FROM THE OLD ENGLISH (O.E.): AC; OAK & HOLT ; THICKET, MEANING AN OAK THICKET OR WOOD. BORDERED TO THE EAST BY THE HAMLET OF HOLT STREET, ANOTHER HOLT INDICATING THE AREA WAS ONCE HEAVILY WOODED. AN ANCIENT MANOR OF THE MANOR AND CHAPELLRY OF WINGHAM UNTIL THE REFORMATION BELONGING TO THE ARCHBISHOPS OF CANTERBURY, IT ONCE LAY NEAR THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE OLD PARISH OF NONINGTON BUT IS NOW IN THE PARISH OF AYLSHAM. ACOL LIES JUST THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAILWAY-LINE WHERE THE NONINGTON TO WOMENSWOLD BRIDLE WAY CROSSES THE SNOWDOWN TO AYLESHAM ROAD. AN OLD MUCH ALTERED BRICK BUILT FORMER FARM HOUSE, NOW KEEPER’S COTTAGE AND ACHOLT HOUSE, A VICTORIAN FARM HOUSE KNOWN LOCALLY AS MISERY FARM, WHICH REPLACED A MUCH OLDER FARM HOUSE ARE ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE HAMLET. OTHER BUILDINGS WERE DEMOLISHED OVER THE YEARS, THE LAST COTTAGES BETWEEN THE ROAD AND THE RAILWAY-LINE GOING IN THE 1950’S. ACOL, THE LOCAL PRONUNCIATION WITH A LONG AY AND THE T DROPPED, IS NOW USUALLY ONLY USED WHEN REFERRING TO THE HAMLET OR THE NEARBY ACOL BANK. ACHOLT, WITH A ‘FOREIGN’, TO EAST KENT, SHORT A WITH A HARD C CAME INTO GENERAL USAGE WITH THE INFLUX OF ‘NORTHERNERS’ TO AYLESHAM IN THE LATE 1920’S AND EARLY 1930’S.

THOMAS SON OF STEPHEN OF ACKHOLT HOLDS 314 ACRES OF FREELAND (COMPRISING 1/8 OF A KNIGHT’S FEE [DU BOULAY 1966, 389-90]). FOR THIS HE OWES NOTHING EXCEPT SUIT AT THE COURT OF CANTERBURY; RENT AT WINGHAM AT TWO TERMS; AND WHAT PERTAINS TO ONE FREEMAN AT SESSION OF THE HUNDRED COURT IN DEALING WITH INDICTMENTS FOR BLOODSHED, AND TO ONE SHIREMAN IN PRESENTMENTS AT THE COUNTY (COURT) AND AT HOLDINGS OF THE EYRE.

JOHN LE HERT AND THEOBALD LE HERT HOLD THIRTY ACRES, ROBERT BLAKE HOLDS 12 ½ ACRES. THOMAS SON OF JOHN BLAKE HOLDS 12 ½ ACRES, WILLIAM OF NORTH NONINGTON AND SEYENA OF ACKHOLT HOLD 6 ACRES, ½ A VIRGATE FROM THE TENEMENT OF OSBERT SMART. NICHOLAS OF OXENDEN AND GEOFFREY OF OXENDEN HOLD 4 ACRES. SIMON OF HOLESTREETE HOLDS 2 ACRES, 1 VIRGATE, AND ROGER OF HOLESTREETE 1 ½ ACRES, PHILIP THE COOPER HOLDS 2 ACRES.

THE HEIRS OF ROGER LAP HOLD ½ ACRE, ½ VIRGATE. THE HEIRS OF ROGER STORM (FROM STOURMOUTH [WALLENBERG PNK 513]) HOLD 1 ACRE, 3 VIRGATES. THE HEIRS OF ROBERT SHAMELES (PROBABLY FROM SHAMELUM, A SHAMBLES OR MARKET [ LATHAM, 421-2, SUB SCAMELLUM]) HOLD ½ ACRE. AND 2 ACRES, 3 VIRGATES ARE VACANT. OF THESE 76 ½ ACRES THERE ARE 5 ½ ACRES OF INLAND BY DIERTH, FOR THE GAVEL-LAND THERE ARE OWED 3 BOON-WORKERS, 3 STACKERS, 1 AVERAGIUM AND 1 SEAM OF MALT.

