Whats around Little Fields?
Little Fields is situated between the beautiful villages of Shoreham and Otford with the larger town of Sevenoaks being 10 minutes away
Otford
The closest village to Little Fields
Shoreham
A beautiful small village 1 mile away
Sevenoaks
A large town 3 miles away
Otford
Come to Otford, a jewel nestling in the heart of the beautiful Darent Valley.
Come to Otford and see the only listed duckpond in the country, come and see the World’s largest scale model – the Otford Solar System – with branches at Los Angeles, Sydney and we hope soon, when NASA goes there again, the Moon!
We have informative and imaginatively presented displays in the Heritage Centre and a Tudor tower and gatehouse which are the remains of a once awe-inspiring palace which was bigger than Hampton Court.
Come and see the magnificent Millennium mosaic designed by the renowned mosaicist Oliver Budd which shows life in Otford from prehistoric times to 1999 and the Sir Edwin Lutyens-designed Church Hall.
Come and visit the Otford Heritage trail with its informative displays of what life was like here in previous times… and for the children, a mouse-hunt to uncover.
Come to Otford to visit a wide range of shops; including a bespoke milliner, signature fashion jewellers, a florist, an art gallery and a selection of excellent cafés, restaurants, pubs and tea rooms.
Come to Otford and use it as a starting point for spectacular walks in an area of outstanding natural beauty. We have exhilarating hilltop views and tranquil river-side walks, we have bluebell woods in spring, and breath-taking autumnal colour.
Otford is at the junction of the Darent Valley and Holmesdale between the North Downs scarp and southerly Sevenoaks Ridge in an area of outstanding natural beauty. It is well served by rail, being on the London Victoria to Ashford line, the London Bridge to Sevenoaks line. The local bus service along the Darent Valley is operated by go-coach. Anglo-Saxon Ottanford (Otta’s ford, after the local chieftan) is the site of battles with Offa and Canute; its ancient past pervades buildings and architecture recognised in the designation of the Village centre as a conservation area.
Otford itself is a Heritage Village dating back to Roman times with many listed buildings, including the only duckpond in the country with listed status! The pond, which is a Grade 2 listed structure, first listed 16 Jan 1975, is thought to date back to Anglo Saxon times, when it was probably used as a drinking hole for local livestock. In 2014 it gained the distinction of being the Roundabout of the Year.
Its rich history is described in: Clarke, D, and Stoyel, A. (1975) Otford in Kent: a history. Otford and District Historical Society. Otford. ISBN 0-9503963-0-3
Local film maker Barbara Darby has produced a number of videos on Otford and its history including:
• Otford remembered 1907
• The Village Mosaic and
• Scale Model of the Solar SystemGuided walks around the Village of Otford and the Archbishops’ Palace are available for groups by arrangement. These walks led by local historians Cliff and Elizabeth Ward, can last between one and two hours depending on the interests of the group and the time available.
Shoreham
Beautiful Walks
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/england/london/knockholt-to-shoreham
History
The Darent valley was one of the major areas of Stone Age settlement; Shoreham is not mentioned in the Domesday Book.
In 1668, cricket was mentioned in a court case as being played at Shoreham, one of the sport’s earliest references.[2]
It was also known as a smuggling area. Moreover, Shoreham was the most bombed village in the United Kingdom during the Second World War because the Army took over several manor houses for operational use.[citation needed]
Papermaking was once a local industry; the mill closed finally in 1925.
War memorial
Shoreham was the birthplace and home of Private Thomas Highgate, who was the first British soldier to be shot for desertion during the First World War on 8 September 1914, following the Battle of and Retreat from Mons. In 2000, when the memorial was being refurbished, Shoreham Parish Council voted not to inscribe Highgate’s name, although a space was left allowing for its inclusion at a later date. In 2006, a posthumous pardon led to some calls for Highgate’s details to be added.[3]
The war memorial is incomplete. It has been established that at least one of its fallen, George Arthur Rouse (brother of Percy Aslin, marked on the memorial, both sons of Harriet Rouse, as recorded in the 1901 census), is missing. One hundred years after he died, an effort to have George added was underway.[citation needed]
Opposite the church, and in a direct sight line from the war memorial, is the Shoreham Memorial Cross. The cross was cut into the chalk hillside in 1920 in remembrance of the men of Shoreham killed during the First World War. The cross is referenced in the inscription on the war memorial, which reads; ‘SHOREHAM/KENT/REMEMBER/AS YOU LOOK/AT/THE CROSS/ON THE HILL/THOSE/WHO GAVE/THEIR LIVES/FOR/THEIR COUNTRY/1914-1919’. The memorial is a Grade II listed structure.[4] The Shoreham Cross was designated a Scheduled monument in October 2021.[5]
Shoreham Aircraft Museum
The official opening of the Shoreham Aircraft Museum in 1978 was attended by fifteen former Battle of Britain pilots. It pays lasting tribute to all those airmen who fought in the skies over southern England during World War II and houses a substantial collection of aviation relics excavated by the group over many years from sites of crashed British and German aircraft, as well as items which have been donated.
