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FAVERSHAM SOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 520 2007 SOCIETY DIARY Wednesday-Tuesday 22-28 August Hands on History Family Week Friday 28 September Maison Dieu Lecture. Taking the High Road: Medieval Pilgrims in Kent. Dr. Diana Webb. 6.30pm Maison Dieu Sunday 7 October Trip to British Museum leaving Stone St. 9am Friday 26 October 45th Anniversary Dinner. Alexander Centre

HANDS ON HISTORY FAMILY WEEK 22 nd-28 th AUGUST –Jim Reid You may have seen the posters for this in town over the last few weeks – full details are available at the TIC counter. The programme includes story telling, fossil identification, museum-inspired story writing and drawing, creating your own coat of arms and practical archaeology. Some sessions are for children with families, others are for 12-16 year olds who do not need to be accompanied by law. There is a small charge to cover costs and sessions do need to be booked at the TIC, as numbers are limited for each group. A particularly unusual opportunity for 12-16 year olds are two sessions on operating the old telephone exchange installed at the back of the Big Shed, including handling and understanding the operating relays, but numbers are limited to 6 young people per session. So don’t delay in booking or telephoning the TIC on 01795 534542 to find out if spaces are available.

GRAINING AND VARNISHING – John Owen Since we completed our shop front at number 12, an original example of graining and varnishing has emerged on the fascia above the butcher’s shop at number 1 East Street. It is a very rich red rosewood and would date from any time after the shop was built, as now revealed by the restoration of the terracotta date stone. This encourages us to try to add to our knowledge of the use of this medium. It was used in London in the eighteenth century and in 1825 an advertisement appeared in the Kentish Gazette promoting the work of Mr. Thornton in Margate. He was providing not only technical instructions but speaks of four woods most in vogue viz. Satin Wood, Coromandel Rose Wood, Spanish Mahogany and Oak. For Faversham the earliest reference yet found to graining and staining is by Dickens when visiting the town in 1863. By the end of that century a Mr. Arthur Harris was

August

described in the Faversham News as being ‘noted for very clever work’ in those fields. In the last few months a number of passers by to number 12 have commented that they well remember the use of graining and varnishing locally. Can any of our members remember buildings which were finished like this and more interestingly can they remember who did the work? Who has parents or grandparents who were grainers and stainers? Do let us know, for not only will this help us to understand the detailed decorative history of buildings, inside and out, but help in their more accurate reconstruction. All replies to John Owen at the Fleur please. OUTINGS – Pam Boorman TRIP TO BRITISH MUSEUM 7 OCTOBER Our next trip will be to the British Museum on 7 th October leaving Stone Street bus shelter at 9am and returning promptly at 4.40pm from the Museum and arriving back at Faversham between 6-6.30pm. The cost of the coach is £9. In addition, there is a chance to see the exhibition of the First Emperor of China’s Terracotta Army. The price of admission to this special exhibition is £12. If you wish to take the opportunity to visit this, you will need to book tickets yourself in advance and also book a time slot between 12 and 3 o’clock on 0207 323 8181 or book your tickets online by going to the British Museum web-site at – http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk Then clicking on ‘The First Emperor’ on the picture of a terracotta warrior and then click on ‘Book exhibition tickets on-line.’ A list is available in the Fleur TIC to sign for the coach trip. TRIP TO HAM HOUSE – Ed. We visited Ham House, Richmond on 15 July. This house has a fine selection of eighteenth century upholstery including a silken chair cover unused and in mint condition and many hanging tapestries. There are lots of cabinets on stands and these contain little drawers for collecting curios as the late seventeenth century heralded a new idea – collecting things as a hobby. The light is restricted by blinds to preserve the colours of both fabrics and the marquetry which adorns much of the furniture so the original pink and green dyed wood can be seen with bright colours – very unusual! We had both sunshine and thunder. We were able to sit out in the kitchen garden in the rain sipping tea and listening to a choir singing nursery rhymes whilst they were standing in the rain but

wearing straw hats regardless. How dotty.

How English.

