The Cake - Spring 2021

Tasty local stories, published by Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council 

Spring 2021 | FREE 

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Published by Cranbrook and 

Sissinghurst Parish Council 

EDITOR 

Trisha Fermor - rt.fermor@googlemail.com 

ADVERTISING SALES 

Hayley Biddulph - 01892 677744 

hayleyb@spacemarketing.co.uk 

ADMIN SUPPORT 

Graham Holmes - gpholmes@hotmail.co.uk 

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PUBLISHED BY 

Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council: 

01580 713112 

www.cranbrookandsissinghurstpc.co.uk 

Cover photo courtesy of Getty Images 

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, 

the Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council, 

editor and authors cannot be held responsible for 

published errors. The views or opinions expressed 

do not necessarily reflect views of the 

Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish 

Council. Inclusion of any advertising 

material does not constitute a 

guarantee or endorsement of any 

products or services or claims made. 

SOMETHING FOR THE CAKE? 

We love to hear from you. Please send all ideas 

for contributions to The Cake to rt.fermor@ 

googlemail.com by 19 April for publication in 

the June issue. 

welcome 

Spring may well be on the way but we cannot 

count on the place Covid-19 and its variants 

will still be having in our lives in 2021. 

More than a year after the first lockdown, 

we have been given hope in the form of 

millions of vaccinations across the UK. We 

have seen the army standing guard outside 

the Vestry Hall while people were tested for 

Covid and many of us travelled to Headcorn 

Aerodrome and other centres for our jabs. 

Unfortunately, the battle against the 

Berkeley Homes development at Turnden, 

has been lost. TWBC agreed to 168 houses 

being built on the Area Of Outstanding 

Natural Beauty which is also outside the 

limits to build. 

However, campaigners are demanding that the government call in 

the application and put the decision in the hands of Robert Jenrick, the 

secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government. 

Objectors to the new homes are being urged to lobby Mr Jenrik. 

Thanks to The Cake’s busy team, this edition is packed with interesting 

features ranging from the threat of even heavier lorries using our Weald 

roads, how our parish council saved a Cranbrook out-of-school club from 

closing, and how kind-hearted people have donated unwanted computers 

to help vulnerable children learn at home during the pandemic. 

Stay safe. 

Cllr. Trisha Fermor, editor 

Inside this issue 

REGULARS 

5 Directory 

7 Chairman’s welcome 

8 Letters 

12 Local News 

16 Club News 

48 Parish Council Update 

FEATURES 

4 In Pictures – a majestic scene 

from Angley Woods by Fraser 

Allen 

11 Headline News – 

development update 

17 Covid Testing – history 

repeats at Vestry Hall 

18 Cranbrook Medical Centre – 

an update from the parish 

council 

21 Local Comment – Rev Ann, 

the hon. mayor Linda Page, 

PCSO Simon Humphreys and 

parish warden Ivor Hatcher 

24 MP’s comment – Helen Grant 

MP on our community spirit 

25 Councillor’s Comment – 

Cllr. Sean Holden fights back 

against mega lorries 

27 Running for Ariana – Sarah 

Calcutt on raising money for 

children’s cancer research 

28 Cranbrook School – meet the 

new head and life at Rammell 

boarding house 

31 Out & About – some wild 

finds 

33 John Hare – rare camels 

saved by local adventurer 

37 Treacle Mines – a sticky bit of 

local history 

36 Kids’ Corner – something for 

younger readers 

38 In the Garden – local man 

restores cherry trees to Japan 

39 Let’s Cook – a warming rice 

pudding with an Indian twist 

41 Badger’s Plot – things ramp 

up in the allotment for spring 

42 Local Farming – buy local and 

help stop yet more housing 

45 Museum News – journals and 

booklets ready to read! 

47 Arts – an introduction to 

more Wealden artists 

The Cake • Spring 2021 3

In Pictures 

Angley Woods as captured by Fraser Allen, of Fraser Allen Photography. www.fraserallen.co.uk 

4 The Cake • Spring 2021

DIRECTORY 

directory 

A list of useful contacts in 

Cranbrook and Sissinghurst 


Parish Council 

The Old Fire Station, Stone Street, 

Cranbrook, KENT TN17 3HF 

Clerk – Mrs. L. Ham 

Deputy Clerk – Mrs. L. Thirkell 

Deputy Clerk - Mrs. C. Bezuidenhout 

01580 713112 / clerk@ 

cranbrookandsissinghurstpc.co.uk 

BOROUGH & COUNTY 

COUNCILS 

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council 

01892 526121 

www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk 

Kent County Council 

03000 41 41 41 / www.kent.gov.uk 

USEFUL NUMBERS 

UTILITIES 

Electricity: 0800 727282 (24 hrs) 

Gas: 0800 111 999 

Water: South East Water (drinking 

water) 0800 0283399, Southern 

Water (waste water) 0800 820999 (24 

hrs), Emergency leak 0800 0283399, 

Floodline 0845 9881188 (24 hrs) 

CRIME 

Non-Emergency Police: 101 

Crime Stoppers: 0800 555111 

KCC Community Warden: Adam 

Osborn - 07813 695741 

PCSO: Simon Humphreys - 

simon.humphreys@kent.police.uk 

Neighbourhood Watch Area 

Co-ordinator: 01622 604395 

In an emergency i.e. if life is in danger 

or a crime is in progress call 999. To 

request non urgent police assistance, 

to report crime or to make enquiry 

call 101. Non urgent correspondence 

and crime can be reported via the Live 

Chat icon at www.kent.police.uk 

ROOMS & HALLS TO HIRE 

St George’s Institute, Sissinghurst: 

Ursula O’Connor 01580 713938 

The Parish Room, Sissinghurst: Sue 

Crowe 01580 712567 

ts.crowe74@gmail.com 

The Vestry Hall, Council Chamber and 

Addison VC Room, Cranbrook: 

01580 713112 (10am-12pm weekdays). 

A full list of over 30 venues for hire in the 

parish is available from the parish office 

USEFUL CONTACTS 

CHURCHES 

Congregational Church, 

Cranbrook: 01580 388070 

St. Dunstan’s, Cranbrook: 

01580 715861 

St. Theodore’s RC, Cranbrook: 

01580 713364 

Strict Baptist Church, Cranbrook: 

01580 713212 

Trinity Church, Sissinghurst: 

01580 852275 

Vine Church, Cranbrook: 01580 712620 

SCHOOLS AND PRE SCHOOLS 

Colliers Green CE Primary: 

01580 211335 

Cranbrook CE Primary: 01580 713249 

Cranbrook Children’s Centre: 

03000 41 10 35 

Cranbrook School: 01580 711800 

Dulwich Preparatory School: 

01580 712179 

High Weald Academy: 01580 712754 

Rainbow Pre School, Cranbrook: 

01580 715570 

Sissinghurst CE Primary: 01580 713895 

Woodpeckers Pre School, Cranbrook: 

01580 720195 

DOCTORS 

Old School Surgery, Cranbrook: 

01580 712476 

Orchard End Surgery, Cranbrook: 

01580 713622 

DEFIBRILLATORS 

Cramp Club, Cranbrook 

Cranbrook Fire Station 

Cranbrook Medical Centre, Cranbrook 

Cricket Club, Sissinghurst 

Parish Council office 

Sissinghurst Castle Garden 

St. George’s Institute, Sissinghurst 

Tennis Club, Sissinghurst 

The George Hotel, Cranbrook 

The Milkhouse, Sissinghurst 

A Spring Poem 

With spring just around the corner, here is 

another poem from Cranbrook raconteur, 

bon viveur, cellist and poet Humphry Evatt 

I’d like to plant some fragrant roses 

To please our eyes and charm our noses 

Up the walls some scented jasmine and honeysuckle which 

Grow fast and tall like willow in a ditch 

Rosemary, lavender and thyme 

Their perfumes I do find sublime 

While violets, stocks and honeysuckle when in flower 

Would make a luscious fragrant bower 

Sweet violets, wallflowers and some pinks… 

Oh! No! Ma’am – you don’t need those stinks 

Lilac, daphne and sweet peas 

And over-scented flowers like these 

Will only serve to make you sneeze 

They’re barely fit for worker bees 

I’d like to plant for you some other 

Taught me by my dear old mother 

The thing you really ought to do 

Is plant foxglove, hemlock, red sage, yew and rue 

while curry, hyssop, nightshade and monkshood 

I find most particularly good. 

The wage for you is 4/6d a week 

There followed a most unholy shriek 

As without hoe or spade or rake 

He wrenched and uprooted our mandrake 

Against this man my resolve does harden 

I’ll not have him in my English Country Garden 


COMMENT 

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 

Green Shoots 

on the Horizon 

We are more 

optimistic 

with spring 

on its way, 

the Royal 

Engineers doing Covid testing 

in the Vestry Hall, vaccinations 

starting to have an effect and 

potentially better times to 

come. 

My heart goes out to 

those who have been ill and 

particularly those who have lost 

loved ones. 

The parish council continues 

to function and some exciting 

new developments have been 

started. Most momentous is the 

unanimous agreement of your 

councillors to start the build 

project for the much vaunted 

medical and community 

centre. Those of you who have 

had to trek to Headcorn to be 

vaccinated have probably felt 

the need for a local centre more 

than most! 

How we get this built, what it 

contains and at what cost, were 

issues discussed at length at 

an extraordinary meeting on 7 

January attended by 79 people 

on Zoom. This issue of The 

Cake has a diagram of how the 

project is being handled, how 

you can express your further 

thoughts and opinions and how 

to offer your skills to help make 

the project a success (see pages 

18-20). 

Cranbrook in Bloom 

volunteers have planted the 

trees kindly donated by our 

county councillor Sean Holden. 

I call it the 2020 Spinney so 

we have a positive thing to 

An example of how the Cranbrook Medical Centre could look – taken from the Southborough Hub project 

“The Covid crisis has caused great hardship 

for some in our community. The number 

of homes paying council tax this year has 

dropped for the first time in my memory” 

remember about 2020. Thank 

you to the other contributors 

who have sponsored trees in the 

name of loved ones. 

The Covid crisis has caused 

great hardship for some in our 

community. The number of 

homes paying council tax this 

year has dropped for the first 

time in my memory. 

KCC supports the Kent Savers 

Credit Union where loans can 

be obtained at an interest rate 

of about 30 per cent. Their web 

address is www.kentsavers.co.uk 

Please also consider 

making donations to the food 

bank – you can leave food 

at the vicarage door on the 

last Thursday of the month 

or donate online at www. 

nourishcommunityfoodbank. 

org.uk 

There are green shoots of 

revival in the community so I 

wish you a healthy spring. 

Cllr. Kim Fletcher, chairman 

BAXALL CONSTRUCTION 


letters 

www.bussmurton.co.uk | T: 01580 712 215 

CRANBROOK SCHOOL 

Please send 

your letters to: 

rt.fermor@googlemail.com 

or by post to Parish Cake, 


Parish Council, The Old 

Fire Station, Stone Street, 

Cranbrook, TN17 3HF. Please 

note, letters may be published 

in a shortened form at the 

discretion of the editor. 

Thanks for Cranbrook 

This year saw our family celebrate 20 years’ living 

in Cranbrook and, in some ways, we still feel like 

newcomers. Following a weekend visit to the 

area for Sunday lunch with my best man and his 

family, we fell in love and things quickly fell into 

place. With schooling, home and the commute 

aligning, we felt this was the change we needed 

after 17 years of London living. 

