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Crime, ever the staple of local newspapers was to the fore this year, including a despicable arson attack on the thatched RC Church in Stack Lane. However on a more positive note the remorseful robber of the Cherry Trees off licence gave himself up after 2 years, when he wasn't suspected by the police. And at the end of the year came the very sad news of the death of a six year old girl from cancer.

Road safety was in the news with the beginnings of the campaign by Helen Smith of Larksfield, that would eventually achieve the school crossing in Ash Road. There was also warnings about road safety on one particular blind corner.

Hartley welcomed the new butcher's shop at Hartley Bottom Farm, and the Gravesend Reporter helped a Carmelite Way pensioner to get her money back from a defective settee.

Date	Paper/Journalist	Page	Details
8.1.1998	Gravesend Reporter	3	Dogs are hunted for sheep killing Three dogs kill 10 sheep and injure 30 more at Valley Farm, Meopham, run by Roy Glover of Hartley Bottom Farm.
8.1.1998	Gravesend Reporter	7	Burglary At Springcroft between 5.30pm last Sunday and 2.35am on Monday
15.1.1998	Gravesend Reporter	4	Planning Permission Application for indoor swimming pool at Forest House, Manor Drive approved. Hartley Parish Council and 3 others had objected, but Sevenoaks Council said it was well designed and would not harm neighbour amenity.
22.1.1998	Gravesend Reporter	9	Anger over boundary proposals Sevenoaks Council proposals for reorganisation of parish boundaries. They propose merging Fawkham and Hartley parishes, and ward changes in Ash parish which would be renamed "New Ash Green" parish. They point out that there are 623 voters to one councillor in New Ash Green and only 99 in Ash. Proposals heavily criticised by Fawkham councillor Ron Bailey.
29.1.1998	Gravesend Reporter	Prop 1	Hartley Estates Carmelite Way: 3 bed det bungalow for £165,000 Dickens Close: 4 bed det house for £155,000
12.2.1998	Gravesend Reporter	3	Commuters shocked by body parts at station Longfield station reopened too soon after death of Robert Davies on 29 January. Inquest to be held
12.2.1998	Gravesend Reporter	2	Numbers do not mean a thing in parish councils Chairman of Ash parish council writes to defend current electoral arrangements. He said "everyone should beware of politicians of any persuasion suggesting boundary changes".
12.2.1998	Gravesend Reporter	5	Crime report Case of indecent exposure by man near Axton Chase School in Longfield
12.3.1998	Gravesend Reporter	9	Crime report Bogus caller foiled at Rogers Wood Lane, Fawkham, when asked for his id.
26.3.1998	Gravesend Reporter	4	London Marathon Michael Thredgle of Downs Valley to run in London Marathon for Cancer Research Campaign. Picture of him and his daughter Charlotte (5).
2.4.1998	Gravesend Reporter	7	Have your say on new Pool Sevenoaks Council are conducting a survey into proposals to build a swimming pool in the New Ash Green area. Public meetings held in NAG & Hartley.
6.4.1998	Gravesend Reporter (Olga English)	13	Shop plea for farm in jeopardy Application for new butcher's shop at Hartley Bottom Farm refused by officers at Sevenoaks, but approved by councillors. Roy Glover says that closure of butchers in New Ash Green, has meant he's lost 80% of his market for meat. While farm income has dropped by 40-50%, due to falling producer prices. The price he receives for milk, for example, has fallen from 25p to 17p a litre.
23.4.1998	Gravesend Reporter	5	Crime report Home of 84 year old man in Church Road ransacked by thieves who kicked in the back door.
30.4.1998	Gravesend Reporter	11	Pensioner angry as £2,000 sofa breaks Carmelite Way resident's sofa broke 1 year and 6 days after purchase. Told she wasn't covered by warranty she contacted Trading Standards who told her the store was liable.
30.4.1998	Gravesend Reporter	11	Police warning Complaints of sgressive door to door salesmen travelling in a white van.
7.5.1998	Gravesend Reporter	5	Inquest Death by misadventure recorded on Denise Fitch (52) of Farm Holt, New Ash Green
7.5.1998	Gravesend Reporter	5	New Ash Green Primary School Picture of May Day funfair.
7.5.1998	Gravesend Reporter	9	Accident Man cut from car after collision in Station Road, Longfield
7.5.1998	Gravesend Reporter	11	Off to China Victoria Makin (23) of Longfield is going to China to help build Project Hope Primary Schools.
