© www.dover-kent.co.uk 2024
Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom
River
Early History 
There have been people living in this area for many years, as
archaeological remains show. Flint tools dating from c.2000 BC
have been found, in Lousyberry Wood are the remains of three
Bronze Age bowl barrows (1800-550 BC), and there have also
been Roman finds in the area. The written history of River is a
little more sketchy. The Domesday Monarchorum, a survey of
Saxon churches prepared just after the Norman Conquest, lists
the nearby village of Aewellan (Temple Ewell) as having two
churches. It seems likely that River and Ewell were listed
together, and the presence of a church would suggest a Saxon
settlement.
River Church
The first concrete evidence of the church at River comes from a
manuscript dating from 1208, in which King John granted the
church of St Peter the Apostle at Ryveris (River) to the Abbot of
St Radigund's Abbey. The dedication of the church has been
changed a number of times, first to the dual dedication of St
Peter and St Paul, the name of St Paul later being dropped only
to be reinstated again in 1876. Little is known of the original
church, records form 1665-6 show that the building had
deteriorated and had partially fallen down and was no longer fit
for services. It was repaired during the 1680s.
By the early 19th century the old church had become too small
for the growing parish and enlargement was first suggested in
1822. The original idea did not get off the ground but the
subject was raised again 1829, and this time found favour. Work
began in 1831, the old church was demolished and the new one
built on the same site. The new church was consecrated in
September 1833. It was restored in 1876, when an apsidal
chancel was added. In the 1990s the church was further
enlarged and the old church hall replaced.
Nineteenth Century Expansion
During the 19th century the village began to attract some of the
wealthier citizens of Dover who wanted to live outside the town.
With the arrival of the London Chatham and Dover Railway in
1861 and the opening of Kearsney Station, the way was cleared
for early commuters.
The village continued to expand from its old centre until it
included the adjacent areas of Crabble and Kearsney. In 1903
the greater part of the parish was absorbed into the Borough of
Dover, and in 1905 the Corporation Tramway was extended to a
terminus at Minnis Lane.
Corn Mills in River
There is some evidence of corn milling being carried out in the
village as early as 1227, although the location of the mills is by
no means certain. A document dating from 1472 refers to the
leasing of two mills in River. Kearsney Mill in the grounds of
Kearsney Manor was probably built on the foundations of the
mills referred to in 1472. Another mill was built in the mid 19th
century near to Kearsney Abbey, which used the branch of the
Dour which flows in from the Alkham Valley. River Paper Mill
was a substantial corn mill in the mid 17th century. The present
Crabble Corn Mill is known to stand on the site of at least two
earlier structures.
Crabble Paper Mill
The first mention of this mill is in the Universal British Directory
of 1791 which describes it as "lately erected", this was
confirmed during modernisation work which uncovered a
keystone inscribed 1788. In 1895 the mill was taken over by
Wiggins Teape & Co, the owners of Buckland Paper Mill.
Damaged by a shell during World War 2, the mill was repaired
but after the war was only used as a storage depot. It has now
been developed for residential purposes with loft-style
apartments in the old mill buildings.
River Paper Mill
This mill, which stood at the bottom of Minnis Lane, below the
church, is first mentioned as a paper mill in a sale document of
1689. The mill continued in operation until it was finally closed
down and scrapped in 1918. The river Dour now flows through
the ruins of the old mill, making a picturesque entrance to
Kearsney Abbey from Minnis Lane.
Brick-making
As Dover and the surrounding villages began to expand at the
beginning of the 19th Century, the need for bricks increased,
this need prompted the start of the brick industry in the village.
The earliest reference to brick making comes from the parish
registers, which list occupations in the baptism and marriage
entries. Philip Awles is identified as a brick maker in 1814. The
last references from the same source are William Brockman and
John Lawerence, both listed as brick makers in 1903. The
brickfields have now been totally levelled and houses stand
where clay was dug and bricks were fired, this was in what is
now the Lewisham Road area.
River Today
The village has expanded well beyond its original centre and
now forms one continuous built-up area with Dover. In the
1930s what had been the old tram track, running across open
fields to the village, was developed with new housing and
became Lewisham Road. Since the Second World War expansion
has continued apace with large new housing developments
stretching up the hills from Lewisham Road.
