Chilham brings together a village square shaped by the medieval period, listed buildings and routes with a variety of destinations. For travellers looking to combine culture and landscape, there are several specific points of interest: the building history of the Church of St Mary, the history of Chilham Castle with its gardens and park, and routes to the village square, towards Canterbury and westwards through the countryside. You can therefore focus on historic buildings or on the different routes.

Village Square and Building History

Chilham Square is a picturesque medieval village square, framed by Chilham Castle, a church and timber-framed buildings. The Church of St Mary is a Grade I listed building. Its transepts date from the 14th century, the nave from the 15th century, the west tower from 1534 and the chancel from 1863, by David Brandon. Inside is a freestanding monument to Mary Kemp, Lady Digges, who died in 1631. The sequence of building elements thus spans the period from the 14th century to the more recent history of the church; the monument also commemorates a person known by name.

Chilham Castle, Gardens and Park

Chilham Castle is a Grade I listed house, built in 1616 for Sir Dudley Digges. Chilham Castle has formal and ornamental gardens dating from the 17th century, set within a park of medieval origin. The registered grounds comprise about 10 ha of formal and ornamental gardens and a park of about 130 ha. The approximate area figures clearly distinguish the garden areas from the much larger park.

The different components also have distinct time periods: the house dates from 1616, the gardens from the 17th century, while the park is of medieval origin. By comparison, the Church of St Mary tells its building history through several dated elements, from the 14th century to the chancel of 1863. Chilham therefore highlights both a single building date and a church chronology spanning several centuries.

Routes with Different Destinations

The Chilham Loop leads to the village square and continues along Church Hill as the North Downs Way. The section of the North Downs Way from Chilham to Canterbury passes through Old Wives Lees and through the surrounding orchards, woodland and farmland. The route description thus links Church Hill with a route towards Canterbury and varied scenery along the way.

The 4.5-mile Chilham West Lost Landscapes Walk heads west through Shottenden to the distinctive Mount and old Perry Wood; the return route passes through orchards. The three routes can be distinguished by destination and direction: the Chilham Loop leads to the village square, the North Downs Way to Canterbury and the West Lost Landscapes Walk westwards through Shottenden and to the named landmarks. A specific length is also given for this last route.

Creative Activity in Chilham

Creative Glass Classes are also offered in Chilham in a purpose-designed glass studio. This option offers a different focus from architecture and routes: it centres on a creative activity involving glass. The local selection therefore includes historic buildings and countryside routes as well as a standalone course offering.

Discover more destinations: Brookland, Upchurch, Newington, Hartley, Staple, Sandgate, Deal, Petham

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