Westerham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Westerham | |
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| Population | 5,000 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| District | Sevenoaks |
| Shire county | Kent |
| Region | South East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WESTERHAM |
| Postcode district | TN16 |
| Dial code | 01959 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | Sevenoaks |
| European Parliament | South East England |
| List of places: UK • England • Kent | |
Westerham is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. The parish is located below the North Downs, west of Sevenoaks town. It covers 5800 acres (2320ha) and has a population of approximately 5000 persons.
Westerham is a scenic village which is now almost a town. It lies about ten miles west of Sevenoaks in Kent, England. It has been recorded at least as early as the ninth century and was mentioned in the Domesday Book in a Norman form, Oistreham (compare Ouistreham in Normandy). Ham is an Old English word meaning a village or homestead, and so Westerham is literally a westerly homestead.
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[edit] History
There is much evidence that the area around Westerham has been settled for thousands of years: finds such as a Celtic fortification (c 2000 BC) and a Roman road are close by. The manor was originally run by Godwin, Earl of Kent and later by his son Harold the last Saxon King of England. The first Norman lord of Westerham was Eustace II of Boulogne
By 1227 Henry III granted Westerham a market charter, making the new village a major player in the buying and selling of cattle in Kent, a tradition that survived right up to 1961 when the last cattle market was held. Over the centuries new families moved into the village, including the Warde family, who have lived at Squerryes Court since 1731. The Wardes still live there today: and their home is a tourist attraction.
General James Wolfe was born here, and there is a statue to him in the main square of the village: many streets and buildings are also named after him.
St Mary's church is thought to date from the 13th century, although much altered in Victorian times.
Other points of interest around Westerham include the ruined remains of a medieval watchtower, which can be be found south of the town at the summit of Tower Woods, and just past which also lie the remains of a Roman encampment.
For no altogether clear reason, Westerham has a range of restaurants and cafes out of all proportion to its size.
[edit] Chartwell
In 1922 Winston Churchill MP purchased Chartwell Manor on the outskirts of Westerham, which, apart from the time he spent at 10 Downing Street, was his home for the rest of his life. Chartwell is now administered by the National Trust.
There is a statue of Sir Winston Churchill on the village green at Westerham. It was executed by Oscar Nemon and stands on a base of Yugoslavian stone, the gift of Marshal Tito.
[edit] Communications
Both the M25 motorway and the A25 road run through the parish.
The South Eastern Railway opened the 4.25 mile branch line from Dunton Green to Westerham station on 7 July 1881; all services were withdrawn from the branch on 30 October 1961. The trackbed of the railway is to a large extent beneath the line of the M25 which runs to the north of the village.
[edit] Gallery
 Westerham village green. |
 Another view of Westerham village green, showing the statue of General Wolfe. |
 St Mary's church. |
 The Churchill statue. |
[edit] External links
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The town of Sevenoaks in Kent, South East England with the surrounding suburbs, villages, towns and parishes: |
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Ash • Ash-cum-Ridley • Bough Beech • Brasted • Brasted Chart • Chartwell • Chevening • Chiddingstone • Chiddingstone Causeway • Chipstead • Cowden • Crockenhill • Crockham Hill • Dunton Green • Edenbridge • Eynsford • Farningham • Fawkham • Fawkham Green • Fordcombe • Four Elms • Halstead • Hartley • Hever • Hextable • Hodsoll Street • Horton Kirby • Horton Kirby and South Darenth • Ide Hill • Kemsing • Knockholt • Leigh • Markbeech • Marsh Green • New Ash Green • Otford • Penshurst • Ridley • Riverhead • Seal • Sevenoaks Weald • Shoreham • South Darenth • Sundridge • Sundridge with Ide Hill • Swanley • Swanley Village • Toys Hill • Underriver • Westerham • West Kingsdown |
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| The district of Sevenoaks List of places in Kent |
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