summer 2015 - the royal tunbridge wells civic society 2015.pdf · had learnt the offside-to-offside...

Summer 2015

Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society

2Front cover: Charles Tattershall Dodd. 1815-1878. See page 14.

Visit to CanterburySummer Events

Wednesday, July 8th

Pic: Wikimedia Commons. ABrocke.

There may still be places left for the visit to Canterbury on July 8th. If youhaven’t booked your seat, then contact John de Lucy on TW 540560.

Schedule:08:45 Meet at Town Hall to board the coach10:30 Arrive at Canterbury11:00 Guided tour of the old town, led by John deLucy12:30 Lunch at the Old Weavers Restaurant,beside the Gt Stour River (not included in theprice)14:00 Tour of Canterbury Cathedral (1 hr)16:00 Coach leaves Canterbury for return toTunbridge Wells by 17:30

The cost is £24 per person to cover the coach and entry to the cathedral.(If you already have a ticket to the cathedral then deduct £9.)

Other GroupsFriends of the Museum, Library and Art

Gallery

‘A Day at the Wells’Friday 17th July

A day of talks and walks aroundTunbridge Wells led by experts from

the Museum and Art Gallery.£20 including 2-course lunch with wine.

Please contact David Wakefield(523983).

‘The Dreamers’Musical production based on the storyof Hythe Disaster in 1915. Shown lastyear at the Assembly Hall - now in the

West End at the St James Theatre30th June - 11th July

‘heart-rending music and lyrics withfactual narration’.

Tickets £15 to £35. Box office: 0844264 2140

3 www.thecivicsociety.org

Personally Speaking ... 4

From the Planning Scrutineers by Alastair Tod ... 5

Chairmen’s Letter by Chris Jones ... 6

Alastair Tod explains ... ... 8the ‘Green Network’ and the ‘Urban Design Framework’.

Whither the Green Belt and AONBs? ... 10 Brian Lippard ponders.

On the Stump ... 12Sue Daniels suggests that we aren’t as Arcadian as we might be.

Charles Tattershall Dodd BiCentenary ... 14Philip Whitbourn pays a tribute to the Tunbridge Wells artist.

1815 ‘We fired our guns and the British kept a-coming’... 19Chris Jones reads a new book by Stephen Bates.

Putting Faces to Names - Lorna Blackmore ... 20

Garden Party ... 21

Heritage Open Days 2015 ... 22

Forthcoming Events ... 24

Editor: Chris Jones. 52 St James Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2LBTel 01892 522025 Email [email protected]: Christo Skelton. 4 Caxton House, 19 Mount Sion, Tunbridge Wells TN11UB. Tel 01892 513241 Email [email protected]

Contents

4

by Chris JonesPersonally Speaking

News & Views

The End of Civilisation? ... Every Saturday morning wego to Sainsbury’s at the West Station, and drive back up London

Road, turning right into Church Road by what used to be called the Lower CricketGround. When we started doing this there were often difficulties with drivers comingfrom the opposite direction and also wanting to turn right. The problem was that theyhad learnt the offside-to-offside rule from their Highway Codes and were determinedto apply it. It’s a very sensible rule, but perhaps not so appropriate when a line ofcars needs to turn. The problem was solved when white lines were painted indicatingthat nearside-to-nearside should be used instead.In the new austerity Britain thelines are fading. It would be nice to think that we could manage without them, with alittle bit of tolerance and courtesy. I fear that instead we are reverting to anarchy andthose most sure of their own righteousness are causing problems for everybody else.

Quiz Question - iii) ... In the last Newsletter I asked ‘what was the connectionbetween a secret naval base and a house in Tunbridge Wells?’ I’m afraid thenaval base was so secret that it defeated even Tim Auckland. Holmrook Hall, nearSellafield in Cumbria was a naval explosives training base (HMS Volcano) duringWW2. Holmrook is also the name of that large house on London Road at its junctionwith York Road. As a clue I said that there was a connection to a famous Victorianstory-teller, and Holmrook in Cumbria was owned by Lewis Carroll’s cousin.I amsure that you are ahead of me on this next bit:that cousin was Fletcher Lutwidge,one-time mayor of Tunbridge Wells. I don’t know the connection between Lutwidgeand the house in London Road, but I expect somebody can tell me.

Quiz Question - iv) ... If you’ve been up to theBritish Museum this summer, or watched Alastair Sookeon BBCFour, you might think that this figure looksfamiliar. A Crouching Venus? But on the lawn of ahouse near Tunbridge Wells? Again, a link to a famouswriter, though this time 20th century; and a connectionto the Methodists, Welsh Methodists even.

