Lost Hamlets: Discovering and recording two quite different lost hamlets in Thanet North-East Kent
DISCOVERING & RECORDING TWO QUITE DIFFERENT LOST HAMLETS IN THANET NORTH-EAST KENT Introduction How can two hamlets, only one mile apart, vary so much? This became an intriguing question to the author who originally was researching just Upton and the family that owned and farmed the land around the hamlet of Upton in the parish of St Peter and between St Peter and Broadstairs in Thanet. Later, a second hamlet was discovered, Hollicondane in the parish of St Lawrence in Ramsgate, and the following is a report on both and their similarities and differences, mainly the latter. How it came about The Trust for Thanet Archaeology (TTA) excavated the grounds of Upton House in the parish of St Peter the Apostle, Thanet in 2006 where the dozen ‘executive’ houses of Upton Grange are now. As a member of the Isle of Thanet Archaeological Society (IOTAS) the author offered a few hours of help. Across the road was Little Upton a seventeenth century former farmhouse with a curvilinear gable which formed part of the author’s study of Dutch gabled houses in Kent for Archaeologia Cantiana Vol. 136 2015. Researching another feature in the area for an article for the IOTAS magazine the author was editing, a stranger involuntarily kick-started an investigation when permission was asked to go into her rear garden. This to view a folly (one of three) spotted 30 years before by the author from the squash courts in the grounds of Wellesley House School Broadstairs. The author was allowed to borrow the deeds to her property which included a plan of Upton Lodge and its ornate grounds and other details of which the author was unaware as the Lodge is now surrounded by bungalows. He realised that here was another part of a settlement that has virtually disappeared from O.S. maps having been absorbed by the expansion of Broadstairs but is remembered by Upton Road and School, the latter built on the fields of the former farm. The author was fortunate to know several of the residents of the former Upton and knocked on their doors. Research deepened and a letter to a local newspaper led to the former owner of the demolished Upton House making contact, fortunately another former squash player! The evidence for the Hamlet of Upton was slowly uncovered piece by piece - both standing and lost buildings. The name of Goodson appeared more and more and was the family that farmed the area over at least four generations. Intrigued, research into the Goodsons revealed that the family was present in Thanet for over four hundred years although the name has since disappeared in Thanet. The Upton Goodsons provided at least two churchwardens to St Peter’s church, a William Goodson paid £69=15=10 in ‘Poors rates’ (poor relief) in 1729 and Edward S. Goodson paid towards a new bell at the same church in 1892. A William Goodson, farmer, was buried at St Lawrence parish in nearby Ramsgate and an inspection of the gravestone revealed that he died in 1876 and was from ‘Hollicondane’ a name known to the author who had noted numerous different spellings over the years, without fully realising what the name comprised. Hollicondane was a farm and hamlet apparently so it seemed a good idea to compare the two. UPTON The Surviving Properties Upton Lodge: at the eastern end of the hamlet ‘Listed Grade II probably 18th century refaced mid19th century with later 19th century extension at rear’ - English Heritage; but considerably altered before and after a fire in the 1950’s. The authentic looking garage having new wood and rendered breeze blocks under the period tiles. Ornate grounds of ‘6 acres and 24 poles’1 with the three follies (see Lost Properties below) were sold off mid twentieth century and are now home to 33 bungalows. A nineteenth century journal2 states: ‘Robert Pricket Esq., has also made Upton Cottage a delightful summer residence’ – research has finally revealed that Upton Cottage was in fact the Lodge as the 1849 Isle of Thanet Directory, page 82, lists a Bernard Hebeler there – see below. The present Upton Cottage was two small cottages in the 19th-century (see below). Given the above, and the fact that the Lodge has a tunnel and was probably an agricultural building originally (see next