This year I’ve been looking at the life of Lord North, the Jacobean era, including the plague, and also visiting local forests, to try and build up an image of the area in 1606. I doubt this is the final history of Fonthill either.
If you are interested in the history of The Forum music and arts centre - that’s on it’s way for the 30th anniversary in 2023!
Thanks for coming,
Carolyn Gray
Volunteer @ The Forum
FONTHILL
The current building was built in 1939 as a restroom and public conveniences, by Tunbridge Wells Council, who bought the site from The Lord of the Manor in 1932. It seems the site was called Fonthill as far back as the late 18th century, when there was a forge here, but a building was likely to have been on this site before 1606, the date Lord Dudley North discovered the chalybeate spring while staying at Eridge park, home of the Abergavenny family.
TUNBRIDGE WELLS COMMON
The Forum arts and music centre sits in the very picturesque location of Tunbridge Wells Common, on a hill overlooking the road between London and Brighton.
For the full history of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons, please CLICK HERE.
The Commons are unique, and the lack of buildings here comes from the “Rusthall Manor Act” in 1739, which legislated against further encroachment on the Commons. The two Commons are situated to the south west of Tunbridge Wells town centre and extend to 104 hectares (256 acres). Although the land is owned by the Manor of Rusthall (the title is now held by Targetfollow (Pantiles) Ltd), it is managed by Tunbridge Wells Commons Conservators in accordance with the provisions of the County of Kent Act 1981, and is funded by the Borough Council.
The land here was used originally for swine pasture, it was barren, hilly, heath with rocky outcrops of sandstone. There were ironworks across the Weald, because of iron in the clay, and it’s this iron which creates chalybeate springs. A river runs near Fonthill and The Pantiles, although now it is diverted into a culvert. The River Grom used to be the boundary between Kent and Sussex, and flows towards Groombridge and joins the River Medway.
To the north is the town of Tonbridge, and the area south of Tonbridge was known as South Frith, and was its South Borough, and this area was a deer park. There is a mention in the 8th century of a settlement - Rustwell - by medieval times, Rusthall had become a manor, with a Lord, Freeholders, and Wastes - The Wastes are what we now know as The Commons. There were a few cottages on The Wastes.
South of the town these days there are still areas of ancient woodland and sandstone, including chalybeate springs - Hargate Forest, Broadwater Forest, Eridge Rocks and Broadwater Warren. Beyond these is Eridge Park, the estate of Lord Abergavenny, where Lord North was staying in 1606, plus the villages of Eridge and Frant. Eridge Park is reputedly the oldest enclosed deer park in England, being listed in the Domesday Book and Frant is on a pre Norman Road.
If you visit any of these places it’s easy to imagine what Tunbridge Wells was like as countryside.
SPAS
I got most of this information from Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society Local History Monograph “400 years of the Wells”.
Very obviously Tunbridge Wells exists as a town because of it’s spring water/ wells. But why are they so important, and particularly iron-rich chalybeate water?
Looking back to the Romans, bathing in thermal springs for medical reasons, in Britain at Bath and Buxton, could also be linked to drinking water, and as Christianity spread these became ‘holy wells’, with an estimated 450 in England in 1535 at the point of the English Reformation. Holy Wells were then deemed ‘religious superstition’ as part of the Reformation, and Elizabeth I introduced fines for those who followed the old religion. But to stop English Catholics going abroad to Spa in the Ardennes, a town in the oldest iron and steel centre of the province of Leige, where possibly they were plotting to overthrow the Queen while partaking of the waters, a move was made to make travel abroad difficult and encourage visiting English wells. So became the start of holidays, for the upper class, visiting English spas for relaxation, as well as socialising.
Both Lord North and Lord Abergavenny had visited spas, and knew of their benefits. As there was an iron foundry on the Eridge Park estate, where a series of mill ponds created the power, it seems hard to understand that Lord Abergavenny had never discovered the wells near Tunbridge himself. Possibly as his spa visit had been to Bath, and Lord North to Spa, that Lord North was more aware of the scientific benefits of the iron water.
