Some More Recent History
Otterden Place in World War II
Mr David Lawrence of Teynham, nr Sittingbourne, contacted Otterden Online with memories of when he lived at Otterden. He said:
"My grandfather, Mr Ernest Croucher and his family lived at Otterden Place as caretaker and head gardener during World War II and, later on, at the Corner House bungalow. The big house was occupied by the tank regiment who used the parklands as training grounds.
"Grandad worked for the Wheler family who were up in Yorkshire. Of his six children, four are still living (three locally and one in London, the eldest now age 91). I spent many school holidays with the soldiers, and then, later, living at the bungalow at Corner House."
David Lawrence (Thursday, November 16, 2000). To e-mail him: click here.
Mr John Edwards
In the March 2001 edition of the "Good News" parish magazine, Mr Granville Wheler*(*now deceased) of Otterden Place paid tribute to former local estate worker Mr John Edwards who died, age 93, on 15 February 2001.
Mr Wheler recalled how Mr Edwards had worked as a forester on the Otterden estate since June 1949. Mr Edwards married twice and the son from his first marriage lived in Canada and pre-deceased him. The second marriage was to a local lady Chris Elvy, in April 1955; she also pre-deceased him.
Mr Wheler said he was especially grateful to the local residents who cared for Mr Edwards in recent years.
Exploring Otterden
Mr Steve Godden of Ashford, Kent, wrote (in April 2002):
"I regularly walk around the parish - both with Ashford Ramblers (www.ashford-ramblers.co.uk) and on my own. I was only there yesterday (Good Friday), passing through on my way from Ashford to Lenham. Once again my wife and I were impressed by Otterden Place and so I went onto the Web to see if there was anything about it!
"I’m especially interested in Monkton and Boardfield Church. I occasionally lead a walk through the path in that valley and was disappointed when Ordnance Survey removed the description “Site of Old Church” from the current Explorer 1:25000 maps. The old "Pathfinders" were far better for old monuments in my opinion.
"My father’s family lived at the cottages next to Huntingfield Farm, Stalisfield, during the war only moving to Homestall Farm, Newnham (where I was bought up) in the late forties. They farmed Huntingfield for Lord Harris but also contracted to other farms in the area, including, I’m sure farms in Otterden Parish. I also know that father was in the local Home Guard unit.
"My own interest is medieval and post medieval hall and farm houses and the parish (and the adjoining ones) do seem to have their fair share of these."