Brogdale is a hamlet in Kent, England, immediately south of the M2 motorway, 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Faversham. It is one of several hamlets making up the civil parish of Ospringe and is in the Borough of Swale. Its western half is in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Brogdale
Brogdale Oast, Brogdale Road
Brogdale is located in Kent
Brogdale
Brogdale
Location within Kent
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townFAVERSHAM
Postcode districtME13
Dialling code01795
PoliceKent
FireKent
AmbulanceSouth East Coast
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Kent
51°18′N 0°52′E / 51.30°N 0.87°E / 51.30; 0.87

History

edit

Brogdale was once called Brokedale. This name is shared with the family of John de Brokedale, its lords of the manor of the early middle ages. After no Brokedale sons or other male-line issue remaining, the manor was owned by John Clerk – living in Brogdale in 1383. In 1734, the manor was owned by John Knowler, Mayor of Faversham.[1]

On 10 August 2003 the temperature at Brogdale reached 38.5 °C (101.3 °F), once a record for the United Kingdom.[2]

Farm

edit
 
Flowering cherries at the National Fruit Collection

Brogdale Farm is home to the National Fruit Collection, one of the largest collections of fruit trees and plants in the world.[3] Spread over 150-acre (61 ha) it hosts the collection since it moved from Wisley in 1952. In the 1980s, the Government cut funding to the site, with closure threatened by March 1990. In response, the Brogdale Horticultural Trust took over co-ownership of the farm with Wye College.[4][5] It has been the home of Faversham miniature railway since 2001.[6]

The farm runs regular fruit-themed festivals throughout the summer and autumn:

  • the Cherry Festival in July
  • the Cider Festival in August
  • the Apple Festival in October.

During the fairs, visitors can explore the orchards and several experts give talks on the produce.[7][8][9]

References

edit
  1. ^ Hasted, Edward (1798). "Parishes". The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. 6. Institute of Historical Research: 499–531. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  2. ^ Met Office : November 2010 : Weather Extremes Retrieved 31 December 2010
  3. ^ "A Tour Around Kent's Garden of Eden". BBC News. 17 August 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  4. ^ "National Fruit Collection in tug of love". The Daily Telegraph. 11 January 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Private Fears for Apples and Pears". New Scientist: 23. 20 May 1989.
  6. ^ "Planning Items to be submitted to the Planning Committee" (PDF). Swale Borough Council. 26 September 2013. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  7. ^ "Brogdale stages its annual Cherry Fair in Faversham". Kent Online. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Ciders, perries and Pims at the Brogdale Cider Festival weekend in Faversham". Kent Online. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Brogdale Apple Festival in Faversham with more than 2,000 apple varieties". Kent Online. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
edit