Self Questioning ... I fear that these ‘quiz questions’might be seen as a form of showing off. I would like tothink that they rather display my delight in discoveringthings that I had not previously known, and a desire toshare that delight with you all.


From the Planning Scrutineers by Alastair Tod

Planning consent has been given to replace all ten originaltimber windows in a house in South Grove with uPVC, towhich we objected. The house is one of twelve in a mid-Victorian stucco terrace, allof which have so far retained their original timber sashes.

We normally object to the replacement of timber windows and doors with uPVCin older properties. Planning permission is required in the conservation area if thereplacement is other than like-for-like. We feel that uPVC is almost never an accuratereplacement for traditional woodwork.

uPVC has little inherent strength and requires reinforcement with metal bars,requiring complex design at the corners. It is normally manufactured with a flatprofile with minimum rebates, unlike the moulded profile of older woodwork, andmay be fixed further forward in the window opening, affecting the overall characterof a facade. It can’t be repaired or painted, and replacement uses up a finite rawmaterial. It is, however, popular with some owners. It is usually cheaper in initialcost, and is heavily marketed for its energy saving properties. In lifetime costs thereis probably no advantage over well-maintained timber and there are other ways ofimproving energy efficiency. But, acknowledging its appeal to owners, the SPAB isnow appealing for uPVC designs which are genuine replicas of traditional timber.This may enable us in time to be a bit less puritanical….

We welcomed proposals by the Abergavenny Estate for the Corn Exchange andDay at the Wells. It has taken time to meet the requirements for means of escapeetc for a three-screen cinema and associated café/bar, and opening up the CornExchange with new access to Sussex Mews. The exterior of the buildings is notaffected, so well restored and extended in the eighties. The cinema is to be operatedby the Curzon chain who specialise in small venues with high standards of comfort,and the new facility should complement the thriving Upper Pantiles.

Consent has been given for erecting a large umbrella over the tables in front of theOld Fish Market in the Pantiles. We objected to this in its original form because ofits visual dominance, even when furled, and the likelihood that it would, in time,generate lighting and heating fixtures. After debate we maintained our objectionwhen the proposal was slightly modified. The life brought to the Upper Pantiles bythe café culture is welcome, but the extent now proposed by the owners for exteriorseating at sixteen premises risks conflict with the needs of shops and passers-by andwe have suggested conditions to any consent; the case is still pending.

6

Chairmen’s Letter*

Tunbridge WellsJune2015

The committee has been thinking recently about theobjectives of the Society and how we determine our response to planningproposals and developments in the town.

The Society was formed in 1959, part of a national movement to confront thedestruction of the urban environment by developers and planners intent onmodernising Britain. Too often their designs seemed to have been taken fromthe pages of ‘The Eagle’ - all curvy concrete and hover-cars. But the concernwasn’t so much the design of the new buildings as the unnecessary and wastefuldestruction of perfectly sound existing buildings simply because they were nolonger fashionable.

One of the first activities of our Society was a pro-active scheme to enhance theappearance of Monson Road. In time, though, there came the need to opposedestructive proposals. In some cases we were successful: Lansdowne Road, forexample, was secured as an attractive residential enclave. Other causes were lost:the delicate spire of Emmanuel Church in Culverden, and the ‘early and elegant’ StAugustine’s church in Grosvenor Road (replaced by Tesco).

We have to acknowledge that things are better now. Planning regulationstoday recognise that the community has a right to be consulted, and that makingthe case to save a heritage asset or an area of natural beauty is not standing inthe way of progress, but pointing out that simplistic short-term solutions aresometimes not actually for the best. Conservation Areas, introduced in the 1960s,protect attractive neighbourhoods to the benefit of all.

The price, of course, is eternal vigilance, and the occasional accusation ofbeing petty-minded. Alastair’s planning notes on page 5 show how it is necessaryto look at small as well as large developments. Changes to one house can notonly detract from the appearance of the whole area, but affect the value ofneighbouring houses. A simple check of estate-agents’ details demonstratesthe appeal of ‘original sash windows’.

The Society’s ‘objects’ are defined in its Constitution. They include thepromotion of ‘high standards of planning and architecture’, and the ‘restoration,preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historicor public interest’. Over the years two specific issues have taken up a lot of ourtime: the appearance of the streets (paving, seating. lighting, signs, etc), and


the impact of traffic. These remain important. More recently we have been keen tosupport the cultural ‘offer’ of the town, to create a welcoming, ‘buzzy’ environment.In general we would encourage the planners and business-people to build onwhat is local and unique about the town. In today’s competitive world these areour assets, they are what distinguish us from, say, Maidstone or Ashford.

