Chilham, Kent

Chilham is a picturesque village and civil parish in Kent, located on the north bank of the Great Stour River, about five and a half miles southwest of Canterbury. The village centre is clustered around a traditional market square, dominated by the Grade I-listed Chilham Castle and the 15th-century parish church of St Mary. The church is notable for claims that St Thomas Becket was buried in its churchyard, despite his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral.

The village is steeped in history, with period houses such as the former vicarage dating back to 1742. Chilham is said to have been the first place in England bombed by the Germans during World War II. The castle, once owned by the Viscounts Massereene and Ferrard, was later owned by Stuart Wheeler, founder of IG Index, until 2020.

Chilham’s well-preserved streets and listed buildings have made it a popular filming location. It featured in Powell and Pressburger’s 1944 film A Canterbury Tale, the 2009 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, and episodes of Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Miss Marple. The village also appears in the 1985 adaptation of E.F. Benson’s Mapp and Lucia.