Rodmersham
{{Short description|Village in Kent, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| static_image_name = St Nicholas, Rodmersham, Kent - geograph.org.uk - 375170.jpg
| static_image_caption = St Nicholas Church, Rodmersham
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|51.321|0.759|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = Rodmersham
| population = 555
| civil_parish = Rodmersham
| shire_district = Swale
| shire_county = Kent
| region = South East England
| constituency_westminster = Sittingbourne and Sheppey
| post_town = Sittingbourne
| postcode_district = ME9
| postcode_area = ME
| dial_code =
| os_grid_reference =
}}
Rodmersham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Swale in the north of the English county of Kent. It is just under {{convert|1|mi|km}} south of Bapchild on the A2 road and {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} south-east of the town of Sittingbourne. Rodmersham Green, which forms the bulk of the modern village, is {{convert|0.5|mi|km}} to the south-west of the village church towards the Highsted Valley and Tunstall.
History
In 1798, Edward Hasted records that the parish was made up of {{convert|1,050|acres|ha}} of land, of which {{convert|75|acres|ha}} were woodland.{{cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |year=1798 |title=Parishes |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62952 |journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=6 |pages=499–531 |accessdate=18 March 2014}}
It was under the control of the Manor of Milton, who controlled most of Kent. In King Richard II's reign, it was owned by John de Podach (from Devonshire). His descendants renamed themselves 'Pordage'. In the reign of King James I,
it was owned by Sir William Pordage. In 1615, he renamed the manor house, 'New House', now (Grade II listed) and called Rodmersham House.{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176341-rodmersham-house-rodmersham-kent |title=Rodmersham House, Rodmersham |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=18 March 2014}} In Queen Anne's reign it passed to the Lushington family. Which included Mr Thomas Lushington, a noted scholar, born in Sandwich in 1589, and afterwards educated at Oxford. The manor house stayed in the private hands of the family.
The village church, (the Grade I listed) Church of St Nicholas,{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176340-church-of-st-nicholas-rodmersham-kent |title=Church of St Nicholas, Rodmersham |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=18 March 2014}} is in the diocese of Canterbury, and deanery of Sittingborne.
The church contains an example of a timber sedilia thought to be 15th century. The altar and reredos are by Buckeridge and Floyce, described as representing "the best order of ecclesiastical art, viz., the 15th Century German, whilst the character of the ornament is founded on the old Norfolk work".{{Cite news|date=29 September 1888|title=District News|page=2|work=Cheltenham Chronicle|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/ID3240263128/BNCN?u=rtl_ttda&sid=BNCN&xid=24ca7fa7|access-date=5 October 2020|via=British Library Newspapers}}
Rodmersham Green
File:Cottages on Rodmersham Green - geograph.org.uk - 698879.jpg
Hasted notes that Rodmersham Green also had a nearby hamlet of Upper Rodmersham, which is to the south of the village in an area traditionally used for orchards. There was a windmill at the north end of Rodmersham Green, built in 1835 and demolished in September 1969.{{cite web|title=Exploring Kent's Past|url=http://webapps.kent.gov.uk/KCC.ExploringKentsPast.Web.Sites.Public/SingleResult.aspx?uid=MKE3644|website=Kent Gov UK| date=25 January 2008 |publisher=Kent County Council|accessdate=17 September 2015}}
The village has six listed buildings: Baker Cottages,{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176348-baker-cottages-rodmersham-kent |title=Baker Cottages, Rodmersham |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=18 March 2014}} Pardoners Cottage,{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176349-pardoners-cottage-rodmersham-kent |title=Pardoners Cottage, Rodmersham |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=18 March 2014}} Holly Tree Lodge,{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176350-holly-tree-lodge-rodmersham-kent|title=Holly Tree Lodge, Rodmersham |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=18 March 2014}} Victoria House,{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176351-victoria-house-rodmersham-kent |title=Victoria House, Rodmersham |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=18 March 2014}} Orsett House,{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176352-orsett-house-rodmersham-kent |title=Orsett House, Rodmersham |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=18 March 2014}} and Vine Cottages.{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-176353-vine-cottages-rodmersham-kent |title=Vine Cottages, Rodmersham |website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=18 March 2014}} It also has a primary school,[http://www.rodmersham.kent.sch.uk/ Rodmersham Primary School] the Fruiterers Arms public house,[https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/698888 Fruiterers Arms] Rodmersham Coffee Shop and two sporting venues, Rodmersham Cricket Club[http://www.rodmershamcc.co.uk/ Rodmersham Cricket Club] and Rodmersham Squash Club.[http://www.rodmershamsquashclub.co.uk/ Rodmersham Squash Club]
The artist Edward Ardizzone had a second home at 5 Vine Cottages, Rodermersham Green from the 1950s and took up full-time residence in 1972, dying in the village in 1979.{{cite web|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/blue-plaques/search/ardizzone-edward-1900-1979|title=Ardizzone, Edward (1900–1979) |publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=18 August 2012}}
References
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External links
{{Commons category-inline|Rodmersham}}
{{Commons category-inline|Rodmersham Green}}
{{Swale}}
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