The Marden Society

Marden Society logo

The Marden Society was formed in the 1970s in response to concerns about a particular development near the village. After that was successfully resolved the Society has gone on both to represent the views of the village, as far as it is able, and to promote interest in Marden, in Kent and in the countryside in general. In the words of its constitution, the Society exists to:

To these ends the Society has a programme of five meetings a year with guest speakers talking on subjects of interest to members; publishes a free bi-monthly newsletter, The Parish Pump; initiated a project which produced the now adopted Village Design Statement; and in general keeps an eye on what is happening in terms of planning and development both in the village and the local area.Meetings are held at 8.00 pm on the fourth Wednesday of the month in the Old School Room, Memorial Hall, Goudhurst Road. There is a raffle, refreshments are provided, and visitors are always welcome.

The program for 2012 is:

25th January: AGM and cheese & wine social

29th February: Pendenden Heath : Executions, punishments, rebellion meeting point – the history of the Heath and some local inhabitants and well known rogues or dignitaries.

28th March: Smuggling in Kent : Heyday of smuggling in 18th and 19th centuries. Methods adopted by these ‘honest thieves’

25th April : Birds of Southeast England

23rd May : USS Richard Montgpmery : Why was it wrecked on Middle Sands off Sheerness? Why is the current cargo a potential danger as the ship deteriorates.

27th June : Outing to Horlands Farm

26th September : The Mary Rose : Historical background and the time in history. His own personal involvement in its salvage.

24th October : The Maidstone Dinosaur : The world’s first semi-complete dinosaur skeleton was found in Maidstone.

28th November : Reformers & Martyrs : Sir John Oldcastle of Cooling, a Lollard in the 1380s. John Frith of Westerham, a Reformer. John Rogers of Riverhill, a translator and martyr. Edward Dering of Pluckley, a Puritan.

The programme for 2011 was:

  • 26th January 2011: AGM and cheese & wine social
  • 23rd March: Chris Doel on ‘All round the year – customs’
  • 25th May: Anthea Bryant on ‘Canterbury – the hidden city. Saints and pilgrims including the sailing of the Mayflower’
  • 28th September: Chris McCooey on ‘Kent scandals – sensational, salacious and sad’
  • 23rd November: Colin Breed on ‘Zeebrugge – the story of the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster of March 1987, including the police investigation and Old Bailey trial’

The programme for 2010 was:

  • 24th March: D J March on ‘The story of English cheeses’
  • 26th May: A speaker from the Brogdale Fruit Collection,
    located near Faversham. The collection includes over 3,500 named apple, pear, plum, cherry, bush fruit, vine and cob nut cultivars. It is part of an international programme to protect plant genetic resources for the future
  • 22nd June (Tuesday!): Nick Hall is giving a tour of the Marden vineyard and winery starting at 7.30pm. The tour will last just over an hour (meeting venue to be decided). After the tour, anyone who wants to join some of us for a drink/meal at a local hostelry is very welcome
  • 22nd September: Angela Mutana on ‘Benjamin Harris – Ightham grocer & archaeologist’
  • 24th November: Chris Wade on ‘A walk around the Saxon Shore Way’ (part 2)

Membership costs just £5.00 per annum.

For details please email us here

The 2012 Committee is:
Chairman: Mo Clayton 01622 831529 tillergirl2913@aol.com
Secretary: Steve McArragher
Treasurer: Rob Spain
  Aileen Hill
  Carol Hogg
  John Pert
Pamela Tomkinson
John Wright