Farming

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Farming has been practised in and around Horton Kirby and South Darenth from earliest times. By 1894, especially in Horton Kirby, it was the mainstay of everyday life. This is illustrated by the large number of farms in the parish.

Court Lodge Farm

Court Lodge Farm in Horton Kirby was built on the remains of a Norman Castle and farming has been carried on there ever since. In 1902 William Rogers added Court Lodge Farm to his Maplescombe Farm, Farningham, on his marriage to Minnie Cannon. He was already noted for his hops, horses and cattle and had won so many prizes at the County's leading shows that he was known as "William the Conqueror". William Rogers died in 1948, by which time he had taken his son, Ralph Rogers, into partnership.and Sarah Ward and Ralph Rogers remembered the early hop-picking days. Court Lodge Farm Hop Pickers, Horton Kirby c1928

All local labour was used and, until the late 1950s, hops were still picked by hand. The hops are dried in the brick and corrugated iron building at the top of Jacobs Lane. Many of the farm buildings havenrecently been restored and are being used for craft workshops. Court Lodge Farm was also well-known for its cattle and sheep. Frank Reynolds was the cowman for many years and his son Jack is the shepherd today.

Reynolds Place Farm

The Crowhurst family had been farming for over 100 years, coming from West Kingsdown originally. Their farm of 295 acres covered the area from Speedgate to the crossroads at the top of Rays Hill. Joan Wilkinson (nee Crowhurst) remembered that at one time the farm was mainly arable, with potatoes, cabbages, peas, beans and hay, and a herd of Ayrshire dairy cows. They used to bottle the milk on the farm and deliver it locally. They eventually dropped the milk round and started an egg farm. They also had a farm shop selling greengrocery. The farmhouse was at Northfield Cottages, Lombard Street.

Mussenden Farm

Peter Palmer moved into Mussenden Farm in 1897 and farmed there for thirty years. He had a milk round and his two daughtersrode round in a pony and trap, selling milk from churns to people in the village. When the Palmers left Mussenden Farm in 1927 to take over Eglantine Farm, the Chaplins moved. The farm originally covered 204 acres growing raspberries, strawberries, wheat, barley and potatoes. Mr Chaplin had many interesting facts to tell about the farm. He used to have six working horses and it took three horses a day to plough one acre. He was the first farmer in the area to have an International tractor. Two tons of raspberries were picked in a weekend, which were taken immediately to Robertson's jam factory at Catford. Mussenden Farm looking east with Blue Cottages (now demolished) in the distance.

Eglantine Farm

Prior to the Palmers taking over Eglantine Farm in 1927, it had been occupied by Mr W J Reeves. Eglantine was a farm of some 200 acres, mainly dairy but with some market gardening. Each farm had its milk round and Spencer Gentry remembered helping his dad in the 1910s delivering milk from churns on a horse-drawn cart using 1 /4 , 1 /2 or 1 pint measures and pouring the milk into jugs left on doorsteps. George Palmer was a particularly good ploughman and took part in many North Kent Ploughing Matches, being crowned Champion on several occasions. The 18th - Century barns, all Listed Grade II Buildings, have been renovated. More details can be found at www.morganrestoration.co.uk/eglantine.htm. Eglantine Farm c1900

Franks Farm

Franks Farm, Horton Kirby before there were any houses along Dartford Road

As the name suggests, this farm was originally part of the Franks Hall estate and covered a large area mainly in a westerly direction from the farm buildings as shown on the plan of the 1860s. As a result of boundary changes, today only the farm buildings are in this parish. In the 1895 Kelly's Trade Directory Henry Lawley was farm steward to Frederick Power whoowned Franks Hall. From the early 1900s to 1936 the land was farmed by Mr Langland. In 1936 the farm was sold to Mr Wheeler thus returning the farm to the owner of Franks Hall. During the Second World War and until the early 1950s, Franks was farmed by Mr Mungeam (whose son Barry still lives in South Darenth). After him it was farmed once more by Mr Langland, also of Homefield Farm, Sutton-at-Hone, who trained racehorses there. It was then taken over by the Palmers until 1989. By 1994, the listed farm buildings have been renovated.

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