The thatched cottage at the junction of Mill Lane and Easole Street was once a yeoman’s house probably dating from the mid-15th century although the farm itself was much older. It was part of the Manor of Essewelle which belonged to the Convent and Abbey of St. Alban’s which had been granted the adjoining Manor of […]
Category: Farms and manors
Esole Farm, now White House Farm
White House Farm was previously known as Esole Farm until the early 1900’s. The present farmhouse appears to be a mid to late 15th century hall type house which was later extended, probably in the late 16th century, to give it its present appearance and size. The farm was part of the Manor of Essesole […]
John Pemberton Plumptre and Jane Austen’s niece updated
During the latter part of 1814 Jane’s niece Fanny Knight, the daughter of her brother Edward, wrote to Jane asking her advise as to whether she should marry J.P.P., who was described as gentlemanly and wise; but also religious and too serious. Jane’s advise regarding his firm religious beliefs was ”don’t be frightened by the idea […]
The Church Lane Denehole-updated with photographs
Notes made by Dr. Hardman concerning the discovery of a denehole at Church Lane, Nonington, in May of 1939. Discovered in the last week of May 1939 in the grounds of Mr. F. G. Garlinge of Church Lane (now The Haven in the present Vicarage Lane), Nonington. Mr. Garlinge has recently built a bungalow on the […]
Nonington and The Great War-plans for evacuation in the event of a German invasion
As the outbreak of armed conflict between the British Empire and the German Empire became more certain plans were made to evacuate the civilian population of Kent in the event of invasion. The arrangements for the evacuation of Nonington’s inhabitants have recently come to light, and appear to have made shortly before the outbreak of […]
The Napoleonic Wars:-Nonington’s 1804 evacuation plan
In 1803 Napoleon began planning an invasion of England and began to gather and train a new army in camps on the north French coast which eventually amounted to some 200,000 men supported by over 2,000 ships of various types and sizes. Other invasion methods were considered, including a fleet of troop-carrying balloons and a […]
John Pemberton Plumptre and Jane Austen’s niece
During the latter part of 1814 Jane’s niece Fanny Knight, the daughter of her brother Edward, wrote to Jane asking her advise as to whether she should marry J.P.P., who was described as gentlemanly and wise; but also religious and too serious. Jane’s advise regarding his firm religious beliefs was ”don’t be frightened by the idea […]
The Redd Lyon at Frogham-renamed The Phoenix in 1833
In 1833, during John Hopper’s tenure as land-lord, “The Red Lion” was renamed “The Phoenix”. In December of 1832 John Pemberton Plumptre of Fredville had been elected to Parliament as one of the two Eastern Kent M.P’s., the other being Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bt. and a celebration dinner was held at “The Red Lion” on February […]
Recently come to light photographs of: the Fredville Houses and the hamlet of Frogham
Recently I have been fortunate enough to have had access to the archive of the late Aubrey Sutton, a Nonington born man with an interest in local history whose father harvested the last crop to be grown on the site of Snowdown Colliery. The archive contains hundred of slides, photographs and news-paper cuttings concerning Nonington […]
The Plumptre Hospital in Plumptre Square, Nottingham
The Plumptre Hospital in Plumptre Square was founded by John de Plumptre, a wool merchant and sometime Mayor of Nottingham, in 1392 during the reign of Richard II. The hospital was more of an almshouse than a hospital and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was endowed to support a Master and a priest […]