A survey of our membership two years ago (see the Spring 2013 Newsletter)identified what they felt to be the highest priority issues:

• protecting our built heritage• protecting / enhancing the Arcadian nature of the town• enhancing the appearance of the town• protecting the Green BeltWhat is especially striking about these results is that the ‘Arcadian’ nature of

the town was not specifically noted in the original objectives of the Society, yetis clearly important and is perhaps what appeals the most.

Two recent documents, one from the Town Forum, and one from TWBC, focusquite closely on this question. Alastair Tod has prepared synopses of the tworeports on pages 8 and 9 below. The second report, the Urban DesignFramework, is open for consultation at the moment. The Society will be makinga response, but individual members might like to submit their own.

On pages 10-13 we have two articles submitted by individual members addressingthe same broad area. It should be noted that these articles are simply seeking toencourage debate, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Society.

Sometimes difficult decisions have to be made. The dualling of the A21 will, Ihope, improve the lives of those needing to commute by car, but even so it is a littlebit heart-breaking to see the destruction of the trees and the views from the top ofCastle Hill. Sometimes ways can be found to move forward without damaging whatwe already have. We hope that some such solution can be found to the situation atTrinity. Additional car parking in the church-yard may have seemed a good idea,but it has damaged an important grave (see p.11), and threatens part of the proposed‘green network’ (see p.8). The Society is very proud of its part in the creation ofTrinity Arts, and wishes the organisation well, but feels that attention must be paidto the greater good of the town as a whole. There is surely some way that staff carparking can be provided without damaging the environment.

Tunbridge Wells is a special place, a unique combination of town and country.That balance is precarious. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Chris Jones* There are three co-Chairmen this year: John Cunningham, Chris Jones and Brian Lippard.

8

Two recent reports are of interest tothe Society, one from the Town Forumand one from the Borough Council.

In 2014 TWBC produced a GreenInfrastructure Plan as part of theforthcoming Local Plan. This reviewed‘green‘ issues throughout the Boroughbut was relatively light on those affectingRoyal Tunbridge Wells.

The Town Forum, which representsRTW only, has now produced‘Developing Our Green Network’(DOGN), based on intensive study ofgreen spaces and routes and the usemade of them in our town. The documentincludes a Master Map showing our greenassets and pedestrian links, and how theycould be developed and enhanced. Thedocument is intended as a basis forprojects and maps to develop andpromote networks for walkers, riders,cyclists etc, and themed trails such as oneon Royalty, Rocks and Water.

DOGN is an excellent survey of ourunique green assets, their value forresidents, tourists and commercial activity,also spelling out the pressures on them.Besides spaces and footpaths it deals withcycling, bio-diversity, allotments, and theeffects of traffic congestion. Itdistinguishes utility needs (trips to schooland shops) from leisure uses, suggestingfollow-up work on developing both, withsignage and information points for visitors,as steps to communicating a distinctive

Tunbridge Wells ‘brand‘. It emphasisesthat there is an economic case formanaging our environment.

With a faint whiff of nostalgia it quotesa 1945 report by the Civic Association,predecessor of the Civic Society, ‘Thetown has on the whole remainedcompact….this advantage is all the morereason for us to be aware of problemsthat exist elsewhere and to keep a zealouswatch for any development which pointsin the direction of danger.’ Although thechanges in seventy years, for better andworse, must be far greater than theauthors of that report expected, theresources, legal and material, forprotecting and enhancing our environmentare also greater, and the open, informalstructure of RTW still lends itself tomultiple small-scale improvements.

It is particularly welcome that DOGNrecognises how robust well-signedalternatives to car travel can improveaccess while reducing road congestionand substitute for costly and disruptiveengineering works, and the Master Mapillustrates how much would be possible.The document says, rightly, that there aremany sources of support for thesechanges, nearly all of them in theCouncil’s gift, some financial like Section106 money, some not; and it is for theCouncil to recognise how much can bedone, and how much can be lost by notdoing it.

... the ‘Green Network’Alastair Tod explains ...


As part of the new Local Plan TWBCintended to produce a Town Centre AreaAction Plan. To contribute to this the thenLeader set up a Panel, with representativesfrom the Society, local architects and others.This Panel produced an excellent AdvisoryReport in 2012.

Following political changes TWBCabandoned the Action Plan and insteaddefined ‘areas of change‘ in the SiteAllocations Plan, on which the Societycommented in the spring. The Council isnow consulting on an Urban DesignFramework (UDF) which describes thecharacter and function of the areas in ourdiverse and extended town centre.

