Peter Hobbs of Old St Albans Court, Nonington

It is with great sadness that the Dover Archaeological Group must report the passing in March this year of one of its key members, Peter Hobbs, owner of Old St Albans Court at Nonington. Having read History at university Peter had a distinguished professional career: he was the first non-police Inspector of Constabulary, a Director of the Wellcome Foundation and Wellcome plc and of the Home Office Forensic Science Service; also Founder Chairman of the Business Forum on Disability.

After his noteworthy career, in 1995, Peter retired to the east Kent countryside with his wife Victoria. Here, they purchased the ancient manor house of Old St Albans Court at Nonington, along with some of the adjoining land. The following years saw an extensive programme to restore both the old house and its gardens.

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As the restoration work proceeded, Peter began researching the story of the manor house and its associated estate. The house had a long and interesting history. Recognising that features of historical significance were being exposed as the restoration work proceeded, Peter soon forged links with Dover Archaeological Group, eventually to become one of its leading members. Investigations at the house continued over several years, the key discovery being traces of an earlier, medieval house lying under the standing building.

Later, the Dover Group returned to investigate other areas on Peter’s estate, leading to the creation of the Easole (Nonington) Landscape Project, aimed at researching the evolution and historical development of the Nonington area. In Ruins Field the foundations of another, lost, manor house were fully excavated, less than 400 yards from Old St Albans Court. This was the manor house of Eswelle. Peter eagerly took the lead on researching the history of this second manor, soon establishing that the unusually close positioning of these two Kent manor houses reflected a common origin, the product of the subsequent division of one earlier estate.

Over the years Peter became an established figure in the east Kent archaeological community and in 2013 was invited to join the Board of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. He served as chair of the Finance and Management committee, where his business experience, combined with his enthusiasm for archaeology and his local heritage knowledge, was invaluable.

So we say good-bye to Peter, in the certain knowledge that he has laid sound foundations upon which future research will be based. Old St Albans Court itself has been carefully restored and its architectural history has been documented in great detail. Various pieces of work concerning the wide range of historical research undertaken at Nonington have been formally published, mostly within the pages of this Magazine and Archaeologia Cantiana.

We shall miss you Peter, but the work will go on...

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