paragraph) and it is possible that the original building on the site is at least as old as English Heritage credit if not older. An 1822 map of the hamlet does not show it however. Past residents include Bernard Hebeler and family of German origin; also, Louisa Noott who had a window installed in St Peter’s church for her son lost in World War I. By 1897 only Mrs Hebeler (nee Pricket) is listed there. The adjacent Weasel Cottage c.1888 housed the Lodge’s gardeners; the Weasel name comes from Frank Goodson whose nickname was ‘weasel’ (and occupied it when built) according to local Derek Austin. Two spacious modern bungalows now separate them. A footpath runs in a straight line between Upton Lodge and a former windmill (removed c. 1910) behind the Bradstow Mill (formerly Clarendon Hotel) pub in the High Street Broadstairs and the line is respected by the railway (built 1846, Broadstairs station opened 1863) and Victorian Gladstone Road. There are remains of a kissing gate (to allow people but not animals to cross the line) which was erected by the railway, now mostly ivy covered and using railway lines as posts, indicating agricultural use of the land abutting the railway and a possible agricultural origin of the Lodge. Little Upton: Listed Grade II, circa 16753 built in brick (with flint low down to the south) with a curvilinear gable to the east, much extended to west, north and south, under a tiled roof with boundary walls of flint with a little clunch. A modern conservatory has been built over a well. The rear boundary wall to north has a blocked gateway to the ancient thoroughfare (see below). A photograph circa 1900 exists also a painting showing buildings which have gone. Formerly known as Pimlico Farm according to an elderly resident4 whose grandfather worked there, also noted in pencil on an old plan. Note the house in this photo circa 1900 courtesy of Derek Austen. The Cottage: of varied dates and materials; originally a single storey farm building most likely; extended and raised to two floors and became 1 and 2 Upton Cottages. Knapped flint, unknapped flint, cream bricks (and tiles in part), orangey red bricks, yellow brick and a small area of clunch whilst two boundary walls are unknapped flint with four small peachy hued bricks (7”x1½”) in part (photo right) plus 9”x2½” red bricks in another area and red roofing tiles low down - comprises a puzzling mix of materials. Similar colour and size bricks 7”x1½” are in the porch of St Peter’s Farmhouse which is plaque dated 1682; can one deduce that they came from a demolished seventeenth building nearby? Also, in the boundary wall is a blocked up Victorian Royal Mail post box indicating that there was enough business for one in the past. The author helped the owner clear undergrowth to enable a geophysical survey by five IOTAS members in March 2014 of a small part of the garden which revealed a buried (probably Victorian) path in concrete with glazed barley twist edging but little else. Documents held at Daniel & Edwards (solicitors) and deeds to the building seen show that it was sold from the Upton Estate in 1932 and sold again to Alan (a motor engineer) Frederick and Marjorie Joyce Pickett who bought the two cottages on 5 September 1955 and converted them into one soon after. The cottage was empty by 2013, bought in 2014 and is currently being restored and modernised (2017). The variety of materials in the walls of The Cottage (originally 1 & 2 Upton Cottages). The Cottage before restoration. Oast house: Listed Grade II, probably eighteenth century, mainly brick but again with flint lower down under a tiled roof, the oast vent roof being slate; converted into Upton farmhouse in 1935 (when the roof was raised?) for Frank Goodson upon the sale of Upton House. It is now living accommodation for staff of Wellesley House School who own it. A two-stall wooden stable survives but a cottage shown on the 1842 tithe map behind the white wall has gone. To the immediate east is: Minters: circa 1770. Originally two small workman’s cottages (according to documents held at Daniel & Edwards) mostly in flint with brick on 1st floor in front and dressings under a slate roof and extended at rear. Once known as Hogbins Cottages, the name was changed when they were converted and modernised for the