The UDF sets out to ‘define clear rolesfor spaces and so form the basis for theenhancement and management of thosespaces and the development frontagesthat define them’. It thus offers guidanceto developers and to the Council itself forthe treatment of areas within the publicrealm, but not specific design proposals.

The document has two parts, a lengthystatement of principles, and a survey of‘opportunities’ for improvement. Furtherreports are planned but there is noprogramme of work on the ground,although the synopsis appears to promisethis. The emphasis on the public realmmeans that much of the work wouldnecessarily fall to the public sector, whetheror not financed by developers. At presentmost improvements could only take placeon the back of major development.

The first part differentiates betweenthe needs for movement, the function ofspaces and the form of development.There is a welcome emphasis on theimportance of paving to establishcharacter, the importance of streetfurniture and the value of trees. Howeverthe descriptions of areas are extremelygeneral and the guidance on the form ofdevelopment is limited. While there is anod towards the conservation of heritageelements, in general the historicenvironment receives less attention thanquestions of materials, and particularlypaving, which implies new build.

Part 2 quotes objectives for the towncentre from the former Action Plan: toimprove linkages and promote a sense ofplace; to promote the town centreeconomy, including at night; to promoteregeneration of vacant and derelict sites;to promote cultural, tourist and amenityattractions; and to reduce trafficcongestion and promote alternativemodes of transport. There are thensixteen sketch designs for key areas,mainly with paving and trees. Nearly allare along the main spine, and ifimplemented in this form the length fromFiveways to Grove Hill Road could betransformed. Other designs involve CarrsCorner, the bottom of Frant Road and thetop of Grosvenor Road.

The Society will comment on the UDFbefore the closing date of July 17th.

... the ‘Urban Design Framework’

10

Firstly, mycongratulations toGreg Clark on

becoming the Secretary of State forCommunities and Local Government. Thefollowing notes seek to prompt you to thinkabout some of the issues he faces relatingto the demand for new housing, and askswhat you would do were you in his position.

Some points to bear in mind:• The concept of the green belt was

introduced in 1955. The first Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) wasdesignated in 1956 and High Weald wasmade one in 1983.• 13% of England is designated green belt

whilst 10% is urbanised.• London is surrounded by a green belt,

as are 13 other urban areas in England,zones that forbid new development, except,as the policy wording has it, in “very specialcircumstances”.• Playing fields are classified as

“brownfield” sites when it comes todevelopment considerations.• In October 2014 Vince Cable quoted

research by the LSE which showed thatmore of Surrey was devoted to golf coursesthan to housing. He also argued that mostpeople would rather have greenery “outsidetheir own house than sitting 20 miles awaywhere they have no access to it”.• CPRE (Kent) notes “With a high degree

of landscape protection, and a relatively

low housing density, the borough(Tunbridge Wells) is one of the mostnaturally appealing in the county.”

70% of the borough lies within The HighWeald AONB. Nearly10% (in the northof the borough) lies in a flood plain. Theremainder is made up of the towns ofTunbridge Wells and Southboroughtogether with a small amount of green beltwhich is outside of the AONB. The mainareas of such green belt are:-• T. Wells and Rusthall Commons• Land bounded by the two commons,

the Spa Valley Railway and a little to theeast of Langton Green School• Denny Bottom (NE of Toad Rock)• Land to the NE of Rusthall bounded

by Broomhill Bank School, SpeldhurstRoad and Culverden Down• Sandown Park and Pembury Grange;

next to Pembury Road• Hawkenbury Farm

Let’s consider the CPRE’s commentabout low housing density. A simple wayto increase it would be to take an existingsite with, say, five houses and replacethem with ten. Repeat this twenty timesand you’ve added one hundred newhomes towards meeting our targetwithout encroaching one iota onto thegreen belt or the AONB. The only slightproblem is that this is seen as “gardengrabbing”; something which rarely seemsto appeal to local residents.

Whither the Green Belt andAONBs?

Brian Lippard thinks we should be thinkingabout thinking the unthinkable.


In 2010, every borough was given aquota of houses to build by 2026. Ourtarget was 6,000 and our council expectsto meet this demand, albeit by includingdevelopment of Hawkenbury Farm.Judging by the plethora of press articlesabout the low level of housebuildingnationally, it would seem that either otherboroughs are failing to meet their targetsand/or the current targets are woefullyinsufficient to meet demand. Manycommentators in London feel that if it’sso difficult to build on green belt land thenthe way to solve the capital’s housing needwould be to leapfrog the green belt, andbuild houses just outside of it. Howeverthe Adam Smith Institute has argued that,if a strip merely half a mile wide wereshaved off the London green belt, 800,000new homes could be built.

