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Coordinates: 51°13′05″N 0°57′26″E / 51.2180°N 0.9571°E / 51.2180; 0.9571
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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{infobox UK place|
{{Infobox UK place
| static_image_name = St Lawrence Godmersham 2.jpg
| static_image_caption = St Lawrence's Church, Godmersham
|country = England
|country = England
|official_name= Godmersham
|official_name= Godmersham
|coordinates = {{coord|51.2180|0.9571|display=inline,title}}
|latitude= 51.2162
|longitude= 0.9579
|civil_parish= Godmersham
|civil_parish= Godmersham
|population = 366
|population=376
|area_total_km2=15.7
|population_ref=(Civil Parish 2011)<ref name=ons>[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030211201309/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/ |date=11 February 2003 }} [[United Kingdom Census 2011]] ''[[Office for National Statistics]]'' Retrieved 10 May 2014</ref>
|shire_district= [[Ashford (borough)|Ashford]]
|shire_district= [[Ashford (borough)|Ashford]]
|shire_county= [[Kent]]
|shire_county= [[Kent]]
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|postcode_area= CT
|postcode_area= CT
|dial_code= 01227
|dial_code= 01227
|os_grid_reference= TR065505
|os_grid_reference= TR066506
}}
}}
'''Godmersham''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in the [[Ashford (borough)|Ashford]] District of [[Kent]], [[England]]. The village is located on the [[River Great Stour]] where it cuts through the [[North Downs]]. It is four miles (6.4km) [[north]]-[[west]] of [[Ashford, Kent|Ashford]] on the [[A28 road]] midway between Ashford and [[Canterbury]] in an [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] with the [[North Downs Way]] and [[Pilgrims' Way]] traversing the parish.
'''Godmersham''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in the [[Ashford (borough)|Ashford]] District of [[Kent]], England. The village straddles the [[River Stour, Kent|Great Stour river]] where it cuts through the [[North Downs]] and its land is approximately one third woodland, all in the far east and west on the [[escarpment]] of the North Downs. It is six miles north-east of [[Ashford, Kent|Ashford]] on the [[A28 road]] midway between Ashford and [[Canterbury]] in an [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] with the [[North Downs Way]] and [[Pilgrims' Way]] traversing the parish.


The parish includes both Godmersham village itself, and [[Bilting]]. It shares many of its activities with the neighbouring parish of [[Crundale, Kent|Crundale]], a smaller parish to the east.
The village is divided in two by the floodplain of the Stour. The parish civil includes Godmersham village itself, and [[Bilting]]. It shares many of its activities with the neighbouring parish of [[Crundale, Kent|Crundale]], a smaller parish to the east.


==History==
⚫
The ancient parish church is dedicated to [[Saint Lawrence|St Lawrence the Martyr]], it is part [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]], part 12th-century ([[Norman architecture|Norman]]), and was restored in 1864, it contains a carving considered to be one of the earliest representations of [[Thomas Becket|Thomas-à-Becket]].
⚫
The first known record of Godmersham was AD824 when [[Beornwulf of Mercia|Beornwulf, King of Mercia]], [[feudal system|gave it as a whole]] to [[Wulfred]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. The village also is recorded in the [[Domesday Book]]. Bilting is thought to be older.<ref name =KCC>{{Cite web |url=http://www.godmershampc.kentparishes.gov.uk/ |title=Parish Council website |access-date=27 April 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007192040/http://www.godmershampc.kentparishes.gov.uk/ |archive-date=7 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


⚫
Although a significant number of residents work on the land, most of the community has adopted economically a status whereby its people work in Ashford, Canterbury and further afield. Many commute to London by train from [[Wye, Kent|Wye]] station. The village school in ''The Street'' closed in 1946 and the shop/post office in 1982. It is many years since there was a [[public house]] in the village, which describes a minority of civil parishes today.<ref name="KCC"/>
''Godmersham Park House'' was built in 1732, and eventually became the property of Edward Knight, brother of [[Jane Austen]]. Her novel ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'' is said to depict characters and scenes from the village.


==Saint Lawrence Church==
⚫
The first known record of Godmersham was AD824 when [[Beornwulf of Mercia|Beornwulf, King of Mercia]], gave Godmersham to [[Wulfred]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. The village also is recorded in the [[Domesday Book]]. Bilting is thought to be even older.<ref name =KCC>[http://www.godmershampc.kentparishes.gov.uk/More+about+the+parish.htm Parish Council website]</ref>
⚫
The ancient parish church is dedicated to [[Saint Lawrence|St Lawrence the Martyr]], it is part [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]], part 12th-century ([[Norman architecture|Norman]]), and was [[Victorian restoration|restored]] in 1864, it contains a carving considered to be one of the earliest representations of [[Thomas Becket]].<ref>[http://www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Godmersham Kent Churches]</ref>


==Godmersham Park==
⚫
Although a significant number of residents work on the land, in more recent times the area has become largely a dormitory for people who work in Ashford, Canterbury and further afield. Many commute to London by train from nearby [[Wye, Kent|Wye]] station. The village school in ''The Street'' closed in 1946 and the shop/post office in 1982. It is many years since there was a [[public house]] in the village, consequently, Godmersham is one of a few "dry" parishes in the country.<ref name =KCC>[http://www.godmershampc.kentparishes.gov.uk/More+about+the+parish.htm Parish Council website]</ref>
{{main|Godmersham Park}}
Godmersham Park House was built in 1732 and eventually became the property of [[Edward Austen Knight]], brother of [[Jane Austen]] who was known to have visited often. Her novel ''[[Mansfield Park]]'' depicts similar characters and scenes as those visible at the start of the 19th century, and in the case of architecture still present.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/40places/19.%20Godmersham%20Park.html |title=Kent Downs |access-date=29 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205072059/http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/40places/19.%20Godmersham%20Park.html |archive-date=5 February 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=463431 Pastscape - Godmersham Park House]</ref> The house is currently the home of the [[Association of British Dispensing Opticians]] College.<ref>[http://www.abdo.org.uk/read.php?page=20&p=12 ABDO] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120150913/http://www.abdo.org.uk/read.php?page=20&p=12 |date=2010-11-20 }}</ref> A drawing of Godmersham Park is also set to appear as the background for the £10 note due to enter circulation in 2017, which will predominantly feature the portrait of Austen allegedly drawn by her sister Cassandra.


