Cobtree Manor Park

Forstal Road, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7AE

A small country park at the foot of the North Downs near Aylesford. A great place for a quiet walk or a picnic. Created in the 1970s on the site of the former Maidstone Zoo (closed 1959), including adjacent woodland and orchard. The park was designed by the Hilliers of Winchester and planted up with over 600 species and varieties of trees and shrubs. Most of those are to be found in the area of the park known as the Parkland Garden, or the Arboretum and entered through a pair of Commemorative Gates. Mature speciments of Eucalyptus, Paulownia, Catalpa and other exotic trees, as well as many types of oak, beech, hornbeam etc. can be found here.

Next to the Parkland Garden, nature lovers will appreciate the Woodland area with mature oak and ash trees, an understorey of hazel and bluebells and anemones carpeting the woodland floor in spring.

Many remnants of the past can be found in the park. There is a cattle shelter and a sheep wash, as well as old fruit trees from the times when this was a part of an agricultural estate. The restored Elephant House and a small pond is all that remains of the zoo.

For events at Cobtree please visit the Parks events page

Facilities:

Free parking - height restriction 1.9 metres
Cobtree Cabin snack bar - open daily until 3.00pm.
Picnic tables
Public Toilets
Waymarked walking routes with the park
Access to a bridleway
The park is part of the larger Cobtree Manor Estate

For more information visit the Cobtree Park website.

Cobtree Manor Estate

The Maidstone Borough Council is the Corporate Trustee to the Registered Charity known as "Cobtree Manor Estate". The Charity is registered with the Charity Commission under registration number 283617.

The objects of the Charity are:

"To hold Cobtree Manor Estate for the benefit of the inhabitants of Maidstone and other members of the general public in one or other or all of the following ways:

By maintaining the Cobtree Manor Estate as an open space as defined by the Open Spaces Act 1906 and if the lessees think fit providing thereat facilities for organised games and other sports".
With the consent of …[Cobtree Charity Trust Limited and Kent County Council]… in such other way for the benefit of the inhabitants of Maidstone and other members of the general public as the Council shall from time to time think appropriate."

Background

The Cobtree Manor Estate comprises a number of land parcels including the Cobtree Manor Park, a substantial part of the Cobtree Manor Park Golf course, and various plots and buildings in the immediate vicinity.

The Estate, which can be found off the Forstal Road and Sandling Road, Sandling was originally owned by the late Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake. Sir Garrard has the rare distinction of having been the Mayor of Maidstone on 12 separate occasions. He was also a generous local benefactor to the town and its people. Following his death on 24 October 1964 the freehold title to his estate was vested in a Trust which he had created to benefit local charitable groups; the Cobtree Charity Trust Limited.

However, Sir Garrard's Will contained a number of conflicting codicils which required an extended period of negotiation to resolve between the interested parties. The final agreement resulted in the Cobtree Charity Trust Limited retaining the freehold interest in the Estate, whilst creating a lease in favour of the Maidstone Borough Council for a term of 999 years commencing 13 July 1971.

The Maidstone Borough Council, acting as the corporate trustee to a charity, is required to manage and administer the Estate in accordance with the charitable trusts set out in the Lease. It is the sole body responsible for complying with the objects of the charity.

The affairs of the Charity are kept separate from those of the Borough Council acting as the local authority. The affairs of the Charity are administered by a Sub-Committee of the Cabinet, and a separate external auditor is appointed to validate the preparation of the charity's annual report and accounts which have to be sent to the Charity Commission. Further information can be obtained about the Committee and its decisions by following the link below:

Cobtree Manor Estate Committee.

The Committee meets periodically throughout the calendar year to fulfil the responsibilities of the Council, and it has contracted a Cobtree Officer to oversee the implementation of the decisions it reaches.

Further information may be obtained from brianlatimer@maidstone.gov.uk .

Park Ranger

A Park Ranger was appointed in May 2009 to provide a greater on-site presence and to seek to bring about improvements in the standards of grounds maintenance. The Ranger will also seek to encourage a greater participation of the public in looking after the facilities, and to become engaged in undertaking some practical tasks.

For further information please contact 07870 988128.

Cobtree Manor Golf Course

The Cobtree Manor Park Golf Course was first opened in August 1984 as a par 69, 18-hole golf course and quickly became a success. To remain competitive, as other courses have opened in the immediate area, so Cobtree has had to adapt to ensure that it continues to offer a quality experience for the pay and play market.

Part of the land required to layout the golf course was purchased by the Maidstone Borough Council, and the local authority thus continues to retain a direct interest in the success of this facility.

Major changes to the original design were required in 1995 when a substantial remodelling of the course took place as the result of the additional land take required by the Ministry of Transport to facilitate modifications to junction 6, and road widening, of the M20 motorway.

The charity, in particular, benefits enormously from the revenue generated by the golf course, and this will be used to fund the future enhancements proposed for the Cobtree Rural Park. Continued investment in the golf course, however, remains a priority for the Charity in partnership with its newly appointed (January 2009) management contractor.

Although there is a resident golf club at Cobtree, its members receive no additional benefits beyond a number of pre-arranged tee times which allow the club to run various competitions. Players do not need to become a member of the club. Regular players wishing to register for a handicap do need to be a member of a registered club, and that was one of the principal reasons for the club's original existence.