We feel very privileged to live in such a 

beautiful part of the country, not far from the sea 

and only an hour from London. What makes it 

even better is the town of Cranbrook (I heard it is 

the smallest in Kent) and the amazing facilities 

that the community offers. 

When we welcome visitors from other parts, 

they are in awe of the walks in Bedgebury and the 

Pinetum, the picture postcard town, shops and 

buildings etc. “What a wonderful place and so full 

of life”. 

By contrast, I have heard some local voices 

say “Cranbrook is dying” and I wonder if they 

are speaking of the Cranbrook that I know? My 

purpose of writing is just to say that I believe 

that Cranbrook is anything but dead. We believe 

some of the initiatives that these extraordinary 

times have brought about speak for themselves. 

Especially the response of the community to 

volunteer to help those who are isolated or in 

particular need. Clearly there are those who need 

support and there are things that could work 

better. 

For me, as some green shoots appear, those 

who have felt discouraged will have some 

evidence to feel more positive. There is change 

in the wind and change can be a challenge. It is 

noisier in the countryside than it was in London! 

Somehow the barking of a fox and hooting of 

owls has become a noise we love to hear. We also 

believe that the best is yet to come. 

I can see a time when a flourishing Cranbrook 

will exceed the heights of earlier periods – when 

believers help encourage the doubters who in 

turn help dot the necessary i’s and cross the t’s. 

Philip Crocker 

Praise for Efficient 

Covid Testing 

Congratulations to the NHS, the army and to the 

parish council for setting up and for the efficient 

and smooth running of the Covid-19 testing 

operation in the new Cranbrook testing centre in 

the Vestry Hall. 

I’d like to encourage everyone to use this 

facility. We were first through the door on the 

first day (20 January). Everything is really well 

organised, the army personnel were terrific and 

the results came through really quickly. Book via 

https://kcc.healthit.org.uk/covbook/home – there 

are also answers to lots of questions on the same 

page. It really is simple and straightforward. 

The more we all get ourselves tested, the more 

accurate figures will be, which will help the NHS 

better target testing, vaccinations and other 

Covid related care in the future. 

Lee Hatcher 


We have been providing expert and 

trusted legal advice to individuals and 

businesses for generations. 

Walking in ‘Sunday 

best’ in Angley Woods 

Responding to a 

Foul Problem 

I was dismayed by the content of the 

letter on dog fouling in the December 

issue of The Cake when we consider the 

needs of our children to live and play in 

a clean and healthy environment. 

Having been born and gratefully 

brought up in this lovely Wealden 

town during the post war years, Angley 

Woods were our playground and a 

beautiful place to walk in our Sunday 

best! (see picture). A family occasion! 

To have been faced with the prospect 

of cleaning dog poop from our shoes 

would have presented a problem with 

only a kitchen sink and no running hot 

water. But let us move on. 

As children we were never made to 

feel that we were intruding on someone 

else’s property without permission. 

Also, surely it should be the 

responsibility of dog owners to take 

their poop bags home with them rather 

than leave them to someone else to 

dispose of on their behalf. 

On one occasion, my husband and I 

ventured into Hemstead Forest in the 

hope of a relaxing afternoon exercise. 

No chance! Dodge the dog poop was 

as difficult there as in Angley Woods. 

We made a quick retreat warning an 

unsuspecting family as we left not to 

let the children run ahead. It was our 

attempt to help protect them from 

infection and disease. 

I wholeheartedly support the 

mother who initiated this debate and 

empathise with the distress that she 

encountered while trying to extend 

her children’s daily routines and life 

experiences. 

Name supplied 

MR NOAH’S 

NURSERY SCHOOL CIC 

https://mrnoahs.org 


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HEADLINE NEWS 

Development 

Update 

Housing numbers fall but disappointment as 

Turnden planning application is passed writes 

Cllr Nancy Warne, chairman, Cranbrook & 

Sissinghurst NDP Steering Group 

Planning is a moveable 

feast. Since the 

public consultation 

last autumn on the 

draft Cranbrook and 

Sissinghurst Neighbourhood 

Plan (NDP), Tunbridge Wells 

Borough Council (TWBC) 

published a revised version of 

its draft Local Plan, in which the 

housing targets we thought the 

parish would be facing have been 

slashed in half. 

But at a TWBC planning 

committee meeting on 27 

January, proposals were 

approved for a total of 345 

new houses on Brick Kiln 

and Turnden Farms, despite 

vehement local opposition as 

well as objections from the 

parish council, the High Weald 

AONB Advisory Committee, the 

Cranbrook Conservation Area 

Appraisal Committee, CPRE and 

the government’s own advisors, 

Natural England. 

The story doesn’t quite 

end there as Natural England 

has requested that the 

Turnden proposal be called 

in to the Ministry of Housing, 

Communities and Local 

Government for determination 

by the Secretary of State, Robert 

Jenrick. So watch this space… 

As far as the neighbourhood 

plan goes, it is even more 

important to keep going and try 

to get the plan in place as soon 

as possible. The government 

appears to be heading in the 

right direction in terms of 

letting local people determine 

the design quality of new builds. 

Thank you 

On behalf of the 

parish council 

and the NDP 

group, I would 

like to say a huge 

thank you to all 

those who took 

the time and 

trouble to make 

comments during 

the consultation, 

especially during 

these challenging 

times. Over twothirds 

of those who responded 

via the questionnaire completed 

the full-length version of what 

turned out to be quite a lengthy 

survey. Thank you and well 

done. 

On the whole your feedback 

was mostly positive and 

appreciative of the work that the 

steering group has put in over 

the past few years to ensure that 

your views were listened to and 

incorporated into the plan where 

possible. 

You liked the attention paid 

to landscape and the natural 

environment, consideration of 

public realm space in Cranbrook 

and community facilities in the 

town, as well as in Sissinghurst. 

However, there was real 

concern about the level of 

development proposed in the 

TWBC 

Local Plan and the 

impact on our infrastructure 

(particularly roads, schools, 

health services) as well as the 

rural character and beauty of the 

parish. Worries about increased 

traffic and need for more safe 

crossings and parking featured 

strongly, as did the lack of public 

toilets in Cranbrook. 

Room for 

improvement 

Many felt that we did not 

place sufficient emphasis on 

the significance of treasured 

views, our history and our 

heritage assets: the buildings, 

the landscape, the conservation 

areas and the stories of local 

people. Others thought we had 

missed out information on the 

importance of the schools to the 

parish and the role they might 

play in the future. 

Some were frustrated by the 

lack of spatial expression of 

future development, wanting 

to see a mapped masterplan. 

Indeed, many of the maps 

came in for comments about 

lack of clarity or misleading 

information. So, we know we 

need to work on graphical 

representation in the evidence 

base of the plan. 

Thank you to those who 

pointed out mistakes we had 

made in the draft plan – such as 

the location of the Quaker Burial 

ground! 

All your comments have been 

really useful in helping us to 

work out how to improve the 

neighbourhood plan, which 

the NDP group will continue to 

do over the next few months 

before submitting the plan to 

TWBC. A second consultation 

period will follow before the 

plan undergoes an independent 

examination, and then returns to 

you for a final referendum vote, 

which we’re hoping will be in the 

autumn. 

TWBC PLANNING PORTAL/BERKELEY HOMES 


NEWS 

News 


Money Keeps Child 

Care Club Open 

“I am absolutely amazed,” was the 

response from a school club manager 

after the parish council saved it from 

closure with a £1,600 grant. 

Stephanie Smithers, who runs the 

Cranbrook Out of School Club, said 

just before we went to press: “We 

were faced with closing the club 

which is vital for the children of key 

workers and vulnerable children. 

“We had been running at a loss 

which is why I made the application 

to the parish council. I am absolutely 

amazed that they made the grant 

and very grateful. We would have 

had to shut if we had not received 

the grant. 

“I had one parent, who is a doctor, 

who said she would not have been 

able to work if the club had closed.” 

Housed next to the primary school 

but operated independently, the 

centre is open during school days 

from 7.30am to 8.45am and 12.15pm 

to 3pm. The financial crisis hit the 

club because the number of children 

attending had dropped during the 

pandemic, mainly due to parents 

working from home. 

Mrs Smithers said she was 

surprised that government money 

was available for businesses and the 

hospitality industry but there was 

nothing for child care. She had also 

asked the borough council without 

success. TF 

If you would like to find out more 

about the club, please email 

oosc@cranbrook-cep.kent.sch.uk 

Overwhelming Response 

to Appeal to Help Children 

A message on a Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Facebook chat page for people 

to donate computers for children learning at home has led to a flood of 

donations. 

Clare Scully, a special educational needs co-ordinator from Cranbrook, 

said: “It all started with Jan Smith asking for anyone with spare computers to 

donate them and people just flew with the idea. 

“Some children had been trying to work on mobile phones which is not 

acceptable but we have been flooded with everything from laptops to tablets 

and Benenden School also donated some desk top computers.” 

The grandmother added: “It got very overwhelming at times with my car 

boot full and more in people’s garages! Liam Matthews, an IT manager has 

been working hard going through them and getting them ready to hand over 

to children most in need.” TF 

Covid-19 Non 

Compliance in 

Abundance at Co-op 

Shoppers at the Co-op who refused to follow 

Covid-19 rules have assaulted staff and guards 

with one man spitting at a worker claiming he 

had the virus. 

The revelations were made by store manager 

Laurence Hernandez after The Cake investigated 

concerns that many shoppers were refusing to 

wear masks or social distance. 

The story went viral after parish councillor 

Andy Fairweather emailed fellow members 

in January to say what he saw in the Co-op 

“stunned” him. 

The building was undergoing an extensive refit 

and, he added: “…the aisles of approximately 

one metre width now form part of the store. 

People were literally crawling over one another. 

Unchecked numbers of people entering and 

a one-way system supposedly in place but 

largely ignored. Covid-19 non-compliance in 

abundance.” 

There was criticism of the timing of the 

work and council chairman Cllr. Kim Fletcher 

contacted Mr Hernandez who assured him 

that efforts had been redoubled. Customer 

numbers were being controlled and counted in 

and a “greeter” ensured masks were worn. An 

environmental check had recorded 100 per cent 

compliance with rules and staff were going for 

Covid-19 testing every week. 

In an email to The Cake editor, Mr Hernandez 

said the Co-op had a policy of not challenging 

people disobeying the rules. 

“There have been instances where shop staff 

and guards have challenged and been assaulted. 

In one case a shop worker was spat at and told 

by the assailant they had coronavirus (not in the 

store). 

“This is clearly not acceptable and we will 

never put our colleagues into that situation.” 

He said staff had done a “wonderful job” 

continuing to come into work “feeding the 

nation”. They were considered Critical Workers 

and deserved respect. 

Concerned that people in the parish would find 

it difficult to shop for food, the town’s Co-op had 

stayed open. 

“The team work hard and fight through their 

own anxieties… A more thoughtful approach 

would be favourable from some of our friends in 

the parish.” TF 


Covid-19 Awards 

When the Covid crisis struck last year, a number 

of people were first to offer to help and organise 

volunteers. They have now been thanked with 

certificates from the mayor of Tunbridge Wells. 

Pennie Durie (pictured) and Andy Fairweather 

in Sissinghurst, Mark Lawrence (pictured), Annie 

Hopper, June Bell, Garry Pethurst and Wendy Waters 

all received the award. 

As a community we thank them for their hard 

work ensuring everyone had somewhere to turn 

during the pandemic. TF 

NEWS 

‘Be Kind and Don’t 

Bully’ Message to 

Youngsters 

A week-long campaign to highlight the problems 

of bullying among school children was hailed a 

resounding success at Cranbrook Primary School. 

