Greenwoods Map of Kent, 1821

This is a map on the scale of one inch to the mile for the whole of Kent and the section exhibited is the area around Leigh. This map was mounted on linen, folded and fitted into a leather covered box made to look like a book and was clearly intended for library use.

The publishers clearly made use of the 1801 Ordnance Survey but in the 20 years since the Ordnance map had been published there were the following alterations:

  • The Powdermills, which were started in 1811, are shown and Ramhurst Mill, which had been demolished, is excluded.
  • The name Black Hoath is printed to show that it was the name of the farm now known as Little Moorden.
  • The road from Ensfield to Prince Stile is shown for the first time.
  • Mrs Harbroe had built the front of The Woods in 1812 and it appears in the map under its then name “Leigh Cottage”.

Greenwood_Full

The big estates such as Penshurst Place , Hall Place , Redleaf, South Park and Chiddingstone are coloured green, no doubt because this map was intended for sale to the “Nobility, Clergy and Gentry” to whom it is respectfully dedicated.

It is interesting that new money was coming into the area as South Park had been sold to Richard Alnut, a London Merchant, Redleaf had been sold to William Wells, a Deptford shipbuilder and Hall Place to F. Baily who had married the granddaughter of the most successful brewer in London .