The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Cowden
This parish, wholly within the Weald, lies at the confines of this county, adjoining to Sussex southward, from which it is parted by a stream of the Medway, which comes from one of its four principal heads, which rises at Gravely-hill in that county, whence directing its course eastward along the southern bounds of this parish, it joins the principal stream of it at Penshurst
The parish of Cowden is but little known, being situated in a deep soil of clay, very wet and miry. The village, having the church on the east side, stands on a rise, though at a small distance only from the river, which here forms an elbow round the south side of it, where it turns a corn-mill; close to the river about a mile from hence is the Moat farm, and about half a mile westward that now called the Wood, both described hereafter, and at a small distance from the latter is Cowden-furnace. A small quantity of land, and two houses in this parish, were in Kilburne's time, reputed to lie within the hundred of Axstane, but more probably in that of Ruxley, as being perhaps a small part of the borough of Linkhill, parcel of that hundred. A fair is held here on the feast of St. Mary Magdalen, now on the second of August, for cattle and pedlary ware.
extract from Hasted's History of Kent published in 1797

Parish & other records Before
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2018Births7503322318017135545246233916
969Christenings7493221348015225126738335
186Marriages8145682129382471556
100Deaths151423181721145441
117Burials151423171831154745
 
Books and other documents
Published Title, author and references
1766The History of Tunbridge Wells by Thomas Benge Burr ⇒ p. 167
1797The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent - Volume III by Edward Hastedp. 203
1797The Tunbridge Wells Guide by J. Sprange ⇒ p. 147
1814An Historical, Topographical and Descriptive Account of the Weald of Kent by T. D. W. Dearnp. 70
1839Directory of Kent, Surrey & Sussex ⇒ entry
1840New Guide for Tunbridge Wells by John Colbran and edited by James Phippen ⇒ p. 383
1858Cowden and its Neighborhood by Robert Willis Blencowe ⇒ p. 111
1868Ancient Parochial Account Book of Cowden by The Rev. Edward Turner, M.A.p. 91
1874A History of The Weald of Kent with an outline of the History of the County to the present time, Volume II by Robert Furley, F.S.A.p. 12; p. 13; p. 27; p. 487; p. 577; p. 578; p. 579; p. 707; p. 838
1882Richard Tichbourne's House of Crippenden, in Cowden by Rev. W.A. Scott Robertson ⇒ p. 153
1882Kelly's Directory of Kent by E. R. Kelly, M.A., F.S.S. ⇒ entry
1895Cowden Church by J. Oldrid Scott, F.S.A. & Granville Leveson-Gower, F.S.A.p. 81
1895The Rectory of Cowden by Leland L. Duncan ⇒ p. 87
1895Notes on Three Ancient Houses in the Parish of Cowden by Granville Leveson-Gower, F.S.A.p. 103
1926Cowden - The Records of a Wealden Parish by Guy Ewing ⇒ Book p. 1
2010Extracts from the Maidstone Journal (1786-1851) relating to Edenbridge, Hever, Chiddingstone, Westerham, Brasted and Hever by Lionel ColeJournal

Pictures 

Cowden Church - 1808

Cowden Church Interior - c 1880

Bazing Farm - 1895

Waystrode Farm - 1895

Waystrode - c 1900

Cowden - 1905

Cowden Station - 1920
 

Claydene - 1920
 

Places and properties in Cowden - a directory of homes, farms, churches, schools, inns, and other places of interest that existed prior to 1900 has been compiled from Post Office directories, Kelly's directories, Trade directories, Census data, Ordnance survey maps and books of the period
Churches, Inns,
Schools, Shops
and other places of interest
Bricklayers Arms
Cow Lane, Horshoe Green
Crown Inn, High Street
Fountain Inn, High Street
Furnace Mill
Kent Water Hill
Kent Water Mill
Queens Arms, Cowden Pound
Rectory, High Street
School House
St. Mary Magdalene
Vicarage, Horshoe Green
Victoria Arms, Horshoe Green
 
Roads and Streets
Cowden Pound
Hethen Street
High Street
Horshoe Green
North Street
Spode Lane
Swan Lane
 
Homes and Farms
A-L
Albion Terrace, High Street
Alms House, North Street
Bassets Farm
Bazing [a.k.a. Barden, Baysing] Farm
Bazing Cottages
Beechenwood Farm
Bowlinlands Cottages
Buckhurst Cottages
Chantrills [a.k.a. Chantlers], North Street
Claydene Cottage, Spode Lane
Claydene House, Spode Lane
Clays House
Cole Allens
Crippenden House
Cross Cottage
Cross Farm, North Street
Curds Cottage
Edells, Hethen Street
Ely Land
Falconhurst, Hethen Street
Fountain House, High Street
Furnace Farm [a.k.a. Woolcombs]
Gilridge Farm, Spode Lane
Glovers House
Gottice Hill House
Green Farm
Grove Cottage
Henmans
Hole Cottage
Horshoe Green Farm, Horshoe Green
Kent Water Cottage
Kentish Horse
Lambert Cottage
Landfield Cottage
Leverox Hill Farm
Ludwells Farm
 
Homes and Farms
M-Z
Mapletreuse House
Medway Cottage, High Street
Moat [a.k.a. Cosins] Farm
Oak Dene
Old Mill
Old Mill Cottage
Paris House, High Street
Pile Gate [a.k.a. Pyle Gate] Farm
Polefield House, Spode Lane
Polegate Cottage
Pond Tail House
Priors [a.k.a. Priory]
Rick Wood Cottage
Scarlets [a.k.a. Scarletts] Farm
Shoebridges
South Land
Stick Hill Cottage
Stride Wood
Town Mead Cottage, North Street
Waystrode Farm [a.k.a. Wood Farm]
Wickens Farm

The Weald is at  Database version 14.05 which has ongoing updates to the 395,000 people; 9,000 places; 613 maps; 3,308 pictures, engravings and photographs; and 248 books loaded in the previous version

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