VILLAGE HISTORY MYSTERY

VILLAGE HISTORY MYSTERY

The village of Ripple is mentioned in the Domesday Book, and the church has Anglo Saxon foundations. Therefore the great age of the village is not under dispute, but it is quite striking to any one who cares to look, that the visual evidence of the antiquity of the village is largely missing.

Indeed, it is documented that the Romans passed by the village after their landing at nearby Walmer, and evidence of their earthworks can be found approximately a quarter off a mile north of the village church, on the ancient pathway towards present day Deal.

However, unlike the  adjacent villages of Greater Mongeham , Northbourne and  Ringwould, there are very few old buildings that have survived from periods earlier than seventeenth century.  The only surviving buildings that can attest to the ancient lineage of the village are from no earlier than the 1600 with the Plough public house, Ripple Farm, Ripple Vale House (now a school), the Rectory, Ripple Court, Cherry cottage and the Queen Anne style Ripple House being the only examples.  



Indeed, the church,St Mary's, normally the oldest building in an English village is in fact Victorian, although supposedly built on Anglo Saxon or Norman foundations.




Ripple Mill was originally in use as early as 1695 but the present Mill was brought from Hawkinge in approx 1810 having been built in 1769.

In particular, its very strange to note the  lack of any medieval buildings between the Plough public house and the church.


Presumably this would of originally been the center of the Village, but with the exception of the Church, which has been rebuilt, all be it on the foundations of a  Anglo Saxon Church, and the small cottage at the end of 19th century Portland Terrace, there are no truly old buildings. I say this assuming that the Manor House is the style of a French Chateaux next to the Rectory is of Queen Anne or similar age !.




This is strange, because the surrounding villages of Mongeham, Northbourne and Ringwould all have medieval structures !.

Furthermore, does anyone have any information of the history of the fields that are situated behind the church graveyard, in particular at the summit of the hill / mound which is reached by walking directly up the footpath leading away from the churchyard gate ?. Aerial photographs appear to identify the outline of ancient Round Houses on this site, although I have been unable to locate any artifacts or evidence on the ground !.

Any information regarding the above would be very much appreciated.
 http://www.kent.gov.uk/ExploringKentsPast/multiresults.aspx?firstrec=1&lastrec=20

VILLAGE PUB IN GHOST OUTRAGE

VILLAGE PUB IN GHOST OUTRAGE

The village of Ripple has been in a quandary of late due to the recent appearance of the Plough Ghost at the local pub. The Plough has been established in the village for over three hundred years, and for a great number of those years was a thriving and busy establishment.

Though now only offering a relatively limited selection of cask and real ales the quality of the beer has remained of the highest class, and the pub continues to attract aficionados of real ale and a selection of village locals who imbibe at their own pace, enjoying the solitude offered by the ancient premises.

However, at a recent quiz evening the participants of the weekly contest were amazed to note the eerie presence of a  ghost like apparition resembling the countenance and body of the Duke Of Wellington.

As the assembled quizzers spilt their pints in disbelief, the ghostly apparition opened the side door to the pub, entered the bar and ghosted to a position behind the pumps. Without hesitation, the former Prime Minister and vanquisher of Napoleon, silently filled a tankard of Porter, and began to sip the dark liquid.  This being even more of a surprise as the establishment has not  supplied Porter for over 90 years.

The Duke quickly finished his beverage and motioning towards the door , vaulted over the bar counter and exclaimed that he was late for a meeting with the miller at Ripple Mill, and then for a late Lunch at Walmer Castle where he resided as Warden of the Cinque Ports.

At this, the landlord of the Plough grabbed the bell and rang the final bell abruptly ending the evenings entertainment, and ushering the assembled punters out of the door. The following days were awash with rumors that a hoax had taken place, and that a local villager with a grudge was playing tricks on the village pub and customers.

Several days later, Artimus Greenbucket ran hurriedly in to the pub holding a book that he had borrowed from Deal library, pointing out a passage that revealed that during the Duke Of Wellingtons residency at Walmer Castle, he would regularly ride across the fields to the plough to grab a quick pint before discussing trade with the miller at Ripple Mill.

The assembled imbibers all nodded with a knowing manner and ushered Artimus to leave the premises and take his book with him. As the evenings preceding began to fade from the memory of the villagers, a thought crossed the mind of the publican, but was soon dismissed as unsound. He then ambled back behind the bar, lifted the hatch to the cellar and slowly descended the old steps. At the bottom he turned to his left and adjusted the gas on the lager barrel.
He then opened a large chest revealing a red cape and tunic, together with an ancient scroll with the signature of Arthur Wellesley, aka The Duke OF Wellington. The contents of the note describing his thanks for the pubs agreement to provide him with ale and supper when ever the duke was in the village, and dated 1832.
 
With this revelation,  and the truth of the previous evenings ghostly apparition starting to be clearer, he climbed the staircase to his bed and firmly shut the door behind him dreaming of the Iron Duke and future pub sales advancing at a rate that was never envisaged.

As he rose in the morning, he felt he had to inspect the chest in the cellar, and upon visiting the chest, he was astonished to note that the clothing and parchment were missing, and his dreams of increased takings vanquished.

His mind turned quickly to the next quiz and the hope that the Duke would appear again and attract more trade, although deep down believing that he was either loosing his mind or drinking too much of the slops !
 http://www.kent.gov.uk/ExploringKentsPast/multiresults.aspx?firstrec=1&lastrec=20