Golden Green is a village in the Medway valley near Tonbridge in Kent, England. It is 1 mile (1.6 km) from the larger village of Hadlow (of which it is part of the civil parish) and 4 miles (6 km) from the town of Tonbridge.

Golden Green
Golden Green is located in Kent
Golden Green
Golden Green
Location within Kent
OS grid referenceTQ638483
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTonbridge
Postcode districtTN11 0
PoliceKent
FireKent
AmbulanceSouth East Coast
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Kent
51°12′40″N 0°20′35″E / 51.211°N 0.343°E / 51.211; 0.343

Location edit

Golden Green has a population of around 350.[citation needed] The surrounding area is predominantly agricultural, with fruit orchards and cereals as the principal crops. It stands on a ridge, with the River Medway to the south and the River Bourne to the north. Goldhill Mill is the only watermill on the Bourne that retains its machinery. The village is popular with commuters and has many expensive houses. Barnes Street hamlet is immediately adjacent along the same minor road. The Bell Inn public house is in the village centre. There are no shops or schools, but the Golden Green Mission Church—a Grade II-listed tin tabernacle opened in about 1914—serves Anglican worshippers. It is a chapel of ease to St. Mary's Church, Hadlow.[1][2][3]

Hartlake disaster edit

On 20 October 1853, a wagon carrying migrant hop pickers back to their campsite overturned on Hartlake bridge, tipping its occupants into a flood-swollen River Medway. The accident, known as the Hartlake disaster, resulted in the deaths of 30 people.[4] An inquest into the disaster held at the Bell Inn in the village blamed the Medway Navigation Company for failing to adequately maintain the old wooden bridge.[4]

Aircraft accident edit

On 6 August 1924,[5] Farman F.60 Goliath F-ADDT Languedoc of Air Union was on a scheduled international passenger flight from Paris to Croydon when the port engine failed. A forced landing was made at Golden Green. One person amongst the pilot and five passengers on board was injured. The aircraft was dismantled to allow removal. It was later repaired and returned to service.[6] In 1931, the aircraft was written off when it crashed shortly after taking off from Marden Airfield, Kent.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ "Churches in our Parish or Benefice: Hadlow". A Church Near You website. Archbishops' Council. 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  2. ^ "The Golden Green Mission Church". A Church Near You website. St. Mary's Church, Hadlow. 2012. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  3. ^ Historic England. "Golden Green Mission Church (Grade II) (1070418)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Tribute to drowned hop pickers". BBC News. 19 October 2003. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  5. ^ "Mishap to Passenger Aeroplane". The Times. No. 43725. London. 8 August 1925. col F, p. 14.
  6. ^ Aviation News (December 2005). {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Alderson, Catherine; Gosling, Chris; Gosling, Mari; McArragher, Steve; Adam, Richard (2009). Marden's Aviation History. Marden: The Marden History Group. p. 11.