There have been people living in this area for many years, as
archaeological remains show. Flint tools dating from c.2000 BC
have been found, in Lousyberry Wood are the remains of three
Bronze Age bowl barrows (1800-550 BC), and there have also
been Roman finds in the area. The written history of River is a
little more sketchy. The Domesday Monarchorum, a survey of
Saxon churches prepared just after the Norman Conquest, lists
the nearby village of Aewellan (Temple Ewell) as having two
churches. It seems likely that River and Ewell were listed
together, and the presence of a church would suggest a Saxon
settlement.
River Church
The first concrete evidence of the church at River comes from a
manuscript dating from 1208, in which King John granted the
church of St Peter the Apostle at Ryveris (River) to the Abbot of
St Radigund's Abbey. The dedication of the church has been
changed a number of times, first to the dual dedication of St
Peter and St Paul, the name of St Paul later being dropped only
to be reinstated again in 1876. Little is known of the original
church, records form 1665-6 show that the building had
deteriorated and had partially fallen down and was no longer fit
for services. It was repaired during the 1680s.
By the early 19th century the old church had become too small
for the growing parish and enlargement was first suggested in
1822. The original idea did not get off the ground but the
subject was raised again 1829, and this time found favour. Work
began in 1831, the old church was demolished and the new one
built on the same site. The new church was consecrated in
September 1833. It was restored in 1876, when an apsidal
chancel was added. In the 1990s the church was further
enlarged and the old church hall replaced.
Nineteenth Century Expansion
During the 19th century the village began to attract some of the
wealthier citizens of Dover who wanted to live outside the town.
With the arrival of the London Chatham and Dover Railway in
1861 and the opening of Kearsney Station, the way was cleared
for early commuters.
The village continued to expand from its old centre until it
included the adjacent areas of Crabble and Kearsney. In 1903
the greater part of the parish was absorbed into the Borough of
Dover, and in 1905 the Corporation Tramway was extended to a
terminus at Minnis Lane.
Corn Mills in River
There is some evidence of corn milling being carried out in the
village as early as 1227, although the location of the mills is by
no means certain. A document dating from 1472 refers to the
leasing of two mills in River. Kearsney Mill in the grounds of
Kearsney Manor was probably built on the foundations of the
mills referred to in 1472. Another mill was built in the mid 19th
century near to Kearsney Abbey, which used the branch of the
Dour which flows in from the Alkham Valley. River Paper Mill
was a substantial corn mill in the mid 17th century. The present
Crabble Corn Mill is known to stand on the site of at least two
earlier structures.
Crabble Paper Mill
The first mention of this mill is in the Universal British Directory
of 1791 which describes it as "lately erected", this was
confirmed during modernisation work which uncovered a
keystone inscribed 1788. In 1895 the mill was taken over by
Wiggins Teape & Co, the owners of Buckland Paper Mill.
Damaged by a shell during World War 2, the mill was repaired
but after the war was only used as a storage depot. It has now
been developed for residential purposes with loft-style
apartments in the old mill buildings.
River Paper Mill
This mill, which stood at the bottom of Minnis Lane, below the
church, is first mentioned as a paper mill in a sale document of
1689. The mill continued in operation until it was finally closed
down and scrapped in 1918. The river Dour now flows through
the ruins of the old mill, making a picturesque entrance to
Kearsney Abbey from Minnis Lane.
Brick-making
As Dover and the surrounding villages began to expand at the
beginning of the 19th Century, the need for bricks increased,
this need prompted the start of the brick industry in the village.
The earliest reference to brick making comes from the parish
registers, which list occupations in the baptism and marriage
entries. Philip Awles is identified as a brick maker in 1814. The
last references from the same source are William Brockman and
John Lawerence, both listed as brick makers in 1903. The
brickfields have now been totally levelled and houses stand
where clay was dug and bricks were fired, this was in what is
now the Lewisham Road area.
River Today
The village has expanded well beyond its original centre and
now forms one continuous built-up area with Dover. In the
1930s what had been the old tram track, running across open
fields to the village, was developed with new housing and
became Lewisham Road. Since the Second World War expansion
has continued apace with large new housing developments
stretching up the hills from Lewisham Road.