EGIDIUS OF ACKHOLT HOLDS 10 ½ ACRES AND RICHARD SHAMELES 10 ½ ACRES FROM THE LAND OF EILNOTH OF DENNE (NOW DENNE HILL, WOMENSWOLD ). FOR THESE 21 ACRES THEY PROVIDE 2 BOON-WORKERS AND 2 STACKERS, UNDERTAKE 1 AVERAGIUM AND MAKE 1 SEAM OF MALT.

THIS HAMLET CONTAINS 118 ACRES OF GAVEL-LAND AND 11 ACRES OF INLAND. THE GAVEL- LAND PROVIDES 7 BOON-WORKERS, 2 CARTS, 5 STACKERS, 3 AVERAGIA, AND 3 SEAMS OF MALT. THE INLAND AND FREELAND OWE NO SERVICE.

THEOBALD LE HERT, 1 HEN. JOHN LE HERT, 1 HEN. HENRY DABLOE & PARTNERS FROM THE TENEMENT OF SMART, 1 HEN. ROBERT BLAKE, 1 HEN. THOS. BLAKE,1 HEN. JOHN, SON OF JOHN DABLOE FROM THE TENEMENT OF RALPH OF ACHOLT,1 HEN. EGIDIUS OF ACHOLT FROM DENNESLAND, 1 HEN. SEYENE OF ACKHOLT FROM THE TENEMENT OF SEDEMAY, 1 HEN. IN TOTAL 8 HENS.

A. AKHOLTE 116 ACRES +

B. SOUTH NONYNTON 97 ACRES +.OLD PYTTE ‘SOMEWHERE BETWEEN NORTH NONYNTON FARM AND ROAD.

C. NORTH NONYNTON 355 ACRES +

D. KETHAMPTON 237 ACRES OF THE MANOR OF RATING +.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FROM A 1667 COPY OF A MARRIAGE SETTLEMENT OF 3^RD DAY OF APRIL IN THE SECOND YEAR OF CHARLES I. (1626) BETWEEN:

SIR EDWARD BOYS THE ELDER OF FFREDVILE ( THE FIRST PARTY).

SIR EDWARD BOYS THE YOUNGER OF FFREDVILE( THE SECOND PARTY), SON AND HEIR APPARENT TO THE ABOVE.

NICHOLAS MILLER OF WROTHAM (THE THIRD PARTY).

JOHN BOYS, ESQ., ELDEST SON AND HEIR OF SIR ED. BOYS THE YOUNGER OF FFREDVILE (THE FOURTH PARTY).

THE MARRIAGE WAS BETWEEN JOHN BOYS AND MARGARET, DAUGHTER OF JOHN MILLER AND THE FOLLOWING IS REGARDING THE SETTLEMENT OF PROPERTY ON JOHN BOYS.

ACHOLT FARM.

ACHOLTE FARM OCC EDWARD RIGDEN HUNDRED OF WINGHAM AND PARISH OF NON AND WOMS. HOUSE EDIFICE BLDGS ORCHARDS GDNS AND GROUND BELONGING TO THE MESSUAGE OR TENEMENT CONTG THREE ACRES

ALL THAT PARC OF PASTURE THE FFORSTALL TO SAID MESS ADJ CONTG TWOE ACRES.

ONE CLOSE OF ARABLE LAND ABUTTG UPON THE SAID PARC OF LAND CALLED THE FFORSTALL TO THE EAST TO THE OTHER LANDS BELONG TO SIR ED BOYS TO THE WEST AND SOUTH AND THE KINGS HWAY TO THE NORTH. ONE ACRE ONE ROOD.

ALL THAT CLOSE OF ARABLE LAND LANDS ABUTTG TO A CERTAIN BARNE TO THE EAST LANDS OF SIR ED BOYS SOUTH EAST AND WEST. THIRTIE TWOE ACRES TEN PERCHES.

ALL THAT PCE ECT OF WOOD AND WOODLANDS OCC SIR ED BOYS ABUTTG NORTH TO THE AFORESAID (ABOVE) THE KINGS HWAY AND THE LANDS OF JEREMIE GAYES ( OF HOLT ST FARM) GENTLEMAN TO THE SOUTH AND LANDS OF SIR ED BOYS TO THE EAST AND WEST. TWENTIE ACRES TWOE ROODS TWENTIE PERCHES.

ALL ECT OF LAND CALLED COLDMORROWS ABUTTG LANDS OF WM NETHERSOLE TO THE SOUTH JEREMIE GAYES TO THE EAST AND NORTH AND SIR ED BOYS TO THE WEST. TWENTIE ACRES.

