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| | | | | | | | Tram Hatch was purchased by Alan and Pam Scrivens in 1984 as The Manor of Tramhatch, one of the eleven old manor houses of Charing and is grade two listed with a star. After investigation at archives in Maidstone a copy of a will exists dated 1420 where the house is described as being left to another. At this time the house name was The Manor of Tremhatch, the e's, a's, f's and s's often being substituted for each other over the years. Trem was probably the man who built the property and Hatch a name of an entrance to a wooded area or enclave.
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The river which borders the property and garden is the Great River Stour which appears from the ground at Lenham, and makes a most wonderful feature in the garden. It then meanders its way through the Kent countryside to Canterbury and out to sea at Sandwich.
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Within the archives, details exist of court sittings being held at The Manor of Tremhatch, probably in the present dining room. Fines were implemented for misdemeanours such as polluting the river or letting sheep and cattle stray and receipts exist for food and porter on the same dates at the local hostelry by the magistrates for the same amount as the penalty imposed.
During the war the house was used by the land army as lodgings for the girls who worked on the local farms and the owners today are only the fourth since this time. Even today Tram Hatch does not have a mains water supply, drawing water from a dedicated well in the garden which supplies all the water needs without any form of treatment.
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In 1984 the house was in a very sad state of repair being left empty for over three years, missing roof tiles, split pipes, burst radiators, etc. and the garden with just the occasional cut of grass looked a little grim. After a couple of years renovating the house, it was not long before Pam started to take an interest in the garden and Alan started to lay the odd path to be able to access the area without being up to their knees in mud.
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| At this time additional income was required and a decision made to open the house to paying bed and breakfast guests (not open now) which proved beneficial and the slow labour began to revitalise the garden. |
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