Westerham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Westerham |
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 A view across Westerham Green |
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 Westerham
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| Population | 4,498 (2021) |
| OS grid reference | TQ445545 |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WESTERHAM |
| Postcode district | TN16 |
| Dialling code | 01959 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Westerham is a town and civil parish in Kent, England. It is located near the borders of Greater London and Surrey. The town is about 3.4 miles east of Oxted and 6 miles west of Sevenoaks.
Westerham has a long history, first mentioned in the 9th century. It appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Oistreham. The name "Westerham" means "westerly homestead" in Old English. The River Darent flows through the town. It used to power three watermills. In 2021, the town had a population of 4,498 people.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: Westerham's History
The area around Westerham has been settled for thousands of years. People have found ancient Celtic forts from around 2000 BC. There are also signs of a Roman road and a Roman camp nearby.
The Tower and Old Buildings
A tower south of the town, at the top of Tower Woods, dates back to the 18th century. It was built by the owners of Squerryes Court. They made it as a folly, which is a building built just for fun or decoration. Their children used it for amusement.
Early Rulers and Market Days
The land, or manor, of Westerham was first managed by Godwin, Earl of Wessex. Later, his son Harold Godwinson, the last Saxon King of England, took over. After the Norman Conquest, Eustace II of Boulogne became the first Norman lord.
In 1227, King Henry III gave Westerham a special permission called a market charter. This made the village an important place for buying and selling cattle in Kent. This tradition continued until 1961.
St Mary's Church and Its Secrets
St Mary's Church is believed to be from the 13th century. It was changed a lot during the Victorian times. In 1503, John Frith, a Protestant who died for his beliefs, was born in Westerham.
The church has a unique display: the only known royal arms of King Edward VI (who ruled from 1547 to 1553). It shows a lion and a dragon. A Latin phrase next to it says: "VIVAT REX CURAT LEX," meaning "Long live the King, custodian of the law."
Famous People from Westerham
James Wolfe was born in Westerham in 1727. He was born during a big storm at what is now called the Old Vicarage. He lived in Quebec House. Many streets and buildings in Westerham are named after him. St Mary's Church has the font where he was baptised and a special window in his memory. The town square has statues of both Wolfe and Churchill.
Alice Liddell, who inspired Lewis Carroll's famous book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, lived in Westerham for a short time. She rented a place called 'The Breaches'. When she became very ill, she stayed with her sister in Westerham. A memorial service was held for her at St Mary's Church when she died at age 82.
Record producer Brian Higgins now lives in the Old Vicarage. His team, Xenomania, created hit songs for many artists like Girls Aloud and Kylie Minogue.
BBC Children's TV founders Freda Lingstrom and Maria Bird also lived in Westerham. They named their company Westerham Arts. This company created popular shows like The Woodentops, Andy Pandy, and the Flower Pot Men.
In 1967, John Lennon of The Beatles visited nearby Knole Park. He stopped at an antique shop in Westerham. He bought a poster that later inspired the song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"
Churches in Westerham
Besides the main parish church, St Mary's, there is also a chapel linked to the Congregational Federation. A Roman Catholic church, St John the Baptist's, opened in 1955.
Westerham's Economy and Businesses
Westerham used to have the Black Eagle Brewery. It closed in 1965. However, the Yeast from this old brewery was saved. Now, the modern Westerham Brewery, started in 2004, uses that yeast. They make different kinds of ales, including Westerham British Bulldog.
From the 1960s to the 1980s, Westerham was home to Crayford Engineering. This company was known for converting cars. They worked from a workshop at Squerryes Mede.
Chartwell: Winston Churchill's Home
In 1922, Winston Churchill, a famous British politician, bought Chartwell Manor. This house is on the edge of Westerham. It was his home for the rest of his life, except when he was living in London. Today, the National Trust looks after Chartwell.
There is a statue of Sir Winston Churchill on the village green in Westerham. It was made by Oscar Nemon. The base of the statue is made of stone from Yugoslavia, given by Marshal Josip Broz Tito.
Getting Around Westerham
By Train
The closest train station to Westerham is Oxted station. It is about 4 miles away.
By Bus
Westerham has several bus routes. London Buses route 246 connects to Bromley. Go-Coach routes 1 and 401, and Metrobus routes 236, 594, and 595 connect to places like Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Oxted, and East Grinstead.
By Road
Westerham is located south of the M25 motorway. The A25 road goes west towards Oxted and Guildford. It goes east towards Sevenoaks. The A233 road goes north to Biggin Hill and Bromley. The B2026 road goes south to Edenbridge.
Media and Local News
Because Westerham is close to London, it receives TV signals from the Crystal Palace TV transmitter. This means it is in the BBC London and ITV London areas. You can also get BBC South East and ITV Meridian from the Bluebell Hill TV transmitter.
Local radio stations include BBC Radio Kent (96.7 FM), Heart South (103.1 FM), and KMFM West Kent (96.2 FM).
The town has local newspapers like Westerham County Border News and the Sevenoaks Chronicle.
Sports and Activities in Westerham
Westerham has several sports clubs. Westerham Cricket Club started in 1831. It stopped playing in 2004 but started again in 2019. They now play their home matches at Valence Park.
Sir Winston Churchill Boxing Club is located at the Royal Standard Public House.
Westerham also has a football team, Westerham Football Club, founded in 1888. Westerham Junior Football Club offers football for kids aged 5-18. Both clubs play at King George V Playing Field.
There are two ladies' netball teams in Westerham. They play in the Tunbridge Wells League. Westerham also hosts a weekly parkrun on the Squerryes Estate.
Images for kids
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View of Westerham, Kent around 1831
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View of the Church, 1922
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View of the Town, 1922
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Church of St Mary the Virgin
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See also
In Spanish: Westerham para niños