1581 -1666
Lord North was 25 when he visited the area in 1606. This date comes from a history book written 160 later, Thomas Benge Burr's History of Tunbridge Wells. There is a vague thought that Lord North may have discovered the waters in 1615/1616, following his depression over the death of King Henry. We will stick with the 1606 date.
Lord North had married Frances Brockett when he was 18 and she was 16. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, but not taken a degree, inherited his title in 1600 aged 19, and by 1606 two of his five children had been born. He had travelled to Italy, taken part in a campaign in the Netherlands, and in 1602 he visited Spa in (modern) Belgium, before becoming a courtier in the circle of Prince Henry, who was 13 years younger than him. Being at Court meant Lord North was living in London (his family seat is Kirtling, Cambridgeshire) at the time of the plague. Apparently Lord North and his sister had caught the plague when he was fourteen, and both were locked up in their father’s London home, their mother looked after them, and they both survived. But nothing is known about the treatment their mother gave to them.
In his later writings he complains of ill health, probably caused by taking an excess of potions in 1603. Potions, or Treacles, were thought to guard against catching the plague - London treacle, which generally seems to be a mix of wine, herbs, spices, honey and opium, or Venice treacle also includes vipers flesh. He also mentions ‘dangerous diseases in the university.’ By 1606 North had fallen ‘into a lingering consumptive disorder’ which defied the ministrations of his doctors.
For whatever reason, it was recommended Lord North leave London for rest, at the hunting seat of Lord Abergavenny - and again there is no record of why this was the chosen location. There seem to be connections between the two families.
After six weeks resting at Eridge Park, Lord North made his way back to London, and at this point spotted the rusty water by the roadside. Based on his visit to Spa, he suspected this water was chalybeate. He borrowed a vessel from a local woman so he could taste the water, and also bottled some and took it to London for testing. It is widely believed the lady he saw was Mrs Humphreys, and her cottage was on the site of Fonthill.
According to Thomas Benge Burr's History of Tunbridge Wells published in 1766 :
"He could not pass by without taking notice of a water, which seemed to claim his attention, on account of the shining mineral scum that everywhere swam on its surface, as well as on account of the ochreous substance which subsided at the bottom, and marked its course to a neighbouring brook. His lordship accordingly observed these uncommon appearances, the meaning of which he could not instantly comprehend; however, they induced him to alight from his carriage, in order to examine it more attentively; and at the same time he ordered one of his attendants to borrow a little vessel from the neighbouring hovel, that he might taste it: and the peculiar ferruginous taste of the water not only convinced lord North, that it held its course through some undiscovered mine, contained in the dark cavities of the earth, but also gave him room to fancy, that it was indued with some medicinal properties, which might be beneficial to the human race."
(This is very much how the water looks in Broadwater Warren) Lord North carried on his journey home to London. The properties of the samples he had collected were examined by physicians and
"the result of their inquiries proved so favourable to this hereto neglected spring, that they hasted back again to publish its valuable qualities, and to give their noble patient sufficient encouragement to try its efficacy, on the return of the vernal season"
So in 1607 Lord North returned to Eridge Park, and as well as resting he drank the local chalybeate water, which he then claimed had cured him. He returned to London to tell everyone, while Lord Abergavenny obtained permission from the Lord of the Manor of Rusthall to clear access to two of the seven springs, and sink wells over them (probably the two still in The Pantiles).
There is no mention of Lord North returning to the wells at Tunbridge after this. Prince Henry died in 1612, and after this Lord North indulged in businesses abroad with his brother, and was on the side of Parliament during the Civil war, acting as a negotiator between sides. In 1645 he was the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire.