family of Edward Minter Goodson. Land to the east once extended to Weasel Cottage and housed their well but now houses a modern bungalow named Clynder. Orchard Cottage: circa 1760 and of the same period as Minters next door and has the same wall construction of flint (some knapped some unknapped) with brick window and door surrounds under a slate roof (and a modern extension at rear and to side). There are no windows to the north (the road) and being single storey, the cottage matches two farm buildings at nearby Westwood. However, the owner believes it to have always been domestic accommodation and the 1842 tithe map indicates that it was at that date. A garden feature in flint 12.5 x 7.5 metres is believed by the owner to be a former barn but is not recorded on old maps and could be a sunken garden feature. The 1896 6” to 1- mile Ordnance Survey map (viewed online) shows it as a pond. A neighbour can remember a previous female owner housing her mini car in the formerly open western end - note the roof. N.B. This was possibly 9, Upton Cottage originally, mentioned in documents for which the author cannot find another candidate. No document mentions 7 & 8, Upton Cottages. 5 and 6 Upton Cottages: Local List, built circa 18605 are alongside Little Upton and English Heritage say ‘as one with Little Upton’ which is some 190 years earlier! In yellow brick and flint under a tiled roof extended at the rear. Records show that these along with other Upton Cottages (see under Lost Properties below) were for the persons employed by the Goodsons or members of the Goodson family. 4, Fair Street: age unknown as very much altered but is confirmed as being originally the slaughter house for Upton Farm by a surviving bill to Goodsons Estate Upton (dated March 1931) for alterations to Slaughter House and stable. The owner Mr P. Locke remembers further demolished buildings behind his property – see Lost Properties. The boundary wall to number 2, Fair Street incorporates possible walls of lost buildings. Other Surviving Features A North – South thoroughfare: an ancient route between the Reading Street area in the north of Thanet to the west of Ramsgate in the south was possibly Iron Age in origin 6 and was shown to have been metalled by the Romans by the author7 in the northern part at least. It passes through Upton at the west end and a part of this route is called Upton Road (from the Little Albion pub to Upton) but was truncated in the 1930’s by the Broadstairs to Margate Road (St Peter’s bypass) which was built on Goodson’s land. Another footpath went direct from Upton to St Peters church 900 metres distant to the north west. The route from Louisa Bay, Broadstairs to Upton (used by the Goodsons to cart seaweed according to Thomas Pointer), is uphill all the way and shows Upton (high farm or settlement) which is on a plateau, to be an accurate name. There are at least 36 Uptons in England. The Lost Properties: Upton House and associated farm buildings: TR: 38531 67674 substantial, mid nineteenth century brick-built house, demolished by October 2006; it almost certainly replaced the original farmhouse as there were wooden agricultural buildings included in the grounds of two acres 26 perches, and a plan shows the farmyard and pond in front of the house. The Goodsons sold (from Daniel & Edwards records) Upton House on 5 March 1933 to Florence Dipple for £1,750; who sold around 1952 to Moss-Vernon Phillip, who sold to Mr and Dr Watson in the late 1950’s. The Watsons sold to another former squash player (who wishes to remain anonymous) in November 1978 and he remembers the associated wooden buildings, one on stadle stones (mushrooms); fortunately, he also has a painting from 1988, by the late John Foot, of the house (reproduced with permission of the house’s former owner). The house was sold in August 2002 to Bill Wilsmer, builder who sold on to Millwood Homes who built a dozen executive homes on the site. Pig sties: There were a range of pig sties along Vale Road to the immediate east of the farm and between it and part of the way to the Oast House where a row of bungalows now sit according to resident Steve Cawood who occupies one of the bungalows. See also below under Upton Farm. Dutch barn, stables and other possible buildings behind 4, Fair Street. Brazier