I leave you to ponder the likelihood ofour borough being asked to build evenmore houses. Should we oppose everyextra development request if/when itarises? If so, on what grounds? Is thegreen belt sacrosanct? Is the AONBsacrosanct? I’m sure none of us areNimbys but should we assist other areas

of the country by providing them with ourtaxes to help them build houses togetherwith requisite schools, employmentopportunities and transport infrastructure?

Where should new houses be built? Howdo you fancy Greg’s job? Perhaps thisarticle should have been entitled “WitherAway the Green Belt and AONBs?”

If you would like to read thought-provoking articles on this topic:• type “Rethink Britain’s Green Belt” into

your internet search engine and choose theGuardian article of 19.10.14.• type “Let’s nationalise the Green Belt”

and choose the FT Alphaville article. (Youmay find you can only access this articleonce, before you’re asked to register toobtain further access).• open the BBC website, type “greenbelt”

into its Search box and choose the articledated 9.6.15.

NB This article was written by Brianin a personal capacity, and is intendedto encourage debate. Neither he nor theSociety is expressing any views about theGreen Belt or Areas of Natural Beauty.Please let us know what you think aboutthe questions that he has raised. Ed.

The ‘Trinity’ Grave

Elias Walker Durnford

Much of the concern over the car-parking in the graveyardbehind Trinity is the damage done to the grave of Gen. EliasDurnford RE, who lived in Clarence Villa. Durnford built theCitadel in Quebec City - intended to protect Canada againstAmerican attack in the period following the ‘War of 1812’ (seep.18). Today it forms part of the Quebec World Heritage Site.Like Wolfe at Westerham and Col. By at Frant (founder of Ottawa)Durnford is yet another local link with Canada. The Tourism groupin the Town Forum is keen to develop these connections.

12

On The Stump

Equally concerning is the lack of any new tree landscaping to soften the increasinglyhard edges of our expanding, urbanising town. Fiveways is an obvious example (seeabove right). New housing, office and shopping developments should be obliged toinclude planting schemes from the outset, much as Water in the Wells would, rightly,like to see more water features included in such schemes. Is this something the Civic

Spring may have sprung but, to misquote Pete Seeger“where have all the trees gone?”. Tunbridge Wells owes muchof its charm to its green and pleasant surroundings: its manyparks; the Commons; and the trees that line, or used to line itsmain thoroughfares. Take a look at the town in Edwardian times:

Sue Daniels investigates the town’s famed“arcadian” reputation and finds it wanting.

By contrast those lushly planted streets now have sparse remnants of their treeheritage or are littered with stumps and patched pavements where once were trees.Some examples are illustrated below:


.

Society could champion? Couldthe Society get behind the UrbanDevelopment Framework(discussed elsewhere byAlastair) which, although itseems ambitious to improvematters, doesn’t provide atimescale or, critically, fundingproposals?

One has to appreciate thatstreet use has changed over theyears. Bus stops, cabling and utilityrequirements and concern over pavementdamage from roots limit the type of treescapable of being planted along theroadside. However, this doesn’t mean itcan’t be done. Continuing the town’s treeplanting tradition just requires someimagination and, that most elusive ofelements today, funding.

There is a tangle of responsibilitieshere. Kent Highways has beenresponsible for road side vegetation since2005. Unfortunately, the register of treesinherited from the borough wasincomplete and so, for example, CalverleyStreet’s missing trees were not recordedand will not be replaced. The trees onthe Pantiles are the concern of thefreeholder(s) (where ironically there is aplanning application for parasols by TheOld Fish Market restaurant next to twotree stumps), and agreement to newplantings requires consultation with theborough council. (Fortunately, the twomissing Calverley Road trees are due forreplacement this autumn.)

Kent Highway’s tree plantingdepartment has to find money elsewhereto support its obligation to replant trees,as its budget has been static for the lastfive years. An example of the cost ofplanting into hard landscaping is c. £500which includes the tree and labour. Othersources of funding require the support ofthe community: firstly in being vigilantabout trees lost and reporting them;secondly in applying for grants and fund-raising to add to the town’s trees. Arewe prepared to rise to the challenge?

Trees lend shade during the summer,help mop up pollution from traffic and addcharacter to the town. If we wish toremain distinctive as a town, to capitaliseon our heritage and to encourage abuoyant local economy by maintaining thetown’s desirability, adding to ourtreescape would be a good place to start.

To report a missing tree: call KentHighways via KCC’s call centre: 03000418181 or online via: http://w e b a p p s . k e n t . g o v . u k /KCC.KHSFaultsGIS.Web.Sites.Public/.

Bleak new space at Fiveways

14Patty Moon’s Walk, now Cumberland Walk, and the Grom Brook. TW Mus.

