Knockholt
Astride the top of the North Downs sits the old village of Knockholt. This airy position provides plenty of far reaching views across the Weald from which the North Downs provides a barrier before it slowly drops to the banks of the River Thames. Surrounded by vast swathes of “Green Belt” land, which is there to protect the area from the unrestricted sprawl of London. It should come as no surprise that most of the village and its surroundings is a designated area of “Outstanding Natural Beauty”.
Many modern day pilgrims regularly trek across the North Downs, using a route known as The North Downs Way. Many of the ramblers that now use the route often stop off at Knockholt to recharge their batteries and rest their weary feet! The Downs are a ridge of chalk hills that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover, a total distance of 190 km. They cover nearly a quarter of Kent, forming a vibrant landscape of chalk escarpments, ancient woodlands and historic villages. It would be wrong to think that pilgrims on their way from Canterbury to Winchester to pray for St Swithen are responsible for these trails; it is now believed that ancient Palaeolithic man some 250,000 years ago used these tracks along the top of the Downs to find their quarry in the valleys below.
The reasons for their continued use in later history came down to pure economics. The route was one of the major East /West arteries for the movement of tin, lead and iron from the West of the country to Dover and thence to the continent. The chalk slopes of the Downs presented the easiest access at all times of the year.
Many of walkers are amazed by the panoramic scenery, both the natural and the man made! In fact the tall buildings of London can be seen in the distance, a constant reminder that although you may feel enveloped within the comfy confines of rural England, the city and all that it entails is never far away. The ease of access to the city and the M25 has enabled the village to grow and thrive. In fact the census in 2001 revealed a population of 1,166 quite a difference from 1841 when it had the grand total of 539 inhabitants.
The name Knockholt comes from Old English and literally means “oak wood”, ac meant “oak” and holt” meant “woodland”. The first mention of Knockholt was in 1197 but it was spelt as Ockholte, a Latinised Acolte. There were over thirty different spellings of the name Knockholt but by 1353 Nocholt had been settled upon which is not too different from its modern day name! During the Thirteenth Century there was an increase in settlement along the ridge of the North Downs, for a number of churches date from the latter years of that century and St Katherine’s is no different.
It was built under the leadership of Ralph Scot of Chelsfield who purchased land in “Ocolte” and built a large home there for himself. It was felt that the local inhabitants were likely to befall perils of the soul because of the distance of Orpington Church. So a much need new chapel was eventually built in a clearing in the woods and has survived to this day with some of its original features in tact.
This old Kentish village is only a few miles away from both Sevenoaks and Orpington. The village is now part of Sevenoaks district but this hasn’t always been the case for many centuries its fortunes were tied alongside Orpington, which now provides extra shopping and entertainment facilities. The village has grown over recent years because of its convenience for commuters. This is not the only reason for its popularity; Knockholt is a charming place to live with a thriving community. There are plenty of public houses and restaurants, a primary school, village store and a very popular garden centre. Knockholt is surrounded by open farm land which provides the inhabitants with clean air and a fresh prospective from the city confines. You could almost imagine yourself far away in rural “Archers” country not 25 minutes away from London.
Knockholt does not have a traditional village centre with a duck pond but it does have plenty of old large houses that remain in private occupation and as a result the village isn’t blighted by constant tourist traffic like some of its near neighbours. Old houses made of flint, cottages built with Kentish bricks with small trim gardens and 1960 semis sit cheek by jowl adding to the character of the place.
The growth of the village seemed to lose its focus over the years and development shifted from the usual areas around the church and spread ribbon like to Knockholt Pound nearly a mile away. It may come as some surprise to newcomers that Knockholt station is actually in Halstead, which is a few miles away from the village.
When it opened in the 1860’s it was called Halstead but there was a lot of confusion with the one in Essex, so it was renamed Knockholt contrary to popular myth that Halstead was merely a convenient parking area for Knockholt Station.
The station is set in a gap between tunnels on the London to Sevenoaks line and it was the tunnels that so inspired Edith Nesbit. Who wrote a book called “The Railway Children”. She lived in Halstead Hall when she was a child and liked to sit on the banks of the railway line watching the men building the long tunnel under the North Downs.
copyright© Wendy Stevenson 2011
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