Plaxtol
"Shakespeare's England"
The countryside amongst which we spend our childhood is apt to have a lasting hold upon us, and who cannot admit to hankering for scenes from our long lost childhood. The landscapes which define England - village greens, country gardens, carpets of bluebells and ancient woodland can all be found here.
The landscape is “manna” for lovers of nature, rather than connoisseurs of the manicured spectacle. Nature abounds here with some charm and to a very large degree! Some would say that there is additional charm in early summer in this part of the country when everything is in its first green flush of youth rather than winter when the landscape appears barren but is not dead.
The headlong rush of new spring life which signalled the start of year for farmers is left behind and the promise of a hot summer and good harvest lingers in the scent laden air. This is a beautiful time in the English countryside, a time when the great outdoors comes into its own. Although it looks untouched by human artifice it is in fact a created landscape. Even the land not visibly under cultivation has been subjected to immemorial care. This land has been fought and ploughed over, nibbled by sheep, sown and reaped by the many farmers and custodians. Yet there is no excessive air of trimness. The order and grooming that is visibly apparent are all a part of nature's processes protected these days by law of the land as well as the residents that appreciate what they have.
This piece of our green and pleasant land is still part of "Shakespeare's England" and nestled in the Bourne Valley to the west of Tunbridge lies this piece of heaven known as Plaxtol.
There is a casual charm about the village of Plaxtol and the others encompassed by the Weald. There seems to be a graceful, not premeditated, but accidental grouping of homes, churches and village greens which suggests a natural evolution. The general character of Plaxtol and the beauty of the buildings were not so much planned but have just occurred over time!
Plaxtol apart from its beauty is similar in many ways to country villages up and down the land, coping with the pressures of modern day lifestyles, this little village has managed to adapt to these pressures: the constraints and the building quotas imposed upon it and has still managed to retain the village identity that it has always had. The most important thing that any village has is its community and the residents of Plaxtol support their local services and because of this they thrive.
Some of the tracks and lanes that are still in use today have been used since prehistoric man roamed hill and vale. This was and still is a quiet and peaceful valley and with a plentiful supply of water from the many springs, and the fertile land, has always a good place to live and work. The orchards still supply the London markets and many others much further afield with apples, pears, plums and even cob nuts. The landscape is carefully tended as it has always been; the woodland is coppiced and provides cover for the pheasants that wander at will through the summer until the leaves turn golden, a chill fills the air and hunters don their wellies and Barbour jackets.
The Romans have left plenty of evidence and have made it very easy for us to judge the depth of history attached to this area; but long before the Roman legions trudged through the countryside and Anglo Saxons were merely pirates who smashed and grabbed their way across the countryside, peaceful Celts were quietly eking out a living in this land of plenty! Two thousand years ago the landscape would not have looked too dissimilar to today. Animals would have grazed on the pasture, and some cereals as well as vegetables were grown by the Celts. Their homes would have been built and protected by stockades of wood that the woodland provided and the same dense woodland that was also used for fuel also gave shelter from invaders that recognised something special and wanted it for themselves.
The village developed around agriculture, the residents worked the land and the settlement grew. Homes were built to house the farm workers, a church and school to provide sustenance for their souls. Mills harnessed the River Bourne’s power and the settlement expanded to include shops and other businesses followed. The village was well and truly established by the 17thcentury. This part of Kent offered relatively easy access to London and the wealthy London merchant quickly realised the benefits of country life and started to build luxurious homes within the village and its cartilage. Their homes and even the humble cottages of the farm hands have become sought after. The village of Plaxtol has become the home of choice for wealthy commuters and business men.
The name Plaxtol is believed to derive from the word “plax” meaning play and “tol” meaning area. What a lovely notion, that the village is named after the play area which was used to entertain the children after they had spent their Sunday mornings attending church. I cannot think of a better place to let off steam and even today there is still plenty of entertainment from horse riding and rambling to golf for the adults!
copyright© Wendy Stevenson 2011
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