Shared description

The Grove

The Grove lies at the centre of the village of Mount Sion, one of the two original settlements from the early days of Tunbridge Wells.
Before the discovery of the nearby chalybeate spring, Mount Sion was a remote and neglected corner of the manor of South Frith. In 1684 its owner Viscountess Purbeck realised its potential for development and began selling off plots of land to provide lodgings and other facilities for the visitors who came to drink the medicinal waters. The Grove, which was originally a small wood surrounded by open heathland, remained part of the manor until 1703.
In that year Viscountess Purbeck's son, the self-styled Duke of Buckingham, placed the area in trust to be preserved forever as an open space for the benefit of the local inhabitants. In 1782 the townsfolk were worried to discover that the trustees had all died without appointing successors. Remote descendants in different parts of the country had to be sought out and encouraged to appoint new local trustees. At this time the Grove contained about two hundred oaks and ten beeches, as well as many smaller trees.
Many improvements were carried out under the direction of William Law Pope, the public-spirited minister of King Charles' Church, who was the leading trustee from 1864. When Tunbridge Wells became a borough in 1889, the newly appointed Council took over control of the Grove from the Trustees and has been responsible for its care ever since.
Many older trees were blown down in the Great Storm of October 1987, but as the new trees planted at that time mature the Grove will gradually return to its traditional appearance. (TWBC)
by N Chadwick

Created: Tue, 14 Sep 2010, Updated: Tue, 14 Sep 2010


73 images use this description. Preview sample shown below:

TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove in the snow (5) by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : Autumnal colours, The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : Autumn, The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick
TQ5838 : The Grove by N Chadwick

... and 48 more images.

Shared descriptions

This shared description

The 'Shared Description' text on this page is © copyright 2010 N Chadwick.

Shared descriptions are specifically licensed so that contributors can reuse them on their own images, without restriction.

About shared descriptions

These Shared Descriptions are common to multiple images.

For example, you can create a generic description for an object shown in a photo, and reuse the description on all photos of the object. All descriptions are public and shared between contributors, i.e. you can reuse a description created by others, just as they can use yours.

Explore images

View images using "The Grove" Shared Descriptions

View images using just this shared description

There are multiple descriptions with the same title

View images mentioning the words [The Grove] anywhere in text


Links for TQ5838

This description is located in TQ5838.


You are not logged in login | register