Run by learning and behaviour mentor 

Charlotte Moser, she was keen to show children 

that kindness matters and during the week they 

were encouraged to show at least one kind act to 

another pupil. 

“The children really enjoyed it and as well as 

doing posters they also wrote letters to people in 

care homes because of Covid which makes a lot of 

residents lonely. I was delighted to see at the end 

of the week a simple gesture of one child helping 

another putting on her coat.” TF 

Thanks to 

Volunteers 

Santa Claws, the Jack Russell, 

oversaw the planting of a 

spinney at the Ball field, 

Cranbrook, on a very wet 

and cold Sunday morning in 

January. 

Organised by Cranbrook in 

Bloom, more than 30 volunteers 

turned up to plant trees which 

ranged from liquidambers to 

maples and silver birches to 

oaks. Money for the trees came 

from Kent county councillor 

Sean Holden and people who 

donated them in memory of 

loved ones. CiB chair and hon. 

mayor Linda Page thanked 

everyone who had taken part in 

the scheme. TF 

ANNUAL PARISH 

MEETING 

28 April, online. Details from 

the parish council office. 


NEWS 

CUP CAKES 

Be in the Know 

To keep in touch with important updates from 

the parish council, sign up to ‘Be in the Know’ 

on the parish website. 

The regular e-newsletter delivers very local 

information to you including fraud bulletins, 

Covid testing in the Vestry Hall, road closures, 

the Kent Community Foundation’s Surviving 

Winter Campaign and updates relating to the 

Cranbrook Community and Medical Centre. 

Support for Police Camera Plan 

Kent Police are being supported by Cranbrook 

and Sissinghurst Parish Council in its plan 

to install more automatic number plate 

recognition cameras in the area. 

New cameras will be sited across the county 

in undisclosed areas. The council has accepted 

that the cameras are needed for national 

security, to fight crime and local crime 

patterns and give confidence and reassurance 

to local communities. TF 

Friends Help Repair Church 

The Friends of Sissinghurst Church have 

contributed nearly £700, half the cost of 

repairs, to the external weatherboarding on 

the eastern side of the adjoining Parish Room. 

Work also included repairs to the flooring and 

plumbing in the ladies’ lavatory, the Parish 

Room and the church. 

Treasurer and membership secretary Peter 

Mellor said: “Many thanks for making these 

essential repairs possible by your allimportant 

subscriptions and donations.” TF 

Dog Thieves in New Scam 

Police are warning people to be aware of dog 

thieves posing as RSPCA officers. 

The imposters, in a van with RSPCA stickers, 

approach dog walkers and tell them they are 

removing the animal because it matches the 

description of a stolen dog. 

Police advise never to hand over dogs to 

anyone. Insist the would-be thieves follow 

them to the vets to check the animals’ 

microchip number. 

Anyone who has been approached should 

contact the police immediately giving as 

much detail as possible and, if they can, 

take photos of the offenders and vehicle 

registration numbers. TF 

Don’t Forget - Census 

Day, Sunday 21 March 

The national Census, 

which happens every 

10 years, provides a 

snapshot of our society, 

our population, where 

we all live, what we all 

do and how things have 

changed in the past 10 

years. 

“A successful census 

will ensure everyone 

from local government 

to charities can put 

services and funding in 

the places where they 

are most needed,” said 

Iain Bell, deputy national 

statistician at the Office 

for National Statistics. 

“This could mean 

things like doctors’ 

surgeries, schools and 

new transport routes. 

That’s why it is so 

important everyone takes 

part and we have made 

it easier for people to do 

so online on any device, 

with help available, and 

paper questionnaires for 

those that need them.” 

In this census, 

questions will be asked 

about your sex, age, 

work, health, education, 

household size and 

ethnicity. For the first 

time there will be a 

question asking people 

whether they have served 

Mill Turns Green 

for Christmas 

Anyone looking out of their window at 

the Union Mill before Christmas could be 

forgiven for thinking the repairs had taken 

a turn for the worst. 

Instead of the familiar off-white, 

historic landmark viewers were treated 

to a brightly lit green edifice. Comments 

on the town’s Facebook page ranged 

from “outrageous” to “very funny”, with 

the building losing its green hue a few 

days later. 

Windmill Association chairman 

Nick Vinall told The Cake he had 

used green filters on the usual 

windmill lighting and members 

had the bonus of a star on the 

top when they logged onto the 

mill’s website. TF 

in the armed forces, 

as well as voluntary 

questions for those aged 

16 and over on sexual 

orientation and gender 

identity. 

Your personal data is 

safe, protected by law 

and locked away for 100 

years. No individual, 

organisation or even 

government department 

can gain access whatever 

the circumstances. 

Initial summaries of 

“stripped” data from the 

census are expected to 

be available within 12 

months. TF 

For more information 

please visit 

www.census.gov.uk 


LOCAL HISTORY 

History 

Repeats 

History repeats itself and the wonderful 

Vestry Hall in Cranbrook showed its value 

again during the pandemic. 

WORLD WAR I PICTURES COURTESY OF CRANBROOK MUSEUM 

The asymptomatic 

testing for Covid-19, 

organised in the hall by 

the army, Kent County 

Council and the parish 

council, begun on 20 January 

and had a parallel more than 100 

years ago. Looking through old 

photographs of Cranbrook, this 

image of the First World War 

wounded being cared for, shows 

how things repeat themselves. 

Thank you to everyone who has 

helped out. Cllr. Kim Fletcher 

If you have a test booked, please 

do not arrive too early as you 

will have to queue. 

Book at COVID-19 Test 

Appointments Home (healthit. 

org.uk) or Google asymptomatic 

covid test Vestry Hall. 


CLUB NEWS 

Cranbrook Pickleball 

– a Success Story 

Our sports writer Grahame Grant gets acquainted with a game which 

is rapidly becoming popular across the country 

The first question 

you are going to 

ask is “what is 

pickleball?” Don’t 

worry, up until 

recently yours truly, who 

has had ago at every sport 

from tiddlywinks to extreme 

ironing, had no idea either. 

My first port of call 

therefore had to be to the 

Cranbrook Pickleball Group, 

formed in 2015 and run by the 

experienced and enthusiastic 

Martin Hobbs. Apparently, 

pickleball was first played in 

the USA some 50 years ago 

combining elements of tennis, 

badminton and table tennis, 

using a waffle type ball, a hard 

bat and on badminton sized 

court with a lower net. 

Us Brits, being naturally 

resistant to anything new in 

sport that couldn’t be traced 

back to Alfred the Great, 

were slow on the uptake and 

it wasn’t until around 2010 

that our interest was aroused 

,starting to really take off in 

2016. 

In anticipation and seizing 

the opportunity Martin 

formed the group, printing 

and distributing flyers around 

the town and enlisting the cooperation 

and support of the 

Weald Sports Centre. 

From slow beginnings, with 

two-hour Friday morning 

sessions on just two courts, 

the group grew within the 

space of a month to using 

four courts and the whole 

sports hall. Each session 

was full to capacity and new 

sessions were added to cope 

Martin Hobbs, silver medallist at the GB Open Championships, 50- 

65 category in 2017 

with demand. 

The group has grown from 

strength to strength now 

competing in national and 

international tournaments as 

far afield as Spain, Holland 

and Germany, gathering a 

cluster of medals and winning 

the South East League in its 

inaugural season. 

But don’t let the success 

of the group deter you from 

having a go. This is far from 

an elitist sport with players 

of all abilities encouraged 

to participate and, when 

allowed, to get fit, lose those 

square TV eyes, sofa endured 

bingo wings and have some 

fun. 

Due to current restrictions 

the group is, of course, not 

active but I would suggest 

keeping in touch with Martin 

Hobbs on 07702 126571 to 

get involved with one of the 

many sessions they run. 

Timeless Hope for 

Scattered People 

Normal lockdown church has 

continued with our livestream 

being appreciated by people in 

Cranbrook and the surrounding 

area. Also, people have regularly 

tuned-in from further afield, 

both in this country and across 

the globe. We really have been 

a scattered congregation each 

Sunday morning. 

At the start of the year we began 

looking at 1 Peter - one of the New 

Testament biblical letters. Peter 

opens his first letter addressing 

his readers "scattered throughout 

the provinces" before going 

on to deliver a message designed 

to inspire gratitude and hope. 

Many of Peter's original audience 

would have been scattered due to 

persecution; suffering for their 

faith which was so counter-cultural 

to their society. 

Whilst our scattering was caused 

by very different circumstances, 

the need for hope today is just as 

real. Peter's words, written almost 

2,000 years ago, can still bring hope 

to us today. He reminds us that the 

present it not all there is; we can 

look beyond the here-and-now 

to the glorious future that God 

has prepared for us "through the 

resurrection of Jesus Christ from 

the dead." 

Want to join us for a window of 

hope in the week? Visit vinechurch. 

org.uk for details. 


COMMUNITY CENTRE 

It’s all Go! 

New community centre and doctors’ surgery 

finally given the go-ahead 

GETTY IMAGES 

In the last edition of The Cake we 

reflected on how you had said loudly: 

“Stop talking about it and get on with it” 

but “Don’t put up our council tax” 

Well, we have been getting on with it and 

our precept is lower than last year! 

In the past months, we have produced a 

final Outline Business Case (OBC) for the 

whole project. We also held an extraordinary 

parish council meeting which included TWBC 

and KCC representatives and, importantly, 

you. 

The Zoom meeting was attended by 

some 70 folk who asked questions, made 

suggestions and gave support. It was a lively 

meeting with some interesting comments 

from the public and was one of the largest 

attended meetings we have ever had. 

At the full council meeting in January, I 

am pleased to say the motion was passed 

unanimously by councillors that we could go 

ahead and progress to the next stages. This 

will be a long journey but the stages have 

been broken down into easy steps (see poster 

on page 20) and the community can have a 

say at each step. 

These include gathering the needs of all 

interested parties, stakeholders and the 

likely users of the centre to understand their 

detailed requirements. We can then brief an 

“I am pleased to say 

the motion was passed 

unanimously by councillors 

that we could go ahead and 

progress to the next stages” 

architect in order for him/her to produce a 

design for approval. 

So, to all the groups which have already 

indicated what they would like, we would 

ask you to review what you told us. Think 

of your requirements, e.g. your preferred 

room sizes, numbers of people likely to 

attend, access needs, seating and table 

requirements, any catering, IT, Wi-Fi, white 

boards, screens, storage etc. 

The centre management committee 

members will be in contact so we can include 

your ideas in our brief to the architect. 

We think it’s much better to understand 

all the users’ needs now at the initial design, 

as it is preferable than trying to retrofit 

something once the building is constructed. 

The next stages will be to agree briefs for 

the architect, quantity surveyor and project 

manager, ready for appointment. 





COMMUNITY CENTRE 

FEEDBACK 


“I thought the meeting was really 

good. We joined because we are 

keen that the community centre 

happens. It's been talked about for 

years and it seems like something 

is finally going to happen! Joining 

the Zoom meeting was really easy, 

so thank you.” 

“Congratulations on the meeting. 

I think it seemed very successful 

and I have heard several positive 

comments about it. I am most 

impressed that you have been able 

to find funding to build a medical 

centre and hope to combine this 

with the community centre and 

library. Well done to everyone on 

the work done so far. Good luck 

with the project – please make it 

fantastic!” 

“It was good to have the 

opportunity to hear, first hand, 

how the plans are progressing and 

how it will be financed.” 

Medical Centre 

We have been in touch with the 

Cranbrook GPs and the Clinical 

Commissioning Group (CCG) regarding 

the medical centre. We understand 

their requirements will be similar to the 

Southborough Medical Centre. 

