Benenden
Encyclopedia
Benenden is a village and civil parish in the Tunbridge Wells
District of Kent
, England
. The parish is located on the Weald
six miles (10 km) to the west of Tenterden
. In addition to the main village, Iden Green, East End, Dingleden and Standen Street settlements are included in the parish.
The parish church is dedicated to St George, and is a 19th century building on the site of a medieval building destroyed in a fire. Benenden School
, a private all girls school is located to the north of the village.
The Wealden iron industry
probably existed in the area from before the Roman
period, but evidence of two Roman roads built to take the cast iron
from the Weald have been discovered, as well as other finds from the period. The evidence of one road, that between Maidstone
and Hastings
at Iden Green, is in the form of a paved ford
.
The Domesday Book
surveyors remarked that Benindene was one of only four places in the Weald to have a church; although like most of the other such, the buildings of the settlement were scattered. From the 14th century places such as Benenden became of industrial importance. The Wealden ironmasters continued what the Romans had done; and the other major industry, cloth-making
, also helped to make the village prosperous. By the late 18th century, however, both industries had moved to the industrial north, and Benenden's prosperity was at an end. Benenden had four mills at various times. Wandle Mill, a watermill
on the River Rother
; East End Mill, a post mill
at the site later occupied by the chest hospital, demolished c.1870; and a pair of mills to the east of the village, one of which, Beacon Mill
is still standing.
In 1860 Gathorne Hardy, later to become the 1st Earl of Cranbrook
(1814–1906), a prominent politician, rebuilt Hemsted, one of the Tudor buildings; in 1912 Lord Rothermere made further alterations. It now houses Benenden School
In 1907 a consortium of trade union
s and friendly societies
established a chest hospital in Goddard's Green Road, Benenden for the treatment of tuberculosis
. Today the hospital is an independent organisation, for most medical and surgical specialities and mainly treats members of The Benenden Healthcare Society
as well as some NHS and private patients.
Collingwood Ingram
and James Collingwood Tinling
are buried in the graveyard.
Tunbridge Wells (borough)
Tunbridge Wells is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells.The district was formed on 1 April 1974, by the merger of the municipal borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells along with Southborough urban district, Cranbrook Rural...
District of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The parish is located on the Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
six miles (10 km) to the west of Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
. In addition to the main village, Iden Green, East End, Dingleden and Standen Street settlements are included in the parish.
The parish church is dedicated to St George, and is a 19th century building on the site of a medieval building destroyed in a fire. Benenden School
Benenden School
Benenden School is an independent boarding school for girls in Kent, England. It is located in Benenden in the Kentish countryside, between Cranbrook and Tenterden....
, a private all girls school is located to the north of the village.
Origin of name
The place name of Benenden derives from Old English meaning Bynna's wooded pasture. Bynning denn became Benindene (1086) Binnigdaenne, Bennedene (c1100) Bynindenne (1253) then the current spelling from 1610.History
- A more detailed history can be found in the pdf file as part of a Conservation Appraisal carried out by Tunbridge WellsTunbridge Wells (borough)Tunbridge Wells is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells.The district was formed on 1 April 1974, by the merger of the municipal borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells along with Southborough urban district, Cranbrook Rural...
District in April 2005
The Wealden iron industry
Wealden iron industry
The Wealden iron industry was located in the Weald of south-eastern England. It was formerly an important industry, producing a large proportion of the bar iron made in England in the 16th century and most British cannon until about 1770. Ironmaking in the Weald used ironstone from various clay...
probably existed in the area from before the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
period, but evidence of two Roman roads built to take the cast iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
from the Weald have been discovered, as well as other finds from the period. The evidence of one road, that between Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
and Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
at Iden Green, is in the form of a paved ford
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
.
The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
surveyors remarked that Benindene was one of only four places in the Weald to have a church; although like most of the other such, the buildings of the settlement were scattered. From the 14th century places such as Benenden became of industrial importance. The Wealden ironmasters continued what the Romans had done; and the other major industry, cloth-making
Wealden cloth industry
Cloth-making was, apart from iron-making, the other large-scale industry carried out on the Weald of Kent and Sussex in medieval times. The ready availability of wool from the sheep of the Romney Marsh, and the immigration from Flanders in the fourteenth century of cloth-workers – places like...
, also helped to make the village prosperous. By the late 18th century, however, both industries had moved to the industrial north, and Benenden's prosperity was at an end. Benenden had four mills at various times. Wandle Mill, a watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
on the River Rother
River Rother (Eastern)
The River Rother , at 35 miles , is a river flowing through both East Sussex and Kent, England. Its source is near Rotherfield , and its mouth is on Rye Bay, part of the English Channel....
; East End Mill, a post mill
Post mill
The post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. The defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. The earliest post mills in England are thought to have...
at the site later occupied by the chest hospital, demolished c.1870; and a pair of mills to the east of the village, one of which, Beacon Mill
Beacon Mill, Benenden
Beacon Mill is a Grade II listedsmock mill in Benenden, Kent, England which is in need of restoration. The mill has been out of use since 1923 and is privately owned.-History:...
is still standing.
In 1860 Gathorne Hardy, later to become the 1st Earl of Cranbrook
Gathorne Hardy, 1st Earl of Cranbrook
Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Earl of Cranbrook GCSI PC , known as Gathorne Hardy until 1878, was a prominent British Conservative politician...
(1814–1906), a prominent politician, rebuilt Hemsted, one of the Tudor buildings; in 1912 Lord Rothermere made further alterations. It now houses Benenden School
Benenden School
Benenden School is an independent boarding school for girls in Kent, England. It is located in Benenden in the Kentish countryside, between Cranbrook and Tenterden....
In 1907 a consortium of trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s and friendly societies
Friendly society
A friendly society is a mutual association for insurance, pensions or savings and loan-like purposes, or cooperative banking. It is a mutual organization or benefit society composed of a body of people who join together for a common financial or social purpose...
established a chest hospital in Goddard's Green Road, Benenden for the treatment of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. Today the hospital is an independent organisation, for most medical and surgical specialities and mainly treats members of The Benenden Healthcare Society
Benenden Healthcare Society
Benenden Healthcare is a UK-based mutual not-for-profit friendly society run for members, providing healthcare for those who work, or have worked, in the UK public sector. Members of approved charities, credit unions and co-operatives are also eligible. It has a membership of over 900,000, and all...
as well as some NHS and private patients.
Collingwood Ingram
Collingwood Ingram
Collingwood Ingram , ornithologist, plant collector and gardener, was an authority on Japanese flowering cherries and is still widely known as ‘Cherry’ Ingram.-Personal life:...
and James Collingwood Tinling
James Collingwood Tinling
James Collingwood Burdett Tinling was an ex-RAF officer who joined with Rolf Dudley-Williams and Frank Whittle in 1936 to set up Power Jets Ltd, which manufactured the world's first working jet engine....
are buried in the graveyard.