Farm: Demolished 1861, was located somewhere behind 4, Fair Street according to two sources 8, The author is unable to locate any other details. A 1947 photograph from Peter Locke shows a Dutch barn roof shape dimly in the background which Peter of 4, Fair Street remembers. A painting 9 shows another building that may have been part of Brazier Farm – all now lost. 3 and 4 Upton Cottages: stood partly on the new green facing Broadstairs and the diverted road and were built in 1861 10 in brick behind a flint boundary wall on Brazier Farm land and a surviving photograph corroborates the materials. Demolished in the 1960’s when the road was diverted to allow access to a new mini estate. Anecdotal accounts from a number of local residents testify to the disappearance of stables and similar buildings including a greenhouse in the area of Little Upton, the latter now a private house. One stable housed the donkeys that were hired out on Broadstairs beach. Upton Lodge grounds: A long lean-to greenhouse in the formal grounds of Upton Lodge has gone but the high rear wall remains in the garden of a bungalow in Gladstone Road as does the square concrete base of a folly. The one surviving folly (pictured left) is in a garden of Holm Oak Gardens. Upton Farm/Estate: In the Goodson family for at least four generations; varied considerably in size and acreage over the decades, now built over mostly by bungalows but also houses, Upton School and ‘Our Lady Star of the Sea’ a Catholic Church. Latterly (early twentieth century) the Goodsons appear to have invested in newly built houses in Upton Road (nos. 37,39,41) and four plots in the Round Hill Estate (Pierremont Avenue and/or King Edward Road) all sold from 1921 onwards. The estate (including the replacement Upton Farm) was sold off from 1920 to 1957 in over 30 lots. The final sale by order of the Goodson Trustees by auction conducted by Cockett, Henderson & Co., of High Street Broadstairs on 18 October 1960 consisted of Oast cottage, 9, Upton Cottage (not identified – possibly Orchard Cottage or demolished cottage alongside the Oast), farmyard, two barns, pig sties, cart shed and stabling. The solicitors acting were Daniel & Edwards, of Ramsgate, the present Mr Daniel kindly making available all the documents where they acted for the Goodsons which list much of the above information and much more. The sale beat the reserve of £6,000 by £1,300. Documentary & Literary sources: R/U774/T655 Kent History & Library Centre, Maidstone. Title Broadstairs: Three parcels of land (3 acres) at Upton. 1700 Lewis 1736 p.168 “Upton or Uptown” [also lists “Dumpton or Downtown”]. Indenture 1796: Upton. Land Tax 1798: Upton. Hasted 1800 p.356 “several small hamlets and houses interspersed throughout it [St Peters] … Upton”. Census return 1871: Upton Hamlet. Plus, many more recent entries. HOLLICONDANE By chance, while investigating the Goodsons at Upton, the author learnt of a William Goodson, farmer, who died in 1876 and was buried at St Lawrence, part of Ramsgate. The author decided to try and locate his grave in St Lawrence churchyard and remarkably the gravestone was quite clearly legible and stated: IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM GOODSON LATE OF HOLLICANDANE WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE DECEMBER 16TH 1876 AGED 76 YEARS The author was aware of Hollicondane in St Lawrence parish from previously studying old maps where 22 different spellings have been noted. See article in July 2017 KAS Newsletter (the 22nd spelling noted since that article - see below). The whole site and area is now owned by St Lawrence College a prestigious private school with all their auxiliary buildings, the Junior School located on the site of the previous farm buildings to the south of College Road, while the farmhouse (TR:38079 66055) to the north of the road has gone to be replaced by other school buildings including accommodation. Kelly’s Directory - Isle of Thanet 1928 lists a Hollicondane Lane as being from 129, Margate Road to Leonards Avenue which is the present College Road while early maps do not name the road whilst naming other roads in the area which indicates that it was only a narrow track or lane (and drawn as such) until the major developing of St Lawrence College. At its eastern