Oldhouse Farm and Old House

OLDHOUSE FARM in Hildenborough and OLD HOUSE (original Marden’s Farm) in Hildenborough

The above two properties in Hildenborough have caused some confusion.  They are both in Hildenborough, both in Philpotts Lane and both Tudor buildings – but, despite their names, they are not directly connected.

The Society has been sent information about both of these properties.

Old House – originally Marden’s Farm – is located at the intersection of Philpots Lane and Nizells Lane and is a late 15th century Grade II listed property.  It was part of an 18 acre farm known as Marden’s Farm, originally held as part of the manor of Datchurst.  A history of the property has been given to the Society by Geoffrey Barber in his booklet “History of the Old House (originally Marden’s Farm) in Hildenborough Kent (Sept 2014).

Oldhouse Farm – this property is slightly later – again a Grade II listed building, it is a 16th century farmhouse in Philpots Lane.  It had originally been the farmhouse for the home farm of Philpots Manor, situated about a mile outside of the village of Hildenborough.  It used to come under Leigh Parish before the formation of Hildenborough Parish in the 1840s, hence the connection to Leigh.  The earliest recorded occupant was a James Couchman and the Couchman family can be found in the parish registers of Leigh, from the late 17th century until the early 19th century; several burials are listed in the Register of Graves in Old Churchyard which can be found on the website.  Dr Robin Oakley, who was born at Oldhouse Farm, has written an article on the farm for the North West Kent Family History Society Journal Vol. 14 no. 7 (Sept 2017) and has also produced a CD-Book (67 pages, 20,000 words) history of the house, copies of both of which he has kindly given to the Society.

 

Joyce Field (January 2019)