Welcome to the Shepherdswell & Coldred History Society
Through this site you will be taken on a journey to our past, learning how events have shaped the people of this area and how the people have shaped the area.
History is a very fluid subject and so we will be constantly updating the information on this site as we learn more about the village and its history.
The latest initiative from the History Society is “Blast from the Past”, a monthly article that explores some aspect of village life or history.
To view the latest edition, click here.
Our next meeting
Thursday 29th May 2026
The beginnings of Shepherdswell Recreation Ground
1937-1950
On 7th January 1937, a packed meeting in St. Andrews Hall – the village hall at the time – heard the exciting news that Henry Edward Harcourt Rice had donated a ‘large plot’ of his land to the village.
It was to be a gift to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Rice stipulated that the land was to be used as ‘a Recreation Ground controlled by the Parish Council’.
Much work needed to be done to put the land in use – and plans were soon interrupted by the Second World War. But eventually, sufficient funds were raised and the ground was levelled to create the Recreation Ground we know today.
The meeting will examine documents and press cuttings and attempt to piece together the early history of the Recreation Ground.
Thursday 29th May, Shepherdswell Village Hall @ 7.30pm
Members Free. Non-Members £3
The society normally holds monthly meetings and presentations at Shepherdswell Village Hall.
Click here to view our 2026 Programme of Events, but do check this website regularly for any updates or amendments to the programme.
We look forward to seeing you throughout the year.
To download a hard copy of the programme, simply click here.
To contact the History Society, please email shepherdswellhistory@gmail.com.
If you would like to become a member or renew your membership, you can either pay on the door at the next meeting or by BACS.
Click here for our bank details.
Our thanks to Dover District Council for the support it has given to the Society over the past few years which has greatly assisted our various projects as well as our ability to share the history of the village with the whole community.
The History Society is a member of the Kent Archaeological Society.