Headcorn
Encyclopedia
Headcorn is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone
District of Kent
, England
. The parish is located on the floodplain
of the River Beult
south east of Maidstone
.
The village is eight miles (13 km) from the county town of Maidstone
, on the A274 road to Tenterden
. In addition to the parish church, there are also churches and chapels for the Methodist, Baptist
and Roman Catholic congregations.
There is a small airfield located nearby, where there is an aviation museum and a parachuting
centre. Headcorn Parachute Club
is the only skydiving club in Kent and is home to national champions and world-record holders.
Headcorn railway station
is on the South Eastern Main Line between London
and Dover
. It was opened on 31 August 1842. On 1 December the same year, the South Eastern Railway
opened the second section of its main line onward to Ashford
. By 1844, trains were running from London to Dover. The line here is the longest straight stretch of line in the United Kingdom.
There is evidence from one site in the south of the parish for a probable farmstead that dates from the prehistoric Iron Age into the early Roman period. This was discovered by fieldwork undertaken by Neil Aldridge of the Kent Archaeological Society between 1993-95. Evidence for iron smelting and a small cemetery with Roman cremations were found.
The earliest written records, are references in charters of King Wihtred and King Offa to Wick Farm, 724 AD and Little Southernden, 785 AD. Headcorn must have started in the days of the Kingdom of Kent, as a den or clearing, to which pigs were driven to feed on acorns in the Wealden Forest.
Although Headcorn does not appear in the Domesday Book
of 1086, the Domesday Monachorum (the ecclesiastical survey made at about the same time), records the existence of a church at Hedekaruna. According to the Oxford Names Companion, the name could possibly mean ‘tree-trunk (used as a footbridge) of a man called Hydeca’.
Henry of Ospringe, was appointed the first rector in 1222 by King Henry III
. However, in 1239, the King gave the den of Headcorn, with the rectorial endowments, to the Maison Dieu at Ospringe
, near Faversham
. In 1251, the Master and Brethren of Ospringe, were granted a weekly market on Thursdays and an annual fair at Headcorn on 29 June - St Peter and St Paul’s Day. In 1482 the Ospringe house was dissolved and in 1516, St John’s College Cambridge
, was given the Maison Dieu properties. The fair was later held on 12 June, having apparently been merged with the Trinity-tide fair of Moatenden Priory.
The Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives, was founded in France
in 1198. Among the first of the dozen houses it established in England, was Moatenden Priory (off Maidstone Road Headcorn), dating from 1224. In 1536, it was suppressed with the smaller houses and its revenues went to the King.
The site was partially excavated by Neil Aldridge of the Kent Archaeological Society and the site of the priory church and other structures were recorded within the garden of the present house which incorporates part of the western range of the priory .This was published in Archaeologia Cantiana for 1995.The site is surrounded by a large moat and a number of monastic fishponds also survive.
The prosperity brought to Headcorn by the weaving industry, established in the reign of King Edward III
, is reflected in the houses built at that time and the enlargement of the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul. Wat Tyler
’s rebellion in 1381 was partly due to jealousy and dislike of the prosperous clothiers. In 1450, eighty men of Headcorn took part in Jack Cade
’s rebellion and subsequently received pardons.
The remains of the Headcorn Oak are near the south door of the parish church. It was extensively damaged by fire on 25 April 1989, but continued to produce new growth until July 1993. It has been claimed that the Headcorn Oak is up to 1200 years old. However, Ian Mitchell of the Forestry Commission
, an expert on old oaks, compared his own measurements taken in 1967, with those made by Robert Furley FSA, in 1878 and estimated it to be only 500 years old.
The chancel of the present parish church, is believed to mark the site of the nave of its 11th century counterpart and the Lady Chapel that of the 12th century south isle. The 13th century saw the construction of a new nave, about half the length of the present one and possibly also a cell on the site of the vicar’s vestry, which dates from the early 15th century. The nave was completed in the 14th century and the present south isle in the early 15th. Late in the same century, the tower and south porch were built.