15.5.1998	Gravesend Reporter	Prop 8	Property Market Gorsewood Road - 4/5 bed detached house with swimming pool and ¼ acre garden - £265,000
21.5.1998	Gravesend Reporter	2	Sofa Carmelite Way pensioner writes to thank journalist Suzanne Murphy for her help, saving the trauma of the small claims court.
21.5.1998	Gravesend Reporter	3	Vandalism 6 windows smashed at New Ash Green primary school
28.5.1998	Gravesend Reporter	7	Resident calls bend death trap Resident claims "it is only a matter of time before someone is killed at the bend which is located near the junction of 'Quaker Road'". He said it is a blind corner and he has seen 4 accidents there in the last year. KCC promised an anti-skid surface would be put in place soon. He thinks embankment should be cut away so people can see what's coming.
11.6.1998	Gravesend Reporter	4	Petition calls for crossing Helen Smith of Larksfield presents petition for a pedestrian crossing. It has support of Hartley and Sevenoaks but there are claims KCC does not.
11.6.1998	Gravesend Reporter	5	Elderly woman died after falling at home Verdict of accidental death recorded on Patricia Witt of Springcroft (70), who fell down stairs.
11.6.1998	Gravesend Reporter	7	Beechcroft Farm, Ash Enforcement notice served by Sevenoaks Council over barn built there.
18.6.1998	Gravesend Reporter	13	Wedding Picture of wedding of Kevin McLaughlin of Yiewsley to Michelle Chantry of Church Road, at Fawkham.
25.6.1998	Gravesend Reporter	3	Glovers' Farm Shop Sevenoaks Council have now given approval for the butcher's shop, but it will need to be confirmed by Department of Environment.
25.6.1998	Gravesend Reporter	Prop 19	Properties for Sale by McConnells Beechlands Close - 2 bed semi-det - £125,000 Chantry Avenue? - 4 bed det house - £280,000
2.7.1998	Gravesend Reporter	16	Ash Fete Picture
9.7.1998	Gravesend Reporter	Prop 19	Properties for sale by Walker Croft & Jarvis Wickhams Way - 4 bed det house - £225,000 in 23.7.98 advert reduced to oiro £215,000
23.7.1998	Gravesend Reporter	Prop 10	Properties for sale by Levens Fox Dickens Close - 4 bed det house - £169,950
30.7.1998	Gravesend Reporter	6	Arson attack on RC Church Arson suspected in fire at St Francis de Sales Church. Alarm raised by passing taxi driver at 3am on Sunday.
6.8.1998	Gravesend Reporter	16	Properties for sale by Walker Croft & Jarvis Church Road (Maycroft) - 4 bed det - £179,950 Dickens Close - 3 bed det house - £149,950
8.10.1998	Gravesend Reporter		Ray's allies in rail fight Ray Barber won best kept station for Longfield in 1995, but Connex spent the £1,000 prize money elsewhere. However they have now promised that sum would be spent in "the near future" on improvements to Longfield including a flower planting scheme.
8.10.1998	Gravesend Reporter		Economy hits our farmers Roy Glover reports that falling demand from Russia for sheepskins have led to a fall in price from £10 to £1 each. While NFU say lamb prices have fallen 36% over a year
8.10.1998	Dartford Times		Properties for sale by Hartley Estates Merton Avenue - 3 bed semi - £89,950
22.10.1998	Dartford Times		Village Buses are back Thanks to government money the evening and Sunday buses on routes 423 and 10 (now 489) to Hartley are restored.
22.10.1998	Dartford Times		Hartley Scouts Mamouth Jumble Sale Advert
28.10.1998 29.10.1998	Gravesend Messenger Dartford Times	1,3 3	The amazing little girl nobody will ever forget Brave Charlotte loses cancer battle "Courageous youngster Charlotte Thredgle lost her battle with cancer last Thursday, just days after spending a dream holiday in Disneyland Paris with her family". (biography and pictures including one with TV star and supporter Cheryl Baker)
28.10.1998	Gravesend Messenger (Howard McMahon)		Parish Council New parish clerk Julie Hoad starts work. Noticeboards to be renovated following vandalism
28.10.1998	Gravesend Reporter		Village is in a mess Writer supports "landlord John's" battle against the village association, which must be "the most expensive village in Britain". They've lived there 18 years and still doesn't know what the Village Association does for them.
12.11.1998	Dartford Times		Armed robbery at village bank Hold up at Barclays Bank, Longfield (pictured)
26.11.1998	Dartford Times		Confession two years after crime Remorseful robber spared jail for hold up at Unwins Off Licence in Hartley in 1996, because he came forward 2 years later when he was not even suspected.
24.12.1998	Dartford Times		Meat direct from the farm Ben Gill president of the NFU opens new shop at Hartley Bottom Farm (picture)