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Mary’s memories of Hextable and Swanley Village. By Mary Thomas.
How interesting it was to read Tony Morrison’s memories of Hextable and Swanley Village. My memories came flooding back as I read his words.
My husband, David and I and our baby son, Peter, moved to near St David’s Road, Hextable, to a house we named “Shandems” at 7 Top Dartford Rd. I remember the sound of childrens’ shoes kicking the wooden back of the bus shelter as they swung their feet waiting for the 477 bus (much to David’s annoyance). Our daughter, Sarah Anne, was born at Shandems and I too remember the winter of 1963 – all the snow and ice and walking through biting cold wind as I pushed my pram past the fields and greenhouses to the Memorial Hall at Five Wents. I hadn’t yet learnt to drive.The Hall was used for post-natal care once a week. It was also used by the WI once a month and as a kindergarten.
I remember John O’Conner, the Chemist in Hextable. All those years ago I recall him telling me that the new wonder drug antibiotics would become over-prescribed and that would lead to mutations and antibiotic resistance. A far thinking gentleman!
We lived in Hextable for about four years before moving to the old school house, Jasmine Cottage, in Swanley Village. It was our home for about thirty years.
Jasmine Cottage held many delights, such as a long garden, big trees (the horse chestnut with large shiny conkers, tall elm trees and a huge lime tree with sweet smelling summer blossom – the children loved playing in this tree as it was a perfect place for attaching swinging ropes), home grown fruit and vegetables and very rambling cottage style gardens. Plenty of space for our family and our two dogs.
Our cottage was situated down School Lane on the corner to the private road that lead to the village school (St Paul’s C of E) and on to St Paul’s Church. The park-like grounds next to the school were owned by the church and locally known as “The Glebe”. The Glebe was used by the school children as their playing field and it was also the site for the village fete held once a year. Often on weekends it was also used by the archery club. The Glebe was very beautiful. I remember a large copper beach tree in the middle and large pine trees leading down to the church.
During those early years after our move, the Village still had its own butcher’s shop, which had sawdust on the ground and was famous for its quality meat. The village store, sold just about everything and I recall smelt of paraffin. Our children loved spending their pocket money on the large selection of sweets, such as black jacks and fruit salad chews, and sherbet fountains to name a few. These were the only two shops in the Village.
David was Church Warden at St Paul’s and it was his job to oversee the church tower belfry and wind up the clock…I thought it was a hair raising climb up that metal ladder, but as you can imagine, our kids loved accompanying their dad to climb this ladder to the bells…I didn’t!! But I did like our “blackberrying”.
Blackberries grew on the land adjacent to the church grounds and made the most delicious pies and jam. We’d return from blackberrying with tongues dyed purple from the juice. We also harvested wild plumbs from School Lane – buckets full of them!
Whilst living in Swanley Village, British Rail planned to extend their line to Dover and run freight trains on it. This would adversely affect Hextable and part of Swanley Village. So the vicar led a protest march through the fields. Nearly all of Swanley Village and some of Hextable residents plus their dogs and ponies marched….and WE WON!! British Rail changed their route and the villages were save. That was a great victory for the district.
I also remember Canada Heights at the other end of the Village, a favourite place to walk with our dogs and to collect delicious chestnuts. Our children loved to find tadpoles in the ponds and our Jack Russell terrier would run excitedly around the rabbit warrens. I remember his high pitched yapping underground only to reappear up another tunnel. My heart in my mouth as I hoped he wouldn’t get stuck. He never did!
The front of our cottage overlooked the large hill between Swanley Village and Hextable and I too recall the derelict little house in the wood at the top of the hill. Our children always thought that area and the ruins were a bit spooky and no doubt they created stories of who might have lived there and why it was left to crumble away. The wood often smelt damp and of the rotting turnips and parsnips discarded from the surrounding farmland.
By 1990, The Avenue of Limes had returned to their former glory and are amongst my most treasured memories. I can still recall the scent of the lime blossom and the majestic beauty of the trees. At the end of the Avenue was New Barn Park, created by Swanley Town Council and very successfully too. So as I draw to a close on this trip down memory lane, for the moment, I think I will put down my pen and paper, close my eyes and just for a little while longer continue down that lane.
COPYRIGHT MARY THOMAS AND SARAH LEWIS (in Australia)
Sadly Mary passed away in Australia in 2020. We offer our condolences to her family.