Would you like history with your chips?

In 2002, a Birchington newsletter gave a wonderfully ordinary landmark for Neames Barns: the fish-and-chip shop on Margate Road. Behind that name was a much bigger farm.

The Heritage Trust follows the Neames through nearby cottages and Evergreen House, later The Smugglers. Iron letters W.N. on the farmhouse are read as William Neame. In the 1840 tithe survey, Edward was at Ivy Cottages and his father James at Evergreen.

By 1929, farmland was being sold for houses. The farmhouse was sold the following year. The village grew over the farm, but left enough names and initials to keep us looking.