EXCURSIONS 



CWEET is the lore that Mother Nature brings, so, during spring and 

 ^ summer days, excursions are made by motor coach to places where 

 knowledge can be gleaned from her works. 



Our first excursion was to Chartham Paper Mills, which were 

 established in 1738. Here we saw paper being manufactured by pro- 

 cesses very similar to those employed by Ts'ai Lun of China, who, in 

 A.D. 105, invented paper. For years the secret was kept, but by A.D. 

 770 the art of paper-making had spread to Japan and by the 1 6th century 

 to Spain. 



During the 18th century, there was a considerable increase in the 

 use of paper and the demand led to a search for materials more abundant 

 and more easily converted into this substance. Between 1683 and 1757 

 Rene Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur studied wasps and finally decided 

 that the wood filaments used to construct their nests resembled paper. 

 Dr. Shaffer (Saxony) further developed this theory and early in the 19th 

 century Matthias Koops used vegetable fibres for making paper on a 

 large commercial scale, while Nicholas Louis Robert (Paris) constructed 

 the first paper-making machine. 



After tea at the Mills, we journeyed to Chilham, where we were 

 met by the Vicar who showed members around the Church of St. Mary. 

 There were many objects of interest but outstanding was the beautiful 

 Chantrey memorial to James Wildman. 



The second excursion, a visit to Mary Mason's Yew Tree Farm at 

 Northiam or Norgem as called by the natives, took place on June 19th, 

 one of the few perfect days in 1954. After a run through delightful 

 country we reached the Farm and were welcomed by the proprietress, 

 who led us into the house, which has stood since the days of King 

 Edward III. How beautiful was this spot, while peace and contentment 

 pervaded the place. 



Thoughts of the past arose ; of the Danes who moored their 

 yawls in the navigable lagoons of the Rother during the 8th and 9th 

 centuries, of the visits of Queen Elizabeth I to Brickwell House and of 

 smugglers. 



In September, members visited Ingleton Wood Nursery which until 

 1937 was a wood. In that year Mr. Ralph visited the area and decided 

 it was the ideal spot on which to grow hydrangeas. Experiments were 

 made, one being to change the colour of the blossoms. This was 

 successful and today, fine blooms of blue hydrangeas, produced by 

 Messrs. Rochford & Sons, Ltd. are grown in parks and gardens in all 

 parts of the world. 



A. J. Wright, f.r.g.s. 



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