2015 is the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of the TunbridgeWells artist Charles Tattershall Dodd. Philip Whitbourn pays a tribute

to a man whose work not only displays exceptional artisitic talent,but provides a unique record of Tunbridge Wells at a time of rapid

change.

Charles Tattershall Dodd Bicentenary

The year 2015 is being markednationally, as it should be, as the twohundredth anniversary of the Battle ofWaterloo. Here in more peacefulTunbridge Wells, we have a further 200th

anniversary to mark, namely the birth ofTunbridge Wells’ best-known artist, andcreator of a remarkable record of thetown at a time when it was changing fast:the important local figure of CharlesTattershall Dodd.

Even as Napoleon was preparing toleave the Isle of Elba for his fateful

‘Hundred Days’, the newly-born baby boyin the Dodd family was being christenedin the Tunbridge Wells Chapel of KingCharles the Martyr. Officiating at theService of Baptism was the Revd. ArthurGibson, Fellow of Queen’s CollegeOxford, who served as one of the curatesto the then Minister of the Chapel, theRevd. Martin Benson. The Gibsons werea distinbguished familoy of churchmen,Edmund Gibson having been Bishop ofLondon from 1723-1748.


His home town was well suited to theartistic talents possessed by the youngCharles Tattershall Dodd, for he lovedto paint and draw trees, rocks and rusticor picturesque buildings, all of whichwere to be found in abundance in andaround the town in his lifetime. He wasa master of the art of watercolourpainting, as may be seen in his picture ofthe Grom Brook and Patty Moon’s Walkillustrated opposite. He worked in oils too,his impressive local landscapes ofRusthall Common, Standings Mill nearBroomhill, and Fairlight Glen nearHastings being in the Constable tradition,and on display in Tunbridge WellsMuseum.

Tattershall Dodd exhibited at the RoyalAcademy between 1847 and 1859. In1847 and 1850 he and the great JMWTurner were both exhibitors. The RoyalAcademy was then housed in the

St Helena and London Road Rocks. TW Mus

Culverden Castle. TW Mus.

National Gallery building, approached bythe present Sir Paul Getty entrance.

As drawing master at Tonbridge Schoolfor some forty years, Tattershall Doddexcelled at pencil drawings, and heproduced a series of exquisite pencilsketches of views around Tunbridge Wells.He also went further, to develop atechnique of ‘drawing and wash’. twoexamples of which are shown on thispage. The romantic outline of CulverdenCastle, which was probably designed byDecimus Burton, and which was once theresidence of Julius Drew of Castle Drogofame, can still be appreciated throughTattershall Dodd’s wash drawing ofc.1850, although, sadly, the building itselfwas demolished in the mid 20th century.Although altered, St Helena still stands.

16

Welsh landscape, with Harlech Castle in thedistance. V&A Mus

While Tunbridge Wells and the areaaround provided Tattershall Dodd with anample supply of suitable subjects for hispaintings and drawings, no early to mid19th century artists worth their salt wouldmiss out on a painting visit to Wales, toseek out the ideal picturesque landscape.The noted landscape painter inwatercolour, David Cox, was one suchvisiting artist to Wales, and John SellCotman, who has been decsribed as oneof the world’s greatest water-colourists,was another. Like Cotman, TattershallDodd visited Harlech and Dolgelly, hisbeautiful Turneresque Harlech landscape,illustrated here, dating from 1840.

On one of these Welsh painting

excursions, we are told, Tattershall Doddwanted water for his paints, and so calledat a nearby farm, where the farmer’sdaughter, Jane, duly obliged. Theirfriendship blossomed, and they marriedat Dolgelly, before setting up home backin Tunbridge Wells. Here they had ninechildren, some of whom are listed on thefamily grave in Woodbury ParkCemetery. The couple seem to havestarted married life in Mount PleasantTerrace, where Hoopers now is; they thenmoved up the hill to Decimus Burton’sCalverley Parade, where the CivicComplex is; and finally to GrosvenorLodge, a house that still survives as 72Grosvenor Road.


The Studio, Grosvenor Walk

Grosvenor Lodge has often beendescribed as a Regency house, onaccount of its classical frontage, and thebow on the right-hand side, the windowsof which once overlooked a largegarden where shops now stand.Appearances, nevertheless, can bedeceptive and the Regency facademasks an older building behind.Moreover, the house has lost the eleganttrellis-work porch that once led up tothe entrance.

The back elevation, with its gabledroofline, is different in character, andgives a clue to the earlier origin of theproperty. Internally, some evidence oftimber-framed construction can befound, suggesting that the buildingdates from Georgian times, or perhapseven earlier. At the time of the 1871census, 64 year-old Tattershall Doddand his 40 year-old wife Jane wereliving at the house, with eight of theirchildren, and three domestic servants.