Please see the photographs included 

in this update which show the type and 

finish of reception and clinical rooms at 

the Southborough centre which we 

hope to replicate. 

The vote to go ahead, the user needs 

coming together and the prospect of 

appointing our professional consultants 

make for an exciting time for this project. 

I thank the team for its hard work and 

you for making it possible to get this far 

in getting our community centre off the 

starting blocks. Cllr. Colin Gilbert, chair 

of the community centre/medical clinic 

committee 

MORE INFORMATION 

As mentioned in previous articles, readers 

can find details of the OBC on the parish 

council website under ‘Community 

Centre’. For direct access to available 

plans please sign up to Be In the Know 

on our website. Please comment at 

cranbrookcommunitycentre@gmail.com 

GETTY IMAGES 


DIGITAL & OFFSET PRINTERS • STATIONERY SUPPLIES 

MEDICAL AND COMMUNITY 

CENTRE ROUTE MAP 

♥COMING TO THE 

HEART OF OUR 

COMMUNITY! 

RIBA 

STAGE 0 

Start project, find land, 

review information, 

visit and learn 

from others 

RIBA: 

Royal Institute of British Architects 

FIRST 4 STAGES TO 

CREATE A BUILDING 

RIBA 2 

Concept design 


approval 

RIBA 4 


approve technical 

design and 

loan application 

Land gifted 

and transferred, 

secure access 

rights. Our 

estate is 

marked 

Business 

red. 

case & risk 

register written, 

feasibility complete 

CAN YOU HELP! 

- Communication 

- Fund Raising 

- Legal or Construction 

Management skills 

Procure 

and appoint 

architect, 

produce initial 

block 

designs 

Refine 

designs, room 

layouts, size 

and feel 

Your Views 

NEEDED 

Prepare for start on site 

Prepare 

legal documents 

with 

NHS and KCC 

Check 

financials 

and contact 

loan board 

WHERE? 

Refine design 

specification, 

check 

feasibility 

Your Opportunity 

to Comment 

TELL 

TWBC 

YOUR 

VIEWS 

Check Loan 

arrangements 

with Public Works 

Loan Board 

www.pwlb.gov.uk 

Parish 

Council Approval, 

January 

2021 

Appoint 

technical project 

manager, engage 

with NHS 

and KCC 

Consider 

procurement 

of building and 

contractors 

Refine detail 

design, colours 

and materials 

TELL US 

RIBA 1 

Preparation & 

Brief 

TELL US 

What you 

NEED in the Centre- 

Family • Business 

Society • Groups 

Teams 

Organisations 

Young • Old 

RIBA 3 


approve design 

and submit 

to planning 

THE PARISH COUNCIL INTENDS TO TAKE OUT A 50 YEAR 

MORTGAGE TO BUILD THIS. 

EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO - CranbrookCommunityCentre@gmail.com 

Stationery Express 

WE NEED TO START FUND RAISING TO MEET OUR TARGET OF £2 MILLION

LOCAL COMMENT 

Spring message from the 

vicar Rev Ann Pollington 

As with many businesses 

in the town, St 

Dunstan’s church has 

been closed, then open, 

then closed, then open, 

then closed. Let us hope the pattern 

will end with the great opening at 

Easter, but who knows? 

As I write, it is open every 

Saturday between 11am and 3pm 

– the only other time is, sadly, for 

funerals. 

How does that make you feel? 

My Spiritual Director asked me. My 

answer – not sure. I do know that 

one of the joys of being the vicar 

of Cranbrook is the opportunity to 

enter into people’s lives at particular 

moments dear to them and Sunday 

by Sunday through the church 

services. Take those away from your 

vicar and how does she feel? Perhaps 

a little powerless, as I am sure we 

have all felt at some time or another 

during this pandemic. 

We have found different ways 

I am guessing that by the time you 

read this we will be a year from 

The Great Lockdown. What an 

anniversary to keep! 

of worshipping together – online, 

Facebook, Zoom, the phone and 

perhaps some living the other side of 

the world. We have become a wider 

community and not just because we 

have put on weight during lockdown! 

We know spring is around the 

corner, a time of new life in our 

gardens and the countryside. More 

and more vaccinations have been 

given and hope administered by 

dedicated doctors and nurses. Easter 

is on its way; a time when the church 

remembers how down the disciples 

were on that first Good Friday and 

then with what joy they celebrated 

the new life on the first Easter Day. 

There is hope for us all and that 

is Good News to carry along our 

journey, put a spring in your step, a 

smile on your face (under the mask 

– for now?) and one day soon we will 

sing out those glorious Alleluias, for 

I do believe we are an Easter people 

and Alleluia is our song. 

With love and prayers Rev Ann 

Mayor’s 

Message 

As Cranbrook’s new Honorary Mayor, 

I would like to share with you some 

of my intentions. 

First, I want to encourage the right kind of 

representation for tourism and economic interest. 

I will actively be pushing for Cranbrook and 

Sissinghurst tourism with a bold new website 

for visitors to visit our parish and the many 

surrounding places of interest, historic and leisure. 

I want to encourage townsfolk to communicate 

their desires to the parish council, on matters they 

are responsible for and things they can change, like 

litter, planning, public toilets and in particular the 

new Community and Medical Centre. Vandalism 

and petty crime have held back any progress on 

having public toilets but surely there must be an 

answer! 

Please write to me if you have something to 

suggest, or something to get off your chest. We 

all want Cranbrook, Sissinghurst and our country 

to get back to ‘normal’ again. We want to start 

planning events again. We so miss the community 

events, which give an even better reason for 

visitors to come to Cranbrook. Nuts in May cannot 

go ahead, but maybe we can squeeze in the Apple 

Fayre, or Music Festival. 

We need to be ready for when the lights come 

back on. More events on the horizon, more visitors 

to the town and a tremendous support for all our 

local businesses. We need to look forward to new 

ideas, drive, support and backing to change things 

for the better. 

And don’t forget to ‘Try Cranbrook First’ for all 

your shopping and business needs, as soon as we 

all can. 

Honorary Mayor, Linda Page 

(mayor@cranbrooktown.co.uk) 


LOCAL COMMENT 

Squirrel Trouble 

An unusual visitor causes Rev Ann a furry problem, writes parish warden Ivor Hatcher 

I 

had just finished my 

dinner when my mobile 

rang. That usually means 

there is a problem 

somewhere in the parish. 

It was the Rev Ann who 

had a very unusual request 

– “I have a squirrel in my 

“As I undid 

the towel, 

immediately the 

squirrel made a 

run back towards 

the open door” 

wood burner! Do you think 

you could remove it for me 

please?” 

Nothing really surprises me 

these days so I told the vicar 

I was on my way. I grabbed a 

thick pair of gloves and set off. 

The car refused to start, so I 

had to use the Land Rover. I 

arrived at the vicarage, gloves 

and mask on, and asked the 

Rev Ann for an old towel. 

Making my way into the 

living room, I opened the wood 

burner to see a fluffy ball and 

two little eyes staring at me. 

Quickly, I closed the doors 

again. I considered my best 

strategy and opened the doors 

with fear that the squirrel 

would escape and be running 

around the vicarage. 

I made my move… and 

grabbed the squirrel while it 

grabbed my finger causing me 

to shout “Oh bother”, at the 

top of my voice (it just got the 

glove). 

With the squirrel wrapped 

in the towel, I made a dash 

for the front door, past the 

laughing vicar (I am sure she 

heard me!) into the garden. 

As I undid the towel, 

immediately the squirrel made 

a run back towards the open 

door. It had seen the light! 

I shouted to the Rev Ann to 

close it. As the door shut, the 

squirrel did a right turn and 

disappeared under the garden 

gate. 

It was gone. I left a laughing 

Rev Ann and set off home 

with yet another tale for my 

collection. 

New PCSO, 

Simon 

Humphreys 

Having joined Kent Police in 2005, our 

community support officer’s beat is 

Cranbrook, Sissinghurst, Frittenden and 

Benenden. 

Simon sees his role as helping the 

communities and in particular the 

elderly and the vulnerable. He took over 

responsibility for Cranbrook earlier this 

year following in the footsteps of former 

PCSO Lee Jules. 

Describing his role, Simon said: “We 

are out and about in the community and 

meeting members of the public, dealing 

with a number of issues including deterring 

low-level crime and anti-social behaviour. 

We can provide crime prevention advice 

and we fall in the remit of the Community 

Safety Unit based in Tunbridge Wells.” 

Even though Simon spends much of his 

time walking the Weald streets, he still 

enjoys walking and music in his spare time. 

TF 


Helen Grant 

MP for Maidstone 

and the Weald 

I am here to help you in any 

way that I can. If there is 

an issue of concern to you, 

where you believe I can 

assist, or if you would like to 

arrange a meeting with me, 

please email me at helen. 

grant.mp@parliament.uk 

or 

telephone 020 7219 7107. 

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MP’S COMMENT 

FAR LEFT: Helen at 

a fundraising event 

with the Sissinghurst 

community in 2018. 

Covid has brought out 

the best in the community 

Writes MP 

Helen Grant 

I 

don’t venture to compare 

this past year with the 

Luftwaffe blitz of WWII, 

but in my lifetime this is 

as close as I’ve come to 

witnessing a war in England’s 

green and pleasant land; the 

enemy all about, everything 

shut down, many people dying 

and sick, health and emergency 

services stretched to the limit. 

But, as it has always been in 

this country during a national 

threat, the strength of our 

community has risen to the 

battle. Over the course of the 

pandemic I have been constantly 

uplifted and in admiration of the 

way people across this wonderful 

constituency of Maidstone & 

The Weald, and not least the 

good people of Cranbrook and 

Sissinghurst, have come together 

and supported each other. 

Early this year, by way of 

example, the stream of those 

most at risk from Covid-19 

heading to Headcorn or Ticehurst 

for their vaccinations was, thanks 

in large part to the Herculean 

efforts of Dr Faye Hinsley and 

her fantastic team at The Ridge 

Primary Care Network. The 

Ridge PCN, in turn, have been 

supported in their challenge 

by Tunbridge Wells Borough 

Council (TWBC), alongside a 

team of volunteers, playing a 

critical role in booking people for 

their vaccination appointments. 

TWBC has also worked 

extremely hard administering 

financial grants provided by the 

government to help businesses. 

I am under no illusion as to how 

much of a hammer-blow the 

lockdown restrictions have been 

for our small businesses, but 

these grants have made things 

just slightly easier for some, as 

well as protecting many jobs. 

From recent conversations I 

have had with the head teachers 

at Cranbrook School and High 

Weald Academy, I also know of 

some of the remarkable lengths 

teachers have taken in the past 

few months; going way aboveand-beyond 

the basic teaching 

requirements to create enjoyable, 

interactive, virtual lessons for 

their pupils, even whilst their 

schools have been closed. 

British stoicism in the face 

of adversity has been the tenet 

throughout our Wealden villages, 

with so many acts of individual 

help and kindness from countless 

residents; checking-in on their 

neighbours, delivering essential 

food and medicine, telephoning 

and chatting with those whom 

they know to be self-isolating. 

All of these combined efforts 

have made an enormous 

difference to the lives of 

thousands. I would like to offer 

a huge thank you to every single 

person who has contributed to 

this inspirational community 

effort. 

With the vaccination 

programme continuing to unfold 

perhaps this year we shall 

once again be able to enjoy the 

Garden of England together, in 

the style of the Darling Buds of 

May. 