end, College Road has a junction with Holly Road which again in 1872 was depicted as narrow and labelled FP. The Surviving Property ‘Potato’ Store: The one survivor of the farm is a small single storey rectangular building 17’x14’ (5.3x4.3 metres) in yellow brick with vents in the gables and narrow slit vents (now bricked up) in front and a 43” wide doorway with a well-worn wooden door, all under a corrugated roof. A long-term employee of the college stated it was the potato store. All of the college buildings built until the late 20th century are in red brick. This small building is visible on the O.S. 1872 6” to one-mile map. The ‘Potato’ store right. The Lost Properties Hollicondane Farm: A brief description of the building is given in literary sources below. “In early October 1865, a large fire occurred at Hollicondane Farm”11 fortunately the house was saved although a barn, a wheat stack and two sheep were lost. The report mentions an adjoining farm which is otherwise unknown unless it is Newlands Grange half a mile away. Newlands School, immediately north of Hollicondane Farm and on its land, was originally Hollicondane Junior School when it opened in April 1949. The farm buildings were south across what is now College Road and under the College Junior School. Very little other evidence of a hamlet can be found apart from the farm and a public house called Hollicondane Tavern. There was a tavern at least by 1867 when the owner applied for a spirit licence – possibly located in one of the two or four cottages, mentioned below, as was the custom in some rural areas; it was replaced by a handsome late nineteenth century building, and displayed an eye-catching sign, but closed late 1990’s and was demolished in 2009. 12 The 1872 Ordnance Survey 6” map only shows the farm buildings and notes Hollicondane Tavern alongside – no other buildings depicted. A photograph of the tavern and sign was in the Summer 2017 KAS Newsletter. The catchment area was rural but the nearby Ramsgate Municipal Cemetery, Lime Works and Brickfields are shown on the O. S. map plus the Jewish Cemetery (founded 1872) in Dumpton Park Road, (nearby and on the line of the ancient trackway) not shown, would have had labourers that possibly provided the customers. The Thanet Directory and Guide 1883-4 under Villas, Terraces etc., lists 1-4 Hollicondane Cottages (and Hollicondane House presumably the farm) which are not shown on the 1896 O.S. map. A terrace of ten houses close by to the east were built after the 1896 map (c.1900) as were 13 in an unmade road to this day, known as Leonards Avenue. Literary sources: In addition to those listed in July 2017 KAS Newsletter. Not mentioned in Lewis. 1796 Indenture …”place there called Halicandane in the Tenure or occupation of Edward Troward”. N.B. A William Goodson married Alice Troward in 1717. Hasted 1800 p.378 “… small hamlets or knots of houses…. Hallicandane.” Fragments of History of Ramsgate by C.T. Richardson 1885. “A James Woolcot is in residence at Hollicondane in 1885 listed under Sir Moses Montefiore Ward”. Cotton’s History of St Lawrence 1895 p. 236 “In 1620 Alexandra Goodson rated for 38 acres” [under Northwood]; p.237 “Hollicondane, called by Philipott in his map of Kent Howling Lane but more likely it was originally Holticum Dane i.e. Grove of the Danes [on what evidence?] farm house in a hollow is brick with gables and string course and is dated 1678 and there are one or two cottages of about the same date.”13 A footnote states: “In the Church Rate Book under 1617 it is spelt Howlettendane”. Archaeologia Cantiana vol. 22 1897 p.3. Mr. W. H. Hills kindly furnishes particulars of the discovery at Hollicondane, midway between that hamlet and Dumpton, south east [sic] from Ramsgate. One might expect these two hamlets to be similar, but there are more differences than similarities. Similarities Both hamlets were farmed by the same family (at least for a while at Hollicondane) but both lost their Goodson families. There are no Goodsons in Thanet or northeast Kent now, the last burial was in St Peters in 1971 and Mr M. Daniel of solicitors Daniel & Edwards in Ramsgate remembers an elderly Goodson living at Wingham when Mr Daniel was a young articled clerk so probably in the 1970’s. See footnote below. The ancient