His health, both mental and physical, take up the basis of his books, (1645, A Forest of Varities and 1659 A forest promiscuous of several seasons productions) which he admits he wrote for himself almost as a diary. He mentions often his Afflictions and Melancholy, and he references the waters of Tunbridge and Epsom. He seems to have spent much money doing up his London house and also on his health, on cures and medicines, although ultimately he says: “God made me strong, I have made myself weak.” He seems to have regretted marrying at a young age, and having many children, but I guess this went along with inheriting his title very young. It sounds like his wife and children remained at the family home of Kirtling in Cambridgeshire while he was in London, although he later retired there - possibly after the death of Prince Henry? His books contain poetry and writings, and apparently at Kirtling he staged plays for his family. He passed on his estate to his son (also Dudley) while he was still alive, dying eventually in 1666 aged 85, although given his health concerns, that is quite amazing: ‘It proveth ( as I apprehended) that once entred in, I should hardly find the way out of this deep, thorny thicket.’
Personally, I reckon Dudley, 3rd Lord North, would have enjoyed the modern day FORUM, and might have been persuaded to read a couple of poems at a WORD UP! night, or organised some theatre for UNFEST, before popping off abroad on some money making venture.
FONTHILL BATH AND SPRING
If you visit Tunbridge Wells Common you can see the bath and spring, although they are right by the road and access is quite difficult.
There is no real mention of ‘This side of the road’ as Fonthill until 1824, when a town directory (Pigot’s) includes an entry for Charles Elliott, Blacksmith, Fonthill. We do know that the area had been protected from further building in the 1739 Rusthall Manor Act, and that there is an image of buildings on this site in 1719, in an engraving by Kip >
Link to maps: https://www.visittunbridgewells.com/about-us/maps
In a 1906 Trademen’s Association Meeting about the Pantiles Chalybeate Spring, a gentleman named Mr Bateman recalled in about 1810 “a small pond that existed between Fonthill and the roadway. It was surrounded by a strong wooden fence.” This is very much what it appears to be in Kip’s 1719 engraving, and is bigger than the stone bath by the road that can be seen today. The pond was fed by the chalybeate water, and the overflow fed the spring on the Pantiles. In later years the pond was filled up, and a line of pipes was laid to supply the present spring.
The will, dated 1706, of Edmund Baker the Elder, mentions a well, near his house, Rockhouse on Bishops Downe (The Common), and forge, although no one is exactly sure where this is. However, all the properties (house, forge, well) match those on the 1738 map by Bowra on the site now known as Fonthill, labelled spring and round house.
The research into the 1971 discovery of the Fonthill bath and spring comes from a pamphlet Another Chalybeate Spring and Cold Bath at Tunbridge Wells written by Myrtle B. Streeten, B.A. and Anthony D. F. Streeten, here is a brief excerpt:
During the widening of the A26 adjacent to the Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, in April 1971, a chalybeate spring with a stone well sunk over it, and also a structure subsequently identified as a cold bath, were revealed, and preserved, on the edge of the Common.
CHALYBEATE SPRING
Evidence confirms that this spring was in existence in 1738 (John Bowra’s map) , that it was enclosed and was undoubtedly associated with the local apothecaries. Many artefacts were found on the site, including ointment pots and fragments of an apothecary’s pill-rolling slab- ated 1617 - 1710). A 1911 coin at the bottom of the well indicates that the site was only buried within 60 years of rediscovery.
COLD BATH
It seems this bath was only in use for a short time, possibly from 1766 (when Benge Burr wrote “An Historical Account of Tunbridge-Wells”) to 1827. This cold bath is very similar in construction to the bath at Rusthall (dated 1708) and probably fell out of favour when a new bath was built by The Pantiles spring in 1800 -1803 (in the basement of the now chemists). The bath may have filled naturally, or have been deliberately filled from the spring. It is about 90cm deep.
An amazing amount of artefacts were found in the well, which were preserved in Tunbridge Wells Museum. The Museum is currently undergoing renovation, but the finds show a whole history of the area during the 17th century, when apothecaries were on the Walks (Pantiles). If you also look at the early maps, the triangular enclosure around The Wells has an entrance from London Road, opposite the Fonthill spring and bath, several other alleys still remain between London Road and The Upper Walks.
