Charing
Encyclopedia
Charing is a small village and civil parish in the Ashford District
of Kent
, in south-east England
. The parish population is 2,750 (Hobbs Parker web site, 2000); it includes the settlement of Charing Heath.
It is situated at the foot of the North Downs
. The Pilgrims' Way
and the M20 motorway
both cross the parish, whilst Charing railway station
is located on the line railway line between London Victoria and Ashford International via Maidstone
. Services are operated by Southeastern, with one train in each direction throughout the day, and an much enhanced service during the morning and evening peak periods.
word cerring, which means a bend in the road, or it may be from Ceorra-ingas, which is Anglo-Saxon, meaning people of Ceorra. The village is sited on the Pilgrims' Way
from London
to Canterbury
, and is one day's walk from Canterbury
. There are a number of old manors located around the village, such as Newlands (now a horse stud) and Pett Place. The village had a market recorded in 1285, and a fair recorded in the fifteenth century.
St Peter & St Paul Church, the parish church of Charing, is situated next to the remains of the Archbishop's Palace, just off the High Street. The church's west tower was built in the 14th century, though most of the rest of the building was reconstructed following a catastrophic fire in the 16th century. The church contains a number of memorials to the Dering family, a branch of the Dering family
of Surrenden Dering, Pluckley
, Kent
.
s on the Upper Great Stour
and two windmill
s.
Watermills
Windmills.
, which lies by the church and was an ancient possession of the Archbishop
of Canterbury. The palace was an important building in the diocese
of Canterbury, and counted amongst its guests King Henry VIII
. It has been a farmhouse for the last 300 years. In 2004, the palace was an unsuccessful contestant in the BBC
television programme Restoration, where a number of potential restoration projects throughout the UK competed for funds. The church is said to contain the stone on which John the Baptist
was beheaded.
and comedian
, (aka Vic Reeves
) lives in the village.
Primary School; a library; a doctors' surgery and a number of traditional shops. The village has just one main pub, 'The Oak', which in addition to the traditional bar also offers very pleasant 4* accommodation and restaurant facilities open 7 days a week. 'The Swan' on the outskirts of the main village also provides restaurant facilities, and a very pleasant traditional Kentish Tea Room is available on the main High Street. The village is still surrounded by farmland, but it also boasts good transport links provided by the A20 London to Dover road, and direct train services to Ashford International and London Victoria via Maidstone East. Housing development since the 1960s has also led to the area becoming a popular commuter village for people employed in London
. The village has a strong community life, and the inhabitants organise regular community and charity events and fairs. There is a recently revived Youth Club
and cricket
team using new sports facilities. The addition of a set of skate-board ramps is just a start. A Community Warden, a recent addition to many rural areas of Kent, is having the effect of connecting an active Parish Council to the young of the area. This connection, it is hoped, will grow and improve the facilies that are made available to the young, and that in turn will bring the community closer together, as the Parish grows, with new housing developments, and increased nearby industry.
As of the 2001 UK census, the Charing electoral ward had a population of 2,284. The ethnicity was 98% white, 0.7% mixed race, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% black and 0.4% other. The place of birth of residents was 95.7% United Kingdom, 0.5% Republic of Ireland, 1.2% other Western European countries, and 2.6% elsewhere. Religion was recorded as 77.4% Christian, 0.3% Buddhist, 0% Hindu, 0% Sikh and 0.2% Jewish, 0.4% Muslim. 12.6% were recorded as having no religion, 0.2% had an alternative religion and 8.8% did not state their religion.
The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 32% in full-time employment, 11.9% in part-time employment, 14.3% self-employed, 2.2% unemployed, 1.9% students with jobs, 2.1% students without jobs, 20.5% retired, 7.1% looking after home or family, 4.6% permanently sick or disabled and 3.5% economically inactive for other reasons. The industry of employment of residents was 17.8% retail, 12.9% manufacturing, 8.2% construction, 14.7% real estate, 10.2% health and social work, 7.4% education, 5% transport and communications, 4.1% public administration, 5.1% hotels and restaurants, 4.4% finance, 4.4% agriculture and 5.8% other.
