AboutRobertsbridge.org.uk
Medieval glass
in parish church
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John Stenning & Son were a major employer in
Robertsbridge for over 100 years until their closure in 1986. The
land was subsequently developed for housing - Mill Rise - with the
exception of approx. 10 acres of land which lay to the south of
Bishop's Lane and had been used by Stenning's for storing wood
supplies. This area was given Rother District Council as 'planning
gain' and with strict covenants attached so that it became used as
Public Open Space and was renamed, Bishop's Meadow.
A small part of the land had been occupied by someone who was running a small wood yard but without any lease and the developers wanted them removed. However, Rother DC negotiated a compromise whereby the occupier could continue his business with a non-renewable lease for 15 years at which point they were to remove from the site which would then be incorporated into Bishop's Meadow. In 1995, Rother DC agreed to the Parish Council
taking over management of the Meadow and a 99 year lease was
granted but, a condition of the lease was that under no
circumstances was the lease on the woodyard to be extended
and at the end of it the PC was to take over the site and
incorporate it into the Meadow - this was subsequently done. |
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These photographs were taken in December 1986 when the yard had closed for business and the machinery was being organised for sale. Some memories of the Stenning's works by a Robertsbridge resident and long term employee, Mr Len Woodgate, can be viewed here. [click] |
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