Tattershall Dodd built a studio at thebottom of their garden, adjoiningGrosvenor Walk, and this is now aseparate house. The building wasextended by their eldest son, CharlesTattershall Dodd Junior, who followedin his father’s footsteps as anoteworthy local artist, and as drawingmaster at Tonbridge School. Thebuilding has a large studio window onthe far side, giving north light to theinterior.

Front of Grosvenor Lodge

Back of Grosvenor Lodge

18

Old Barn Rusthall Farm. TW Mus.

As Tattershall Dodd grew older, therate of output of his work slowed downsomewhat, but its quality remained ashigh as ever, as the splendid 1874watercolour of the barn at Rusthall Farmshows in the illustration above.Regrettably, the barn has been longgone, and many passers-by on the 281bus may not now know that it was everthere. Nor, probably, do many of thepeople passing down Culverden ParkRoad realise that there was once awindmill there. Such features are,however, part of the history of our town,and we should be grateful to TattershallDodd for providing a high-quality recordof Victorian Tunbridge Wells at a timeof rapid change. PWCulverden Mill. TW Mus.


It’s nice to comeacross an account ofRegency England that isnot just about either JaneAusten or distressedhand-loom weavers.Stephen Bates’ new bookincludes both of these, butmuch else besides.

Waterloo is describedin some detail: the make-up of the armies(Wellington’s was a mix ofBritish, Dutch andGermans); the manoevringbefore and during the battle; and the finalvictory ‘the nearest run thing you eversaw’. The quote in the title above, though,refers to an earlier battle that year,between the British and Americans,outside New Orleans. It is largelyforgotten these days (apart from fans ofLonnie Donegan). Forgotten and largelypointless - a settlement had already beenagreed, but the news took a long time toreach the Gulf of Mexico.

That settlement, though, simplifiedthings in Vienna where a new alliancewas formed against the resurgentNapoleon. Stephen’s easy-to-followaccount brings in all those half-remembered names: Metternich,Talleyrand, Castlereagh, Canning, andLord Liverpool - British Prime Ministerfor 15 years. While accepting that theBritish political system was essentiallycorrupt, Stephen suggests that Liverpool,

1815 “We fired our guns andthe British kept a-coming”

‘equable, mild, prudent’,and Castlereagh workedhard in difficultconditions.

The book is far frombeing all about politics anddiplomacy. There arehuman interest storiesaplenty: the Newburyclothing concern thatshowed it could create acoat in 24 hours - startingwith the wool still on thesheep; and the eightpeople drowned when a

huge vat of beer collapsed in centralLondon. There are canals, and poets, andLuddites, and stage-coaches, andfeminists, and a volcanic explosion thatdarkened the sky and ruined harvests.

It is saddening, though, to read what apointless, wasteful and vulgar life was ledby many in the Prince Regent’s set; andone is thankful for the emergence ofevangelical beliefs and the passion to putthem into practice.

Perhaps there might have been aslightly longer explanation of thesignificance of those hand-loom weavers,and why EP Thompson’s ‘magisterialstudy’ is ‘showing its age’. But that is toquibble. The book is encycopedic incoverage and wonderfully light in tone. CJStephen Bates is a professioanl author. Until hemoved away last year, he was a member of theLHG.. His new book ‘1815 Regency Britain in theYear of Waterloo’ is published by Head of Zeus.

20

Putting Faces to Names - Lorna Blackmore

New Vice-Chairman

I was born in DunfermlineFife Scotland, in the nextroad to Andrew Carnegie(though many years apart).My formative years andeducation were spent inScotland. I then travelledsouth to London in theswinging sixties.

Originally living inDulwich I have graduallymoved into Kent: fromBromley to Chelsfield, thenSevenoaks, and have finallyfinished up here in Tunbridge Wells.

In each area I have lived there has beenmajor regeneration, and I have lived withvarious councils who have had differentideas as to how this work should goforward. Little did I think I would have tolive with this once more here in Tunbridge

Wells. My hope as part ofthe Civic Society is that Iwill live long enough to seethe centre of TunbridgeWells become an area to beproud of.

My own background isthat I worked in the city for38 years. I was a FinancialCrime Manager detectingall types of White CollarCrime.

I am currently Presidentof Soroptimist International

of Tunbridge Wells and District. In 2016Soroptimist will have been in TunbridgeWells for 70 years.

Both Civic Society and Soroptimist haveseen many changes in our town and I hopeto play my part in making Tunbridge Wellsa pleasant and vibrant place to live.