Kent’s Chantry was founded in the Lady Chapel in 1466, under licence from King Edward IV
. In the south isle, just outside the Lady Chapel and in the south wall, is an altar-tomb bearing the Culpeper arms, which also figure over the west door. The font dates from about 1450.
The Baptist community in Headcorn dates from around 1675, the first chapel having been at Bounty Farm in Love Lane. The present building in Station Road, was opened in 1819 and renovated and extended in 1978, following the addition of a hall in 1971.
The exact date of the first Methodist Society in Headcorn is not certain, but it built its first chapel for worship separate from the parish church in 1805. It was replaced by a second in 1854. The present building cost £800 when it was put up in 1867.
Headcorn’s Roman Catholics have had their own building since 1968, when the Church of St Thomas of Canterbury was erected in Station Road. The cedar building of 1968 has been replaced by a brick one, dedicated by Bishop John Jukes on 25 June 1990.
Eight roads converge on Headcorn and there are several old bridges. Stephen’s Bridge in Frittenden Road is said to have been built by Stephen Langton
, Archbishop of Canterbury 1207-1228. There are records from the reigns of Edward I
, Edward III
and Henry IV
, relating to the need to repair this bridge and Hawkenbury Bridge.
Before railways, the George Inn
on Borough High Street
was the hub of coach services to Kent
, Surrey
and Sussex
. At 7am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the Tenterden Coach set out on a 10 hour journey of 55 ¼ miles, passing through Headcorn. By 1838, the Tally Ho Coach had shortened the journey time, leaving London
at 1pm and reaching Headcorn at 8.15pm and Tenterden
at 9.30pm. For 130 years (until 1915) Messrs R and J Bennett ran a horse bus service between Tenterden
, Headcorn and Maidstone
. An advertisement of 1750, illustrates R Hammond’s Tenterden
, Staplehurst
, Biddenden
, Headcorn and Town Sutton
stage wagon, with a team of eight horses. It went to London
and back once a week, taking two days each way. The current train service from Headcorn to London
, takes about 1 hour.
On the 31 October 1904, the Headcorn, Sutton Valence
and Maidstone Motor Omnibus Co Ltd opened a service using steam vehicles. This was replaced about 1912 by Reliance Motor Services. Maidstone and District Motor Services
was also operating on the route by 1914 and took over Reliance two years later. Nowadays the main operator is Arriva
.
The South Eastern Railway
was opened in stages, reaching Tonbridge
in May 1842, Headcorn in August and Ashford
in December. From 1905 to 1954 the Kent and East Sussex Railway
operated between Robertsbridge
and Headcorn via Tenterden
. A proposed extension to Maidstone
was never built.
In 1940, following the evacuation from Dunkirk, many thousands of British and allied troops received their first meal in England
at Headcorn Station. Local volunteers assisted the Royal Army Service Corps in providing refreshments. 100 trains per day were halted, allowing only eight minutes for each.
The Aerodrome at Shenley Farm, first used by one aircraft in the 1920s, served as an advanced landing ground for Canadians and then Americans in World War II
. Today, as a private civil airfield and parachute centre, it also houses the Air Warfare Museum, the Air Cadets of 500 Squadron and a helicopter
company.
The 1986 list of buildings of architectural or historic interest has 88 entries for Headcorn, including the parish church (Grade I), the former old vicarage (II*) renamed Headcorn Manor about 1960, the Cloth Hall (II*) and Shakespeare House (II). Foreman’s original store with its overhang, preserved as part of the Foreman’s Centre, marks the site of the old National School, which was in existence by 1846 and replaced in 1870 by the building in Parsonage Meadow, since known as the Church School and now Longmeadow Hall. This was used only briefly as a National School, because a Board School (now part of the Headcorn Primary School) was opened in King’s Road in 1873. Longmeadow Hall is currently being restored as part of the Community Centre project.
