Teston Facts for Kids

For other uses, see Teston (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Teston
Teston Bridge
Teston
Population	637 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference	TQ705534
District	Maidstone
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Maidstone
Postcode district	ME18
Dialling code	01622

Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast

EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Maidstone and The Weald
List of places UK England Kent 51°15′18″N 0°26′24″E / 51.255°N 0.44°E / 51.255; 0.44

Teston is a small village in Kent, England. It's about four miles (6.4 km) from the town of Maidstone. A cool old stone bridge crosses the River Medway right here.

History of Teston Village
Village Life and Activities
- Local Amenities
- Sports and Cricket History
The River Medway
- Teston Lock and River Travel
- Teston Country Park
Teston in Media
See also

History of Teston Village

Barham Court: A Historic Home

Barham Court is a large, historic house in Teston. It has been changed into offices and apartments today. Long ago, it was home to Randall Fitz Urse. He was one of the knights involved in the death of Thomas Becket in 1170. The house later belonged to the de Berham family, who became known as the Barhams. Then, the Boteler (or Butler) family lived there. They supported the King during the English Civil War.

A Place for Change: Fighting Slavery

Barham Court is famous for being a key place in the fight against slavery in Britain. In the 1780s, a young man named Thomas Clarkson decided to dedicate his life to ending slavery here. Also, William Wilberforce agreed to bring the issue to the House of Commons (part of the British Parliament) for the first time. In 1789, a writer named Hannah More called Teston the "Runnymeade of the negroes." This meant it was a very important place for freedom, like Runnymede where the Magna Carta was signed.

The Church and an Anti-Slavery Hero

The village church is called St Peter and St Paul. Inside, there is a special plaque for a former vicar (priest), the Reverend James Ramsay. He was the priest for Teston and Nettlestead from 1781 until he passed away in 1789. Ramsay was friends with important people like Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, William Pitt the Younger, and William Wilberforce. He worked with them to end slavery.

James Ramsay had worked as a surgeon on a ship in the West Indies. He later became a priest and served on the island of St Christopher (now St Kitts). There, he saw how enslaved people were treated. He then lived briefly with the Middleton family at Barham Court. Charles Middleton later gave him the job as priest in Teston and Nettlestead.

Village Life and Activities

Local Amenities

Teston has a nice village green, a shop that also serves as a Post Office, a Village Hall, and a Farm Shop. These places are important for the community.

Sports and Cricket History

Cricket has a special place in Teston's history. In the mid-1800s, Thomas Martin started making cricket balls above the post office. Later, Alfred Reader took over and grew the business. The current factory, where cricket balls are still made, was built in 1927. The workers at the Reader factory even formed their own small trade union. It was called the Teston Independent Society of Cricket Ball Makers. It was one of the smallest unions in the country!

Cricket has been played at Barham Court since 1896. The local club has two teams. The Sunday Team plays in the Kent Village League, representing the village.

The River Medway

Teston Lock and Weir.

The River Medway flows through Teston. At Teston Bridge, the river is about 5.41 meters above sea level. The bridge is very old, from the Middle Ages. It was made wider in 1749 for river boats.

Teston Lock and River Travel

The lock at Teston was first built in the 1740s. Locks help boats move up and down rivers where the water level changes. Fourteen locks were built to make the Medway river easy to travel on from Maidstone to Tonbridge. This helped transport iron products from the Weald area. The lock you see today was built in 1911. It can handle boats up to 24.5 meters long and 5.6 meters wide.

Teston Country Park

Near Teston Bridge, there is a lovely country park. It's a 12-hectare (about 30-acre) meadow. People can go fishing there with a day ticket. There's also a path along the riverbank. This path is part of the Maidstone Millennium River Park and the Medway Valley Walk. It's a great place for a stroll!