MAISON DIEU LECTURE – Margaret Slythe The Maison Dieu Annual Lecture 2007, ‘Taking the High Road: Medieval Pilgrims in Kent,’ will be given on Friday 28 September by Dr. Diana Webb at 6.30 for 7pm. Tickets available at the Maison Dieu and the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre from mid August, priced £5 for Lecture and £10 to include buffet supper afterwards. Civic Trust Heritage Open Days – the Maison Dieu will be open free to all on Saturday and Sunday 7/8 September from 2 - 5pm. OPEN HOUSE 2007 – Valerie Untersander One could be forgiven for fearing that this year’s Open House weekends would be a wash-out after the record rainfall and serious floods around the country. However, the 7th and 14th July, our first two Open House days, dawned bright and sunny and the streets of Faversham were crowded, the shops and market doing brisk business and here and there, the bright yellow posters were guiding our visitors to the properties taking part in our scheme. The Fleur was jam-packed with Handbook buyers and Town Walk groups. The Faversham Society has certainly been able to attract a lot of interest. Our first two Open House Saturdays have once again seen a record numbers of visitors. Here, I must give praise and heartfelt thanks to our property owners. How lucky we are that they are able to show such kindness and how we admire their resilience. I have a sneaky feeling they must have been plotting to outdo each other on visitor numbers! Should we award a trophy? Well, more time (but not money) was spent on promotion this year and we were able to obtain good coverage both in the local press and on the internet; it seems to have been worth while. Our team of volunteer stewards responded favourably to Sylvie Jones and Sue Hendry who do such an excellent job of slotting people in according to their preferences and availability. They wear their shoe leather out, keeping an eye on the change-overs and making sure no one has problems. I’m extremely grateful to them both for their co-operation and would like to thank all of our stewards, we couldn’t have an Open House Scheme without them. The new properties proved very popular as expected but it is quite astonishing how many visitors manage to view so many properties on the list. Both the property owners and stewards tell us how delighted the visitors were and always grateful for the opportunity to discover the treasure behind these normally closed doors. We received a group of 40 people from the Hereford

branch of the Friends of the National Trust, and having been able to converse with some of them, I can report that they were really delighted with both the Scheme and the town itself. I also had a peep at one or two of the Visitor’s Books at the properties and saw that visitors had come from London, Margate, Whitstable and even as far away as the USA! Here are some of the results to hand for the first two Saturdays: Wreight’s House (one day) 135, 84 Abbey St. (one day) 164, Wharf House (one day) 103, Septimus Cottage (2 mornings) 275, Arden’s House (one afternoon) 152, 17 West St. (two days) 244, Old Grammar School (one day) 112, Guildhall (two days) 216, Mayor’s Parlour (two days) 144, Oyster Bay House (one day) 190, Jireh Cottage (one afternoon) 187, and Standard Quay (3 hours) 107 Final results will be in next month’s Newsletter. I will take this opportunity to encourage any of our members who would like to take part in the Open House Scheme, either as organisers, stewards or if you would like to enter your property, please contact me at my email address or by telephone, these are both available at the Fleur de Lis. I can assure you that those taking part have a thoroughly enjoyable experience, all of us just swell with pride at the beauty of our town’s treasures and the open, warm hospitality shown to our visitors. If you would like to be part of the team please let us know. ARTHUR’S COLUMN – Arthur Percival MAORI IN DODDINGTON Has anyone any memories of the Maori battalion which was deployed in Doddington, Eastling and Stalisfield from 6 September to 4 November 1940? Valerie Untersander, organiser of our Open House scheme, has unearthed a couple of pages about it in the 1956 Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939-1945, but any personal reminiscences would be most welcome. If you can help, please drop a line to Arthur Percival at the Fleur de Lis. OYEZ! OYEZ! OYEZ! After a lapse of nearly 70 years Faversham has a Town Crier again. The appointment was suggested to the Town Council by the Society, and the Council asked it to find a suitable candidate. Jack Sprat is his name, or at least his ‘nom-de-cri’, and you will see and hear him in action before long, if you haven’t already done so. Don’t worry: he has been asked not to make announcements if he will disturb anyone who is (say) unwell. Shepherd Neame are kindly sponsoring him, which means that the cost of his uniform has been met. Warmest thanks also go to his wife Carolyn, whose expert seamstress work has worked wonders. He will receive no remuneration from the Society, and will make no charge for his services to charities and other non-profit organisations. Business organisations

