The BWT Timeline
Early history
The BWT land probably originally belonged to the manor of Mote, Mott or Moat Hall in Bearsted (not to be confused with Mote Park in Maidstone). According to www.fortifiedengland.com, it was a medieval fortified moated manor house (Monument No. 417970) and finds from excavations of the site include Mesolithic scrapers. According to the Maidstone Borough Council Plan for the Bearsted Conservation Area (in PDF form on the council website) moated manors were popular from the late 12th century until the 14th century, and the foundation of Holy Cross Church, like many other village churches, was probably closely associated with the manor of Mote. Edward Hasted, writing in 1800, claimed that the mansion on this manor was called "Stonehouse" because it was built of stone.Fifteenth century
A surviving drawing of 1844 shows a timber-framed house on the present Mote Hall site, which was probably late medieval.Eighteenth century
Mote Hall was shown on estate maps dated 1707 and 1746 near Holy Cross Church, but neither the owners or the occupiers at that time have yet been discovered.1800
Edward Hasted's 1800 History of Kent has the following entry; "Mote Hall is a manor in [Bearsted] parish, the mansion of which, from the materials with which it was built, was called Stonehouse. It antiently belonged to the neighbouring priory of Leeds, as appears by several old boundaries and papers, and was most probably part of those demesnes given to it at its first foundation, by Robert de Crevequer, in the reign of King Henry I. These demesnes appear by a rental of the time of king Henry VII to have been held of the manor of Leeds, though they have been long since accounted parcel of this manor of Mote Hall. On the dissolution of the priory in the reign of king Henry VIII this manor, among the rest of the possessions of it, was surrendered into the king's hands, who afterwards ... in [1542] ... settled this manor ... on his new founded dean and chapter of Rochester, with whom it remains at this time. The present lessee of it [1800] under the dean and chapter, is Mr. William Usborne. There is a court baron held for this manor."Leases dated 1808-1845 survive referring to the Wise, Savage and Kipping families and "all that Manor and Manor place of Motehall" Before the Vicarage on the north of the church was built in the 1820s, it is possible that Mote Hall was used as the vicarage, but there is also thought to have been an old vicarage in Sutton Street.
1841
The 1841 Census was vague about exactly where houses were, and Mote Hall is not named. John and Thomas Golding, a Farmer and a Currier, were living at "Parsonage" in Church Lane and may have farmed the BWT land.1842 The Tithe Schedule
for Bearsted can be seen on the Kent Archeological Society website. It is somewhat confusing, and the Tithe map is shortly (April 2011) to be inspected at the Centre for Kentish Studies in order to post more information here.1851
Widower George Kipping (31) farmer of 118 acres lived at "Church House" with two servants. In 1841 George had been living on his father's farm at Hadlow. He married some time in the 1840s, but his first wife had died leaving him with no children. On July 20 1853 George married his second wife Elizabeth Maud of Croydon at St John's Church in Hackney. They had three children, William in 1854, Frances in 1856 and Ellen in 1858, then Elizabeth died very soon after Ellen's birth.1861
1871
George Kipping appears to have moved to Bethnal Green, where he was described as a Fruiterer. Frederick Kipping (38) "Landowner," George's youngest brother, was living at Mote Hall with his wife Patience (nee Edwards) and baby Douglas. Charlotte Tree, Nursemaid, lived with them and John Cornwell, Gardener lived in the outbuildings. Farm Bailiff John Tree (53) lived on the Ashford Road, with his wife and four children, including John (19) an Under Gardener and Edward (17) a Farm Labourer.1881
George Wakefield (43) Farmer of 235 acres, employing 17 men, a groom, 4 gardeners and 3 boys was living at Mote Hall with his wife and 7 children.1891
George Wakefield (53) Farmer and Tallow Melter, his wife and 5 of their children, his wife's mother and sister, and a servant were still in Bearsted, presumably at Mote Hall.1901
Hubert Hamilton (66) retired local "Sheriff Advocate Substitute", his wife, 2 daughters, a cook and a groom were living at Mote Hall.1976
The Kent History Federation Journals for Spring 1976 and Spring 1977 reported that the investigation of the suspected moated manor house site of "Mott" Hall, Bearsted, had started under the direction of Mr P E Oldham, with excavations on Sundays in the summer months. The remains of a stone building had been discovered, with some fourteenth century pottery.1987
