Westerham is a 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. Ham is an Old English word meaning a village or homestead, and so Westerham is literally a westerly homestead.
History
There is much evidence that the area around Westerham has been settled for thousands of years: inds 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.
By 1227 Henry III granted Westerham a market charter, making the now village a major player in the buying and selling 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 Ward family, who have lived at Squerryes Court since 1731. The Wards 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.
Chartwell
In 1922 Winston Churchill MP purchased Chartwell Manor on the outskirts of Westerham, which was his home for the rest of his life. Chartwell is now in the hands of the National Trust.
Railway
The South Eastern Railway opened the 4.25 mile branch line from Dunton Green to Westerham on 7 July 1881; all services were withdrawn from the branch on 30 October 1961.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 motorway which runs to the north of the village.
External links
Last updated: 05-21-2005 04:56:27