will be expected to pay for these, however, and he will retain half these charges to cover his own time and expenses, giving the other half to the Society. Fees are at his discretion, and you can book his services on (01795) 534323. It is hoped that in due course he will participate in the annual national town criers’ competition. If your command of etymology is a bit rusty, you may like to know that the introductory cry ‘Oyez’ (pronounced like ‘Oh yes’, or ‘Oh yez’) derives from Old French ‘oiez’, meaning ‘hear!’, and that this in turn derives from the Latin verb audire (to hear - hence also our words ‘audit’, ‘audition’ and ‘auditory’). HAVE YOU GOT MANAGERIAL SKILLS? If you have them, we need them! After a very successful seven years at the tiller of our Tourist Information Centre / Bookshop Peter Garner will be standing down in a couple of months’ time. We need a replacement Honorary Manager, if possible to train with Peter ‘on the job’. We emphasise ‘Honorary’ – no-one who works for the Society gets any pay, just the satisfaction of serving the community. The successful candidate (as they say!) will not be there to boss fellow-volunteers around but to ensure that ‘front-of-house’ works as smoothly as it has during Peter’s tenure. Nor do they have to be in the Fleur all the time. They have to maintain the volunteer rota; help new volunteers learn the ropes; make sure they’re not asked to do anything beyond their individual capacities; keep new information at the top of the heap; liaise with other Society personnel; and generally keep the flag flying and the volunteers happy! Gently, gently, is the motto: not forcefully, forcefully. Senses of proportion and humour are all-important. Peter has these in abundance, fortunately. If you think you might be able to take his place, don’t be modest - have a word with him at the Fleur, drop him a line, or email him at [email protected]. SWITZERLAND for watches, ski-ing, chocolate, cheese and .... railways, which duly run like clockwork, despite the challenges of the terrain. They come in all shapes and sizes, forming one of the densest of networks, reaching places even roads can’t reach and offering superb views. If you’re a fan of them, you can’t do without the new Essential Guide to Swiss Heritage and Tourist Railways, by Mervyn Jones, now on sale at the Fleur de Lis, price £15.95 (£17.95 by post). In English at least, this must be the last word on the subject - hugely well-informed, and with hundred of top-quality colour illustrations. MEDIEVAL HOUSES more your line? Then the Fleur has the book for you, too. New from our old friends at Shire Publications is a handy and authoritative introduction, again with bags of illustrations, by Anthony Emery. A book which will surprise and delight, as well as inform, it’s a bargain at the Fleur at £10.99 (£12.99 post-free).

WELCOME BOUQUETS FOR TWO OF OUR ‘FAVERSHAM PAPERS’ have come recently. Eddie Cass, reviewing George Frampton’s Discordant Comicals (No 99) for the English Folk Dance & Song Society, described it as “a welcome and valuable addition to the literature” of the East Kent Christmas hoodeners. The new study, he said, “will be essential to scholars of traditional drama as well as those interested in seasonal events in England.” Roger Bennett, reviewing Fred Poynter’s Football in Faversham 1884-1990 (No 101) for Faversham Town FC, described it as “essential reading”. “I doubt whether we will ever see anything as good or comprehensive in publication again.” DAVINGTON MANOR RECORDS, still at the Priory, have been calendared by our Vice-Chairman, John Owen. In deference to the wishes of the owner, Bob Geldof KBE, whose helpful co-operation John warmly acknowledges, the calendar will not be published in the normal sense of the term, but a copy has been lodged in the Society’s Museum Library, and will be available for reference by members. Not mentioned in Domesday but in existence by the time the Priory was founded in 1153, the manor was much smaller than the parish of Davington and most of its property was outside it - in the parishes of Faversham and Ospringe. Thus (in 1924) it included various properties in Tanners Street; 94-97 West Street and 6-7 and 11-14 North Lane (originally in the parish of Ospringe); 4-5 Market Place; 6 properties in Ospringe Street (including the building now known as the Maison Dieu); and various parcels of land in the Whitehill/Kennaways area of Ospringe. Not all these can be pinpointed in the earliest rentals, but by correlation with other records identification may be possible in due course. For example ‘Josiah’ (really Josias) Dewy (1625/6-1698) is recorded as tenant of ‘Stereshes’ and ‘Court Barn’ (12 acres in total) in Ospringe in 1690. It is known that these were at, or near, Kennaways, and that Dewy was also owner of Bayfield Farm at Painters Forstal. Whilst the exact location of ‘Stereshes’ is not known, Dewy (from Carshalton) was a large-scale gunpowder manufacturer and the suspicion lurks that he hoped to use the mill at Whitehill Pond to make powder. The records John has calendared run from 1621-2 to 1924 (just before most manorial rights were extinguished) and his work, in spiral-bound book form, will be invaluable to researchers tracing (in particular) the histories of Faversham and Ospringe. He has contributed scholarly but readable introductory chapters which make the interpretation of the records much easier. Our thanks to him for undertaking this long-overdue task. Thanks also to Laurence Young, Davington churchwarden, for his kind co-operation. INTERESTED IN OLD-TIME FARMING AND HOP-GROWING? Then the Agricultural Museum at Brook is a ‘must’. It’s not far from Faversham, but it takes a bit of finding, as the

