Goudhurst

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Goudhurst
population = 2,500 in Parish
civil_parish= Goudhurst & Kilndown
shire_district= Tunbridge Wells
shire_county = Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Tunbridge Wells
post_town= Cranbrook|postcode_district = TN17
postcode_area= TN |dial_code= 01580
os_grid_reference= TQ725375
latitude= 51.1112
longitude= 0.4636

Goudhurst is a village in Kent on the Weald, about convert|12|mi|km|0 south of Maidstone.It stands on a crossroads, where there is a large village pond.

Origin of Name

The place name of Goudhurst is derived from the Old English "guo hyrst", meaning Battle Hill, or the wooded hill on which a battle has been fought. The name commemorates a battle fought on this high ground in Saxon times. The spelling has evolved over the centuries, Gmthhyrste (c1100) Guthurst or Guhthersts (c1200) Gudhersts (1232) Guthhurste (1278) Goutherst (1316) Goodherst (1610) then the current day spelling. [The Place Names of Kent, Judith Glover ISBN 0905270 614] [The Origin of English Place Names, P.H.Reaney ISBN 0710020104]

History

The church in Goudhurst probably existed long before 1119, its earliest recorded date. The church has been altered and restored many times over the centuries. Until 1637 it had a tall spire which was eventually destroyed by lightning. In 1638 three London masons rebuilt the West tower [Howard Colvin, "A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840," 3rd ed. 1995, s.v. "Edmund Kinsman", "John Young".] During the Victorian era the church was restored by the architect Richard Carpenterfact|date=February 2007The village was one of those involved in the Wealden iron industry; it was a centre for the growing of hops; and also of weaving. A group of weavers' cottages stands opposite the church.

The "Battle of Goudhurst" in 1747 led to the end of the Hawkhurst Gang of smugglers. [Mary Waugh, "Smuggling in Kent and Sussex 1700-1840" 1985 ISBN 0 905392 48 5 pp 74-5]

The village's recent history is extremely well documented. The Goudhurst Jubilee Book (1935), Goudhurst Coronation Book (1937) & Goudhurst and Kilndown Millennium Book (2001, ISBN 0-9527822-1-9) contain detailed reminiscences, directories, historical notes, matters of local intelligence & records of celebrations starting from the 1800s & before up to the current time. These books were printed as limited editions and are much sought after as the authors painstakingly recorded not only the written, but also the oral, history of the village.

Goudhurst was the birthplace of the famous Kentish cricketer William Howard Vincent 'Hopper' Levett.

Bedgebury

Bedgebury is one of the oldest estates in Kent: having given its name to the de Bedgebury family, it passed into the hands of the Culpeper family in 1450. When the estate was sold in 1680, a new house was built which itself became a girls' school in the 1920s (closed in the Summer of 2006). In 2007 the school was purchased by the BellEducational Trust, an educational charity. In the summer of 2007 the school reopened as the Bell Bedgebury International School and the grounds also play host to the Bell Bedgebury Language Centre.
Bedgebury Pinetum is nearby. It was acquired by the Forestry Commission in 1924.

Railway

The branch railway line from Paddock Wood had a station for the village. It was opened on 1 October 1892, and was originally named 'Hope Mill for Goudhurst and Lamberhurst' before being renamed to 'Goudhurst' on 4 September 1893, the day the final part of the line came into service – the extension to Hawkhurst via Cranbrook; physically, the station was about half a mile from the centre of Goudhurst, and somewhat further from Lamberhurst. The station was closed on the 12 June, 1961 due to lack of use, passenger numbers having dropped to less than 200 per day. The track was lifted in 1964 and in 1967 the station sites were offered for sale.

Notes

ources

* "The Place Names of Kent", Judith Glover.
* "The Origin of English Place Names", P.H.Reaney.
* "The Dictionary of British Place Names"
* "Dictionary of English Place Names", A.D.Mills.

External links

* [http://www.villagenet.co.uk/highweald/villages/goudhurst.php Notes on village]
* [http://www.goudhurst.co.uk/ Village's own website]
* [http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/g/goudhurst/index.shtml Goudhurst entry in 'Disused Stations Site Record']