Chilham, Kent: History, the Castle, the Square & Things to Do

Chilham sits on a hilltop above the Great Stour, about five and a half miles south-west of Canterbury. At its heart is one of the most complete village squares in England: timber-framed and brick houses on all four sides, Chilham Castle at one end and the church of St Mary at the other.

Why Chilham Is Special

Chilham is the kind of place people imagine when they think of an English village. There is hardly a modern building in sight around the square, and the lanes that run down from it are lined with listed houses, a tea room, gift shops and two old pubs.

Its unspoilt looks have made it a favourite with film and television crews for eighty years, from Powell and Pressburger to Jane Austen and Agatha Christie.

The History of Chilham

The oldest building in the village is the polygonal keep of the Norman castle, which dates from 1174 and is still lived in, making it one of the oldest inhabited buildings in Britain. It was said to have been built for Henry II, and excavations in the 1920s suggested it stands on the foundations of a much older Anglo-Saxon fortification. In June 1320 Bartholomew de Badlesmere received Edward II and his entourage here on their way through Dover to France.

Within sight of the keep stands the Jacobean house, completed in 1616 for Sir Dudley Digges on an unusual hexagonal plan, with five angled ranges and the sixth left open. The gardens are thought to have been first laid out by John Tradescant the Elder and were redesigned twice in the 18th century. In the 1630s the master mason Nicholas Stone added a funerary chapel to the church for the Digges family.

The castle changed hands several times over the following centuries. James Wildman bought it in 1794; it was altered by David Brandon in 1862 and by Herbert Baker in the 1920s, and from 1949 until 1992 it belonged to the 13th Viscount Massereene. It was sold in 1997 and remains a private home.

Around the square, the parish church of St Mary dates from the 15th century, and the village hall began life as the castle's tithe barn, also in the 15th century. The White Horse pub dates from the 16th century, and the former vicarage from 1742.

Chilham's film career began with A Canterbury Tale (1944), much of which was shot in and around the village. It has since appeared in The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965), in Agatha Christie's Poirot and Miss Marple, and in the BBC's 2009 adaptation of Emma. It also played Riseholme in the 1985 adaptation of E. F. Benson's Mapp and Lucia, the novels Benson wrote in Rye.

Things to Do in Chilham

Simply standing in the square is the main event: take your time to look at the houses, the castle gates and the church. St Mary's has fine monuments, including the Digges memorials, and a peaceful churchyard.

Have tea or lunch in the village, then walk down the hill to the Great Stour and Chilham Mill. Chilham Castle is a private home, so check its website for any garden open days or events before you plan around a visit.

Gardens, Countryside & Antiques near Chilham

Canterbury, with its cathedral and medieval streets, is a short drive or a lovely walk away along the Stour valley. Chilham lies on a branch of the North Downs Way, so you can walk a section of the old pilgrims' route.

Howletts and Port Lympne are within easy reach for a family day, and Sissinghurst Castle Garden is about forty minutes' drive. For curtains and soft furnishings, Mill House Designs Kent is near Ashford.

Chilham Through the Seasons

Spring blossom in the Kent orchards around the village is a wonderful sight. Summer brings walkers and cyclists along the Stour, autumn is the season for apples and long walks on the Downs, and on a frosty winter morning the empty square is at its most beautiful.

Getting to Chilham

Chilham station, on the line between Ashford International and Canterbury, is about half a mile from the village; it is a short, steep walk up to the square.

Chilham: Questions & Answers

How old is Chilham Castle?

The Norman keep dates from 1174 and is still lived in; the Jacobean house beside it was completed in 1616 for Sir Dudley Digges.

Can you visit Chilham Castle?

Chilham Castle is a private home. Check its website for any garden open days or events; the village square, church and lanes are open to everyone.

Our Advice

Our advice: Come early, see the square before the day visitors arrive, then walk a stretch of the Stour valley towards Canterbury and come back to Chilham for lunch.