When I was reading old newspapers, and searching directories in the Reference Library, no mentions came up of the Fonthill bath or spring, although there were reports about gorse fires, celebrations etc on The Common, mostly I was uncovering information on the buildings (where The Forum now is). It seems likely the cold bath had been deliberately filled in during the 19th century, and the spring, and path on the hill, just abandoned and naturally buried in layers of composting tree leaves.
From Benge Burr’s book we know Mrs Humphreys lived from approx. 1576 - 1678, possibly always at Fonthill on Bishops Downe. She was 30 when she provided Lord Dudley North with a vessel to drink the water, but was she still living there to watch events unfurl? Queen Henrietta camped on Bishops Downe in 1629 when she visited for six weeks to recuperate from a miscarriage. Structures were built around the springs from 1636 onwards, and The Church of King Charles the Martyr (known then as Tunbridge Wells Chapel) opened in 1678. We can only speculate that Mrs Humphreys and others watched with surprise at the incoming visitors, especially the noble ones, and much building around their cottages. Was she the first Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells, a real NIMBY, or did she set out to try and make some money from all these visitors?
FORGE, BLACKSMITHS, CARRIAGE WORKS, HOUSE AND FIRE STATION
Although there are early maps with buildings on Fonthill, the first thing I found in newspapers and directories was in a 1824 town directory (Pigot’s) which includes an entry for Charles Elliott, Blacksmith, Fonthill
Research into the Elliott family indicates they had been running a coach-making/ forge/ blacksmiths business from at least 1766, so they would have been here at the same time as people were using the bath and spring. Were they the first people to run a forge here? The comments about Rock House suggest possibly not.
The Elliott family lived at Fonthill and ran the business until 1883. In February 1883 Mr Edward Elliott died, aged 69, and as he was an important tradesman in the town, he had an impressive funeral procession to Rusthall Church.
About this time there may also have been Napoleonic cannons on the bank between Fonthill and the road, which were fired when royalty came to town, originally in a camp on Broadwater Forest. (Letter to the paper, 12th July 1901, 90 year old Mr Loof’s memories of the town.) This is also when Mr Bateman remembers a pond in front of the buildings.
In July 1883 the coachworks business was put up for sale, and in October, Mr W.T. Noakes moved into the house, having previously been in partnership with his father at their drapers shop in the High Street. William Noakes was married to the daughter of Edward Elliott - Mary Anne. There followed a newspaper advert for Noakes Carriage Builders, Fonthill, and he was there until 1893.
But this was a busy time in Tunbridge Wells, which became a borough in 1889. There was a plan to pull down the Church of King Charles the Martyr, and replace it with a new one, maybe on Fonthill, but also a plan to demolish the Fonthill buildings and return the land to the Common. The Pantiles had ceased to be a place visited by tourists, but a row of shops and tradesmen - the Corn Exchange, new Fishmarket, Pump Room, and a bandstand. The Common was used as a meeting/ gathering place, including somewhere for firework displays… It was short of seats however, an item raised by Mr Noakes at a Tunbridge Wells Tradesmen’s Association meeting - but who would pay for new ones?
As an aside, in 1852 the first modern public lavatory with flushing toilets opened in London,and in 1892 coin operated locks for public toilets were introduced. From now on Public Sanitary Conveniences become an important item at Tunbridge Wells Council meetings….
In 1887 the Tunbridge Wells Salvage Corps was founded, and based in one of the Fonthill buildings. They were an organisation who helped with firefighting, but their main job was to protect stock, furniture and possessions in properties with water damage. They kept a lot of equipment at Fonthill, and they worked hand in hand with the Tunbridge Wells Borough Fire Brigade and the Tunbridge Wells Volunteer Fire Brigade until 1906.
In 1893 W. T. Noakes moved from Fonthill to 40 Upper Grosvenor Road, as an Accountant and Auditor, and Fonthill was occupied by Oliver & Co, carriage builders. The Volunteer Fire Brigade remained, joined in 1898 by G & J Carriages, who also had sites in Calverley Road and Garden Street. The next people to run the forge and carriage works were the Aubin family, who also had a farriers in Frant Road. The Aubins seemed to have concentrated on the forge, and in 1902 Norman & Goward took on the coachworks. These two businesses were at Fonthill until 1936.