village isn’t on a main road. However it’s only a few minutes’ pleasant drive from Wye. The Museum is housed in a big and wonderfully well-preserved barn by the side of the village street, and is full of farm wagons, machinery and tools. Almost next door is a 200-year-old oast house, with many more tools. Run by a charity, it’s a really memorable experience. You can get a foretaste at www.agriculturalmuseumbrook.org.uk. The village itself, with its eponymous brook running through it, is a delight; and if you’re lucky enough to find the church open (next door to the Museum), it is light and airy and features one of the finest collections of medieval wall-paintings in the UK. The 11th-century Norman building is also unique in the UK in being Carolingian Norman in style, complete with massive tower incorporating a westwerk. Nearby is the Jolly Miller, said to be good for vegetarian dishes, among others. The Museum is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays 2 to 5 pm from May to September. Admission is £2.50 (under-14s free). OLD LEATHER BINDING NEEDS RESTORING? Craft bookbinders are thin on the ground these days. John Gardner has done good work for the Society. If you need to get in touch with him he is at “Ross”, 103 Maidstone Road, Borough Green, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 8HE (01732 884 368). ARCHEOLOGY UPDATE – Dr. Pat Reid Firstly, thanks to all of you who brought finds to us for the Archaeological Road Show at the Medieval Fayre. We were very busy all day and really enjoyed seeing so many Faversham artefacts, ranging from a Queen Anne penny to a clay pipe with a rugby player’s insignia. We saw lots of pottery, much of it dating to the 1700s, but nothing earlier. As I said in the last Newsletter, the earlier pottery does look drab and tatty compared with the more recent material, so it was good to be able to show examples of early Faversham pots to our many visitors. Maybe next year we’ll be seeing examples of medieval and roman pots! At the time of writing, we are about to start our 2007 excavation season and, hopefully, next month we will have some interesting new aspects of Faversham to tell you about. Again, we have twenty-five members involved over the three week period, each one giving time as suits his or her situation. Some members specialise in finds processing and recording, some are mad on digging and others like to do a bit of everything. Let’s hope the weather is kind, and don’t forget that you can see the finds team at work and talk to them in the front garden of 9, Provender Walk on the 28 th & 29 th July. Meanwhile, the Hands on History Family Week is approaching us at the end of August (see page 1 in this Newsletter). We are offering two

