Bekesbourne, Kent

Bekesbourne is a village in Kent, situated just under three miles east-south-east of Canterbury Cathedral. The village extends less than a kilometre from its railway station to the A2 road, which borders its southern edge. Bekesbourne railway station lies on the line connecting Canterbury East and Dover Priory.

The parish church of Saint Peter stands out for its Norman doorway and 13th-century chancel. It also features the earliest known example of brick mathematical tiles, a distinctive architectural detail. Nearby, Howletts Wild Animal Park is notable for housing many endangered species and boasts the world’s largest captive breeding colony of gorillas.

Historically, Bekesbourne was home to an aerodrome established during the First World War. This site later became the base for the Kent Flying Club until the Second World War. Although the original hangar was damaged in the Great Storm of 1987 and eventually demolished in 1997, its legacy remains in the name of a local road, De Havillands, commemorating the famous aircraft manufacturer.

The village has connections to notable figures such as film director Michael Powell, physiologist and inventor Stephen Hales, and Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, who lived at the Old Palace in Bekesbourne.