Mixed outlook for wool trade heritage

In many ways, Ashford has lost some of its most historic gems and buildings of identity. And despite a much better approach by planners on some sites, many of our historic gems are being lost through modern planning.

Land changes hands and while some elements are protected to a degree by being listed or offered protection if they are in a conservation area, these protected assets are often sandwiched between modern builds, which are not in keeping with the adjacent asset.

It has been said that planners have a difficult job in today’s society, but when it comes to our town’s heritage we must do more to retain such sites and buildings rather than seal their fate by allowing their destruction.

In my lifetime the town has become a mismatch of old and new, which becomes irritating when you see other neighbouring towns retain their historic buildings of note.

One example destined to change sooner or later – albeit with one building saved – is the Kent Wool Growers site in Tannery Lane.

The adjoining Whist House has been retained in the residential plans, but the buildings on the site historically used for the tanning trade are to be sacrificed in the planned redevelopment.

Ashford is one of the very few places in the country to ‘still’ have such buildings used in that industry

This week, Remember When, looks back at the Kent Wool Growers site as it was in the early 1980s.

‘The town has become a mismatch of old and new’

Do you have any photographs or slides that you would be willing to loan me, to enable them to be scanned and featured in the Kentish Express?

If so please write to me, Steve Salter, at Kentish Express Remember When, Unit 4, Park Mall Shopping Centre, Ashford, Kent. TN24 8RY, email me at rememberwhen_kmash@ hotmail.co.uk or follow me on Twitter @SteveKMAshford.

Or you can leave a telephone message for me with brief details by calling 01233 623232.