Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #292

Floating leisurely on the River Medway is a great way to spend a lazy sunny day in Tonbridge, and it's also a way of seeing the town and sportground/park from a different perspective. Boats are for hire by the Big Bridge during the summer months, and I did notice a pedalo on the water over the weekend, so that's perfect for those who aren't too confident about being the oarsman.

Tonbridge Daily Photo - George Wise of Tonbridge

Tonbridge Daily Photo #280 - George Wise Sundial

We've all heard about Tunbridgeware. It's now associated with Tunbridge Wells, but it originated from wood turner George Wise's business in Tonbridge. His workshop was known to exist in 1746 on the banks of the Medway next to Big Bridge - it would have been somewhere between Pizza Express and The Wharf pub. the original buildings have been demolished. The site was probably chosen for easy river access and comprised of a workshop, showrooms and the family lived there too.

This small firm specialised in woodworking and eventually in the product we know today as Tunbridgeware. Tunbridge Wells museum hold a large collection.

Tunbridgeware Box

If you take a walk through Tonbridge School grounds you will find a sundial dedicated to George Wise. It's on the lawns by the chapel. Go take a look and also take in the interesting contemporary sculptures and architecture that the grounds have to offer. Remember to keep to the pathways. It really is a worthwhile and interesting walk.

The sundial was spot on with the time!!!!

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #274

This is the Shallows at Haysden Country Park. It was once part of the River Medway that meandered through the countryside. As the water was not suitable for larger canal craft a diversion was constructed around this section. The stream is now gradually developing into a backwater marshland.

Sunset over the River Medway

Sunset over the river tonight taken from River Walk

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

On Boxing night in 1908, two men who had sampled far too much Christmas spirit from a cargo of Schnapps were pulled out of the dark, cold and murky River Medway in Tonbridge and saved from drowning.

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #31  - River Medway

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

During the early 19th century The Rose & Crown Hotel on The High Street kept horses and vehicles on their premises for hire, and all hotel visitors could take advantage of free boat hire on the River Medway.

Recognising Tonbridge Recognised

As always the Recognising Tonbridge post had many of you sending in your answers, and it regularly amazes me that this feature always has a large response, but I suppose it's  because we all like a quiz.  So, to my great surprise only two correct answers were amongst the many I received, the first being from John Urquhart of Tonbridge Dental Centre, closely followed by Peter @greenhares.

The image was a close up of a representation of the Tonbridge Urban District Council Coat of Arms on the commemoration stone, at the Watergate entrance to the Castle grounds.  The inscription below the arms reads:

'This historic castle was acquired in commemoration of the happy reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria and the grounds were opened by the Arthur Philip Stanhope Lord Lieutenant of Kent 23 May 1900 for the use of the public forever'

Tonbridge Urban District Council Crest

Commemoration Stone Tonbridge Watergate

TUDC was granted the coat of arms in 1935, and although the arms were 'to be borne and used for ever hereafter by The Urban District Council of Tonbridge and by its successors’ they were sadly replaced by the new Tonbridge & Malling District Council. Some may say it is then that Tonbridge finally lost it's identity.  The image on the commemoration stone is a partial representation of the intricate original arms which is below.

Tonbridge Urban District Council Coat of Arms

At the top one can see the two towers and gatehouse that represent Tonbridge Castle. Look very closely at the left hand tower and you will see a lion in a circle.  This is a 'Passant Guardant' indicating that the Great Seal of England was in safekeeping at the castle for a short time during the reign of Edward I.  On the right hand tower are three chevrons, in a circle, representing the de Clare's family coat of arms.  Today the flag flown above the castle towers bears the three red de Clare  chevrons on a yellow background.

On the shield below the castle is a five arched bridge representing the five waterways that crossed the High Street. Today only two remain and flow beneath Big and Little Bridge and the others have now been filled in.  The ship suggests the importance of the River Medway to the town.

The latin incription comes from Cicero, the Roman philosopher and statesman, and translates

'The good of the people is the supreme law'. 

It is my opinion that the coat of arms, and in particular the inscription, is a dignified reflection of Tonbridge, and it saddens me that it was lost to the new Tonbridge and Malling District Council coat of arms below, which was the replacement in 1976.

Tonbridge and Malling District Council Coat of Arms

Tonbridge Daily Photo

Tonbridge Daily Photo #6 - Beached on River Medway

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

The Straight Mile dug in 1830's, by a workforce of around 100 men, was an attempt to straighten the River Medway to make it suitable for boat navigation. The idea was to enable barges with cargoes of valuable timber to travel from Penshurst to Tonbridge. It became a failed enterprise and was never filled with water.

Evidence of the disused and overgrown canal can still be seen leading to Haysden Water and in part is now used as a bridleway.

Tonbridge Daily Snippet

Big Bridge (as it is now affectionately known) was built at a cost of £2146 and officially opened in 1888.

The Big Bridge over the River Medway - Tonbridge

Recognising Tonbridge Recognised

Recognising Tonbridge Close Up

R. Allen (Tonbridge) Ltd

This week's Recognising Tonbridge was recognised within minutes, and over the week many correct answers came trickling in including from Wendy Leach, who is part of the team at Stradbrooks, and this one was easy for her as she looks out onto the sign from the practice window.

The old worn enamel sign is well known to locals and sits on the forecourt of R. Allen's garage services in Lyons Crescent. The quaint buildings and worksheds have stood on this spot since the early 1900's, and were used at this time as a boat house, stables, hayloft and workshop where carriages, carts and the early motor car were maintained.

A map dating 1866, and 1897, show that an inlet of water from the River Medway came up as far as the boundary of Lyons Crescent, but this was filled in so that the yard could be used and built on. By 1908 maps show that the inlet no longers exists, and a number of buildings including a boat house were in use. There is some evidence that secret electrical work was going on in the building during WWII.  It would be interesting to know about this.

Duncan Welch who owns the garage grew up in Lyons Crescent, and has worked in the garage for most of his life. It was a different place then before the massive development of apartments and housing that now surround the area.  He has many happy memories especially of boating on the river and playing in his father's boat shed.

There are not many places like this left in Tonbridge. It really is a gem.

What a Mess!!

I always try to focus on the positive aspects of our town as Tonbridge does actually have a lot going for it.  We have a beautiful stretch of the Medway that is the living spine of the town, and our very own Norman Castle steeped in history.  Behind the scenes there are clubs, societies and individuals who silently work for the community and make Tonbridge a really good place to live. However there are always those cases where some deliberate act of vandalism spoils our surroundings.

Woodlands Walk Stream

Today I received a photograph sent by a resident, who had this morning, spotted the contents of all the dog litter bins emptied into the Woodlands Walk stream.  He wrote ' Not only is it messy and polluting, but some poor guy from the council has now got to clean it up!!!!'

Does it make you as mad as it does me?