Compared with national figures, the ward had a relatively high proportion of workers in agriculture and construction. There were a relatively low proportion in public administration, transport and communications. Of the ward's residents aged 16–74, 18.4% had a higher education
qualification or the equivalent, compared with 19.9% nationwide.
Ashford (borough)
Ashford is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. Its council is based in the town of Ashford.The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Tenterden with Ashford urban district, and the East Ashford, West Ashford and Tenterden Rural Districts...
of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, in south-east England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The parish population is 2,750 (Hobbs Parker web site, 2000); it includes the settlement of Charing Heath.
It is situated at the foot of the North Downs
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs...
. The Pilgrims' Way
Pilgrims' Way
The Pilgrims' Way is the historic route supposed to have been taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in Kent...
and the M20 motorway
M20 motorway
The M20 is a motorway in Kent, England. It runs from the M25 motorway to Folkestone, providing a link to the Channel Tunnel and the ports at Dover. It is long...
both cross the parish, whilst Charing railway station
Charing railway station
Charing railway station serves Charing in Kent. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southeastern. The station was opened on 1 July 1884, as part of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway extension to Ashford of the 1874 line to Maidstone, which itself was a branch off the LCDR's...
is located on the line railway line between London Victoria and Ashford International via Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
. Services are operated by Southeastern, with one train in each direction throughout the day, and an much enhanced service during the morning and evening peak periods.
History
The name Charing first appears in 799 as Ciorrincg. The name probably comes from the Anglo-SaxonOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
word cerring, which means a bend in the road, or it may be from Ceorra-ingas, which is Anglo-Saxon, meaning people of Ceorra. The village is sited on the Pilgrims' Way
Pilgrims' Way
The Pilgrims' Way is the historic route supposed to have been taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in Kent...
from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, and is one day's walk from Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. There are a number of old manors located around the village, such as Newlands (now a horse stud) and Pett Place. The village had a market recorded in 1285, and a fair recorded in the fifteenth century.
St Peter & St Paul Church, the parish church of Charing, is situated next to the remains of the Archbishop's Palace, just off the High Street. The church's west tower was built in the 14th century, though most of the rest of the building was reconstructed following a catastrophic fire in the 16th century. The church contains a number of memorials to the Dering family, a branch of the Dering family
Dering Baronets
There has been one creation of baronets with the surname Dering. It became extinct on the death of the 12th Baronet Rupert Anthony Yea Dering who died on 16 March 1975.-Dering of Surrenden Dering, Kent :Created in the Baronetage of England...
of Surrenden Dering, Pluckley
Pluckley
Pluckley is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, United Kingdom. It is located close to the North Downs, and is approximately 5 miles west of Ashford...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
Mills
Charing has had four mills over the centuries, serving the needs of the villagers. There were two watermillWatermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
s on the Upper Great Stour
Stour watermills
Man has used the River Stour for centuries as a source of power. Many different processes were performed by the use of water power:- Corn milling, fulling, paper making and electricity generation...
and two windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
s.
Watermills
- Burnt Mill, a corn mill working until the 1950s, now derelict.
- Field Mill, a corn mill, the building of which survives retaining its waterwheel.
Windmills.
- Charing MillCharing WindmillCharing Windmill is a Grade II listed house converted smock mill on Charing Hill in Kent in southeast England. It is sometimes known as Field Mill, but that name was also used by a watermill in Charing.-History:...
, also known as Field Mill on the Downs above the village is a smock millSmock millThe smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind...
which was built in the early nineteenth century and last worked in 1891. It stands today as a house conversion.
- Charing Heath Mill was a smock mill that was demolished c.1878. Millers include William Missing in 1845 and Robert Millgate 1862 - 1878
Places of interest
Its most famous building is the Archbishop's PalaceArchbishop's Palace, Charing
Archbishop's Palace, Charing an important heritage site first mentioned in the Domesday Book as land held by the Archbishop of Canterbury at 'Meddestane', was redeveloped as a palace in 1348...