ALL ECT OF ACHOLTE DOWNES ABUTTG TOWARDS CULSOE (CURLSWOOD) PARK TO THE WEST AND AFORESAIDE FFARME ON THE STH NTH EAST. THREE SCORE AND FOURETEENE ACRES.

LANDS WOODS AND PARCELLS OF WOODLAND OCC SIR ED BOYS ABUTTG ACHOLTE DOWNE TO THE NORTH KINGS HWAY TO THE WEST AND LANDS OF SIR ED BOYS TO THE EAST AND STH. TENNE ACRES.

ALL THAT PASTURE CALLED LEIGHFEILD ABUTTG ON AFORESAIDE WOODLAND TO THE NORTH AND EAST THE KINGS STREET TO THE WEST AND LANDS OF SIR ED BOYS TO THE EAST. TWENTIE SIXE ACRES.

THAT PARCELL OF ARABLE LAND COMMONLY CALLED WOODROOFE HILL FFIFTEEN ACRES TWOE ROODS.

ONE OTHER PARCELL OF ARABLE LAND CALLED LIGHT LANDS ABUTTG ON SAIDE WOODRUFFE HILL TO THE WEST. SEVENTEENE ACRES.

STONE REECH SEAVON ACRES TWOE ROODS ABUTTG JEREMIE GAYES TO THE NORTH THE FFORSTALL SOUTH.

1666. ACKHOLT SOLD BY JOHN BOYS OF FREDVILLE AND HIS ELDEST SON, NICHOLAS: ACKHOLT FARM AND 200 ACRES OF LAND; ARABLE AND PASTURE, AND ACKHOLT WOOD, 20 ACRES OF COPPICED WOODLAND. ALSO: 2 MESSUAGES OR TENEMENTS AND APPURTENANCES ADJOINING THE FARM.

ALSO:1 TENEMENT/MESSUAGE & BARNE, & ORCHARD & 8 ACRES OF ARABLE LAND ADJOINING ACKHOLT FARM.

ALSO: 1 OTHER TENEMENT & A HEMP PLOT.

AND ALSO ALL THAT MESSUAGE OR TENEMENT BARN STABLE FFOTHERHOUSE (THRESHING HOUSE) AND OTHER OUTHOUSES THEREUNTO BELONGING COMMONLY CALLED OR KNOWN BY THE NAME OF ACKOLT FFARM FORMERLY IN THE OCCUPATION OF WILLIAM KNOTT AND AFTERWARDS OF WILLIAM SELDEN THEIR OR ONE OF THEIR UNDERTENANTS OR ASSIGNS THEIR AND EVERYONE OF THEIR APPURTENENCES AND ALL AND SINGULAR HOUSES EDIFICES BUILDINGS ORCHARDS GARDENS AND GROVES TO THE SAID LAST MENTIONED MESSUAGE OR TENEMENT BELONGING CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION THREE ACRES MORE OR LESS.

AND ALL THAT PARCEL OF PASTURE LAND CALLED THE FFORSTALL T THE SAID LAST MENTIONED MESSUAGE OR TENEMENT ADJOINING CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION TWO ACRES BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS.

AND ONE CLOSE OF ARABLE LAND ABUTTING UPON THE SAID PIECE OF LAND CALLED THE FFORSTALL TOWARDS THE EAST AND TO OTHER LANDS THEREUNTO BELONGING TOWARDS THE WEST AND NORTH AND TO THE KINGS HIGHWAY THERE TOWARDS THE SOUTH CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION ONE ACRE AND TWO ROODS MORE OR LESS.

AND ALL THAT CLOSE OF ARABLE LAND ABUTTING TO THE KINGS HIGHWAY TOWARDS THE NORTH CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION ONE ACRE AND ONE ROOD.

AND ALL THAT CLOSE OF ARABLE LAND ABUTTING UPON THE SAID MESSUAGE OR TENEMENT TOWARDS THE NORTH AND CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION THIRTY-TWO ACRES AND TEN PERCHES BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS.

