East Kent Mercury, 11 May 1983
ELIZABETHAN GATEWAY HAS BEEN RESTORED
This Elizabethan gateway, dating from around 1590, at Northbourne Court has been restored. It was the entrance to the House built for Sir Edwyn [Edwin] Sandys, which was burnt down in 1750. The restoration has been carried out by 70-year-old Jim Bean, who has been laying bricks for more than half-a-century. He was helped by Steve Dalton, who is 19, and who first came to Northbourne Court under the Youth Opportunities Scheme. In the picture [not included] is the head gardener, Mr. John Williams, Mrs. Winnie Kidd, and Lord and Lady Northbourne. Mrs. Kidd, aged 83, lived at the Court at the beginning of the century when her parents were head gardener and cook. The task of matching the original bricks and mortar was accomplished by using handmade bricks from Bulmer Brick Company, of Suffolk.
Reproduced by permission of Kent Messenger Group, see Kent Online website for Local and County information.