north south trackway that passed Upton on its western edge, passed Hollicondane to the east within 200 metres and members of the Goodson families could walk between the two farms in approximately 20 minutes (much less by horse); the route has been slightly diverted at Dumpton by modern development after the demolition of West Dumpton Farm which appears to have been built over the trackway. A practise Ivan Margery, the Roman Road expert noticed elsewhere. Despite the encroaching urbanisation, the sites of both former farmhouses are still only half a kilometre or less from farmland. Hollicondane less than 300 metres to the south of Newland Grange’s land, Upton just 500 metres to the south of Bromstone Road which is the north of Newland’s land. Three Middle Bronze Age barrows were found in the Hollicondane area with burials and settlement finds nearby; also, Romano-British pottery, coins and skeletons were found under the College grounds/buildings in 1890 at the western end. 14. Upton was on the probable Iron Age route with third and fourth century Romano-British finds indicating a building nearby. 15. There is then a long gap in historical evidence of settlement at both Hollicondane and Upton although settlement is likely to have been continuous at both sites, particularly Upton. Farming has always been an unpredictable means of earning a living as income is dependent on the price of produce which can vary enormously from year to year. Demand can also affect what is produced. The rise of Broadstairs and the other coastal towns as resorts meant an increased demand from hoteliers for fresh produce such as vegetables, bacon and eggs plus milk although the east of Thanet is generally too dry for dairy but see Quested below. Anyone visiting Thanet today will be unlikely to spot any livestock apart from horses for pleasure riding; whereas as recently as 1891 Quested lists 1,200 cows and calves, 940 working horses, 21,000 sheep and 3,000 pigs in Thanet. 16 She also states that from the 1930’s small farms were disappearing fast from 193 in 1951 to 96 in 1971. By 1947 the optimum farm size was already over 400 acres p. 237. Edward Goodson at Upton in the 1839 tithe, owned 119 acres two roods and 39 perches but farmed as a tenant a further 34 acres, one rood and 16 perches a total of 154 acres. William Goodson at Hollicondane in the 1840 tithe farmed 107 acres two roods and 32 perches so was considerably less; consequently, if farm prices realised fell short of costs 17 both farmers were heading for trouble. Differences Upton was overtaken by urban expansion of Broadstairs – the Upton Estate being sold piece by piece over forty years from 1920 to 1960 – to supplement falling farm income? Hollicondane was bought up by South Eastern College (now St Lawrence College) over only 13 years – 1880 to 1893; an early sale being in 1865 to an individual. 18. See final paragraph below. Only two spellings of Upton are recorded - Upton and Uptown whereas at least twenty-two spellings of Hollicondane are recorded over 400 years. Why? Four syllables instead of two possibly leading to scribal error. Maybe a smaller hamlet had fewer notable features i.e. no or very few signs to the hamlet of Hollicondane? Possibly originally the farmer/s and or occupants at Hollicondane had an accent that early cartographers could not easily understand - possibly originally from across the North Sea via Sandwich which had a noted influx; or a combination of the above. Variable pronunciations could hardly lead to the variable early spellings of Howlettendane, Howling, Hollow then Hollowcombe (both parts can indicate a valley) becoming Hollicondane; but this is not so surprising perhaps especially as the farm was in a dip and the fields of the farm occupied the valley ‘in front’ of the farm to the south with the high ground of Newlands Farm and school (originally Hollicondane School) behind. The common place name Holcombe indicates a deep or hollow valley according to The Oxford Names Companion. Howlett Zoo near Littlebourne is another example of the earliest version, the meaning unknown. The frequency of ‘Dane’ in Thanet place names (Dane Court, Dane Park etc.,) needs further investigation – a corruption of ‘dene’ or might this be a leftover of the Vikings overwintering in Thanet in ad 