COUNCILLOR’S COMMENT 

Get 

Lorries 

out of 

Lives 

Kent is beset with big, growling 

lorries which may soon get 

bigger if hauliers have their way, 

says Councillor Seán Holden 

Our county council is speaking 

up for residents in the face of 

a government consultation to 

raise the weight limit for lorries 

from 44 to 48 tons. An average 

11,500 pass through Kent, to and from the 

Channel, every single day. Many bully their 

way through narrow lanes, tight villages and 

people’s lives. 

For two years I’ve led a personal project 

to bring the monsters under control. The 

mission is to ‘get lorries out of lives’ and it’s 

gone up a few gears. It’s Kent’s version of the 

“It means we can go ahead with our own trial, probably 

south of Maidstone, to confine HGVs to strategic routes 

unless they’re working locally” 

London Lorry Scheme which will fine or clamp 

heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) which leave 

strategic through-routes without good cause 

or overnight in laybys. 

Now the 48-ton consultation is a new 

battle. I called it in to KCC’s environment and 

transport committee, which I chair. Members 

gave it the thumbs down for our roads. 

The proposal was a four-year trial of 48-ton 

lorries on so-called “intermodal routes” which 

are journeys of up to 50 miles to rail depots. 

The idea is that raising trucks’ carrying 

capacity would mean fewer would be needed. 

Requiring a rail element in journeys would get 

more freight on trains. 

Committee members could see a Trojan 

horse! There would soon be pressure to get 

costly new 48-tonners into the mainstream. 

Economics says if bigger wagons make road 

transport more efficient, freight will move 

to it, not from it. A four-year “trial” was an 

introduction not a trial. We told government 

Kent didn’t want it. 

In the meantime, my HGV group of 

councillors and officials working to get lorries 

out of lives has had a breakthrough. The 

government has agreed to give us powers to 

enforce moving traffic offences, like London 

boroughs. It means we can go ahead with 

our own trial, probably south of Maidstone, 

to confine HGVs to strategic routes unless 

they’re working locally. Of course, we know 

hauliers are economically vital but their 

commercial interests can’t keep trumping the 

quality of people’s lives. 

Lorries split communities, like Sissinghurst; 

they wear down people’s souls; they pay 

fractions of the cost of their damage to 

infrastructure and environment. US studies 

show it redoubles by the ton. One 40-ton 

lorry’s impact on roads equals ten-thousand 

(yes 10,000) one-ton cars. 

Getting lorries out of lives has a rare quality 

for a political campaign. Everyone agrees with 

it! So I promise I’ll keep on rolling. 


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FEATURE 

Running 

for Ariana 

Ariana in October 

Sarah Calcutt writes on her efforts to raise money 

for the Cancer Centre at the Royal Marsden 

Those that know me 

well know that my 

life usually resembles 

that of a sloth in the 

amount of exercise I 

take, but not in January. 

I was part of a team of friends 

running (jogging and staggering) 

my way through the month 

raising money for the amazing 

Royal Marsden Hospital in 

Surrey. 

Last November, life changed in 

the worst way for my dear friends 

from Goudhurst, Steph and Chris 

Gabbitas when their vivacious, 

bright and beautiful five-year-old 

daughter, Ariana, was diagnosed 

with Acute Lymphoblastic 

Leukaemia. Thanks to the 

outstanding intuition of the first 

doctor they saw at Pembury her 

diagnosis was rapid and transfer 

to the Marsden was within three 

days. 

The treatment is brutal; great 

advances have been made but 

the fact remains that children’s 

cancer research needs a lot more 

investment. The money that we 

raised in January will help build 

the new Oaks Cancer Centre at 

the Royal Marsden. It will have a 

massive impact on research into 

childhood cancers and the lives 

of cancer patients all over the 

world. 

Along with Steph and Chris, 

her two sisters, and more than 40 

friends we are doing our bit and 

raising funds for the new centre. 

In January, we all jogged 40 miles 

or more and raised more than 

Ariana in December 

£40,000, just in our little group. 

We will go on raising funds 

during the two and half year 

duration of Ariana’s treatment. 

We are going to help 

improve the quality of life 

during treatment and invest in 

improving children’s chances of 

survival. Please join us in helping 

beat children’s cancer. If all of 

us gave or did a little to help 

The Royal Marsden our children 

and grandchildren will stand 

a better chance of surviving 

such traumatic illnesses and 

treatments. 

To donate to the team effort visit 

https://www.justgiving.com/ 

fundraising/teamarianagabbitas 


FEATURE 

Will Chuter, his wife 

Hannah and children, 

twins Aggie and Bea and 

son Teddy 

Finding his way around Cranbrook 

School has been not been a problem 

for Will Chuter as he returns as 

headmaster. 

The former pupil now makes his 

home in School House with his wife Hannah, a 

nursery teacher, twins Aggie and Bea, aged nine, 

and son, Teddy, seven. He took over from Dr John 

Weeds whose six-year tenure came to end in 

December. 

Mr Chuter, 42, who worked in publishing 

before deciding to become a teacher, went to 

Durham University and then studied teaching at 

King’s College, London. He taught Uppingham 

School and came to Kent from Gresham’s School 

in Norfolk, where he was the deputy head and 

boarding house master. 

He told The Cake: “I don’t think it was ever a 

long-term plan to return to Cranbrook School 

but when the position came up I screamed at it! I 

loved my time at Cranbrook so much.” 

He has fond memories of living in a cottage 

a stone’s throw from Wilsley Pound and 

remembers with affection his ancient history 

teacher John Badcock who lives in Cranbrook. 

A devotee of ancient history, Mr Chuter said 

his top priority was to get through Covid-19 and 

then talk to staff, pupils and parents about the 

school’s future. 

He was looking forward to spending time with 

his family, including his “ancient spaniel”. His 

interests are music – he plays the guitar – and 

he loves sport as well as riding his bike “as often 

as I can”. He added he was looking forward 

to meeting and working with members of the 

Cranbrook community. TF 

From Pupil 

to Head 

Will Chuter returns to Cranbrook School 

as headmaster, writes Trisha Fermor 

BOARDING LIFE IN 

RAMMELL HOUSE 

Harry Cheung 

I’m Harry Cheung and I am a 

Hong Kong student My time at 

Cranbrook School has been really 

fun, much sportier than I had 

expected. I’ve learned how to play rugby since 

we have games every Thursday. At first, I didn’t 

even know how to play and made a lot of fouls, 

I even ran backwards while holding the ball. 

Luckily everyone was very supportive, so we had 

a laugh about it. The teachers also took time to 

demonstrate how it should be done, and rugby 

has become a sport I enjoy very much. 

Rammell House is a nice house to be in. Before 

Covid-19 we had house trips every one to two 

weeks; it is great fun when the whole house goes 


FEATURE 

together and does activities. There is always a 

lot of food making going on – matron makes 

“house snacks” on school days and during 

the weekends and the seniors make food and 

share it around with the whole house. 

Our house master, Mr Crews, and our new 

deputy, Mr Mercer, are very nice to us and are 

always very approachable. It’s very easy to 

have a chat with them. The same goes to our 

other Rammell tutors, duty staff, matron and 

cleaning staff, who all take the time to get to 

know us and are happy to help with anything 

we need. 

Since joining Rammell, I’ve picked up 

playing chess. Before I tried playing chess 

online a bit, but it was nothing compared to 

the real thing. Mr Crews is always happy to 

play anyone who wants to challenge him in 

chess. I turned out to do surprisingly well in 

chess, and beat him once, although that was 

more of a coincidence than skill, as he was so 

much ahead of me and until I found a surprise 

check mate! Unfortunately, Mr Crews didn’t 

have any photo evidence of me winning, so 

here is a photo of him playing Rhys. 

My time in Rammell so far has been short 

but great, and everything is starting to run 

seamlessly. I believe it is going to be an 

amazing experience and I look forward to 

becoming a leader in the house in years to 

come! 

Jasper Chou 

My name is Jasper Chou 

from Hong Kong. I am a 

boarder and student of 

Cranbrook School and am 

a part of Rammell House. Our fantastic 

boarding house never ceases to keep us 

entertained with never-ending activities, 

time with our friends and experience we 

will always remember. All of which make 

Rammell House feel much more than just a 

boarding house, but also our home. 

We all work together in Rammell to 

create an atmosphere which is as close 

to home as possible, with very few rules 

as everyone is considerate of each other. 

Our matron and cleaning staff ensure that 

our house is clean, hygienic and always 

have time for a chat when we see them. 

Matron not only keeps the house running 

smoothly but she also makes us regular 

after school treats and can always help with 

any problems we have, whether it is finding 

something we have lost or fixing a shirt 

ready for school. 

Rammell boys have a huge appetite for 

food! The best thing that I find to do in 

Rammell is cooking and socialising. On 

the first weekend of October, I cooked the 

house Vietnamese noodles, Pho, which took 

me and a few other housemates from 10am 

till 8pm to finish cooking. I have a passion 

for cooking and Rammell offers me an 

opportunity to cook in the house and share 

my creations with others. 

It is always enjoyable to socialise in the 

many communal areas, where we have talks, 

chats, play games or check our social media 

profiles… We find it enjoyable to talk to 

the staff members in Rammell too, who are 

always interested and it’s nice to spend time 

with them and do activities together. I love 

being a boarder in Rammell! 


OUT & ABOUT 

Weeds? 

Weeds or native wild flowers? Asks 

the Bemused Biologist 

Weeds... What 

are they? (apart 

from the source 

of my current 

bemusement). 

As a biologist who has worked 

as such in countries round the 

world I can confirm that they are 

purely of human construct. 

They’re not an ecological 

group. They don’t have traits 

that enable them to be classified 

like, for example, mammals. 

The only thing that holds them 

together in the 

negative bracket 

of “weed” in 

the shifting sand 

of popular opinion. 

But, this does change. Poet 

Wordsworth - as well as liking 

daffodils - also waxed lyrical 

about ragwort. But, what has 

bemused me - walking around 

town - is the way we treat our 

native wild flowers locally. 

Species like the ones below 

are beautiful, harm no-one and 

are hugely beneficial to insects 

including butterflies and bees, 

which are declining everywhere. 

So, why do we mow them off in 

the churchyard, or pull them 

up when they spring up at the 

side of the pavement, 

or spray them with 

toxic chemicals on 

the allotment? 

Wouldn’t it be better 

to let them bloom, 

enjoy them, and do 

something positive for 

wildlife? 

On late summer 

hawkweed there are small copper 

butterflies feeding. This is a 

much declined species that feeds 

on docks and sorrels which also 

hang on in “scrappy” corners of 

Cranbrook. 

Birds foot trefoil - survives in 

the churchyard by the skin of its 

teeth. It would cover the grass 

if we let it, providing nectar for 

countless insects and a food plant 

for common blue butterflies and 

dingy skippers to name but two. 

This also applies to fumitory - a 

rare arable plant - that now clings 

on in corners of the town and at 

the allotment. 

Orchids in a pot by the 

churchyard steps are fantastic 

flowers that will bloom naturally 

in the type of grassland that 

would be created if only 

footpaths were mown. 

The Cake would like to thank 

the Bemused Biologist for his 

sage words. Steps have been 

taken in the churchyard at St 

Dunstan’s Church to create a 

wildlife haven to counteract 

the “sterile view” opinion of 

judges in the South and South 

East in Bloom competition 

in 2019. 


From Devil’s 

Fingers to 

Bearded Teeth 

It would seem that walking through 

the Weald countryside is turning up 

more and more natural surprises by 

the week. 

Following our story of a dog walker’s 

rare find of a devil’s fingers fungus 

in a Cranbrook field another canine 

companion has stumbled across an even 

stranger one. 

