Bilsington

Near Ashford

Kent

Pictures taken May 03

Dave has camped in a nearby field with the cub group many times and one lovely sunny May evening, we went for a walk round the Monument, through the church grounds and down to the canal.

THE BILSINGTON MONUMENT

was erected in 1835 in memory of Sir William Richard Cosway.

An inscribed stone on the North side of the column reads:

AS TRIBUTE OF RESPECT TO THE MEMORY OF SIR WILLIAM RICHARD COSWAY KT.

THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY HIS FRIENDS AND REFORMERS OF EAST KENT IN THE YEAR MDCCCXXXV"

In 1825, William Richard Cosway Esq - a resident of Cheriton, near Folkestone bought the Bilsington Priory Estate from Thomas Rider Esq., of Boughton Monchelsea

On April 29th 1829, he was knighted, "being of late secretary to Vice-Admiral Lord Collingwood".

He took a great interest in the Reform Bill and tradition says he was an excellent landlord. He felt much concern at the distressing conditions of the farm labourers whose wages at that time were only just above starvation level and indeed many were emigrating in the hope of finding work overseas. The Vestry minute book of 1830 records that Sir William lent £150 to pay for four families from the village to go to America. In 1833 he built a small school in Bilsington which was later enlarged. In June 1834 he died in a coaching accident in London. He was in his 51st year.

In the following year the monument was erected in Bilsington. It is 52ft (16m) high, was repaired in 1893, and again in 1948. It was struck by lightning in 1967.

In 1997 the Bilsington Monument Trust was formed and the following year a 99 year lease was agreed with Mr W Maylam of Court Lodge Farm, Bilsington.

A substantial grant for the repair of the monument was made by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the work was carried out during 1999.

Note the lightning conductor running up to the top

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