Maidstone (borough)
Maidstone is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its administrative centre is Maidstone which is also the County town of Kent...
District 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...
, 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 is located on the floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
of the River Beult
River Beult
The River Beult is a tributary of the River Medway. It has several sources west of Ashford, including one at Woodchurch. It then flows through Headcorn. At Hunton, above Yalding it is joined by the major stream of the River Teise. Town bridge lies 10¼ miles from Allington, it is the longest...
south east of 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...
.
The village is eight miles (13 km) from the county town of 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...
, on the A274 road to Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
. In addition to the parish church, there are also churches and chapels for the Methodist, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and Roman Catholic congregations.
There is a small airfield located nearby, where there is an aviation museum and a parachuting
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
centre. Headcorn Parachute Club
Headcorn Parachute Club
Headcorn Parachute Club is a BPA affiliated parachuting centre and skydiving drop zone at Headcorn, Kent.The drop zone operates two full-time aircraft, a Cessna 208 and a Britten-Norman Islander. The centre provides student training in the static line / Ram Air Progression System, Accelerated...
is the only skydiving club in Kent and is home to national champions and world-record holders.
Headcorn railway station
Headcorn railway station
Headcorn is a railway station on the South Eastern Main Line serving the village of Headcorn in Kent. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southeastern...
is on the South Eastern Main Line between 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...
and Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
. It was opened on 31 August 1842. On 1 December the same year, the South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
opened the second section of its main line onward to Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
. By 1844, trains were running from London to Dover. The line here is the longest straight stretch of line in the United Kingdom.
History
A Neolithic polished flint axe was found in the stream near the present school in Headcorn, and a bronze palstave axehead dating from the Bronze Age reveal the presence of people in the area from early times.There is evidence from one site in the south of the parish for a probable farmstead that dates from the prehistoric Iron Age into the early Roman period. This was discovered by fieldwork undertaken by Neil Aldridge of the Kent Archaeological Society between 1993-95. Evidence for iron smelting and a small cemetery with Roman cremations were found.
The earliest written records, are references in charters of King Wihtred and King Offa to Wick Farm, 724 AD and Little Southernden, 785 AD. Headcorn must have started in the days of the Kingdom of Kent, as a den or clearing, to which pigs were driven to feed on acorns in the Wealden Forest.
Although Headcorn does not appear in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086, the Domesday Monachorum (the ecclesiastical survey made at about the same time), records the existence of a church at Hedekaruna. According to the Oxford Names Companion, the name could possibly mean ‘tree-trunk (used as a footbridge) of a man called Hydeca’.
Henry of Ospringe, was appointed the first rector in 1222 by King Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
. However, in 1239, the King gave the den of Headcorn, with the rectorial endowments, to the Maison Dieu at Ospringe
Ospringe
Ospringe is a village and civil parish in the English county of Kent. It has a population of 715. Located south of Faversham, Ospringe forms part of the Borough of Swale...
, near Faversham
Faversham
Faversham is a market town and civil parish in the Swale borough of Kent, England. The parish of Faversham grew up around an ancient sea port on Faversham Creek and was the birthplace of the explosives industry in England.-History:...
. In 1251, the Master and Brethren of Ospringe, were granted a weekly market on Thursdays and an annual fair at Headcorn on 29 June - St Peter and St Paul’s Day. In 1482 the Ospringe house was dissolved and in 1516, St John’s College Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, was given the Maison Dieu properties. The fair was later held on 12 June, having apparently been merged with the Trinity-tide fair of Moatenden Priory.
The Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives, was founded in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1198. Among the first of the dozen houses it established in England, was Moatenden Priory (off Maidstone Road Headcorn), dating from 1224. In 1536, it was suppressed with the smaller houses and its revenues went to the King.