Francis Rogers was walking his 

Springer spaniel Nell – he is not giving 

the exact Sissinghurst location to protect 

the mushroom – when he came across 

what turned out to be a rare bearded 

tooth fungus. It is also known as the 

lion’s mane fungus, tree hedgehog fungus 

and the bearded teeth mushroom. The 

extraordinary tufty sight was clinging 

to a tree and its face-like features were 

looking towards the ground. 

About the size of a football, 

this splendid find makes 

a cushion-like mound 

with white to yellow 

strands that look 

like fur or icicles. 

The flesh is said to 

be tough and elastic 

with a delicate 

musky smell which, 

when it ages, becomes 

unpleasant. 

The species, which 

includes three similar 

mushrooms, has the highest level of 

protection in this country under the 

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. 

Despite its protection, it faces threats 

from unscrupulous collectors who pick 

them to eat or for medicinal use. 

According to eastern folklore, anyone 

who eats this mushroom will enjoy 

increased vigour. Research has shown it 

contains compounds that are effective 

against a host of conditions including 

memory loss, depression, dementia and 

neurological conditions. It is widely eaten 

in China and Japan. TF 

OUT & ABOUT 

Your Country Lifestyle 

Department Store! 

Formerly known as Hartley Dyke Farm Shop 

Our departments are: 

Equine • Small Holder • Pets & Wild Birds 

Garden • Gifts and Cards • Fuel 

Clothing including: 

Joules, Seasalt, White Stuff, Toggi, Jack Wolfskin, Hoggs, 

Thought, Jack Murphy, Hunter Outdoor and more... 

We have plenty of free parking, and we offer a free local 

delivery for orders over £50 (£2.50 charge for under £50) 

Fresh Fruit & Vegetables • Flowers • Plants 

•Shrubs • Hot & Cold Foods • Drinks 

• Groceries & Delicatessen 

Charity Farm, Swattenden Lane, Cranbrook, TN173PS 

Tel: 01580 712546 

www.cranbrookfarmshop.co.uk 

Open 8.30-5.30 weekdays, 9-5 Satudays and 10-4 Sundays 

Swattenden Lane Cranbrook, TN17 3PS 

01580 713189 | info@charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk 

www.charityfarmcountrystore.co.uk 


SALES AND SERVICE 

M&A Brown & Sons Ltd, Iden Green Farm, Cranbrook Road, Goudhurst, Kent TN17 2PA 

info@mabg.co.uk ✆ 01580 211599 www.mabg.co.uk 


FEATURE 

Saving the Camels 

Rare wild Camels saved by Weald adventurer star 

in David Attenborough’s Perfect Planet, writes Trisha Fermor 

Conservationist and explorer John 

Hare who has devoted much of 

his life to saving 

a rare species of 

camel, has watched 

them feature in the new David 

Attenborough documentary, 

The Perfect Planet. 

However, Mr Hare who 

lives in Benenden, was not so 

delighted when the veteran 

broadcaster referred to the 

double humped creatures 

as Bactrian camels, a belief 

which was proved wrong in 

2008. Camelus ferus were 

confirmed as a unique species 

which had been roaming the earth for 

750,000 years. 

Mr Hare, 86, was awarded an OBE for 

dedicating much of his life to protecting the 

wild camels which were filmed by the BBC 

crew in the inhospitable Gobi 

Desert. There, temperatures 

plunge to -40C and in China 

there is only salt water for the 

animals to drink. They also 

survive by eating frozen snow 

blown in from Siberia, often 

walking 100 miles to find it. 

As the co-founder of 

The Wild Camel Protection 

Foundation, whose life patron 

is Dr Jane Goodall, Mr Hare 

has ridden camels thousands 

of miles across deserts in 

China and Mongolia, written 

books on his hair-raising exploits and is still 

fighting for the survival of the 1,000 rare 

camels that are left in the wild. 

“We are very pleased that they featured 

on the programme although the name was 

wrong. The camels mate at the coldest 

time of the year but they couldn’t find any 

mating although they did get some shots of 

them eating frozen snow. I think the chance 

of them finding mating camels was pretty 

slim.” 

In 1993 Mr Hare took up a chance offer 

to research the status of the wild camel, the 

eighth most endangered large mammal on 

the planet. Two years later, he was allowed 

to enter the nuclear testing site in China 

where the camels had amazingly survived. 

Mr Hare was the first foreigner to enter the 

site for 45 years and it was there he and 

Chinese scientists set up the Lop Nur Wild 

Camel National Reserve, two thirds the size 

of France. 

In 2003, the foundation began a breeding 

centre in Mongolia with eight wild camels. 

Today there are 35 and the site has reached 

capacity. The Mongolian government has 

given Mr Hare permission for a second 

centre to be set up. 

The foundation, which is supported by 

the Prince of Wales, is now busy raising 

funds for the new venture and Mr Hare is 

appealing for donations. Anyone who would 

like to donate can go online at 

wildcamels.com or johnhare.org.uk 



LOCAL HISTORY 

Frittenden’s 

Treacle Mines 

For readers who may be unfamiliar with the historic treacle 

deposits to be found at Frittenden, Anne Historian takes us for a 

tour of these precious deposits 

The first recorded discovery of 

sub-terranian treacle deposits 

in the area date back as far as 

1123AD when Clarence Croucher, 

a travelling shot putter, noticed 

grazing cattle slowly sinking into the 

blackening Wealden clay in a field in Dig Dog 

Lane. 

After many months of research ,which 

included snorkelling for samples and 

“bending”, the medieval form of divining for 

treacle deposits using two ferrets, Richard II 

issued a royal decree allowing the first bore 

hole to be dug. 

Mr Croucher was awarded the title of 

Treacle Baron for his efforts and organised 

for short-legged London townsmen to be 

trained in the skill of drilling through feet of 

soil using nothing more than a wooden hand 

drill called a “sod borer”. In this context the 

miners were seen as exceedingly boring… 

men. 

Treacle bending continued in Frittenden 

on a small scale for centuries until treacle’s 

remarkable healing qualities, when used as 

a dressing for arrow wounds, was discovered 

during the 100 years’ war. Thus the military 

tradition, which is so obvious among 

Frittenden people today, was formed. 

At the outbreak of the civil war in 1647, 

the Kings Own Frittenden Fusiliers were 

despatched to the Battle of Bettenham where 

Milkhouse roundheads were routed after 

getting stuck in the treacle. Frittenden sons 

were frequently warned against fighting 

without a pair of skis on. 

It took the industrial revolution to bring 

the industry of treacle mining to its peak 

in the village. Helped by the benefit 

of the deepest natural harbour in the 

Weald, the tall ships would moor in 

the harbour. They delivered migrants 

to work in the mines before loading up 

with fresh treacle. This was taken to 

all four corners of the globe to supply 

the ingredients for the very puddings 

which were the foundation of the British 

Empire. 

But it was not long before the mines 

were beginning to run short of their liquid 

blackness. People across the world were 

becoming more sophisticated and treacle 

pudding was giving way to such French 

delights as gateaux, pomme calvados and 

corolla abricots au beurre d’oranges, recipes 

which had been handed down secretly 

by villagers who had befriended French 

prisoners during the Seven Years’ War when 

they held captive in the nearby Sissinghurst 

Castle. 

Alas, nothing lasts for ever. Progress 

and invention took their toll and the need 

for fresh, raw mined treacle diminished as 

cheaper sugar-based substitutes took its 

place. The natural sea-shelf silted up, turning 

Frittenden harbour into what is now the 

village centre but the old Harbourmaster’s 

House still stands opposite the Bell and 

Jorrocks pub. 

Relics can still be found of the treacle 

mining era; the sweet smell that invades 

the village when ghosts fire up the stone 

works’ furnace in Dig Dog Lane, the treacle 

burning out of the local clay; a sheep or 

cow stuck 20 feet below ground after falling 

down a forgotten "Pudding Well", the webbed 

feet of workers from the local community. 

Pre-regulations, pre-health and safety, pretelevision 

- Pre-posterous. 

As Rosie Croucher from the pub says: 

"When you tell visitors about the Treacle 

Mines, they just look at you as if you’re stark 

staring mad". 

There's nowt so 

queer as folk. 


KIDS' CORNER 

Kids' Corner 

Colour 

me in 


KIDS' CORNER 

Find the 

seven 

differences 

bettween 

the two 

pictures 

My Experience of Home-schooling 

by Leo Bourne, aged 9 

Like for many children, sadly the New Year didn’t 

mean a new term in school but a return to home 

learning for me. 

Due to the rise of coronavirus cases around 

the UK, Boris Johnson decided to put us in 

another lockdown, which included closing 

schools, in the hope of stopping cases rising 

any higher and to protect the NHS. 

I am getting to grips with learning from 

home but is still tricky from time to time 

as having my sister doing lessons in the 

background makes it a bit hard to concentrate. 

My school has provided online lessons that my class do every day, so I am quite 

happy home learning but I do miss school and my friends. Even though I have 

the guidance of my Mummy and Daddy, it’s just not the same as being in the 

classroom. 

School is so much more than learning and education. I miss assemblies and 

break time. I miss school dinners and playing football – it’s different playing a 

match in the garden with just Mummy, Daddy and my little sister! 

I’m keeping fit with Joe Wicks and lots of walking but I’m really looking forward 

to a time when Covid-19 is gone and things return to normal. 

Toys Out and About 

My Pokemon love the snow! - William, 6 

GET PUBLISHED! 

Please send a picture of your favourite toy out and 

about in Cranbrook or Sissinghurst or 100 words on 

the part of Cranbrook or Sissinghurst you love the 

best for a chance to be published in the next issue! 

Email rt.fermor@googlemail.com 


KITCHEN & GARDEN 

ALAMY 

IN THE GARDEN 

Lost cherry tree returned to Japan by Weald man, writes Penny Royal 

Japan has long been home 

to millions of cherry trees 

but it is not widely known 

that a Benenden man 

returned a long-forgotten 

species which was extinct in its 

homeland. 

The man was Collingwood 

Ingram, later to be called 

“Cherry” Ingram, who lived and 

gardened at The Grange, a grand 

country house in Benenden, now 

a care home. 

A former First World War 

compass officer with the Royal 

Flying Corps and the RAF, he 

joined the village Home Guard 

during the Second World War. 

The son of Sir William Ingram, 

the owner of the Illustrated 

London News, Cherry’s uncle 

Sir Edward Stirling fuelled 

his interest in nature and 

particularly ornithology. Skins 

were collected in Australia and 

Cherry identified and catalogued 

them at the Natural History 

Museum in London. 

But after the First World 

ERNEST AND VERYAN POLLARD 

War horticulture took over and 

Cherry collected plants from 

across the world for his famous 

garden. His most outstanding 

trips were to Japan in 1926 and 

South Africa in 1927. 

By 1926 he was a world 

authority on Japanese cherry 

trees and accepted an invitation 

to the country to talk about their 

national tree which to this day 

still draws millions of people 

from around the world each 

spring to marvel at the blossom. 

During this visit he was shown 

NAOKO ABE 

a painting of a beautiful white 

cherry, believed to be extinct in 

Japan. He recognised it as one 

he had seen in a sorry state in 

a Sussex garden. It had been an 

early import from Japan. 

On his return to England 

he took cuttings from the 

tree – later known as Tai-haku 

meaning Great White Cherry 

– and was able to re-introduce 

it into the gardening world. He 

also imported many Japanese 

and other species of cherries to 

the UK as well as introducing his 

own hybrids. An avenue of his 

Asano cherries became one of 

the features of Kew Gardens. One 

of his many generous acts was to 

give a cherry plant to each of the 

Walkhurst cottages in Benenden. 

