John Britton, F.S.A. in 1832 - Page 140

Directory of Kent, Surrey & Sussex in 1839

New Guide for Tunbridge Wells by John Colbran and edited by James Phippen in 1840 - Page 258

Kelly's Directory of Kent by E. R. Kelly, M.A., F.S.S. in 1882

English Homes and Villages (Kent & Sussex) by Lady Hope in 1909 - Page 152

Highways and Byways in Kent by Walter Jerrold with Illustrations by Hugh Thomson in 1914 - Page 336

Extracts from the Maidstone Journal by Lionel Cole in 2010

Chiddingstone pictures	Chiddingstone 1896	Chiddingstone c 1900	Chiddingstone 1902	The Village 1908	Chiddingstone Village 1909	The Castle 1910	Hale Farm, Boughbeech 1913
	Bough Beech 1913	Chiddingstone 1920	Chiddingstone c 1920	Old Houses 1923	Castle Inn 1925	Chiddingstone Castle 1925	Chiddingstone Village 1948