850?19. Upton is on a high plateau, Hollicondane Farm’s fields roll down into a valley and up the other side to Boundary Road – Ramsgate’s early boundary. See maps in KAS Newsletter Summer 2017 p. 6 to 8. The tiny hamlet of Hollicondane had a pub but the larger hamlet of Upton did not, their nearest being the Little Albion (due north on the ancient track) some 450 metres away and built in the mid nineteenth century replacing an earlier building. While there are photos and paintings of some of Upton’s lost buildings, there is a complete lack of pictorial evidence of Hollicondane apart from the Victorian era public house. Upton has nine surviving buildings (as presently arranged) that are nineteenth century or earlier; whereas Hollicondane has only one – the ‘potato’ store. An indenture at Kent History and Library Centre Maidstone, U774T85B dated 11 June 1864 lists seven Goodsons and one-in-law (Gibbons) on the one part plus William Goodson “and those listed above” in 3rd part. A possible explanation of this is the lack of credit available in the first half of the nineteenth century; ‘two or three must join in unless he were known to be a man of substance’.20. In the 1870’s cheap wheat started being imported from the USA cutting the profit of UK wheat farmers – did William (he died in 1876 aged 76) experience this? Mockett’s Journal mentions that smallpox killed several young men in 1876. Hollicondane Farm finally came to an end probably because of the following noted by Quested. In 1892 to 1895 a combination of falling corn prices, drought over three years and two severe winters with a collapse in hop prices led to a crisis and the sale of nineteen farms in Thanet. 21.Upton survived, the oast house becoming redundant. Further contributing factors possibly were noticeable population changes; the population of Kent rose by over 107% 1891 – 1981 22 and between 1851 and 1900 there was a small decline in the rural population but a rise in the urban population of circa 20% a decade, partly through people moving to better paying work in towns. 23 Conclusion Two hamlets 1.75 kilometres (a few feet over one mile) apart, would perhaps be expected to be similar in all main respects, but the above indicates that these two hamlets, both connected by farming on the same chalk lands, are different. One reason may be that Hollicondane was bordered by Newlands Grange that received tithes (from both farms) so was presumably always bigger and more important than surrounding farms. Upton, on the other hand was in the middle of numerous small farms (and fields) in the nineteenth century (23 in a 1½ mile or 2⅓ kilometre circumference around Upton according to the author’s calculations, now five) which may have enabled an easier accumulation of land. The land holdings at Upton in fact varied considerably over the years with apparent frequent acquiring and disposing of land (including on the mainland) also renting from and to others indicated by documents from Daniel & Edwards, tithe lists and demonstrated by maps of their holdings at Kent History and Library Centre at Maidstone. Unfortunately, this level of detail is not available for Hollicondane. Another item of note from the Upton study is the practice of farmer’s daughters retaining their parent’s surname as a middle name after marriage: e.g. Kezia Minter Goodson (1816 baptised Ickham) married Edward Goodson farmer of Upton in 1836 and was buried at Preston 1906. The Minters farmed the Ickham area as their numerous graves and vaults at Ickham churchyard indicate. Harriot Mascal Goodson (1869 – 1935) married Kezia and Edward’s son also an Edward farming at Upton. Mascals were local farmers at Dumpton and Northwood. Footnote on the Goodsons. Investigations into the Goodsons continues and will, hopefully, in time, lead to a further report. We know that the Goodsons were in Thanet before 1599 as a report in Archaeologia Cantiana vol.26 p.39, 1904 (Archbishop of Canterbury’s ‘court’) shows that a John Goodson was in St Nicholas at Wade Thanet in 1598 and records from Canterbury Cathedral archives show that Alexander Goodson of St. Peter’s(where he died in 1622) married Parnell Croft at Woodnesborough in 1617 and that the Goodsons were then in St Peters until 1971. Investigations are hampered by there being so