But it is not just cherries for 

which he is remembered. The 

herb Rosemary “Benenden 

Blue” was a natural variant of 

Rosmarinus officinalis which 

he found in Corsica. He also 

produced many rhododendron 

and cistus hybrids. 

He did not give up his love of 

birds altogether and while his 

planned book on the birds of 

France was interrupted by the 

First World War, he did produce 

Birds of the Riviera in 1926. He 

was an accomplished artist and 

his published war diaries are 

packed with his pencil sketches 

of birds, people and landscapes. 

He was a member of the British 

Ornithologists’ Union for a 

record 81 years. 


If you want to hear more 

about this remarkable story, a 

wonderful book called ‘Cherry’ 

Ingram: The Englishman Who 

Saved Japan’s Blossoms’ by 

Naoko Abe is available from all 

good book sellers. 


KITCHEN & GARDEN 

LET’S EAT 

Kheer 

Rice pudding to me has always 

conjured up school lunches - dollops 

of sticky grains smothered in oversweet 

jam but this recipe could not be 

more different. From India, kheer is 

made with basmati, not pudding rice, 

and is a wonderfully delicious end to 

any meal. Surprisingly, it is served 

cold. 

INGREDIENTS 

Serves 6 

110g basmati rice 

1.2lt full fat milk or semi skimmed if 

preferred 

75g granulated sugar 

4 cardamom pods, shells removed and 

seeds crushed 

150ml whipping cream, softly whipped 

1tbsp rosewater 

50g raisins 

1oz unsalted pistachios or toasted, 

flaked almonds 

A small pinch of cinnamon 

Rose petals (optional) 

WHAT TO DO 

1. In a heavy-based saucepan, bring 

the milk to the boil and stir in the 

rice, sugar and cardamom seeds. 

2. Turn down to a gentle simmer, 

cook gently, uncovered for about 45 

minutes until the mixture is thick 

and creamy. Stir frequently and when 

cooked, cool. 

3. When cold, stir in the whipped 

cream, rosewater, raisins and nuts. 

Put into attractive dishes or glasses 

and sprinkle with a little cinnamon 

and, if you can get them, a final 

flourish of rose petals. Do not serve 

too cold as this will spoil the flavour. 

Bon appetite! 

Emma Fraser 

RARE BREED & NATIVE 

LIVESTOCK PRODUCING THE 

BEST QUALITY GRASS FED 

MEAT 

Shop online at paleyfarm.co.uk 

For delivery or collection from our farm 

butchery just outside Cranbrook 

_____________ 

Please call 01580 891046 or email us at 

peter@paleyfarm.co.uk to discuss any 

bespoke requirements you may have. 

Paley Farm, Paley Lane 

Cranbrook, Kent 

TN17 2LX 


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BADGER’S PLOT 

Spring Words 

Welcome to the first column of 2021! 

The lengthening days 

and a gradual rise in 

average temperatures 

marks the beginning 

of an important 

period on the allotment or 

kitchen garden. You should now 

be satisfied with your plan for 

this season and may even have 

purchased your seeds. 

Many gardeners allow some of 

last season’s vegetables to go to 

seed and then harvest them for 

use this year. 

It is also important to spend 

time preparing your plot for the 

coming season. Weeding might 

seem like a chore but it will 

pay dividends later on if kept 

under control. If temperatures 

rise you will notice grasses 

and chickweed beginning to 

appear along with others such 

as bindweed, dock, shepherd’s 

purse, nettle and mares tail. Try 

to remove as much as possible. 

It is assumed that composting 

your beds has already started, 

but if not, begin by spreading 

well-rotted compost on the soil. 

So, what varieties can be 

sown or planted out in early 

spring? 

• Sown under glass or in the 

greenhouse: dwarf French 

beans, beetroot, sprouts, 

leeks, kale and cauliflowers. 

• Sown in the open: broad 

beans, parsnips and peas. 

• Planted out: shallots and 

early potatoes in March. 

Once into April, think about 

sowing or planting other 

varieties. 

• Sown under glass or in 

the greenhouse: tomatoes, 

peppers, broccoli, celery and 

beetroot with later sowings of 

lettuce, courgettes, cucumber, 

leeks and squash 

• Sown in the open: parsnips, 

radishes and carrots 

• Planted out: garlic 

and onion sets, 

with later 

plantings of 

maincrop 

potatoes, 

cauliflowers, 

peas and 

spinach. 

It might be advisable 

to avoid sowing all your seeds 

at once, keeping some back 

as a guard against failure to 

germinate as well as having a 

succession of fresh vegetables to 

harvest. 

At this time of the year the 

ground can still be quite cold, 

affecting germination of seeds, 

so some gardeners prefer to 

lay fleece or sheeting over 

designated beds to ensure that 

when the time comes, the soil 

temperature is higher. 

I am not an advocate of using 

any chemicals on the soil, so you 

might like to consider what is 

known as companion planting 

as an aid to producing healthier 

crops. The concept suggests that 

some vegetables will grow better 

if they are in close proximity 

to certain other plants. For 

example, when sowing carrots, 

sow a row of spring onions every 

third or fourth row. The strong 

aroma of the onions will deter 

carrot root fly – which can be 

very destructive and, of course, 

you will also have some spring 

onions to harvest later on. 

Nasturtiums can also be 

sown around the base 

of runner beans or 

climbing French 

beans. They will 

attract the clouds 

of blackfly that 

tend to target 

and damage 

the beans. Some 

gardeners will plant 

or sow Nicotiana close to 

their brassicas such as cabbage, 

sprouts and broccoli. Sometimes 

called the “tobacco plant” due 

to its aroma, they act as a useful 

deterrent against attacks by 

whiteflies. Basil, planted among 

tomatoes, is said to deter aphids. 

These are just a sample of the 

methods that can be employed 

rather than spraying with 

chemicals. 

Among other issues in the 

next edition, we’ll take a look at 

the problems caused by snails 

and how to deal with them. Until 

then, enjoy your gardening! 

Badger 


LOCAL FARMING 

Our British farm champion, Sarah Calcutt, looks 

at the threat from even more housing unless 

people buy home-grown produce 

What does your 

investment 

in a pack of 

apples pay 

for? I was 

challenged recently by someone 

who thought that apples were 

overpriced. Given that we’re 

paying pretty much exactly 

what we were paying for fruit 10 

years ago and the costs of every 

single input has risen, they 

are astonishingly cheap. But 

we are an industry under great 

pressure. 

We are so lucky to live in 

Cranbrook, surrounded by 

beautiful farmland which 

produces so much world class 

produce. All those lovely 

orchards – but by the time you 

pick up a pack of apples in the 

Co-op you’re paying for possibly 

more than you think. 

Starting from the beginning 

– when the farmer plans the 

layout of a new orchard, all 

the trees need a cane, wires to 

support the rows, the kit to lay 

the trees out and then planted 

in precise rows. Orchards of 

stand-alone trees are no longer 

productive enough to turn a 

profit; Gala apples need to be 

cropped at 60/70 ton to the 

hectare to make a profit; each of 

the two to three thousand trees 

in each hectare costs about 

£11 planted for their first year. 

You’ve got to sell an awful lot of 

apples to make enough profit to 

plant a new orchard these days. 

The ground is prepared, trees 

planted and wildflower and 

grass mixes sown between the 

rows to help beneficial insects 

which pollinate the blossoms 

and take out the pests. This is 

also investment in people and 

equipment. 

Through the year the grass is 

mown, the hedges maintained; 

if you’ve got a footpath 

you’ve mown, strimmed and 

maintained that includes 

picking up the bags of dog poo 

(please take it home with you). 

Every tree is pruned, blossoms 

are thinned, nutrition and plant 

health treatments applied. 

Auditors in legions are paid 

to ensure that every grower is 

doing all they can to care for 

the countryside and is abiding 

by our very, very strict controls 

on farming, employment and 

environmental practice. 

We have more audits and 

controls here than anywhere; 

our systems for food safety are 

incredible detailed and exacting. 

Large crews of pickers need to 

be recruited, accommodated, 

trained and cared for on farms. 

GETTY IMAGES 

“In the UK last autumn we harvested 1.2 

billion apples and pears, of that number 

only those that are in a pack of Class 1 

fruits paid for themselves” 

Tractors and trailers are needed, 

bins to hold the fruits purchased 

or maintained, sophisticated 

fridges to keep them until 

the best time to sell them. 

The lorries to take them to be 

packed, the machinery, the 

skilled people, the packaging 

they are placed in, the rental 

of the crate they are put into 

and the transport to depot. All 

this needs to be paid for by the 

purchase of packs of fruit. 

Costs are roughly attributable 

into thirds – growing, storing, 

grading/transport/sales. The last 

two are costs that are often out 

of the grower’s control. If you 

haven’t got a big enough farm 

to build stores or a pack-house 


LOCAL FARMING 

generations that produce is 

cheap, perfect looking and 

always available. 

So before Trisha cuts me off 

for spending too long on my 

soap box, food is cheap in the 

UK – it is the third cheapest 

nation vs average income 

globally. Profit isn’t a dirty word 

either, unless farmers make 

some profit there’ll be more 

houses than trees in our parish 

before you know it. 

Please pick up British fruit, 

veg, meat and dairy. Please buy 

bread made with British grain, 

please, please don’t choose out 

of season, imported food. Please 

go to retailers who supply local 

and seasonal. The butchers 

and farm shops are exceptional 

value for money and what you 

are buying is better value, better 

for you and the planet. Everyone 

is so sad at the news of more 

planning approvals. There 

will be more opportunities for 

developers unless we learn 

to eat with the seasons and 

support our farmers with every 

plate we put in front of our 

families. 

you are paying someone else’s 

business to do this for you. 

In the UK last autumn we 

harvested 1.2 billion apples and 

pears, of that number only those 

that are in a pack of Class 1 

fruits paid for themselves. Those 

packs of ‘wonky’, kids Class 2 

and all the other names we give 

the non-perfect fruit don’t make 

any money – they cost money 

to get onto a shelf. Farmers are 

berated for wastage but the 

British apple and pear share of 

the UK market place is around 

35-40% of the shelf. Pink Lady 

apples account for 11% of apples 

sold. In Sainsbury’s 22% of 

apple shoppers pick up Granny 

Smith, which aren’t home 

grown. They’ve been shipped 

by sea and road from other 

parts of the world and reduces 

the opportunity to sell British 

apples and pears. 

They take up a lot of shelf 

space that could have a lot 

more sizes, shapes and colours 

of home-grown but because 

shoppers pick up carbon-loaded, 

water thieving apples from 

other nations (which cannot be 

environmentally sustainable) 

we’ve now taught several 

GETTY IMAGES 


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LOCAL HISTORY 

Museum Matters 

Mike Huxley reveals the many rich secrets hidden in the archives at Cranbrook Museum 

While 

coronavirus 

has seen the 

museum 

closed, it has 

been a busy time for both research 

and the publication of material 

relating to our extraordinarily 

rich, local history. 

Did you know there has been 

a journal, produced annually, 

for the past 31 years detailing 

every aspect of Cranbrook’s past? 

Subjects as diverse as The Sheep 

Stealer’s Grave, Clockmakers in 

Cranbrook, Mary Sheafe School, 

The Weald of Kent Fire Brigade 

and The Pest House and Smallpox 

are just a few of the informative 

articles detailing our history. 