Run by local enthusiasts, the museum is largely funded by proceeds made by visitors whose donations contribute to the recovery and preservation of the artefacts. The Battle of Britain brought the village of Shoreham directly into the war when on 15 September 1940, a Dornier Do 17Z, part of a force of about 100 German bombers approaching London, was shot down shortly before noon. The invading formation had been challenged by nine RAF squadrons and the battle developed into a series of individual ‘dogfights’. The unfortunate pilot of the Dornier was forced to land in a field at Castle Farm, with a Spitfire circling overhead, its cockpit canopy open, and its pilot waving a handkerchief, to signal a warning to the growing crowd of hop-pickers nearby to stay away until the Shoreham Home Guard arrived to recover the German crew. Feldwebel Heitsch, the pilot, and Feldwebel Pfeiffer, the observer, were driven to The Fox & Hounds pub in Knatts Valley, where they were bought a brandy before being driven to Sevenoaks Police Station. The museum holds a collection of photographs of the Dornier, along with items taken from the wreckage at the time.
Shoreham duck race
The Duck Race is a long-running event in the village. It is held each year, on the May Day bank holiday. Entrants pay a small fee (usually £1) to enter their ‘duck’ into the race. The duck has to travel along the river Darent from the war memorial in the village, to the bridge before the old Mill. A ‘duck’ can be anything from a shop-bought rubber duck to a model made by the entrant(s). Actual ducks are forbidden. It is a large event in the village and several hundred people turn out each year to line the riverbanks and watch. Anyone can enter and there is a prize for the ‘Best Duck in Show’ (awarded before the race begins) and the ‘First placed Duck.’ The money raised goes towards charitable organisations in the village.
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks and the surrounding countryside is one of England’s most enchanting places. It has more than its fair share of historic houses and gardens, extraordinary landscapes, bucolic towns and villages as old as time.
There’s loads to see and do here, from wandering the same halls as Churchill and Anne Boleyn to taking a racing car for a spin around a legendary track. You can wander world-class hillside gardens, buy direct from the makers in thriving local shops, or dance the night away at festivals in fields and castles. And you’ll feast on the Garden of England’s finest food and drink while you’re here, too.
You’d never guess it’s just outside Greater London, making it just the spot for a short break from the capital.
Knole is a country house and former archbishop’s palace owned by the National Trust. It is situated within Knole Park, a 1,000-acre park located immediately to the south-east of Sevenoaks in west Kent. The house ranks in the top five of England’s largest houses, under any measure used, occupying a total of four acres.
Although first and foremost a delight for birdwatchers, Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve is much more than that – its calm lakes, woodland and marshes, excellent visitor centre and elemental gardens make it a beautiful space that can be enjoyed by everyone.
Although the reserve might seem like a natural haven for wildlife, in the past it was anything but – almost entirely man-made in the 1950s, the lakes are all former sand and gravel quarries, with the River Darent long since diverted from its natural course. Thousands of trees were planted by hand, and the lakes landscaped to make them more attractive to wildlife.
There are now seven different hides dotted around the lakes, while the elemental gardens feature wild flowers and specially-built habitats to encourage insect life (including the world’s largest bee house). The gardens are laid out to make them easy to be explored and enjoyed by kids, making it a wonderful learning environment.
Finally, the visitor centre hosts displays, exhibitions, a museum, a shop and a tea bar, making the Reserve a hugely enjoyable place to spend a day out with the family. Events take place all year round, and the Reserve also runs an outdoor environmental education programme, putting it right at the heart of the local community.
Have Any Questions?
Please contact us if you have any questions. We also welcome contact from people who can offer services or ideas that would make our land offerings even better. We are very approachable so please feel free to contact us over any matter.