archaeology sessions. One is for under-twelves and families, sorting and handling finds in the Museum garden. The other is for 12-16 year olds and will involve three hours’ worth of actual trowels-on excavation in a Faversham garden: young people joining this group do not, of course, have to be accompanied by an adult. These sessions have been carefully planned to suit youngsters and I do hope you and your families will take advantage of this unique opportunity. SOCIETY KIOSK AT SHELDWICH FAIR Rod Morley We were able to ‘fly the flag’ on Saturday 7 th July at this wonderful local event, thanks to a few members of the Museum team plus friends. We were particularly grateful to steward Denis Jemmett, who transported the kiosk in his van and trailer. A good time was had by all although we declined to take part in the egg-throwing event, organised by ex-Society Chairman Mark Smith! Our attractive kiosk, designed and built last year by Norman and Rosemary Cotton, allows the Society to advertise itself, distribute leaflets and sell items such as Faversham Papers. It was used recently at the Medieval Fayre, courtesy of Dr. Pat Reid and our Archaeologists, and can be taken to any suitable local event. However, we do need a team of helpers who can transport and run the kiosk, without always relying on the museum team. In particular it would be most beneficial to use the experience of our Shop/TIC volunteers. Please drop a note into Rod at the Fleur if you can help.

TOWN WALKS CLICK – Peter Garner The following letter has been received from the Secretary of the Clacton Camera Club. “On behalf of the Club, I should like to thank you for the excellent morning you provided last Saturday the 9 th of June. The Faversham tours were informative, educational and provided our members with lots of photo opportunities. The Guides were a source of a wealth of information and joined in with our light-hearted banter. Their good humour made the morning entertaining as well as informative. We wish your society continued success and I think you may find many of us returning to Faversham in the future.” [Well done folks! Ed] MUSEUM MATTERS – John Culmer The Curator’s Room has taken on a slightly more modern look with the installation of flat screen monitors to replace our ancient large and cumbersome previous models. Desk space is dramatically improved and the improvement in colour and presentation is marked, in addition to reduction in eyestrain. This is particularly appreciated by Penny, our archivist, and Terry, our computer wizard, who spend many

hours in front of the screens. These were covered by a grant from MLA, via our Museums Development Officer. New funding is also now on offer from another museums body – the Association of Independent Museums, for conservation purposes. We have several candidates for this help – a number of volumes in our main library, posters and other paper items in archives, and a lovely ball dress ………in dire need of attention. Deciding on precedence here will be quite a problem! THE FLEUR GALLERY The history of West Street exhibition drew many visitors, and produced a continuous demand for copy photographs, providing a very useful boost to income! Currently we are showing displays of GCSE art from the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. This is a wonderfully colourful and vibrant exhibition and congratulations are due to the students and Head of Art for work of such very high standard. Do try to see this if you possibly can before the 29 th (if you get your Newsletter early.) The August exhibition will be an interesting display to celebrate 100 years of Scouting. Alan Swan is our sponsoring member and expert in this sphere of activity. He has written 3 volumes on scouting in Faversham – there will be a wealth of information and objects on display and no doubt many memories will be evoked of boyhood adventures under canvas. The planned exhibition marking 200 years since the end of slave trade will be in February 2008 and the December exhibition will be Christmas Toys. DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM Not so many gifts to the Museum recently but some interesting items none-the-less. William George Ash was Mayor of Faversham in 1928-29. He was a driver on the then Southern Railway, incidentally a friend of my father who was also a senior driver during those years. His grandson has given us a year’s copies of the Faversham and North East Kent News for this period covering his mayoralty, with 189 letters of condolence sent when the Mayoress died suddenly. You might think a strange thing to keep in the Museum records but these came from all the town’s dignitaries and public figures and in addition to recording who was who at the time, they demonstrate, when reading the beautifully phrased passages of sympathy, the sad deterioration in the present day use of English. Other items were a prospectus for the William Gibbs School from 1945, with full details and sketches of the school uniforms: 2 wooden frame lace holders, obviously from Childs’ Emporium, complete with lace at 1s.9d. per yard plus stock of buttons at 1 penny each, these will go on show in the Childs’ shop exhibit. 2 quite important items from the Cottage Hospital – a register of admissions 1944 to 45 and a casualties record from Sept. 1939 to May 1945 with details of injuries, treatment etc. An unusual cylindrical

slide rule dated 1940s to 50s as used by marine architects and possibly used at Pollocks. THE MARLOWE AND DODDINGTON LIBRARIES Colin Parry, our librarian, had been receiving regular deliveries of volumes, which have been held in various locations, for the Marlowe Library. The next development will be transferring volumes from Goldsmith’s College and there may be some surprises here as there is a lack of detailed information as to exactly what the holdings here contain. Many of the Doddington Library volumes are in Latin. An eminent Latin speaker has been surveying the library and has been impressed and exited by the contents including the fact that at least one volume is not known to the British Library SECOND HAND BOOK SHOP Why not visit the Society’s second book shop in Preston Street where you will find a variety of books all at ve ry reasonable prices. Why not buy something to read on holiday!

