1953 Herbert Richards begins campaign to save Abbey Street.
1955 Arden’s House threatened with demolition: KCC refuses BPO.
1956 Arden’s House bought for £950 by Mr C. F. Hallward and restored.
1957 Fred Bishop appointed Town Clerk. Architectural students from School of Architecture at Canterbury undertake survey of Abbey Street.
1958 Borough Council seeks advice of SPAS on Abbey Street. On basis of students’ report, it recommends restoration. Council take its advice, start buying properties under slum-clearance powers and selling to owners who undertake to restore them sympathetically.
1960 Abbey Street Preservation Society formed as ‘owners’ club’.
84-87 Preston Street (CCI6/l8) demolished, site developed in unsympathetic fashion for supermarket (too small within a few years?).
1962 Faversham Society formed at public meeting in Guildhall.
1963 Society’s first temporary museum display at 67 Preston Street. Society secures postponement of demolition of Chart Gunpowder Mills (oldest in world) First Society Christmas card published. Trees planted on left bank of Creek by Society.
1964 Society’s first oral history programme completed Town Brochure first published by Society Society publishes
The Mayoralty of Faversham, first in series of Faversham Papers (monographs about area’s past).
1965 First Society rubbish clearance operation in Bysing Wood Society Museum opens in lower room at Maison Dieu, Ospringe Society defeats plan for marina on Swale near Harty Ferry (site now a nature reserve and SSSI recognised as of international importance).
1966 West Street pedestrianisation plan published by Society (later implemented by Borough Council). Society’s efforts to save Davington Court Barn (marooned in new housing development) result in it being dismantled and being re-erected at Edenbridge.
1967 Chart Gunpowder Mills bought by Society: restoration appeal launched. Society objects to KCC proposals for Inner Ring Road; undertakes Origin and Destination Traffic Survey (not undertaken by ICCC, who rely on intuition; formulates alternative proposal for Western Link Road and presents at major Public Inquiry.
1968 Society suggests conservation area, is supported by Borough Council.
1969 Restoration of Chart Gunpowder Mills begun by Society. Society organises first Open House Scheme (now (2000) in its 31st year) Minister of Transport accepts Society suggestion that in future national amenity organisations (like Civic Trust) should be consulted about proposed increases in weights and sizes of heavy lorries.
1970 Government reject KCC’s Inner Ring Road scheme, ask it to consider Society’s alternative Western Link Road proposal. Faversham Papers No 10 (
Faversham History Trails) published by Society.
1971 Society buys Fleur de Lis for conversion into Heritage Centre.
1972 KCC rent part of Fleur de Lis from Society to accommodate staff studying Society road proposal.
1973 Charity shop opened in Fleur de Lis to raise money for conversion.
1975 The Times publishes article about Society.
1976 Conversion of Fleur de Lis begins.
1977 Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre opens.
1978 Society opens Tourist information Centre at Fleur de Lis.
1979 Improved museum facilities opened at Fleur de Lis.
1980 First French version of Town Brochure published by Society. Society submits evidence to Armitage Inquiry on Lorries.
1981 First German version of Town Brochure published by Society.
1982 First Dutch version of Town Brochure published by Society. Faversham Papers No 20 (
Faversham 1900-1930) published by Society.
1983 New accommodation for Doddington Parochial Library opened at Fleur de Lis.
1985 Working Strowger-type village telephone exchange installed at Fleur de Lis.
1987 PABX from Bensted House installed at Fleur.
1989 Western Link Road opened Faversham Papers No 30 (
The Bird Life of the Faversham Area) published by the Society.
1990 Faversham History Project launched. Faversham Historians begin meeting under Society auspices.
1993 First Japanese version of Town Brochure published simultaneously in Tokyo and Faversham Society publishes first comprehensive Faversham Bibliography in seven volumes (six on primary sources, one on secondary sources).
1994 Former Oare Gunpowder Works: first full field survey published jointly by Society and Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (Faversham Papers No 39). Society represented on steering group formed to oversee creation of a country/industrial heritage park at the Works. Society re-opens Maison Dieu, Ospringe, closed by English Heritage ten years previously. It installs new displays costing £5,000, having raised the money for them.
1995 Tourist Information Centre enquiries reach 12,000 a year. Society takes over official Tourist Information Points in Central Car Park and in lay-by on west-bound A2 at Boughton. At Society’s suggestion, parking rebate scheme is introduced in town car parks. Shoppers can reclaim cost of first hour’s parking on making purchases in participating town shops.
1996 Society leases 10-11 Preston Street and launches £330,000 appeal for much-needed expansion of Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre Society assumes responsibility for day-to-day oversight of Stone Church, in guardianship of English Heritage and the only church in England to incorporate remains of a pagan Roman shrine. Fiftieth in Society’s series of ‘Faversham Papers’ published -
The Faversham Book Trade 1730-1900, by Richard Goulden. Society publishes
Thomas Arden in Faversham, by Patricia Hyde, first full biography of the ‘hero’ of the Elizabethan play
Arden of Faversham. Over 600 pages long, it includes first publication of the Abbey rentals of 1515 and 1532, as well as of much other local 16th-century primary source material.
1998 First full-colour leaflet to promote Society visitor attractions published.
1999 Heritage Lottery Fund offers Society £473,000 towards £750,000 cost of Fleur de Lis expansion. Millenium Fund offers Society £19,500 towards cost of Faversham Millenium video. Society buys 10-11 Preston Street. Faversham Papers No 70 published -
Drawings of Faversham. Society publishes its own web page.
2000 Work on expansion of the Fleur de Lis begins. Successful millennium production of
Arden of Faversham in garden of Arden's House. Society decides to buy 12 Preston Street for further expansion of the Fleur de Lis. Roof of Maison Dieu restored by English Heritage.
2001 Expanded Tourist Information Centre and shop opens at 10-11 Preston Street.
Society's Faversham Millennium video released.
2002 First phase of updated Museum displays opens at 10-11 and 13 Preston Street. Fleur de Lis Gallery opens at 13 Preston Street.
2003 For benefit of disabled visitors, DVD show of first-floor displays opens at 13 Preston Street.
2004 Gunpowder Room with DVD show opens at 13 Preston Street.
2005 Discussion starts about possible display of Anglo-Saxon Graveney Boat in Faversham. Oare Gunpowder Works country park opens (cf 1994 above). Eightieth anniversary of original Maison Dieu museum opening and 40th anniversary of Society's first museum there celebrated.
2006 New museum displays opened in "Big Shed" at rear of 10-11 Preston Street.
Ugly 1960s shopfront at 12 Preston Street replaced by replica of original late 19th Century shopfront.
2007 Faversham Papers No 100 published: reprint of
Old Faversham by Arthur Percival.
2008 Fine Georgian shopfront, repatriated from Chicago, installed in 10-11 Preston Street garden. New upper floor displays opened at Maison Dieu. Discussions initiated about future of Assembly Rooms (Drill Hall) in Preston Street.
2009 New meeting room opened at rear of 12 Preston Street. New lower-floor displays opened at Maison Dieu.
2010 Society changes status from that of a charity and unincorporated association to a charity and company limited by guarantee.
NOTE: The Faversham Society papers are monographs about aspects of the town and the surrounding area, past and present. See
HERE for more information and full list.