The site was partially excavated by Neil Aldridge of the Kent Archaeological Society and the site of the priory church and other structures were recorded within the garden of the present house which incorporates part of the western range of the priory .This was published in Archaeologia Cantiana for 1995.The site is surrounded by a large moat and a number of monastic fishponds also survive.
The prosperity brought to Headcorn by the weaving industry, established in the reign of King Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
, is reflected in the houses built at that time and the enlargement of the Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul. Wat Tyler
Wat Tyler
Walter "Wat" Tyler was a leader of the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381.-Early life:Knowledge of Tyler's early life is very limited, and derives mostly through the records of his enemies. Historians believe he was born in Essex, but are not sure why he crossed the Thames Estuary to Kent...
’s rebellion in 1381 was partly due to jealousy and dislike of the prosperous clothiers. In 1450, eighty men of Headcorn took part in Jack Cade
Jack Cade
Jack Cade was the leader of a popular revolt in the 1450 Kent rebellion during the reign of King Henry VI in England. He died on the 12th July 1450 near Lewes. In response to grievances, Cade led an army of as many as 5,000 against London, causing the King to flee to Warwickshire. After taking and...
’s rebellion and subsequently received pardons.
The remains of the Headcorn Oak are near the south door of the parish church. It was extensively damaged by fire on 25 April 1989, but continued to produce new growth until July 1993. It has been claimed that the Headcorn Oak is up to 1200 years old. However, Ian Mitchell of the Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
, an expert on old oaks, compared his own measurements taken in 1967, with those made by Robert Furley FSA, in 1878 and estimated it to be only 500 years old.
The chancel of the present parish church, is believed to mark the site of the nave of its 11th century counterpart and the Lady Chapel that of the 12th century south isle. The 13th century saw the construction of a new nave, about half the length of the present one and possibly also a cell on the site of the vicar’s vestry, which dates from the early 15th century. The nave was completed in the 14th century and the present south isle in the early 15th. Late in the same century, the tower and south porch were built.
Kent’s Chantry was founded in the Lady Chapel in 1466, under licence from King Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. In the south isle, just outside the Lady Chapel and in the south wall, is an altar-tomb bearing the Culpeper arms, which also figure over the west door. The font dates from about 1450.
The Baptist community in Headcorn dates from around 1675, the first chapel having been at Bounty Farm in Love Lane. The present building in Station Road, was opened in 1819 and renovated and extended in 1978, following the addition of a hall in 1971.
The exact date of the first Methodist Society in Headcorn is not certain, but it built its first chapel for worship separate from the parish church in 1805. It was replaced by a second in 1854. The present building cost £800 when it was put up in 1867.
Headcorn’s Roman Catholics have had their own building since 1968, when the Church of St Thomas of Canterbury was erected in Station Road. The cedar building of 1968 has been replaced by a brick one, dedicated by Bishop John Jukes on 25 June 1990.
Eight roads converge on Headcorn and there are several old bridges. Stephen’s Bridge in Frittenden Road is said to have been built by Stephen Langton
Stephen Langton
Stephen Langton was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1207 and his death in 1228 and was a central figure in the dispute between King John of England and Pope Innocent III, which ultimately led to the issuing of Magna Carta in 1215...
, Archbishop of Canterbury 1207-1228. There are records from the reigns of Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
and Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
, relating to the need to repair this bridge and Hawkenbury Bridge.
Before railways, the George Inn
The George Inn, Southwark
The George, or George Inn, is a public house established in the medieval period on Borough High Street in Southwark, London. Currently owned and leased by the National Trust, it is located on the south side of the River Thames near London Bridge. It is the only surviving galleried London coaching...
on Borough High Street
Borough High Street
Borough High Street is a main street in Southwark, London running south-west from London Bridge, forming part of the A3 road, which runs from London to Portsmouth.- Overview :...
was the hub of coach services to 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...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. At 7am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the Tenterden Coach set out on a 10 hour journey of 55 ¼ miles, passing through Headcorn. By 1838, the Tally Ho Coach had shortened the journey time, leaving 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...
at 1pm and reaching Headcorn at 8.15pm and Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
at 9.30pm. For 130 years (until 1915) Messrs R and J Bennett ran a horse bus service between Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
, Headcorn and 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...