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE – Jacqui Hitchcock It is not possible to avoid seeing the success of the Faversham weekend events of June and July. During the first weekend in June and the last weekend of July it is the Pale Green Secret Gardens programmes that so many people carry that show something interesting is abroad for the visitor to see. And for the first three Saturdays in July it is the multitude of bright yellow programmes and the constant stream of visitors in and out of eye-catching houses and buildings that in themselves advertise the Open House event. Over the seven open days hundreds of steps are taken through gardens and homes by those looking at and admiring what is there to be seen. It is amazing the distance that som visitors travel expressly for these occasions. I believe I mentioned once before about one person I have met in Faversham who has made their home here after being so impressed by the town following their visit to Secret Gardens. What better compliment could be made for the efforts of a society that has done so much for its town over the almost forty-five years of its existence. Just two months to go before that exact time span is completed and the Faversham Society celebrates with an anniversary dinner on 26th October. More about that later. There are still folk in Faversham who do not know about the Faversham Society and what it has to offer. To start with, there is the TIC with all the information it can impart and the facility for making bookings for B&B’s, the sale of Faversham papers, so many of which are written

by people of the town who know from first hand knowledge about what they write. There are specialist books that can be obtained and countless colourful brochures which refer to all manner of places to visit throughout Kent. Through the TIC is the entrance to the Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre Museum and Gallery, a real centre of infor-mation about the town. Artefacts supplied by local families, individuals and businesses over the years make up the body of the displays which are beautifully presented and described. The Gallery is a wonderful area for exhibitions and at the moment is certainly being used in a most colourful, exciting way by having its walls covered with GCSE work by pupils of the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. It is such a good way for people to see the work that is produced by students from one of the Town’s, secondary schools. In other years primary school children have had their art work presented. Apart from these visible displays and exhibitions there are museum curators, IT operators, project managers, committee members, researchers, archaeologists, stewards, newsletter distributors, guides, TIC people and helpers in many ways not only in Preston Street but at the Maison Dieu and the Chart Mills and remember EVERYONE IS A VOLUNTEER. However there is always a need for specialist help and with a membership of over 1000, those needs should be able to be catered for. Do make contact if you know you have time or a service to offer. More good news is that Viridor Credits, the Landfill Communities Scheme operator, which took over the Brent Environmental Waste company, has awarded the society £25,000 to build a new small meeting room from the walled courtyard at the rear of No 12, at present the second hand bookshop. The 10% Third Party Funding for this, £2,500, was awarded by the Faversham Town Council Community Partnership in 2006. Our thanks go to Viridor Credits. The 45th Anniversary dinner has aroused interest and bookings have been promised, please make them positive as soon as possible Do remember this is a fund raising evening as well as a social , enjoyable one which us the reason for the holding of a Table Auction. I omitted to put on the form black tie or lounge suit --my apologies. The day is Friday, 26th October in the Alexander Centre. There are more application forms in the TIC if you have not received one or have mislaid yours. Any questions do telephone me on 01795532467. Remember too the Secret Garden weekend 28th, 29th July, programmes on sale in the TIC £6.00. There is a beautiful selection of gardens to visit.

