Ring of Remembrance

A circle of special poppies has been placed around Otford Pond to remember the 39 villagers who lost their lives in the first world war.

The Ring of Remembrance was designed and constructed by a parish councillor who made the individual commemorative poppies from up-cycled plastic bottles. Detailed research into the histories of each serviceman was made by another councillor . There are commerative plaques opposite the pond, one for each person whose life was lost.

It is quite an emotional tribute to these young men and reading about their individual lives brought home the futility of war and the sacrifice made by men as young as sixteen who had no idea of what lay ahead of them.

Otford is a lovely village at the foot of the North Downs. It has a number of mediaeval buildings, and the remains of the Bishops Palace (see extra)
where Henri V111 stayed on his way to the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1519. Currently the tower is undergoing some sort of restoration and the resident pigeons have been evicted