Goudhurst Village and The Hawkhurst Gang

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My walk around Goudhurst Village and a little of its history. The Hawkhurst Gang (a village in Kent) one of the most famous and ruthless gangs at the time was first mentioned in 1735 and their evil influence spread from Dorset to the Kent coast. The gang were able to control the area until their leaders were executed in 1748 and 1749.
In 1740, at Silver Hill between Hurst Green and Robertsbridge a Revenue Officer Thomas Carswell was shot and killed while trying to apprehend some of the smugglers. One of these smugglers George Chapman was taken to his village of Hurst Green and gibbeted on the green.
The freedom that the smugglers enjoyed is shown in records from 1744, three large Cutters unloaded contraband at Pevensey Bay and 500 pack horses carried the goods inland without hindrance from the authorities and a lot of help from the locals.
In 1747 one of the smugglers, brought a large cargo of brandy, tea and rum over from France on his Cutter the contraband was captured and seized by Customs and put in Customs House in Poole Dorset. The gang in a violent attack on the Customs House took back the cargo.
A large reward was offered and later a man called Chater who known to the gang was seen a pub with a customs officer named Galley, it was thought he was an informer. Both men were drugged and whipped. They were tied to a horse and whipped again until nearly dead. Galley seemed dead and was buried alive. Chater was kept chained up for a few days, then was beaten again, thrown down a deep well and large stones were hurled on him until dead. These dreadful deaths such as Galley and Chaters caused national outrage and the names of smugglers was published in the London Gazette, giving them forty days to surrender or face the death sentence, also offering a £500 reward for their capture.
Although smuggling gangs were generally supported by the local population, providing much needed work/money, the murderous brutality of the gang turned the locals against them. In the village of Goudhurst (about 7 miles from Hawkhurst) the residents formed a Militia, led by “General” George Sturt, who was in fact a former army corporal. Enraged by this defiance the latest gang leader Thomas Kingsmill who was from that village threatened to burn the village and kill the resident, even setting a date for this the 20/21st of April 1747. When the gang attacked the militia shot dead Kingsmill’s brother George in the first volley of a bloody but short battle which was fought in the churchyard, the smugglers fled, most to be rounded up over the next 2 years, Thomas Kingsmill was executed in 1749.
The Hawkhurst Gang, whose evil reputation has lasted all these years, with tales of ghosts and smugglers tunnels, will once again help to boost the village as this year a smugglers’ trail is to be launched.

Village pond

Water trough

The vaillage is full of old houses with narrow roads

One of these house was once the local jail.

The church where the battle took place

The Star and Eagle once used by the smugglers

• 15 Jun, 2011
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