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West Kent Downs Countryside Trust |
The Leisure Plot Area
The leisure plot area is situated in Cobham Woods South, not far from the Mausoleum. The area is sandwiched between Cobham Park (now owned by the National Trust) and Ranscombe Farm Reserve (owned by Plantlife International and Medway Authority). The land, which comprises some 110 acres of woodland, was formerly part of the Darnley Estate and lies within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and forms part of the Cobham Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
In the early 1970s this small area was sold off in plots to people seeking a place where they could enjoy peace and fresh air in a secluded rural setting. At the time there were some 90 owners, most of whom owned less than 1/2 an acre of land. Nowadays few of the owners use their plots, as they cannot put up any permanent structures and there is no mains water or sanitation.
The result of this is that many of the plots have fallen into disuse, are not being managed, and have become overgrown and neglected. West Kent Downs Countryside Trust would like to restore this whole area of woodland to its natural state.
Map of the Leisure Plots
Progress so far:
In late 2005 we were left six plots in the will of the late William Henry Hamilton Jnr. and with this encouraging start we have now progressed with the purchase of further plots. With the assistance of the Rail Link Countryside Initiative and the Kent Downs AONB Sustainable Develpment Fund we now have a total of sixteen plots including the Orchard Plots formerly owned by Mr Derkacz. We have now made contact with the owners of the bulk of the leisure plot area.
Our funds are used primarily to purchase additional land and we hope you will feel able to give generously to support our efforts. We also apply for grants whenever possible. Our aim is to eventually purchase all 110 acres and manage it as a whole.
We would like to stress that there is no commercial benefit to the Trust in purchasing any of the plots: our aim is simply to manage the woodland in a sensitive way, to enable everyone to enjoy it.
Interesting Facts
In addition to the importance of the site's natural history the woodland also holds two intriguing curiosities, which will be forever remembered in its folklore:-
- In 1835 the 5th Earl of Darnley severed his toe with an axe, showing off to a friend, and died of lockjaw four days later. Lady Darnley had a "Toe Monument" erected on the spot. The monument has now been destroyed by vandalism but remains of the brickwork base are still visible and three of the eight funerial yew trees, planted around the base, still survive.
- The woodland also safely concealed Andre van Beest, the hermit of Cobham Woods, for 16 years until he was finally evicted in 1987. He kept chickens and a goat for milk, surviving in makeshift dwellings. He died in June 2001.
If you would like to help in our work we would love to see you at one of our fundraising events, "task days", or even better, join the Trust and help us to restore and manage this area of woodland.
Do visit our leisure plots soon so you can see for yourself what is there now and what we can achieve with proper management of this beautiful woodland area.