After the Noakes family left the house, it seems to have been taken on by the family of John Hirst, who worked in one of the Tunbridge Ware factories (Nye and Barton, Mt Ephraim), his wife Jane is listed in the 1901 census as a Lodging House Keeper, as was their daughter Sarah. Their son-in-law, Felix Wilson, was a cabinet maker, and he is listed in a 1902 directory as an upholster at Fonthill.
The 1911 census suggests the house was used as a boarding house, and also had a separate apartment, with a total of 14 rooms. At this point Felix is head of the household, while John and Jane are living there still. Mr Hirst died in 1915, and had a very long obituary in the newspaper “An Interesting Career”. Being born in 1830, he was seen as a font of knowledge! He remembered in the Crimean days seeing the kilted Scotch soldiers passing through, the visit of Queen Victoria to see her old doctor, the cricketer Dr. Grace. Mrs Hirst died a couple of years later, also aged 85, and she could remember the horse races on The Common. Felix Wilson seems to have stayed as a cabinet maker at Fonthill for a while. ( I’m looking forward to the release of 1921 census records…) In the 1930s A. G. May was a cabinet maker here.
A 1934 photo taken from the back shows a white weatherboarded house of three storeys to the east of the forge, carriage works and fire station. There is a photo with no date taken from the front, with the three story building and paths up the slope, and a very elaborate building for ELLIOTT’S CARRIAGE WORKS. It’s hard to date as the name Elliott’s was used after he died, the hats and dresses look mid - late Victorian era. A photo in the 1920s shows more trees around Fonthill than later 1930s photos, but the horse chestnut trees are in front, and stone steps from the bank to the road, with a path that is no longer there. All these buildings look like they take up more room than the current building, and Castle Road merely a track or path, and not the road it is now. Fonthill is mentioned in “Still Life, Sketches from a Tunbridge Wells Childhood” by Richard Cobb, where he had lived briefly, and he mentions the fairground near Major York’s Road, and all the noise on the Common in the summer months (this about 1920).
One of the most amusing images is of the Mazawattee Tea carriage, drawn by zebras. A promotional tool used by the company, founded in the 1850s, one of the places it visited was Castle Road, with the sign of Aubin Farriers in the background.
RESTROOMS
After the First World War there were many council plans for the town. These included “A Home for the Band”, and Fonthill was suggested as a good site, for something that would have been like a Winter Garden. (This was eventually built in Calverley Grounds). Discussion also included needing public lavatories for the Pantiles, which was seen as a health benefit. The 1930 medical Officer’s annual report was to be congratulated as Tunbridge Wells “was keeping well in front as a health resort”. Toilets became a great item for debate over 13 years. It was felt very important to have some conveniences for Ladies, as for Gents there appeared to already be ‘something’ near the main road, near J. Rawson and Sons Garage (now the furniture shop: Westminster Outdoor Living). These Gents loos didn’t sound very nice, and Rawsons were keen for them to be removed, Cllr Hargreaves called them “that disgraceful anachronism” - it was possibly a pissoir. History has to thank Cllr Miss R. M. Baker, Chairman of the Health Committee, and Lady Matthews (President of the TW Branch of the National Council of Women) for their determination to have some Ladies conveniences provided.
Fonthill was seen as a good location being near The Pantiles, and the council felt the buildings there were an eyesore. The main problem was that the site of Fonthill belonged to the Lord of the Manor, not the council.The council were firstly offered the option to rent the site from The Manor, but in 1931 he agreed to sell the site to the Borough. The debate then became about demolition and rebuild, or improvement of old buildings.
