Lenham

In 850, Æthelwulf, King of Wessex, granted Ealhhere, ealdorman of Kent, a large estate of forty hides at Lenham.{{cite encyclopedia |first=Janet L.|last = Nelson| publisher = Oxford University Press |location=Oxford, UK| encyclopedia= Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | title=Æthelwulf (d. 858), king of the West Saxons | year = 2004 | url =http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/8921?docPos=1| access-date= 8 March 2015|doi= 10.1093/ref:odnb/39264 | url-access= subscription}} {{ODNBsub}}{{cite web|work=The Electronic Sawyer: Online Catalogue of Anglo-Saxon Charters |publisher=King's College London |location=London, UK|title=Charter S 300|url =https://esawyer.lib.cam.ac.uk/charter/300.html }}

Mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, Lenham market dates back to 1088, when the village was an important crossroad settlement. The manor of Lenham belonged to St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury, until the dissolution of the monasteries when it reverted to the Crown. Queen Elizabeth I awarded the manor to her chief courtier, William Cecil, Lord Burleigh. It then passed through ownership of the Wilford, Montagu, Hamilton and Best families.{{cite web |last1=Bristow |first1=W. |title=Parishes: Lenham Pages 415-445 The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 5. Originally published by W Bristow, Canterbury, 1798. |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol5/pp415-445 |website=British History Online |access-date=16 August 2020}}

Technically the fact that Lenham is allowed a market, makes it a town but the community have always desired to maintain its village status.

The High Street has a number of listed buildings.{{cite web|title=Listed Buildings in Lenham, Kent, England|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/kent/lenham|publisher=British Listed Buildings}}

Mary Honywood was born in Lenham. When she died in Essex at the age of 93, she had 367 living descendants.

The Pilgrims' Way/North Downs Way passes along the downland ridge to the north of Lenham.{{Cite web |title=Walking Detling to Lenham |url=https://northdownsway.org/walking/detling-to-lenham/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=The North Downs Way |language=en-GB}} Between this ridge and the village lies a {{convert|200|ft|0|adj=mid}} chalk cross carved into the scarp slope. First constructed in 1922, to remember those who fell in the Great War, and fully restored in 1994, the Lenham Cross now commemorates the dead of both world wars. To avoid its use as a navigation aid by the Luftwaffe, the cross was filled in between 1939 and May 1945.

On 27 August 1950, Lenham, along with the village of Harvel, was one of the signal relay points (between Calais and London) of the first-ever live television pictures from the continent.

In 2020, Co-op staff member, Jo Bate, won Sales Assistant of the Year for her excellent service during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|last=Fortune|first=Aidan|date=2020-09-29|title=The Convenience Awards 2020 winners to be revealed this evening|url=https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/convenience/the-convenience-awards-2020-winners-to-be-revealed-this-evening/648847.article|access-date=2021-01-26|website=The Grocer}}

The parish church of St Mary was rebuilt in the 14th century after fire had destroyed its predecessor.{{cite web|title=Lenham - St. Mary's Church|url=http://www.kentresources.co.uk/lenham-sm1.htm|publisher=Kent Resources|access-date=18 February 2011|year=2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319230603/http://www.kentresources.co.uk/lenham-sm1.htm|archive-date=19 March 2012}} It and the nearby Tithe Barn are Grade I listed buildings.{{NHLE |num=1086103 |desc=Church of St Mary |accessdate=16 October 2011}}{{NHLE |num=1116543 |desc=Barn circa 40 yards North West of Court Lodge |accessdate=16 October 2011}} From 1876 to his death in 1903, the vicar of the church was Charles Nepean,{{cite web|title=Rev. C. E. B. Nepean|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/227830.html|work=Obituaries in 1903|date=30 November 2005 |publisher=Wisden|access-date=18 February 2011}} who played for Oxford University A.F.C. in the 1874 FA Cup Final.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Association Challenge Cup |date=16 March 1874 |page=5 |issue=27951 |column=E}} Nepean also played cricket for Middlesex.{{cite web|title=Charles Edward Burroughs Nepean|url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Middlesex/Players/31/31684/31684.html|work=Middlesex cricketers |publisher= Cricket Archive |access-date=18 February 2011}}

There is a primary school, Lenham Primary and a secondary school, The Lenham School, at Lenham. A pair of cottages in Lenham had to be demolished to make way for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (Maidstone Line). They were dismantled and re-erected at the Museum of Kent Life, Sandling.

A local kit car firm GKD Sports Cars has its workshop based in Lenham and its main base in Boughton Monchelsea.

Also in Lenham is a pharmacy, famous as the discovery site of a sixth-century Saxon warrior’s body and weapons. The village has a website dedicated to recording the village's cultural heritage.{{cite web|url=http://www.heritagelenham.co.uk|title=Heritage Lenham|access-date=4 July 2022}} Lenham Meadows Trust works to protect open spaces in the area.{{cite web|url=https://www.lenhammeadowstrust.org/|title=Lenham Meadows Trust|access-date=4 July 2022}} The church is supported by the Friends of St Mary's.{{cite web|url=https://friendsofstmaryslenham.org/|title=Friend's of St Mary's|access-date=4 July 2022}} The village also has a film club.{{cite web|url=https://lenhamfilmclub.org/|title= Lenham Film Club|access-date=4 July 2022}}

Lenham is also a home of HAMS Productions, amateur dramatic society, a diverse group that serves community since 2016. HAMS Productions' yearly pantomimes are gaining popularity. It also had two successful serious plays, written and directed by a local author. [http://www.hamsproductions.org/ HAMS Productions] has around a hundred of members and is located in Lenham Community Centre.

Maidstone Borough Council has proposed a garden village called Heathlands in their Local Plan adopted in 2024.

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Parish of Lenham.

{{Expand list|date=June 2024}}

• The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: 23 June 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/freedom-of-the-parish-honour-on-80th-anniversary-of-doodlebu-307993/ |title=Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) given Freedom of the Parish of Lenham on 80th anniversary of Doodlebug tragedy two weeks after D-Day landings |last=Smith |first=Alan |date=7 June 2024 |website=Kent Online |access-date=9 June 2024 }}

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Category:Villages in Kent

Category:Market towns in Kent

Category:Hill figures in England

Category:Civil parishes in Kent