On Sunday 11th September 2022 at 3.30pm there was a proclamation for the accession of King Charles III in the centre of Goudhurst. The celebrations for his Coronation would be held over the weekend of the 5th – 7th May 2023.
In Goudhurst, a big marquee containing a large screen was erected on the Village Green to house the various activities that were to take place. This was fortuitous as the weather was less than ideal. The first event on Friday 5th was The Goudhurst Ball. This was a ticketed occasion (£20 per person) in the marquee for tables of ten with live music from The Bears, with dancing, an auction of promises and a raffle. There was a bar but you had to provide your own food. Attendees were encouraged to decorate their tables and themselves, which made a very colourful display. Carriages were at 10.30pm.
A time table of events in and around The Big Tent was organised for Saturday, the actual day of the Coronation. People were invited to bring food and drinks to picnic around the Village Green where bales of hay and a few tables and chairs were arranged. Coffee and pastries were available from 8.30am.
At 9.15am the film of The Lion King was shown for the children accompanied by popcorn and ice-cream. This was followed by the live screening of The Coronation between 10.45am and 1.30pm. Outside a Hog Roast was provided by Lower Ladysden. Throughout the weekend Goudhurst Club ran a bar inside the marquee. Local brewery Cellar Head produced a special Goudhurst Coronation Ale, flavoured with hops first discovered in Goudhurst. Anno Gin provided the gin over the weekend.
Goudhurst Amateur Dramatic Society then performed ‘Majesty and Mischief’ taking a sideways look at the history of the crown and lessons to be learned. This was followed at 3pm by a children’s Kings and Queens fancy dress competition and a junior disco. There was an exhibition
on display from the Local History Society, looking at previous Coronation celebrations. The day concluded with a family Barn Dance at 6pm finishing at 8.30pm.
On Sunday the day began at 8.30am with Pilates in the big tent and a Junior Park Run for all ages, beginning at 9.30am. For those with less energy there was first aid training and instruction on how to use of the Village defibrillators, together with more coffee and pastries.
Church services at Goudhurst and Kilndown that morning all celebrated the Coronation of King Charles with special prayers and after the 10.45 service at St Mary’s (also available via Zoom) the congregation walked over to the Village Green to join the congregation of Sacred Heart Catholic Church for coffee and cake.
From 10.30am there were skittles, quoits and other traditional games before Kilndown Choir sang a selection of appropriate songs at 12 noon. This was followed by the Weald of Kent Morris men dancing until 1pm. The afternoon started with an Open Mike session showcasing local talent and at 2.30pm there was a sing-a-long to the film Mama Mia on the screen. The last event was a Tea Dance with music provided by Marvellous Mo and the Backline Ferrets. This concluded at about 8.30pm.
As you might imagine plenty of volunteers were called upon and coerced into action by head organiser Craig Broom.
Although residents of Kilndown were invited to the Goudhurst ‘do’, there were some specific happenings in Kilndown. All village children were invited by the Kilndown Gardening Club to design a poster for King Charles’ Coronation or create a crown from recycled or recyclable items. These were exhibited at the Spring Fair. The Church had an enhanced display of flowers during the Coronation weekend. On the Sunday morning (7th) the Village Hall Committee headed by Tracy Roberts invited residents of Kilndown to bring picnics to the Millennium Field to celebrate, with complimentary cream tea and drinks. The scones were donated by Caroline of Weeks Bakery. Several villagers donated wine, gin and tonics and soft drinks. The beer was donated by the Cellar Head Brewery of Flimwell.
The climax was a Village photo with everybody captured by photographer Emma Louise Ogilvey perched precariously on a ladder. On the following Monday there was a Big Help Out litter pick. 