Harrietsham

Harrietsham
Harrietsham
 Harrietsham shown within Kent
Population 2,113 (2011 Census)[1]
OS grid referenceTQ8657152803
DistrictMaidstone
Shire countyKent
RegionSouth East
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town Maidstone
Postcode district ME17
Dialling code 01622
Police Kent
Fire Kent
Ambulance South East Coast
EU Parliament South East England
List of places
UK
England
Kent

Coordinates: 51°14′35″N 0°40′23″E / 51.243°N 0.673°E / 51.243; 0.673

Harrietsham is a rural and industrial village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England noted in the Domesday Book. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, it had a population of 1,504, increasing to 2,113 at the 2011 Census.[1] The parish is in the North Downs, 7 miles (10 km) east of Maidstone and includes the settlements of Marley, Pollhill and Fairbourne.

History

Harrietsham is noted in the Domesday Book.

In mediaeval times the manor of Harrietsham passed through a succession of families, including the Adam family of Essex.[2] The manor subsequently passed from Stephen Adam to his sister Eve, wife of John Levett of Hollington, East Sussex. On Levett's death, his widow remarried Laurence Ashburnham, Gent., of Broomham, Sussex, ancestor of the Ashburnham baronets, bringing the manor of Harrietsham into the Ashburnham family.[3][4]

The village contains a number of listed buildings, the most important of which architecturally are The Old House in East Street and the Saxon Church of St John the Baptist, which are both listed Grade I. The village also includes a church dedicated to St Peter, a Roman Catholic church and several nonconformist churches.

The Olympic Torch of London 2012 travelled through Harrietsham.[5]

Geography

The village is bypassed by the A20 road between Maidstone and Ashford, although at one time all traffic passed through it. Harrietsham railway station serves the village. Both the M20 motorway and High Speed 1 pass through the parish. The large Marley works to the east of the centre detract from the rural tranquility as well as the transport corridor.[6]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Harrietsham.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/15/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.