many Edwards and Williams farming at St Peters one after the other. William Goodson of Hollicondane (9 February 1800 to 16 December 1876) known as the Younger was bequeathed c. 45 acres at Hollicondane (plus c.48 acres near Spratling Street, 7 acres at Newington and 2½ acres at Liberty Way, Ramsgate) by William the Elder (c.1768 to 10 March 1854 who farmed Upton which he bequeathed in his will dated 10 August 1821 to another son Edward (c.1806 to 11 May 1878); and the 1843 tithe lists William of Hollicondane farming 107 acres although not all at Hollicondane. In the 1849 Isle of Thanet Directory a John Goodson was listed as farmer at Hollycondane [sic] presumably a brother as tenant? As seen above William’s gravestone states ‘late of Hollicandane’ [sic]. More work is required on the Goodsons! ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The residents, past and present, of Upton particularly Nick who is tackling The Cottage, Andy Rolfe, Derek Austin, Peter Saunders and Peter Locke; Mr Daniel of Daniel & Edwards who made available the numerous documents relating to The Upton Estate and the Goodson family who ran it, also Hollicondane; Jenny Price of IOTAS for Goodson research (ongoing); Dr Rob Irwin for constructive analysis. Andrew Brown of St Lawrence College for details of purchases by the College, Broadstairs and Margate Libraries, finally the helpful staff of Kent History & Library Centre, Maidstone. Perhaps thanks most of all to Barbara Williamson who entrusted me with her deeds which eventually led to this study. NOTES 1 From sale deeds 1 July 1910 Sutton to Noott. 2 John Mockett 1775 – 1848 a St Peters farmer whose family ran the Hopeville Farm from 1625, wrote a detailed journal published in 1836 – on the final page. 3 Nick Dermot, former Conservation Officer of Thanet District Council who believes the boundary walls are older than the house. 4 Mr Derek Austen who provided other anecdotal evidence of the area. 5 According to memoirs of Thomas Pointer (1837 – 1912) who worked for the Goodsons at Upton from 1858 to 1909, who noted 3 & 4 Upton Cottages were built in 1861 (sold by the Goodsons in the 1930’s, demolished in the 1960’s) and a surviving photo of 3 & 4 shows they were of similar construction to 5 & 6. 6 Gerald Moody TTA Upton House excavation report. 7 ARA News (Association for Roman Archaeology Issue 24 September 2010 – Roman Finds in Thanet Gordon Taylor and verified in KAS Newsletter Autumn 2011 Roman Thanet Revealed by Moody TTA. 8 Thomas Pointer’s mother ‘and many generations’ were born there. Peter Locke of 4, Fair Street has a 1947 photo showing dimly the Dutch barn in the deep snow of that winter. 9 Drawn and engraved by Geo Walker, published 1 June 1812 entitled ‘Upton near St Peters’. 10 See note 5. 11 Thanet’s Victorian Fire Brigades by Robert Varnham (IOTAS) 2010, p. 45. 12 Old Ramsgate Pubs by Michael Mirams. Photo by Brian Curtis courtesy of the Inn Sign Society. 13 The date and description of the farmhouse indicates that it may have had curvilinear gables, a style nearing the end of its popularity at that period - Archaeologia Cantiana vol. 136 p.271 study by Gordon Taylor. 14 Archaeologia Cantiana vol.130 p.307 Dr Dave Perkins; Thanet Sites & Monuments record 91 IOTAUnit. Exact site not noted but the Lidar map indicates barrows on Newland Grange land to the north. 15 Gerald Moody TTA Upton House excavation report. 16 Rosemary K.I. Quested, The Isle of Thanet Farming Community 1996. A comprehensive historical coverage of the local farming scene; unfortunately for this study’s point of view, her focus tends toward west Thanet and Hollicondane is not mentioned and the Goodsons/Upton only twice. 17 ibid. p.235. 18 Records of purchases by South Eastern College supplied by Andrew Brown of St Lawrence College. 19 The Isle of Thanet by Gerald Moody TTA p.172. 20 Quested p.106 quoting Cramp 1833. 21 ibid. p.162. 22 The Isles – A History by Norman Davies 1999/2000 p.807. 23 ibid p.648. © D. Gordon Taylor 2018 An amusing tale, of some age, having been noted in an 1884 History of Ramsgate by Dr Richardson, on the origin of the names Hereson (a nearby hamlet) and Hollicondane can be found by Googling the following: www.thanetonline.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/hereson-andhollicondane.html.