Wickhams Way - Hartley-Kent: The Website for Hartley

Wickhams Way is a small close of 5 large modern houses just off Church Road, built on the site of two older houses "Brumleigh" and "Laxton". It is named in honour of Herbert "Skip" Wickham, who lived opposite at Top O'the Hill. He was for many years the leader of the Forest Cub Pack and the naming of the road shows the high regard he was held in by local people. His abilities as a scout master were great, but even he never could not manage to teach this ten thumbed writer how to tie knots!

Historically this road lies at the border of Woodins and Middle Farms.  The land was bought by Payne and Trapps Limited in 1905, but the eventual development of this end of Church Road owes more to the traditional field pattern than the standard 25 feet plots they envisaged. Wickhams Way formed part of 7 plots bought by James Proctor in 1912. Laxton was built about 1921 and Brumleigh followed in 1928, when the land was bought by David Gray, the proprietor of Fairby Stores, just before he sold the business. Laxton had the same owner for almost 50 years.

A Horton Kirby firm, Avonglade Limited bought both houses in 1986 and got planning permission for the close at the second attempt, in spite of the opposition of the Parish Council.  Their address in Horton Kirby was Old Garden Cottage, which may be the source of the name of the house in Wickhams Way.

Last updated 13.11.2020

Explanation:

Date of Construction is sometimes approximate. Plot histories include the ancient farms and fields.

For the plot histories the exact correlation with the plot numbers on the Payne and Trapps estate is difficult to be exact.

Planning Permissions include the reference number, so more details can be seen at Sevenoaks Council. My records are not complete and I have not included refused or withdrawn applications.

Rateable value - this is how much the Valuation Office think the property would get if rented for a year.  The 1956 revaluation for some reason set this figure as the rental for 1939.  The gross value has been used here as better representing the true value, however rates were paid on a net figure after certain statutory deductions.

Council tax is based on what the Valuation Office thought the property would have sold for in 1993. It is divided into 8 value bands.  The banding can be changed after significant improvements, but only after the property is next sold.  The Valuation Office flags these with an "improvement indicator".

House price data 1995 to date produced by Land Registry © Crown copyright 2016. To report an error, go to Change a sales record form.

I have tried to make sure the information is accurate, but no responsibility can be taken for any errors. If you plan to rely on the information, you should check the source data to be sure. If you spot an error, please let me know via the contact form.