Property developers Ward Homes acquired the site which, as it had been used for fruit and vegetable growing, was still designated as agricultural land.1988
Wards asked Maidstone Borough Council to re-designate the land for housing in the Local Plan.1989
Wards discussed proposals for 60 houses on 8 acres with Bearsted Parish Council.1990
Although the Local Plan designated the site an area of local landscape importance, Bearsted Parish Council agreed to support Wards if they included six low-cost homes, a football pitch, pavilion and car park. At a public meeting held in October villagers strongly disagreed with the Parish Council.1991
A second public meeting was followed by the formation of an Action Group to fight the development. 100 signatures were collected for a petition to Maidstone Borough Council asking for a third public meeting. As a result Maidstone Borough Council asked Bearsted Parish Council to review its position, and the third public meeting was so well attended that it had to move out of the WI Hall on to the village green. A motion against the development was carried by 487 votes to 45.1992
The next step was a public enquiry meeting in Maidstone chaired by an inspector from the Department of Environment. The Inspector's report confirmed that the site was "an area of landscape importance" and refused permission for the building line to be moved to allow housing there.1994
The Action Group asked Maidstone Borough Council to grant change of use from "agricultural land" to "public open space and nature conservation area."1995
The Kent Trust for Nature Conservation agreed that the site had potential as a Nature Reserve in the Len Valley Corridor.1996
Wards made a modified application for 27 homes with sports facilities and a public car park.1997
Bearsted Amenity Society was formed to fight the development.2003
On the afternoon of the Bearsted Fayre in June, Wards suddenly began clearing trees from the site, provoking a massive public outcry. At this point Mr & Mrs Ashness, the owners of Mote Hall, most generously decided to buy the land from Wards in order to protect it as green space, and give the bulk of it to the village in perpetuity. In August a group of 50 volunteers started work to clear rubbish from the site. In October the land was offered to The (National) Woodland Trust, who refused it, so the decision was taken to create a local charity to own and manage the land. In December Medway Valley Countryside Partnership was appointed to produce a management plan for the land.2004
The first meeting of the Bearsted Woodland Trust Management Committee was held in January. Major site clearing work was undertaken by 100 volunteers in April. The first BWT newsletter was distributed to 3,000 homes in June and 250 families joined the Friends of BWT. A BWT stall at Bearsted Fayre helped recruitment. An Open Garden was held at Mote Hall in July. The Jubilee Video Team donated their remaining stock to sell for the benefit of children using the site. The first public meeting (AGM) was held in October. 200 woodland and 50 individual trees were sponsored, and planted by over 150 volunteers in November.2005
Successful grant applications were made to Living Spaces, the Local Heritage Initiative and the Colyer Fergusson and Woodland Trusts. A new gate was installed at the entrance near the Bowls Club. The Phase 2 planting scheme and a membership renewal campaign were launched in June. BWT were prominent at Bearsted Fayre, and membership rose above 500 families. A second open afternoon at Mote Hall for members and their families displayed the plan for Phase Two planting and recruited more new members. In August the wheelchair paths were completed and regular monthly working parties began. Newsletter No.7 announced a generous future bequest of 12 acres to BWT by Miss Pauline Moore, the owner of the nearby riding school, who officially opened the new paths in September. The second planting phase in autumn 2005 added 87 large trees and 58 boundary trees, the work again being done by volunteers.2006
In February BWT plans for 8 acres of land purchased by the founder trustees at Gore Cottage (to be called Barn Meadow) were circulated to the whole village. New members were enrolled at Holy Cross Open Day and Bearsted Fayre, bringing membership of BWT Friends to over 700 families by the 3rd AGM in September. A further triangular acre of land above Major's Lake was also purchased to enable a link to be made by a path across the Lilk stream. Mr and Mrs Browne of Gore Meadow generously donated a strip of the bottom of their garden to widen another path on the east of the stream.2007
2008
2009
2010