It wasn’t until December 1937 that demolition was agreed, and tenders were invited the following April. It looks like the design of the restrooms was made by the Borough Surveyor and Waterworks Engineer, Mr Hugh P. Bishop, and work undertaken by A. E. Arthur of Hadlow Rd, Tonbridge. It is of course to be wondered what things would be like now, if the old buildings had been preserved in 1937. The council had considered renovating them, with the addition of a Ladies toilet, and letting them out, which would have provided the council with income. The delay may have been influenced by costs of rebuild, and also that the Borough Fire Brigade continued to have equipment stored there.
The restrooms opened on 19th May 1939, and included four attendants, and an information board for timetables and town events. The gents toilets were to the west (where the current entrance and toilets are) and the ladies to the north ( our studio and backstage area, the entrance door is now filled in, and decorated with a mural) with a large central room. In the Courier an advert proudly announced “up-to-date rest rooms and general conveniences… modern architecture… The Rest Rooms will be appreciated by all using the lovely Common.” (Also in that photo, there are a lot less trees around the building…) The Gents in The Forum includes the original urinals, and if you go backstage and look on the floor, you can see the markings of the Ladies cubicles.
People remember coming here to go to the toilet while blackberrying on the Common, when coming home from the Fun Fair, or visiting the brass rubbing centre. Some people still think they can just pop in and use the toilets without paying to attend a show!!
In the 1970s the council used some of Fonthill for storage of gardening machinery.
What is extraordinary is, a quite simple building has survived, and improved, over the past 81 years. There is also the rumour that it was built to be the largest public convenience in Europe, with an extra section added mid-build.
BRASS RUBBING CENTRE
Martyn Hepworth 1930 - 2007
The Hepworth family had run a Printers since 1871, being based in Nevill Street since 1878, then Vale Road were they also had a stationary shop. Martyn was an only child. His father Lyn was Chairman of TW Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, also President TW Chamber of Trade, he started in business in 1920.
Martyn was a history graduate from Oxford, who had a busy life in Tunbridge Wells, running the Printers until 1968. He wrote books, including The Story of The Pantiles in 1956, and Amateur Drama: Production and Management in 1978. He took an active part in Pantiles Players during the 1960s, and TW Drama Club, which was based in the back of (the now) The George Pub. Formed in 1946, Tunbridge Wells Drama Club were at the forefront of the move in 1977 to convert the decommissioned Trinity Theatre into a theatre, where they established themselves as Trinity’s resident amateur theatre company: Trinity Theatre Club. During this time they used the T.A. Centre in Victoria Road and then the council run Satellite Club in Grosvenor Rec for storage (more on this later). One member of TW Drama Club was Ian Dormon (more on this later).
Martyn was a Conservative Councillor and involved with Tunbridge Wells Constitutional Club. He had been Mayor elect but became an independent Conservative council candidate, and lost his seat. Looking for something to do, he leased Fonthill from the council and set up a brass rubbing centre. He took copies of brassses from famous buildings, and people have memories of coming into the Fonthill building to take rubbings.
He was one of the borough’s Civic Medallion holders. Presented in 2001, in recognition of his significant contribution, over a period of many years, towards the cultural and artistic life of the Borough, most notably in his work with the Tunbridge Wells Open Drama Festival.
THE RUMBLE CLUB
A group of friends, to save themselves the journey to and from London to watch bands, began putting on gigs in and around Tunbridge Wells.
At this time TW Drama Club was using the council owned Satellite Club in Grosvenor Recreation Ground to store scenery. Ian Dormon, father of Jason, had been involved with TW Drama Club, and his connection with Martyn Hepworth helped secure the Satellite Club as one of the venues for The Rumble Club. A former World War Two British Restaurant, it was a very basic building, in a park, in a residential area.
The Rumble Club project started in May 1988 with The Brilliant Corners, then The Chesterfields, Flatmates, Corn Dollies, Jasmine Minks and Raw Herbs, all playing at the Rec. The Rumble Club was also involved in Sigue Sigue Sputnik performing there in November 1988. After they stopped hosting shows at the Rec they were offered The Stone Roses, who they had to turn down - six months later they (The Stone Roses) were huge.
