Loose, Kent

infobox UK place
country = England
static_

static_image_caption =
official_name= Loose
latitude= 51.2408
longitude= 0.5164
population=
shire_district= Maidstone
shire_county= Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Maidstone and the Weald
post_town= MAIDSTONE
postcode_district = ME15,
postcode_area= ME
dial_code= 01622
os_grid_reference=
london_distance=convert|34|mi|km|0 NW

Introduction

Loose is a village some convert|2|mi|km|0 south of Maidstone, Kent, situated at the head of the Loose Valley. The fast flowing River Loose which rises near Langley runs through the centre of the village and once supported a paper making industry, evidence of which can still be found today. An area around the village is also known as Loose but the village itself is based in the Loose valley and extends along Busbridge Road towards Tovil.

History

Loose originates from Saxon times but its main period of development was during the Industrial Revolution when many of the villages in the Loose valley grew around paper mills. Evidence of this is visible further down the valley in Hayle, where the old paper mill stands with its only remaining chimney. This site has now been redeveloped as housing. Further south are disused mine pits where rag stone was once mined, some sent sent for use at the Tower of London. South along the Loose Road (A229) then right at the post office and down to the Chequers pub ran a tram track, to transport people into town.

The road down into the valley, now called Old Loose Hill, is so steep that the landlord of The Chequers is believed to have kept horses which were let to help haul carts to the top of the hill. The road is lined with small stone posts around which ropes were slung to help when pulling heavy loads.

The area to the north of the village and east of Loose Road, around Boughton Lane, used to be farmland and formed Shernolds Farm. There were cherry orchards and the bowls green stands on the site of Shernolds Pond. Shernolds House was the farmhouse.

Features

A wide, shallow section of river provides a centre-piece to the village, with a convert|200|yd|m|0 stretch of serpentine causeway winding across the waters. All Saints church, of the Diocese of Canterbury, overlooks this section of river. The church may be inhabited by two ghosts, which, legend has it, may be viewed by sticking a pin in the ancient yew tree, running around the tree 13 times, then staring through the antecept window.

To the east of the village is the Loose Viaduct, built by Thomas Telford in 1830 to carry the Maidstone to Hastings road (the present day A229) across the Loose Valley. The village has two public houses. The Chequers is in the valley beside the river and The Walnut Tree is on the main A229 opposite Loose infant school and Loose junior school; separate schools but sharing the same site. A third pub, The Kings Arms, was closed in 2005 and is now private housing.

Cartoonist Ralf Steadman lives in Loose.

Loose is pronounced 'Lose'.

ee also

Loose stream article

External links

* [http://www.allsaintsloose.org.uk/ All Saints' Church Loose]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/places/villages/loose/index.shtml BBC Kent page about Loose]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/gauiscaecilius/sets/301633/ Photos of Loose on Flickr]
* [http://www.loosewomen.org.uk/ Loose Women Morris Dance Team]
* [http://www.valleycon.org/Intro.htm Loose Valley conservation area]