==Notable Residents==
==Notable residents==
* [[Samuel Pegge]], Antiquarian, was a vicar here for twenty years from 1730.<ref name=DNB>Samuel Pegge the Elder in [[Dictionary of National Biography]] accessed online [[25 September]] [[2007]]</ref>
*[[Samuel Pegge]], Antiquarian, Vicar of Godmersham 1730-1750.<ref name=DNB>Samuel Pegge the Elder in [[Dictionary of National Biography]] accessed online 25 September 2007</ref>


==In popular culture==
⚫
==External links==

* [http://www.kentchurches.info/parish.asp?p=Godmersham Parish church]
Author [[Russell Hoban]] repurposes Godmersham as "Good Mercy" in his 1980, post apocalyptic novel ''[[Riddley Walker]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.errorbar.net/rw/Places|title=Places - Riddley Walker Annotations|website=Errorbar|access-date=21 August 2022|archive-date=29 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729025537/http://www.errorbar.net/rw/Places|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [
* http://www.ashford.gov.uk/about_the_borough/towns_and_villages/shadoxhurst.aspx ]


==References==
==References==
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</nowiki>-->
<references/>
<references/>

⚫
==External links==
{{Commons category|Godmersham}}
* [http://www.ashford.gov.uk/about_the_borough/local_services/venues_for_hire/godmersham_village_hall.aspx Godmersham Village Hall Details at Ashford.gov]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110703025751/http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?id=11773 NGS Gardens Open for Charity]


{{Ashford, Kent}}
{{Ashford, Kent}}


{{authority control}}
⚫
[[Category:Villages in Kent]]
⚫
[[Category:Villages around Ashford, Kent]]
[[Category:Civil Parishes in Ashford, Kent]]


⚫
[[Category:Villages in Kent]]

[[Category:Villages in the Borough of Ashford]]
{{Kent-geo-stub}}
⚫
[[Category:Civil parishes in Ashford, Kent]]

Latest revision as of 21:30, 9 June 2024

Godmersham
St Lawrence's Church, Godmersham
Godmersham is located in Kent
Godmersham
Godmersham
Location within Kent
Area15.7 km2 (6.1 sq mi)
Population376 (Civil Parish 2011)[1]
• Density24/km2 (62/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTR066506
Civil parish
  • Godmersham
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCANTERBURY
Postcode districtCT4
Dialling code01227
PoliceKent
FireKent
AmbulanceSouth East Coast
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Kent
51°13′05″N 0°57′26″E / 51.2180°N 0.9571°E / 51.2180; 0.9571

Godmersham is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village straddles the Great Stour river where it cuts through the North Downs and its land is approximately one third woodland, all in the far east and west on the escarpment of the North Downs. It is six miles north-east of Ashford on the A28 road midway between Ashford and Canterbury in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with the North Downs Way and Pilgrims' Way traversing the parish.

The village is divided in two by the floodplain of the Stour. The parish civil includes Godmersham village itself, and Bilting. It shares many of its activities with the neighbouring parish of Crundale, a smaller parish to the east.

History

[edit]

The first known record of Godmersham was AD824 when Beornwulf, King of Mercia, gave it as a whole to Wulfred, Archbishop of Canterbury. The village also is recorded in the Domesday Book. Bilting is thought to be older.[2]

Although a significant number of residents work on the land, most of the community has adopted economically a status whereby its people work in Ashford, Canterbury and further afield. Many commute to London by train from Wye station. The village school in The Street closed in 1946 and the shop/post office in 1982. It is many years since there was a public house in the village, which describes a minority of civil parishes today.[2]

Saint Lawrence Church

[edit]

The ancient parish church is dedicated to St Lawrence the Martyr, it is part Saxon, part 12th-century (Norman), and was restored in 1864, it contains a carving considered to be one of the earliest representations of Thomas Becket.[3]

Godmersham Park

[edit]
Main article: Godmersham Park

Godmersham Park House was built in 1732 and eventually became the property of Edward Austen Knight, brother of Jane Austen who was known to have visited often. Her novel Mansfield Park depicts similar characters and scenes as those visible at the start of the 19th century, and in the case of architecture still present.[4][5] The house is currently the home of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians College.[6] A drawing of Godmersham Park is also set to appear as the background for the £10 note due to enter circulation in 2017, which will predominantly feature the portrait of Austen allegedly drawn by her sister Cassandra.

Notable residents

[edit]
[edit]

Author Russell Hoban repurposes Godmersham as "Good Mercy" in his 1980, post apocalyptic novel Riddley Walker.[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density Archived 11 February 2003 at the Wayback Machine United Kingdom Census 2011 Office for National Statistics Retrieved 10 May 2014
  2. ^ a b "Parish Council website". Archived from the original on 7 October 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2006.
  3. ^ Kent Churches
  4. ^ "Kent Downs". Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  5. ^ Pastscape - Godmersham Park House
  6. ^ ABDO Archived 2010-11-20 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Samuel Pegge the Elder in Dictionary of National Biography accessed online 25 September 2007
  8. ^ "Places - Riddley Walker Annotations". Errorbar. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Godmersham.
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