The Rumble Club also put on shows at Victoria Hall, Southborough (now demolished), Watson Hall Langton (no longer there), The Shelley Arms in Nutley (again, it’s no longer there) and the Hand & Sceptre, Southborough (still a pub!!). The second birthday of The Rumble Club was marked in May 1990 at Tiberius Nightclub ( 9 Nevill Street), and in 1991 this was the permanent home for 18 months, literally a stone’s throw from Fonthill. Named “The Winchester Club”, it hosted bands in the basement each weekend (including Green Day, Suede, and The Boo Radleys) until in 1992 the owners of the building sold up, and without notice, kicked The Winchester Club out. The friends also compiled a promotional magazine: Talkabout, as well as being in their own bands.
Two of those bands were using Fonthill to rehearse: Jason Dormon and Mark Davyd were in Big Pop Trotsky! and Peter Hoare and Spike Oyarzabal in The Fabulous Denise Barnes Experience. Legend has it, on the closure of The Winchester, these friends stood on the London Road roundabout, looked over at the brass rubbing centre and said: “That would make a very fine live music venue.” They approached the council, and within weeks had signed the lease to Fonthill. Some hasty major demolition and re-building took place, with a budget of £6,000.
THE FORUM
The Forum arts and music centre opened on 15th January 1993.
The building has continued to adapt over the years, including the addition of a disabled toilet, and improvements to the garden and backstage area.
https://www.thetunbridgewellsproject.co.uk/the-forum
The history of the music venue is another project. Yes, Oasis played here. And Muse. And Coldplay…. The list goes on - the book should be ready for 2023 (30th anniversary).
In 1995 the Forum purchased a long lease (virtual freehold) from the council, and in 2017 became a Community Interest Company.
As well as being a part of the circuit which launches the careers of many bands, the venue hosts its own annual fringe Festival - Unfest, and joins in many town events and festivals, hosts evenings of comedy, theatre, spoken word, poetry, art shows, rehearsal space, weddings, parties, etc etc.
Much of this research was undertaken in 2017, to open the doors of The Forum at Heritage Open Days to all the people who hadn’t been to a music show, but were curious to see inside. Some of them remembered the toilets and brass rubbing centre, and have added to the research.
On 16th March 2020 The Forum closed its doors due to the global pandemic, and is waiting for official advice on when it will be able to reopen safely. Which seems slightly funny, when Lord North was here escaping the troubles of the plague in 1606.
National Newspaper Archives
Ancestry.co.uk
Twcommons.org
TW Reference Library
Noakes family
Roger Lewis
RTW Civic Society
Dr Philip Whitbourn
John Cunningham
Commons Conservators
Dr Ian Beavis
Jeremy Kimmel, and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council online archives (including work by The Streetens)
For more information about nature on The Commons, check out The Friends of The Commons website - and if you pay to join the Friends you’ll get newsletter updates on the changing nature, as well as helping with their maintenance work; http://www.friendsofthecommons.co.uk/nature/
While never a contender for Heritage Open Days, as it’s always open (unless there is a global pandemic) The Sussex Arms has a bit of history….
It was built as the coaching inn to The Sussex Hotel, on the Lower Pantiles, later known as The Royal Victoria House, as Princess Victoria stayed there. The inn and mews are by The River Grom (it’s in a culvert now) and could have been one of the early buildings here - the Pipe-Office (for gentlemen).
There is a mass of research to take on here, made extra difficult because of the county boundary, but as a start, the place has had constant name changes, these came up while looking at Fonthill. However these Elliott’s don’t appear to be related to the ones at Fonthill.
1861 Sussex Tap, Innkeeper George Elliott, Housekeeper Jane Elliott
1871 Sussex Hotel Shades, Livery Stable Keeper George Elliott, wife Jane Elliott
1874 Sussex Shades, Frant Road
George d 1875, Jane d 1887
Contact
This is not the official Forum website. You can find listings and full information about the venue at www.twforum.co.uk.