, which lies by the church and was an ancient possession of the Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Canterbury. The palace was an important building in the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Canterbury, and counted amongst its guests King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. It has been a farmhouse for the last 300 years. In 2004, the palace was an unsuccessful contestant in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television programme Restoration, where a number of potential restoration projects throughout the UK competed for funds. The church is said to contain the stone on which John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
was beheaded.
Notable residents (past & present)
Jim Moir, actorActor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, (aka Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
) lives in the village.
Village life
The village has a Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Primary School; a library; a doctors' surgery and a number of traditional shops. The village has just one main pub, 'The Oak', which in addition to the traditional bar also offers very pleasant 4* accommodation and restaurant facilities open 7 days a week. 'The Swan' on the outskirts of the main village also provides restaurant facilities, and a very pleasant traditional Kentish Tea Room is available on the main High Street. The village is still surrounded by farmland, but it also boasts good transport links provided by the A20 London to Dover road, and direct train services to Ashford International and London Victoria via Maidstone East. Housing development since the 1960s has also led to the area becoming a popular commuter village for people employed in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The village has a strong community life, and the inhabitants organise regular community and charity events and fairs. There is a recently revived Youth Club
Youth club
A youth club or youth social club is a place where young people can meet and enjoy activities such as football, soccer, basketball, table tennis, or video games, and other religious, sports activities are frequently sponsored by a community center....
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
team using new sports facilities. The addition of a set of skate-board ramps is just a start. A Community Warden, a recent addition to many rural areas of Kent, is having the effect of connecting an active Parish Council to the young of the area. This connection, it is hoped, will grow and improve the facilies that are made available to the young, and that in turn will bring the community closer together, as the Parish grows, with new housing developments, and increased nearby industry.
Demography
| Charing compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census | Charing | Ashford district | England |
| Population | 2,284 | 102,661 | 49,138,831 |
| Foreign born | 4.3% | 5.5% | 9.2% |
| White | 98% | 97.6% | 90.9% |
| Asian | 0.6% | 0.9% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| Christian | 77.4% | 76.5% | 71.7% |
| Muslim | 0.4% | 0.6% | 3.1% |
| Hindu | 0% | 0.3% | 1.1% |
| No religion | 12.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| Unemployed | 2.2% | 2.4% | 3.3% |
| Retired | 20.5% | 13.8% | 13.5% |
As of the 2001 UK census, the Charing electoral ward had a population of 2,284. The ethnicity was 98% white, 0.7% mixed race, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% black and 0.4% other. The place of birth of residents was 95.7% United Kingdom, 0.5% Republic of Ireland, 1.2% other Western European countries, and 2.6% elsewhere. Religion was recorded as 77.4% Christian, 0.3% Buddhist, 0% Hindu, 0% Sikh and 0.2% Jewish, 0.4% Muslim. 12.6% were recorded as having no religion, 0.2% had an alternative religion and 8.8% did not state their religion.
The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 32% in full-time employment, 11.9% in part-time employment, 14.3% self-employed, 2.2% unemployed, 1.9% students with jobs, 2.1% students without jobs, 20.5% retired, 7.1% looking after home or family, 4.6% permanently sick or disabled and 3.5% economically inactive for other reasons. The industry of employment of residents was 17.8% retail, 12.9% manufacturing, 8.2% construction, 14.7% real estate, 10.2% health and social work, 7.4% education, 5% transport and communications, 4.1% public administration, 5.1% hotels and restaurants, 4.4% finance, 4.4% agriculture and 5.8% other.
Compared with national figures, the ward had a relatively high proportion of workers in agriculture and construction. There were a relatively low proportion in public administration, transport and communications. Of the ward's residents aged 16–74, 18.4% had a higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
qualification or the equivalent, compared with 19.9% nationwide.
External links
- Charing village web site
- The Oak, Charing, web site
- Description of the Archbishop's Palace, The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. CIII, Part II, 1833
- {http://www.charingguild.com/ Charing Guild Of Players' website