Ramhurst Farm

See Penshurst Sales Particulars pages 10a, 11 and 12 for more details.

Briefly, in 1921 the property was occupied by Mr Henry Maskell, but still formed part of the Penshurst Estate.  It consisted on a large farm house, plus additional farm buildings: with stabling for 8 and a coachhouse with granary over, a store, a three-bay open shed, 1 loose box, similar shed, barn with two lean to open sheds, another barn, with lean-to and cake house, Cowhouse for 10 and calf pens with 2 lean-to open sheds.  A double waggon shed, three oasts with cooling room and stores.

It goes on to say that both the House and Farm Building are amply supplied with water from spring in Orchard and pump in Stackyard.

There was also a further superior modern cottage and two other brick and tiled cottages located there.

The Sales Particulars go on to quote from Hasted’s “History of Kent”.

“In the eastern part of this parish, near the River Medway, stands an ancient mansion called Ramhurst once reputed a manor and held of the honour of Gloucester.  In the reign of Edward I, it was held by the family of Rouland, from when it passed to the Culpeppers, one of whom, Walter Culpepper, paid respective aid for it in the 20th year of King Edward III, at the making the Black Prince a knight as the sixth part of a knight’s fee, which Thomas Rouland before held at Ramhurst of the Earl of Gloucester.  It continued in the family of Culpepper for several generations till at length it was alienated to Worral and from thence again about the latter end of the King Henry VII, to Lewknor from whom in the reign of Queen Elizabeth it was sold to Dixon from which name it passed by sale into that of Saxby in which it continued till the William Saxby conveyed it by sale to Children.  Richard Children Esq resided here and died possessed of it in 1753, aged 83 years.  In Queen Elizabeth’s reign, Ramhurst was known as Culverhouse Grove.”

According to Lawrence Biddle (Leigh In Kent 1550-1900), Ramhurst remained in the ownership and occupation of the Children family until 1816,when it was bought by Sr John Shelley Sidney.  While in the ownership of the Sidney family it was occupied by tenant farmers until 1922, when it was sold to David Rogers of Hawden Farm.  On his death it was sold again and in 1936 was purchased by Lord Kindersley.

Joyce Field (Feb 2025)