Chestfield Historical Timeline
Chestfield possesses a rich heritage full of interesting events and people going back some 5000 years. For example, a partial axe head dating from 3000BC was found when excavating in the vicinity of Ridgeway and Primrose Way. Also, early documents from 724 and 727 show the ownership by St Augustine’s Abbey of Swalecliffe and Chestfield. In, 1269, Balsar Farm, now The Barn public house, is recorded as being tenanted by one John Belsyre. Some eighty further historical dates are contained in Chestfield Historical Timeline which can be found at no cost courtesy of the Chestfield History Society
Feudal Chestfield and the Peasants Revolt 1381
This article related to the history of Chestfield has been published by the Chestfield History Society. The article describes the background and the immediate events leading up to what is now referred to as the ‘Peasants Revolt’. The revolt saw a series of extreme events when the peasant classes violently challenged the hegemony of the King, Lords and ruling class.
Stretching back in time it is difficult to be entirely precise about what occurred locally, especially as in the 14th Century Chestfield was so sparsely populated. However, there is sufficient contemporary evidence and information to piece together the events in Canterbury, Kent and beyond. It is also possible to imagine the part that might have been played had a Chestfield family participated in the events involving so much death and destruction. Read about the events of over 700 years ago in the article
Jack Billmeir – His Life and Times and Chestfield Connection
This is an article relevant to the history of Chestfield published by the Chestfield History Society. The article concerns the life and times of Jack Billmeir, the legendary shipping fleet owner, who purchased the then Chestfield Estate from George Reeves in 1938. Born in 1900 Jack established the Stanhope Steamship Co. Ltd in 1928, so named, because at the time Jack lived in Stanhope Road, London, N6 and subsequently named all of his ships with the prefix ‘Stan’.