Woodchurch, Kent

Last updated • 4 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

There is another Woodchurch in Kent, a hamlet in the Manston civil parish within the Thanet district.
Woodchurch
Lower Mill, Woodchurch.jpg
Woodchurch Windmill
Kent UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Woodchurch
Location within Kent
Area27.95 km2 (10.79 sq mi)
Population1,903 (Civil Parish 2011) [1]
  Density 68/km2 (180/sq mi)
OS grid reference TQ945342
Civil parish
  • Woodchurch
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town ASHFORD
Postcode district TN26
Dialling code 01233
Police Kent
Fire Kent
Ambulance South East Coast
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Kent
51°04′26″N0°46′39″E / 51.0740°N 0.7774°E / 51.0740; 0.7774

Woodchurch is a Kent village, the largest civil parish in the Borough of Ashford. It is centred 6 miles (9.7 km) from the market town of Ashford and 4 miles (6 km) from the Cinque Ports town of Tenterden, in Kent, South East England.

Contents

The windmill that overlooks the village from the north commands extensive views over the Walland marshes to the English Channel coast. It is a fine example of a Kentish smock mill and was originally one of a pair of windmills standing on this site, known locally as The Twins. [2] The mill is open throughout the summer and is accessible via a footpath that passes between the village pubs.

The village is on the edge of the Weald of Kent, whilst the parish extends 6 miles (10 km) north to south and 4 miles (6 km) east to west, one of Kent's largest. Within the village are the settlements of Brattle and Townland Green. To the south-west is the flat expanse of Shirley Moor leading to Romney Marsh and the low wooded hills overlooking Appledore and the Marsh are to the south-east. The surrounding area is designated as a Kent Special Landscape Area. [3]

Institutions & village life

The village became firmly established in the 13th century with the erection of the large All Saints church made of Kentish ragstone. Although it was extensively restored in the 1840s, it still boasts a 13th-century chancel and a famous brass of the 14th century, depicting a floriated cross design. It has an unusual four-faced clock and a spire which is 18 inches (46 cm) out of the vertical at the top. [3] The church has a peal of 6 bells, with its tenor bell weighing 3/4 ton. Several of the bells were cast at the Whitechapel foundry in London. The bells are rung from an oak framed platform at the tower end. The ringing can be seen from the main church through a large glazed partition. The tower is unusual as it houses four clock faces, an expensive addition at the time of installation, allowing the clock to be seen throughout the village. Much early history of Woodchurch is described by the historian Edward Hasted in his The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. [4]

The village primary school is situated near the church and was a National school. The first building was erected in 1844 and the school has since been enlarged on four occasions, namely, in 1872, 1896, 1990 and most recently in 1998. [3] Originally the main old building was significantly smaller than today and was later extended. The main hall was added in the early nineties, under headmaster Alan Green. Temporary "mobile complexes" were added, removed and replaced with permanent structures over the years to accommodate the school's increasing roll.

The village green in the centre of the village is a focal point for the community. It is home to the village football and cricket clubs; which have use of a permanent pavilion on the greenside; as well as a modern children's playground. Alongside the green is the Village Memorial Hall and Annexe, as well as Tennis courts. Plans are currently being considered and funds raised for a replacement Hall. The Hall has a fully functional proscenium theatre space, which is home to the village's Players [5] organisation, who put on three productions every year.

The village also has a community centre on Lower Road. This centre was originally built to replace the original Scout hall on George's Hill which was dilapidated and dangerous. It is now home to Scouts, Guides and other community organisation, as well as being for hire. [6]

Woodchurch also boasts the Woodchurch Village Life Museum located on Susan's Hill and the South of England Rare Breeds Centre is located a mile out of the village on the Hamstreet road (B2067). [7]

The village also has its own Morris dancing side, Woodchurch Morris Men, who started dancing together in 1990 to perpetuate the ancient tradition and have many stands throughout the year.

Historically the village has been home to three public houses. The Bonny Cravat and Six Bells opposite the church in the main village, and The Stonebridge Inn serving the Brattle area at the other end of the village. The Bonny Cravat is a managed Shepherd Neame pub and The Six Bells is a free house. The Stonebridge Inn closed in the early 2000s and has now been demolished to make way for a large newbuild carehome.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Romney</span> Town in Kent, England

New Romney is a market town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marsh, an area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea after the harbour began to silt up. New Romney, one of the original Cinque Ports, was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now more than a mile from the sea. It is the headquarters of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Ashford</span> Non-metropolitan district and borough in England

The Borough of Ashford is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. It is named after its largest town, Ashford, where the council is based. The borough also includes the town of Tenterden and an extensive surrounding rural area including numerous villages; with an area of 580 square kilometres (220 sq mi), it is the largest district in Kent. Parts of the borough lie within the designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty of High Weald and the Kent Downs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tenterden</span> Town in Kent, England


Tenterden is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ashford in Kent, England. The 2021 census published the population of the parish to be 8,186.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonnington</span> Village in Kent, England

Bonnington is a dispersed village and civil parish on the northern edge of the Romney Marsh in Ashford District of Kent, England. The village is located eight miles (13 km) to the south of the town of Ashford on the B2067.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bearsted</span> Village in Kent, England

Bearsted is a village and civil parish with railway station in mid-Kent, England, two miles (3.2 km) east of Maidstone town centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meopham</span> Village in Kent, England

Meopham is a large linear village and civil parish in the Borough of Gravesham in north-west Kent, England, lying to the south of Gravesend. The parish covers 6.5 square miles (17 km2), and comprises two villages and two smaller settlements; it had a population of 6,795 at the 2021 census. Meopham village is sometimes described as the longest settlement in England although others such as Brinkworth which is one village make the same claim. Meopham is one of the longest linear settlements in Europe, being 7 miles (11 km) in length.