Having three ‘co-Chairmen’, as we do at the moment, is not an ideal situation,and was never meant to be anything other than a temporary arrangement. We arepleased to report that in early June, Janet Sturgis (see ‘Faces to Names’ Winter2013) took on the vacant role of Vice Chairman . We hope that this might lead to amore strightforward structure in the future.

Society News

Other GroupsSun 19th July. 2:30 Handbell Concert in Woodbury Park Cemetery. Tickets: £5.

Please contact Angela Philips (543217) or Mary Harris (521420).Sat 8th Aug. Visit by Friends of Woodbury Park Cemetery to Kensall Green

Cemetery - established in 1832, one of the ‘magnificent seven’. Please contact DavidBushell ([email protected]) for details.

See p.2 for more events by other groups.


Our thanks to David and Jane Tennant

Pics:Charmian C-JAlastair T.

Garden Party at The Postern

22

Thursday 10th - Sunday 13thSeptember 2015

Come and explore the history andheritage of your local community, bothin the town and across the Borough.Since 1994 Heritage Open Days hascelebrated the history and heritage oflocal communities. In and aroundTunbridge Wells preparations are wellunder way, promising a variedprogramme with tours of historicbuildings, guided walks, exhibitions andmore, all free for everyone to enjoy.The national launch of Heritage OpenDays Festival takes place on 21st July.From that point onwards events and

venues in the 2015 programme will start to appear on the national websitewww.heritageopendays.org.uk . Our local printed programme should be availablein mid August.

If you enjoyed the Civic Society’s January talk on the history of Powder MillLane, you might be interested to know that the new Southborough and High BroomsArchaeology Society are keen to be involved in Heritage Open Days this year.Their current investigations include a focus on the history of one of the woodlandareas just off the Powder Mill Lane area. Look out for details of how their practicalhistorical explorations may be shared with Heritage Open Days visitors.

Dr Deborah Cole’s article in the Civic Society’s Winter 2013 newsletter mayhave whetted your appetite for a walk “In the footsteps of medieval knights”. Shewill be leading a group across part of the walk she researched for her book aboutthis historic Tonbridge Circular Walk.

Michael Hart, based in Horsmonden, is a skilled architectural blacksmith with agrowing reputation. His recent commissions have included impressive new ironworkgates at Canterbury Cathedral. On Thursday 10th September Michael will be talkingabout his work and demonstrating his traditional craft techniques to Heritage OpenDays visitors.

Heritage OpenDays


There is always room for more in our programme. It is not too late to offer toopen your historic home or workplace or to offer it as a stopping point on a guidedwalk. This is especially suitable if you know that your home/ work place/shop is ofhistorical interest but perhaps it is too small to accommodate many visitors. A guidedwalk group of, say, 20 could be split into two to peep inside a building or the groupcould stand in your front garden while you or the guide speaks for a few minutes.We know that many Civic Society members really appreciate the history of ourtown and cherish its architectural features - a few words of welcome from a CivicSociety member about their home, workplace or their favourite part of the town canreally add something personal to a guided walk route. There is still time to be part ofthis year’s programme - just contact us by 15th July on [email protected] explore any ideas you mighthave.

Members should also rememberthat this programme is onlypossible with many people helpingat the various venues and eventsand behind the scenes. Our thanksto one volunteer who has alreadyoffered to take leaflets into shopsround the town during late August– we hope a few more will behappy to help in this way. Pleasecontact [email protected] you are able to do so.

FionaWoodfieldStop Press:We have just heardthat Philip Whitbourn will beleading a walk around the town tocommemorate the Tattersall Doddanniversary (see pages 14 to 18above).

Pics: Richard Woodfield

CIVIC SOCIETYForthcoming Events

Meetings start at 7.30pm on the second Thursday in the month (unlessotherwise stated) in the Town Hall or the Royal Wells Hotel. Remember tobring your membership card. Suggested £2 donation from non-members.

The views expressed in this Newsletter are those of the named author or of the editorand do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Society.

Published by the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society.Registered Charity No. 276545

www.thecivicsociety.org

Sept10-13th

Entrance to the Town Hall is via the main door. If you are late and find that itis locked, please ring the bell and wait to be admitted.

RTWCS Awards EveningTown Hall

Sept10th

Oct8th

Jul8th

(Wed)

Presentation by the Local History GroupThe life of the 1st Marquess of Abergavenny who died in

1915.Town Hall

Heritage Open DaysPlease see pages 22-23 and check the website (as below).

Visit to CanterburySee page 2 for details.

summer 2015 - the royal tunbridge wells civic society 2015.pdf · had learnt the offside-to-offside...

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