Local builder Samuel Jerrard built Oaklands in 1868 under the
superintendence of a well-known architect for its owner Terrick Williams,
who was already living in Lewisham Park.
The 8 bedroom villa was set in large grounds starting from the middle
of Chiddingstone House to about two thirds of St. Mauritius House. The
grounds stretched all the way back to what are now garages at the rear of
Chiddingstone House.
The property was put on the market in 1883, details of the property
can be found in a Dyer, Son & Hilton catalogue of the time.
The house was built on concrete, the walls were unusually thick.
On the upper floor were 4 bedrooms, 1 of which measured 25 feet by
14 feet 6 inches.
The first floor principal bedroom measured 20ft. 9ins.
by 16ft. 3ins. There was also a dressing room, bathroom and 3 other good
bedrooms. The ground floor had a porch, vestibule, cloakroom &
lavatory, hall, 20ft long dining room, 30ft by 16ft 10ins. drawing room
connecting to a 20ft high conservatory. There was also a 17ft 6ins. by
11ft breakfast room., and butler's pantry.
The basement consisted of a room the size of the drawing room, used at the
time for lumber. A large kitchen, scullery, larder, binned wined cellar and
coal cellar. Bells were worked by electricity. Water was supplied by 2
wells and the Kent Water Company.
The house was in grounds of one acre with a lawn for tennis plus summer
house and vinery 51 feet in length with 22 vines. Also there was a forcing
house, cucumber house and range of pits 35 feet long, all heated by hot
water pipes. Add to the above a potting shed and fowl house.
In addition there was an half acre walled kitchen garden with an
abundance of fruit trees,
The property was described as, "offering unusual attractions to
any gentleman who, like the owner, enjoys the recreation of amateur
horticulture."
The price of £3,000 did not include the kitchen garden. Both house and
kitchen were offered at auction. The kitchen garden was sold and in 1884
two detached houses Sunnyside and South View were built. It would
seem the house was not sold until 1896 when William Cox is shown as living
at Oaklands.
The leasehold of Oaklands was offered to the Council in 1961 for
£1,500. The council saw this as an opportunity to provide housing by
combining this site with Linden Villa (number 63). 1962 saw the
council decide to develop 20 masionettes (Chidingstone House) and both houses were demolished
in the mid sixties.