Appledore is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village centre is on the northern edge of the Romney Marsh, 12 miles (19 km) south-west of Ashford town. The northerly part of this village is Appledore Heath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willesborough</span> Human settlement in England

Willesborough is a village, now in effect a residential suburb, on the eastern side of Ashford, in the county of Kent, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wormshill</span> Village and civil parish in Kent, England

Wormshill, historically Wormsell, is a small village and civil parish within the Borough of Maidstone, Kent, England. The parish is approximately 7 miles (11 km) south of the Swale and 8 mi (13 km) east of Maidstone. The village of Frinsted lies 0.6 mi (1 km) to the east and Bicknor 1+12 mi (2.4 km) to the north-west; while Hollingbourne is 3 mi (5 km) to the south-west. The village lies on an exposed high point of the North Downs, within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethersden</span> Village in Kent, England

Bethersden is a village and civil parish in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England, 5 miles (8 km) west of the town of Ashford. Located on the main road, A28, between Tenterden and Ashford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamstreet</span> Village in Kent, England

Hamstreet is a village in Kent, in South East England.

Ruckinge is a village and civil parish in south Kent centred 5.5 miles (8.9 km) south of Ashford on the B2067 Hamstreet to Hythe road, with two settled neighbourhoods. It is, broadly defined, a narrow, fairly large rural parish of land which is about one quarter woodland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Challock</span> Village in Kent, England

Challock is a mostly wooded, large village and civil parish in the Borough of Ashford, Kent, England. The village name derives from the old English 'Cealfloca' - calf enclosure. A clear nucleus of the village is centred 8 miles (13 km) south of the port of Faversham and 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Ashford. It dates from around AD823.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egerton, Kent</span> Village in Kent, England

Egerton is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village is on the Greensand Ridge 9 miles (14.4 km) north of Ashford and stretches three miles south into a lower plain towards the West Stour. The parish is a relatively scattered rural one; the settlement of Stonebridge Green, adjacent to Egerton village centre, is also in the parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Chart</span> Human settlement in England

Great Chart is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Great Chart with Singleton, in the Ashford borough of Kent, England. The parish is split between the ancient village of Great Chart and the modern Singleton neighbourhood on the western outskirts of Ashford. The village centre of Great Chart is 2 miles (3.2 km) from the town centre. In 1961 the parish had a population of 969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hothfield</span> Human settlement in England

Hothfield is a village and civil parish in the Ashford Borough of Kent, England and is 3 miles north-west of Ashford on the A20. It is completely split in two by Hothfield Common.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadoxhurst</span> Human settlement in England

Shadoxhurst is a civil parish and a village on the remnant forest the Kent Weald, near Ashford in Kent, England between the Greensand Ridge and Romney Marsh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milton Regis</span> Human settlement in England

Milton Regis is a village in the district of Swale in Kent, England. Former names include Milton-next-Sittingbourne, Milton Royal, Middleton, Midletun and Middletune. It has a population of about 5,000. Today it is a suburb of Sittingbourne, although this has not always been the case. Until around 1800, Sittingbourne was a small hamlet and under the control of the Manor of Milton Regis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staplehurst</span> Human settlement in England

Staplehurst is a town and civil parish in the borough of Maidstone in Kent, England, 9 miles (14 km) south of the town of Maidstone and with a population of 6,003. The town lies on the route of a Roman road, which is now incorporated into the course of the A229. The name Staplehurst comes from the Old English 'stapol' meaning a 'post, pillar' and 'hyrst', as a 'wooded hill'; therefore, 'wooded-hill at a post', a possible reference to a boundary marker at the position of All Saints' church atop the hill along the road from Maidstone to Cranbrook. The parish includes the hamlet of Hawkenbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodmersham</span> Human settlement in England

Rodmersham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Swale in the north of the English county of Kent. It is just under 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Bapchild on the A2 road and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south-east of the town of Sittingbourne. Rodmersham Green, which forms the bulk of the modern village, is 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the south-west of the village church towards the Highsted Valley and Tunstall.

References

  1. Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density United Kingdom Census 2011 Office for National Statistics Retrieved 10 May 2014
  2. Woodchurch Windmill
  3. 1 2 3 Woodchurch Parish Council
  4. Edward Hasted, Parishes: Woodchurch, in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 7 (Canterbury, 1798), pp. 226-237. British History Online [accessed 18 December 2019].
  5. Woodchurch Players
  6. Scout & Guide Community Centre
  7. "Home". rarebreeds.org.uk.