Acknowledgements and references


The compiling of this history, an absorbing & fascinating project, has occupied nearly five of my retirement years.

I am grateful to Tessa & Stuart Wheeler for allowing me free access to the archives at the castle & for their encouragement & patience during the process – including the therapeutic editing !

The archives are patchy, but contain some nuggets which have lain unnoticed for a long time & I have assembled other information from a variety of places.

In 1791 Thomas Heron produced “Antiquities of Chilham,” & in 1916, commemorating the third centenary of the house, Charles Hardy produced “Chilham Castle 55BC – AD1916” (with a revised version in 1935).

Apart from the above, my principal references were:

Arthur T Bolton “Chilham Castle Canterbury Kent” 1913

Brian M Thomas (late Administrator of the castle for the late Lord Massereene & Ferrard) whose manuscript “A Life of its Own - a History of Chilham Castle” together with various records of his research have been made available to me by the generosity of Mrs Jean M Thomas, who was the late Viscount's Secretary.

Giles Quarme & Associates “Chilham Castle, Chilham, Kent. A Brief Review of the Evolution of the Castle” 2002

Kate Felus & John Phibbs of the Debois Landscape Survey Group “Chilham Castle, Kent. Historic Lansdscape Survey & Restoration Proposals” 2003

Country Life March 25th 1899, July 27th 1912, May 24th & June 21st 1924

Archaeologia Cantiana Volumes XXI, XLII and LXXXIV

Act of Parliament 1774 14 Geo III c 102

William Berry “Pedigrees of the Families in the County of Kent” Sherwood, Gilbert & Piper, London, 1830

“Concise Dictionary of National Biography” 1903-20 Oxford University Press

The Reverend A Winnifrith “Biography of Men of Kent and Kentish Men” F J Parsons Ltd Folkestone 1913

J.G.P. Delaney “Charles Ricketts: a biography” Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1990

The Sir Edmund & Lady Davis Presentation: South African National Gallery 1999

Thomas Thompson “A Century of Essex Politics – Borough of Colchester”

Monumental inscriptions in the parish church at Chilham - with thanks to the Vicar & Churchwardens for keeping that building so accessible.

Help has been given by many people including the staff of the British Library, the Bodleian Library, the RIBA British Architectural Library, Drawings & Archives Collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Law Society library & Mr Gary Haines of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.

In particular I should thank:

Dr Claire Gapper for her perceptive analysis of structural changes to the first floor.

Mr Nicholas Cooper for helping to unfold the mystery of the mantelpieces.

Mr Derek Carlaw for sharing the harvest of his research into the tale of the Australian cricket match.

Mrs Susan Marshall for her family reminiscences.

Mr & Mrs Alan Busby & Mr Derrick Kennett for allowing the use of their historic photographs.

Mr John Owen for access to his Chilham records & his own expertise - and for telling us about the fireplace at Portsmouth

Mr Rodney de Chair for information about his childhood at the castle.

Mr & Mrs David Galloway for invaluable records & information about the Hardy family.

Messrs Douglas Millan & Peter Joy, whose intimate knowledge of the park & its castle must surpass all others.

......And the people of the village for passing on various recollections
Finally I am happy to acknowledge the debts which I owe to my wife Ann & my son Edward for their patient support & guidance throughout, &, above all, to my good friend Andrew McElwee who, when his time with the castle archives came to an end, sowed the seed in my mind & introduced me to Tessa & Stuart Wheeler.

© Michael H Peters
Midsummer 2008



Photographs


Photographs captioned MHP were taken by the author. Those captioned TAW were taken by Tessa Wheeler whose professional name is Tessa Codrington. 

Tessa has been a professional photographer since the 1970’s when she worked as a fashion photographer in first Scaioni’s and then Woburn Studios.  She has been freelance since the mid 1980’s, specialising in interiors, portraits and children.  In 1962 her grandfather, Jack Sinclair, died in Tangier where he had lived since the 1920’s, and ten years later Tessa’s mother gave her his house, Dar Sinclair.  Ever since then Tessa has visited Tangier at least twice a year, and has built up a comprehensive collection of photographs of landscapes and portraits.  This has culminated in a book called “Spirits of Tangier” which was published in May 2008.