In addition to the Cranbrook 

Journal, the local history society 

has produced small booklets 

on specific subjects. Cranbrook 

Broadcloth and the Clothiers 

details the rise and fall of the 

cloth industry in our town. This 

phrase caught my eye: “…in May 

1337 a further step was taken to 

foster the development of the new 

industry, by the passing of a law 

prohibiting the import of cloth 

from Europe. This reversed the 

existing trade policy.” So trade 

agreements with Europe were 

taking place then just as they are 

today! 

Dissenting Congregations in 

Cranbrook, explores the early 

nonconformist movement. Today, 

plaques show where some of 

these chapels and meeting houses 

stood. You may have spotted the 

one where a Presbyterian chapel 

of the 1800s existed on The 

Hill, but which is now the site 

of three cottages. As well as the 

Presbyterians there were Quakers, 

Baptists, Particular Baptists, 

Methodists and Wesleyans. 

Our currently rather sad 

looking Providence Chapel was 

once a very modern construction, 

being “prefabricated” in 1803 and 

brought to Cranbrook in sections 

on horse and cart. It was originally 

referred to as the Huntingtonian 

Chapel after William Huntington, 

the pastor who was born at 

nearby Four Wents. Other titles 

in the series include The Inns of 

Cranbrook, Dence’s School and 

Schoolmasters and Cranbrook 

Charities. 

To mark the millennium 

Cranbrook Voices from the 

20th Century is a collection of 

memories highlighting facets 

of life in Cranbrook during the 

past 100 years. Many wellknown 

people, including Charles 

Evernden, Peter Jempson 

and Sidney Barham had their 

recollections recorded for this 

anthology. 

We do have authors who have 

written very comprehensive works 

which are available through the 

museum, A History of Cranbrook 

by Peter Allen and Sporting the 

Oak (Life and Times of Thomas 

Dearn) by Paul Donovan, among 

them. After Joe Woodcock and 

Jenni Rodger produced their 

pictorial books on Cranbrook 35 

years ago, the museum thought 

it time to produce a new one. 

The most recent publication is 

Glimpses of Cranbrook which 

illustrates such topics as policing, 

the town band, Union Mill and fire 

brigade. 

All the publications are 

available from the museum and 

local history society. (details can 

be found on our website www. 

cranbrookmuseum.org). The 

journals, all 31 of them, have 

recently been put on DVD or are 

available individually in hard 

copy. 

We can post to you or, if you 

live fairly centrally in Cranbrook, 

pop an order through your 

letterbox. Finally, when children 

were at home during the first 

lockdown a series of short 

educational films were put online. 

The first was about the Great Fire 

of Cranbrook in 1840, followed by 

Cranbrook’s Old Shops and then 

The Cranbrook Colony of Artists. 

Although intended for children, 

do go to our website. 

So while lockdowns have 

stopped us opening our doors to 

the public, we have continued 

to be active behind the scenes. 

Hopefully, 2021 will enable us to 

welcome you back.. Keep an eye 

on the website for updates. 


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ARTS 

❶ 

❷ 

1. Late Night Fire by 

Nick Hampshire 

2. The Horse Whisperer 

by Amanda Averillo 

3. Days End by David 

Winston 

❷ 

Artists, Restorers and 

TV Stars! 

NICK HAMPSHIRE 

Cranbrook-based artist and 

picture restorer Nick Hampshire 

left school at 16 – he was 

only ever interested in the art 

world! His grandfather was an 

avid collector of 19th century 

paintings and Nick was fascinated 

and inspired by his collection. 

Nick was offered a twoyear 

apprenticeship in picture 

restoration and also worked in a 

gallery, accompanying the owner 

to auctions. He he learnt about 

the art market and after finishing 

his apprenticeship took private 

lessons in painting in oils. For 

the next 40 years Nick worked as 

a picture restorer for galleries, 

churches, auction houses and 

private clients. 

He started painting in oils 

some years ago with knowledge 

picked up restoring 18th and 19th 

Grierson Galleries’ joint owner Annie Watsham 

explores talents of local Weald artists 

century paintings and learned 

he techniques of Victorian 

artists. Several years ago, he 

had his first highly-successful 

solo exhibition. President of 

the Maidstone Art Society, he 

is Grierson Galleries’ bespoke 

picture restorer. 

AMANDA AVERILLO 

Living on the Cranbrook- 

Sissinghurst border Amanda’s 

love of art began as a child when 

she painted alongside her father. 

Aged 11 she won first prize in 

a painting competition on TV's 

Magpie. She designed a children's 

game, Don't let the Leaves Fall, 

manufactured by Airfix and 

appeared on national TV. 

She studied Fine Art at 

Croydon College where she 

gained Distinction in Painting 

in 1985. A child portrait 

photographer, she kept her 

hand in at life drawing and 

printmaking adult education 

classes. In 1995 Amanda joined 

Skylark Gallery on London's 

Southbank and in 2001 moved 

to Kent and set up her own 

printmaking studio where she 

taught her skills and exhibited 

her work locally and in London. 

Reflecting the beauty of the 

Kent countryside, she made 

layered mono prints, particularly 

focusing on the magic of morning 

and late afternoon. Amanda 

then turned to the East Sussex 

coastline with images of horses, 

dogs and people in silhouette 

against the sparkling sea. 

More recently: images of quiet 

interiors. 

DAVID WINSTON 

Photographer David Winston 

lives in Cranbrook, was born in 

Los Angeles and moved to the 

UK in 1970. Drawn to Venice as a 

constant source of inspiration, he 

divides his time between the city 

and the UK. 

David has always sought ways 

to work beyond the constraints 

of modern, digital photographic 

imagery. This led him to look 

at the earliest photographic 

processes and develop his own 

alternative ways of producing 

images. David is also a renowned 

restorer of musical instruments. 

“I spend my time seekingout 

lost sounds, bringing 

voices of long dormant musical 

instruments back to life. I see 

these ancient instruments as 

recording devices, which have 

captured and stored all the 

sounds produced on them over 

often several hundred years, and 

as I work, they slowly emerge 

from silence. 

“I find much similarity with 

photography, which is captured 

light and have always been 

fascinated by old images; 

the life and light contained 

within them. But especially it 

is the painterly quality of old 

photographic images, as opposed 

to the exactness of modern 

photography, which lends them a 

different emotional impact. This 

naturally led me down the path of 

studying the early 19th century 

photographic processes.” 

For more information 

www.griersongalleries.com 

www:wealdofkentartsociety.co.uk 


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Update Parish 

News and views from 

Cranbrook & Sissinghurst 

Council 

Policy and 

Resources 

Committee 

Cllr. Robin Beck presents the budget 

precept 2021-22 

As chairman 

of the Policy 

and Resources 

Committee, 

I have 

responsibility for the financial 

governance of the parish 

council so it is appropriate 

that I report to you on the 

budget that has been set for 

the current year commencing 

in April 2021. 

In conjunction with the 

chairman of each of the other 

committees, and the expertise 

of former councillor Brian 

Swann, during November and 

December we build budgets for 

each of the committees. 

This year, we are particularly 

mindful of the financial impact 

on households caused by the 

pandemic and wanted the 

parish council element of your 

council tax bill to remain the 

same. 

As a result, we will use 

reserves to cover emergency 

activities, we will not seek to 

increase our reserves this year 

and have reduced funding for 

some “nice to have” projects. 

We hope that the owners of 

new houses being built in the 

parish will start paying the 

precept next year and help our 

finances. 

A Band D property will still 

pay £134.35 for the year, under 

37p a day, which I would hope 

you consider excellent value 

for money. 

Here are the actual sums 

spent by each committee and 

show the responsibility we 

take as councillors. 

2020 2021 

Properties & Burial Grounds £11,100 £14,600 

Environmental Management £69,750 £68,250 

2020 2021 

Policy and Resources £262,950 £259,253 

Economic & Community £9,500 £9,500 

Contingency £3,000 NIL 

The overall budget of 

£351,000 compares to last year 

of £356,000, and a decrease 

of 0.09% was presented and 

accepted by a majority at the 

full council meeting in January. 

All the detailed figures are 

available on the parish council 

website. 

The community centre and 

medical project is at long last 

taking shape and, whereas there 

will be a significant investment, 


clerk@cranbrookandsissinghurstpc.co.uk 

www.cranbrookandsissinghurstpc.co.uk 

this should not affect the 

precept. The centre will provide 

essential services to the 

community and, in the longer 

term, be an extremely valuable 

capital asset. 

Should you have any 

observations or issues regarding 

the parish council finances that 

you wish to discuss please email 

the clerk who will contact me. 


LOCAL LEGEND 

Brigid 

Longley 

Tributes have been paid to one of Cranbrook’s mostadmired 

women. Family and friends have shared their 

memories with The Cake editor Trisha Fermor 

Anecdotes of tadpole 

hunting, delivering 

messages by pony, 

farming, and even 

working as a level 

crossing attendant, have come to 

light following the death of Brigid 

Longley at the age of 95. 

Born at Maybank, in Cranbrook 

High Street, on 8 February 1925, 

she was the only child of dentist 

Arthur and Helen Campbell, Irish 

emigrants. 

As a youngster, Brigid, also 

known as Biddy, fell in love 

with animals and set her heart 

on being a farmer. During her 

lifetime, she reared horses, 

ponies, donkeys, cows, goats and 

budgerigars – a big draw for many 

young girls who helped look after 

them. 

She studied agriculture at 

Reading University and enjoyed 

sculling in her spare time. On 

graduating, she quickly found 

work looking after cattle. In her 

20s, she worked for the Queen 

of Yugoslavia, who was in exile 

at Buckhurst Farm. Brigid cared 

for the family’s cows and even 

made their butter. When the farm 

replaced hand milking with a 

machine, she realised that cows 

were nervous of this new method. 

As a result, she drove around 

the UK in her Austin 7 Ruby 

training both farmers and cows. 

During these trips, she ate with 

the gentry’s staff in the kitchen, 

or with poorer hosts, where “oil 

lamps and pit toilets” were the 

norm. 

In 1952, she married Dennis 

Longley at St Dunstan’s Church 

and went on to have two sons, 

Dan and Rob. The family made 

their home at Breach Farm. 

She set up Hooves in Harness 

for horse-drawn weddings and 

provided horses and carriages for 

film sets. She also entered many 

carriage driving events and was 

thrilled when Prince Philip, an 

ace driver, passed her calling out: 

“Morning, Mrs Longley!” Another 

royal highlight for her was 

meeting the Queen at the South 

of England Show with her oxen, 

Stuff and Nonsense. 

She built up a fine herd of 

Jersey cattle and sold milk and 

cream. Every cow had a name 

inspired by subjects such as 

the weather, an example being 

‘Cirrus’. 

Brigid, who was a parish 

councillor in the 1990s, retired 

to a cottage in Cranbrook High 

Street and continued to be busy 

with her allotment, and as a 

volunteer at the museum. 

She died peacefully on 4 

December and a simple cremation 

took place at Tunbridge Wells. 

A service of thanksgiving will 

be held in the future when 

circumstances permit. 

MEMORIES 

Among the many memories, 

were several from Rob’s 

daughter, Harriet. “Furzie [the 

dog] getting shorn every year 

with the sheep….Visiting 

Cranbrook Museum with 

my class from school and 

feeling proud Granny worked 

there……Having sherry 

in the front room after the 

Remembrance Day Service.” 

Cate wrote: “Being the horse 

groom at the weddings, it 

was my job to help the bride 

into the carriage and make 

sure she didn’t fall out…and 

help old Seamus, [the horse] 

all whilst wearing top hat and 

tails”. 


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The Cake - Spring 2021

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