Thurnham, Kent
Encyclopedia
Thurnham is a village and civil parish which lies at the foot of the North Downs
3 miles (4.8 km) north east of Maidstone
in the Borough of Maidstone
and ceremonial county of Kent
in England
. It has a population of 1,085.
There have been several archaeological finds in the area: a 7th century gold cross found in 1967; Anglo-Saxon graves in 1913; and the remains of Roman
house, excavated in 1933. The remains of Thurnham Castle
are just north of the village. Two miles further north are the fragmentary remains of Binbury Castle, a medieval fortified manor house beside a medieval motte
.
The church, a pre-Norman
building, is dedicated to St Mary.
The railway station at Bearsted
, opened on 1 Jul 1884, was originally named Bearsted and Thurnham. Residents of the village have recently joined forces with the neighbouring village of Bearsted, in voicing their objections to the proposed Kent International Gateway
development.
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...
3 miles (4.8 km) north 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...
in the Borough of Maidstone
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...
and ceremonial county 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 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...
. It has a population of 1,085.
There have been several archaeological finds in the area: a 7th century gold cross found in 1967; Anglo-Saxon graves in 1913; and the remains of Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
house, excavated in 1933. The remains of Thurnham Castle
Thurnham Castle
Thurnham Castle or Godard's Castle is situated to the north of the village of Thurnham which is 3 miles north-east of Maidstone, Kent .It is a 12th century flint-built castle constructed by Robert de Thurnham in the reign of Henry II on a hill on the edge of the North Downs...
are just north of the village. Two miles further north are the fragmentary remains of Binbury Castle, a medieval fortified manor house beside a medieval motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
.
The church, a pre-Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
building, is dedicated to St Mary.
The railway station at Bearsted
Bearsted
Bearsted is an ancient village and civil parish in mid-Kent, three miles to the east of Maidstone. The original village site was on the north bank of the River Len, a tributary of the River Medway, and at the foot of the North Downs....
, opened on 1 Jul 1884, was originally named Bearsted and Thurnham. Residents of the village have recently joined forces with the neighbouring village of Bearsted, in voicing their objections to the proposed Kent International Gateway
Kent International Gateway
The Kent International Gateway was a proposed logistics hub and strategic rail-freight interchange next to the M20 motorway east of Maidstone. The project was controversial because it was a major development in a Special Landscape Area close to several historic villages...
development.