. An advertisement of 1750, illustrates R Hammond’s Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
, Staplehurst
Staplehurst
Staplehurst can mean:* Staplehurst in England* RAF Staplehurst, a World War II airfield in England* Staplehurst railway station* Staplehurst rail crash, a railway accident in 1865* Staplehurst, Nebraska, a small village in the United States...
, Biddenden
Biddenden
Biddenden is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village lies on the Weald of Kent, some five miles north of Tenterden. It was centre for Wealden iron industry and also of clothmaking. During the reign of Edward III some Flemish clothworkers settled in the area...
, Headcorn and Town Sutton
Sutton Valence
Sutton Valence is a village some five miles SE of Maidstone, Kent, England on the Greensand Ridge overlooking the Vale of Kent and Weald. One of the main landmarks in the village is , of which only the ruins of the 12th century keep remain, under the ownership of English Heritage, open any...
stage wagon, with a team of eight horses. It went to 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...
and back once a week, taking two days each way. The current train service from Headcorn to 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...
, takes about 1 hour.
On the 31 October 1904, the Headcorn, Sutton Valence
Sutton Valence
Sutton Valence is a village some five miles SE of Maidstone, Kent, England on the Greensand Ridge overlooking the Vale of Kent and Weald. One of the main landmarks in the village is , of which only the ruins of the 12th century keep remain, under the ownership of English Heritage, open any...
and Maidstone Motor Omnibus Co Ltd opened a service using steam vehicles. This was replaced about 1912 by Reliance Motor Services. Maidstone and District Motor Services
Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd
Maidstone & District Motor Services Ltd was a bus company based in Maidstone, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Mid and West Kent and East Sussex from 1911 until 1998. The company's surviving operations were absorbed into Arriva Southern Counties.-Early years:In 1908 a hired...
was also operating on the route by 1914 and took over Reliance two years later. Nowadays the main operator is Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
.
The South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
was opened in stages, reaching Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
in May 1842, Headcorn in August and Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
in December. From 1905 to 1954 the Kent and East Sussex Railway
Kent and East Sussex Railway
The Kent & East Sussex Railway refers to both an historical private railway company in Kent and Sussex in England, as well as a heritage railway currently running on part of the route of the historical company.-Historical Company:-Background:...
operated between Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge
Robertsbridge is a village in East Sussex, England within the civil parish of Salehurst and Robertsbridge. It is approximately 10 miles north of Hastings and 13 miles south-east of Tunbridge Wells...
and Headcorn via Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
. A proposed extension to 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...
was never built.
In 1940, following the evacuation from Dunkirk, many thousands of British and allied troops received their first meal in 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...
at Headcorn Station. Local volunteers assisted the Royal Army Service Corps in providing refreshments. 100 trains per day were halted, allowing only eight minutes for each.
The Aerodrome at Shenley Farm, first used by one aircraft in the 1920s, served as an advanced landing ground for Canadians and then Americans in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Today, as a private civil airfield and parachute centre, it also houses the Air Warfare Museum, the Air Cadets of 500 Squadron and a helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
company.
The 1986 list of buildings of architectural or historic interest has 88 entries for Headcorn, including the parish church (Grade I), the former old vicarage (II*) renamed Headcorn Manor about 1960, the Cloth Hall (II*) and Shakespeare House (II). Foreman’s original store with its overhang, preserved as part of the Foreman’s Centre, marks the site of the old National School, which was in existence by 1846 and replaced in 1870 by the building in Parsonage Meadow, since known as the Church School and now Longmeadow Hall. This was used only briefly as a National School, because a Board School (now part of the Headcorn Primary School) was opened in King’s Road in 1873. Longmeadow Hall is currently being restored as part of the Community Centre project.
