KAS 01/09/2020 KAS 01/09/2020

Tonbridge Fortress

Paul Tritton of the Kent Defence Research Group investigates how a Kent market town prepared to confront a Nazi invasion during Britain’s darkest Hour.

KAS 01/07/2020 KAS 01/07/2020

Smarden v Napoleon

In this film we go back over 200 years to follow the fortunes of three Smarden men who enlisted to fight the French in Spain, Portugal and at the Battle of Waterloo.

KAS 15/05/2020 KAS 15/05/2020

The Lion from the West

The life story of John Sella Martin, a man born into poverty and slavery, who became a Baptist minister and a forceful proponent of abolition. In Britain his powerful oratory attracted huge crowds who came to hear him speak during the American Civil War. He spoke in Smarden in 1863.

KAS 07/05/2020 KAS 07/05/2020

Wartime Memories of Smarden

The Rathbone family lived in Smarden at Hegg Hill during World War Two. This film is based on the fascinating memoir written by Lettice Rathbone for the Women's Institute and covers events such as the army coming back from Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and how the village prepared for invasion. Her sister Marion also wrote about village life in WW2 which you can read here.

KAS 30/04/2020 KAS 30/04/2020

The Story of Smarden’s Shops

To celebrate the opening of Smarden's new Community Store and Post Office, this is the story of our village shops, Post Office and shopkeepers over the past 600 years.

KAS 14/04/2020 KAS 14/04/2020

Smarden’s Deadly Year

A heroic doctor, contagion, lockdown, shocking fatalities. A scenario only too familiar to us today, but this is what happened in the Kent village of Smarden 350 years ago. This is a forgotten episode in the history of a rural village that resonates strongly with us now.

KAS 06/04/2020 KAS 06/04/2020

The History of Smarden (part two)

Shot in 2005, this film tells the story of Smarden from early obscurity to its golden age of broadcloth and back again, as told by present-day villagers. This is the second of two videos.

KAS 31/03/2020 KAS 31/03/2020

The History of Smarden (part one)

This film was shot in 2005 and tells Smarden's long and eventful story, from obscurity to its golden weaving years and back again, described in the voices of its present day villagers. This is Part One of Two episodes.

Kent Archaeological Society