Cranbrook was originally named Cranebroca in the Doomsday Monachorum of 1070. It lies in the Weald of Kent and is situated south of Maidstone on a major route running from the Kent coast to London. In the 11th century, the area was known for a number of ironworks. By the 14th – 17th century the area was devoted to the manufacture of broadcloth. It is now more famous for the growth of hops and malt production.

Six churches can be found but St Dunstan's Church is the earliest and situated near the main street amongst a number of very pretty wooden medieval buildings. It seems that the local councils jealously guard their businesses as most of the shops are locally owned and run. None of your large supermarkets here, thank you very much!

A Windmill lies just off the main street. Built in 1814 by James Humphrey it is open to visitors who can see it working. Cranbrook school, featured on BBC1 when the “Who Do You Think You Are?” team gave John Hurt an opportunity to find his roots, still provides an excellent education for pupils. The famous Sissinghurst gardens are nearby. Open to the public, they are a credit to their designer, Vita Sackville-West, a must-see for keen gardeners.

A compact museum houses an exhibition area and a reading room. An archivist resides there on a part-time basis. This is where my love affair with the town began as my visit to the museum ten years ago provided me with proof that my branch of the Relf family originated from Cranbrook. I discovered that this same Relf family now comprises one of the largest family groups studied by the International Relf Society and it was the records of one of the founder members, Eddie Clarke, that were held on file at the museum.

The earliest ancestor of the family that lived in Cranbrook can be traced to a John Relfe (Rolfe). John died in about 1700. His ancestors lived in and around Cranbrook for a number of generations. During this time the surname spelling changed to “Relf”. The town still proudly possesses much of its architectural history and it is very easy to imagine John and his family living in Cranbrook. There are approximately nineteen members of our society descended from John – a good reason to visit. I am descended from John's great-grandson Robert Relf (1766-1857) and have only managed to travel as far away as Essex. Many of John's descendants live as far afield as Australia, Canada and the USA.

Even though many may not share their interest in the town, other Society members will find much of historical interest. Please do not take my word for it, take a moment to view a website of the area which may whet your taste buds. This can be found at www.visitcranbrook.com.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Jenny Mayes (#152).

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Page last revised September 2008.