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The Fredville Oaks. Fredville Park has been renowned since the late 18th century for magnificent trees, especially its oaks and chestnuts. William Hasted wrote in his :‘History and topographical survey of the County of Kent’, in the late 1790’s: “At a small distance from the front of Fredvile-house, stands the remarkable large oak tree, usually known […]

Two of Sir William Hammond’s younger brother’s,  knowing they had little chance of inheriting the family estates,  had by then made their own way and become adventurers, later becoming notable soldiers. Francis, born in 1584 and Robert, born in 1587,  both joined Sir Walter Raleigh’s second South American expedition to search for the fabled city of […]

Eswalt was once part of the ancient Manor of Oesewalum also Oesuualun, and Oesewalum, along with adjoining Essewelle (later Essesole, Esole & Easole,  and Fredville) and nearby Solys (Soles). At the time of the Domesday survey of 1086 Eswalt was part of the holdings of Odo, Bishop of Bayeaux and recorded as: “In Eastry Hundred………….Aethelwold held ESWALT from the Bishop […]

Thomas Pelham-Holles, Lord Holles, was born in 1693, the son of Thomas Pelham, 1st Lord Pelham, by his second wife, Lady Grace Holles, younger sister of John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.  When Thomas’s uncle died in 1711, and his father in 1712, he inherited both their considerable estates. When he became of age in 1714 […]

The Boys family, also, de Bois & de Bosco, claimed descent from R. de Boys, or de Bosco, a companion of William the Conqueror who fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and was rewarded with gifts of land by the grateful King William. In 1357 John Boys was known to have held Bonnington […]

Sir John de Beauchamp, 1st. Lord Beauchamp of Warwick, was a younger son of Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick and a brother of Thomas, 11th Earl of Warwick.  The brothers were founder members of the Order of the Garter in 1348, Sir John’s his stall was number 11. Maud, a sister, was married […]

The Colkyn, also Kulkin, Kalkyn, Calkin, Colekin, ect, family were not members of the Anglo-Norman land-owning class but were wealthy Canterbury merchants. The exact year they first occupied Fredville is not  presently known, but they are believed to have taken possession during the reign of King John, 1199-1216, but they were well established there by […]

  Oesewalum was one of the properties included in the will of Archbishop Wulfred, who died in 832. He left his extensive estates to his kinsman, Werhard, with the specific instructions that Werhard should continue to endow the charities that Wulfred founded and that in his turn Werhard should leave the inherited property to Christ Church, Canterbury.  The following […]

About four hundred yards to the west of Soles is  Three Barrow Downs, historically called Rowbergh and Rowberry Butts,  taking its name from the three barrows  in the shave adjacent to the ancient track way that is now part of the North Downs Way and known locally as “The Roman Road”. In the adjoining field […]