AND ALL THAT ONE PIECE OR PARCEL OF WOOD OR WOODLAND CALLED ACKHOLT WOOD FORMERLY IN THE TENURE OR OCCUPATION OF JOHN BOYS AND AFTERWARDS JOHN PETLEY ABUTTING TOWARDS THE NORTH UPON THE SAID PIECE OF LAND LAST MENTIONED AND TO THE KINGS HIGHWAY AND TO LANDS FORMERLY OF JEREMY GAY, GENTLEMAN, AND LATE OF (HOLT STREET FARM) TOWARDS THE SOUTH CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION TWENTY ACRES TWO ROODS AND TWENTY PERCHES BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS.

AND ALL THAT PIECE OF LAND CALLED COLD MORROW CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION TWENTY ACRES BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS ABUTTING TO THE LAND FORMERLY OF JOHN NETHERSOLE TOWARDS THE SOUTH AND TO THE LANDS HERETOFORE OF THE SAID JEREMY GAY TOWARDS THE EAST AND NORTH.

AND ALL THAT CLOSE OR PARCEL OF LAND CALLED ACKHOLT DOWN CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION SEVENTY FOUR ACRES BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS WITH THE APPURTAINENCES ABUTTING TOWARDS CULSO PARK (CURLSWOOD PARK) ON THE WEST PART AND TO THE RESIDUE OF THE LANDS BELONGING TO THE SAID FFARM ON THE SOUTH NORTH AND EAST PART.

ALL OF WHICH MESSUAGE OR TENEMENT FFARMS CLOSE LAND TENEMENTS HEREDITAMENTS LAST MENTIONED NOW ARE OR LATE WERE IN THE TENURE OR OCCUPATION OF THOMAS HOBDAY HIS UNDERTENANTS OR ASSIGNS AT OR UNDER THE YEARLY RENT OF FFORTY EIGHT POUNDS FOUR SHILLINGS.

AND ALL THAT PASTURE CLOSE CALLED LEIGHFIELD ABUTTING UPON A PARCEL OF WOODLAND FORMERLY IN THE OCCUPATION OF JOHN BOYS GENTLEMAN TOWARDS THE NORTH AND EAST TO THE KINGS STREET THERE TOWARDS THE WEST AND OTHER LANDS OF THE SAID JOHN BOYS TOWARDS THE EAST CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION TWENTY SIX ACRES BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS.

AND ALSO ALL THAT PARCEL OF ARABLE LAND COMMONLY CALLED WOODROFE HILL CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION FIFTEEN ACRES AND TWO ROODS BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS WITH THE APPURTAINENCES AND OTHER PARCEL OF ARABLE LAND COMMONLY CALLED LIGHTLANDS ABUTTING UPON THE SAID WOODROFE HILL TOWARDS THE WEST CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION SEVENTEEN ACRES BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS.

AND ALL THAT PARCEL OF ARABLE LAND COMMONLY CALLED STONE REECH (ROOCH) CONTAINING BY ESTIMATION SEVEN ACRES AND TWO ROODS BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS ABUTTING UPON THE LANDS FORMERLY OF THE SAID JEREMY GAY TOWARDS THE NORTH AND TO THE FFORSTALL TOWARDS THE SOUTH.

AND ALL THAT MESSUAGE OR TENEMENT WITH A BARN AND ORCHARD AND EIGHT ACRES OF ARABLE LAND BE THE SAME MORE OR LESS THEREUNTO BELONGING FORMERLY IN THE OCCUPATION OF JOHN MORRIS AND AFTERWARDS OF JOHN REEVE AND ADJOINING THE SAID FFARM CALLED ACKHOLT FFARM.

AND ALSO ONE OTHER TENEMENT WITH HEMP PLOT THEREUNTO BELONGING FORMERLY IN THE OCCUPATION OF RICHARD WICKHAM AND AFTERWARDS WILLIAM SELDON OR HIS UNDERTENENTS.

ALL THE ABOVE BEING IN THE PARISHE OF NUNNINGTON AND WYMLINGSWOULD

1763 ACKHOLT ESTATE PURCHASED BY SIR BROOKE BRIDGES OF GOODENESTONE.

TENANTS: EDWARD RIGDEN, NICHOLAS LADD, YEOMAN, THOMAS BRIRE, WILLIAM SELDON, YEOMAN.

THE PRESENT KEEPERS COTTAGE WAS A SEPARATE SMALL HOLDING UNTIL THE 1830’S WHEN IT WAS SOLD TO THE BRIDGES FAMILY OF GOODNESTONE.

ACKHOLT WAS A LATE ENFEOFFMENT OF A ‘GAVEL-KIND’ KNIGHT.