MEMBERSHIP – Pamela Hunter We extend a warm welcome to: Mrs. M. Wickham; Miss B. Kingsnorth; Mr. and Mrs. D. Freeman; Mr. and Mrs. C. Forsyth; Ms. F. Harmer, Chertsey; Mrs. J. Medhurst; Mr. J. Long and Mrs. M. Clark, Sevenoaks; Mr. and Mrs. C. Mays; Ms. F. Beaumont; Miss E.A. Thomas; Mrs. E.J. Burford; Mr. J. Shank; Mr. B. Williams and Ms. S. Clark; Mrs. S.J. Wyles; Mr. M.J. Gregory and Mrs. M.J. Abbot, London; PLANNING COMMITTEE – Anne Salmon PLANNING APPLICATIONS 39 new planning applications and no amended applications were examined this month and were accepted except the following:a) Application SW/07/0632 & 33 Brick Stables & Wagon Lodge, Nether Court, Abbey Barns, Abbey Street, Faversham. Conversion of brickwork stable and wagon lodge to dwelling with restoration of medieval stable and shelter shed This application should be refused because the fenestration on the South and East elevations and the doors on the North elevation together with the screen on the West elevation would create an incongruous and unwelcome domestic appearance to this important Listed Building. The group of layout of the dwelling relates poorly to the building and would provide little amenity to the rooms on the first floor which may lead to applications for further alterations to the Listed Building. The introduction of a domestic cartilage among the farm buildings would harm the architectural character of the group and the character and appearance of the conservation area. Further, the environment agency may be concerned with regard to flooding. b) Application SW/07/0637 & 38 Apartment 26, The Almshouses, South Road, Faversham 1) The conversion of a two storey apartment to a first floor apartment with office and guest bedroom at ground floor. 2) The construction of a porch canopy to a principal elevation and Listed Building consent for the same. This application should be refused because the Almshouses is one of the most architecturally important and striking Listed Buildings in Faversham. The erection of small arbitrary extensions such as the proposed porch would be unwelcome. The structure would be prominent and visible from South Road and Stone Street and would significantly harm the appearance of the Listed Building. c) Application SW/07/0689 15 Harold Court, Canute Road, Faversham Lean-to conservatory to existing dwelling This application should be refused because the proposed conservatory would be set against one of the original classroom walls of the former school building. It would abut the building two thirds of the way up the windows separating the top Panel from the lower panels of the windows thereby harming the visual integrity of the

building. Views of the structure would be available from public areas. CHART MILLS OUTING – Angela Moyler Every year I arrange an outing for the Chart Mills openers/stewards. We always seem to end up by having a cream tea, this year was no exception. You may or may not have heard of Teapot Island – well this is where we went! It is at Yalding, where there is a museum of teapots, nearly 5000 of them – far removed from gunpowder! There were teapots depicting well known personalities, small teapots, large ones, naughty ones, so many! It is well worth a visit, as apart from the museum, there are plenty of nice walks by the river. Needless to say the weather was not good on the day we went, but we enjoyed ourselves. ORGAN RECITALS AT ALMSHOUSES – Vicky Shepherd Thanks to Peter Litman, Choral Director of Faversham Choral, there will be 5 ORGAN CONCERTS on each Thursday in AUGUST at Faversham Almshouses Chapel at 7 p.m. 2 nd August, Christopher Moore, St. Michael and All Angels, Croydon. 9 th August, Robert Tapsfield, St. Clements, Sandwich. 16 th August, Colin Parsons, Lancaster Town Hall. 23 rd August, Peter Litman, St. Martin’s & St. Paul’s, Canterbury. 30 th August, Neil Wright, Farnborough Abbey,

Celebratory Recital. Peter has said he would be pleased to accompany Ospringe’s singers as part of his concert. I am very thrilled that these eminent Organists will play our gem of an original “Father Willis” Organ in our splendid Chapel. Afterwards there will be time to chat and enjoy light refreshments in The Linda Head Room at the back of The Chapel. Also on Saturday, 6 th October, 7pm, Canterbury Cathedral Young Choristers will give a Concert. The Chapel seats 70 comfortably and every pew is well cushioned! All are welcome. Unfortunately there is no parking at The Almshouses but if you park at the far end of our Central Car Park it is free after 6 p.m. and it is a short walk up South Road. Vicky Shepherd. Trustee. Clubs, societies and organisations can advertise in the Newsletter for £4 per 1/6 column insert. If interested please contact Editor. Articles for the Newsletter or adverts from organisations and clubs are welcomed, and should be received by midday on the 15 th of the month prior to publication, at the Fleur de Lis, 10-13 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent ME13 8NS, addressed to Paul Moorbath, Hon. Newsletter Editor, or e-mail: [email protected] Views expressed are not necessarily those of The Faversham Society or of the Editor. The Faversham Society. Registered Charity No. 250945. www.faversham.org/society