Death at Bossenden Wood, Hernhill, Kent. UK
Posted by: 
dave-harris
N 51° 18.474 E 000° 57.683
31U E 357906 N 5686038
The last battle on English soil
Waymark Code: WMKPN2
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/12/2014
Views: 4
As you walk up to the church of St Michaels in Hernhill, stop and look at this historical marker on the left of the path. Made from wood it contains the names of eight local men who died at the Battle of Bossenden Wood. The battle took place on 31st May 1838 and is said to be the last battle on English soil.
The following is taken from Wikipedia. There is a link below to this website that is worth the read.
"The Battle of Bossenden Wood took place on 31 May 1838 near Hernhill in Kent; it has been called the last battle on English soil. The battle was fought between a small group of labourers from the Hernhill, Dunkirk, and Boughton area and a detachment of soldiers sent from Canterbury to arrest the marchers' leader, the self-styled Sir William Courtenay, who was actually John Nichols Tom, a Truro maltster who had spent four years in Kent County Lunatic Asylum. Eleven men died in the brief confrontation, including Courtenay, eight of his followers and two of those sent to apprehend them."
The inscription on the marker states
"In this churchyard were buried
Stephen Baker (23)
George Branchett (40)
William Burford (32)
William Foster (32)
Phineas Harvey (27)
William Rye (40)
John Tom (38)
Edward Wraight (62)
Killed in Bossenden Wood
31 May 1838"
Related links: [Web Link]
parking coordinates: N 51° 18.493 W 000° 57.672
additional Related links: Not listed
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