Challock

Challock
Challock Methodist Church
Challock Challock shown within Kent
Area	14.07 km² (5.43 sq mi)
Population	920 (Civil Parish)^[1]
– density	65/km² (170/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TR011508
Civil parish	Challock
District	Ashford
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ASHFORD
Postcode district	TN25
Dialling code	01233
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Ashford
List of places UK England Kent

Coordinates: 51°13′15″N 0°52′51″E / 51.2208°N 0.8808°E / 51.2208; 0.8808

Challock /ˈtʃɒl.ᵿk/ is a mostly wooded, large village and civil parish in the Borough of Ashford, Kent, England. The village name derives from the old English 'Cealflocan' - calf enclosure.^[2] A clear nucleus of the village is centred 8 miles (13 km) south of the port of Faversham and 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Ashford. It dates from around AD823.

Challock contains a boundary to one of the highest points on the North Downs: the 700-foot (210 m) contour is close to the village centre. Snowfall in January and February is occasionally heavy, when counter-prevailing north-easterly winds exist in those months.

Challock is at the crossroads of two major roads: the A251 from Ashford to Faversham, and the A252, which links Maidstone to Canterbury. Prior to the construction of a roundabout, the crossroads was a notorious accident hotspot for drivers coming from Chilham and Ashford, due in part to the Halfway House public house which stands close to the corner.^[3]

William the Conqueror gave the manor of Challock to Battle Abbey, and it remained in the Abbey's possession until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century.^[4] A smock mill stood to the north of the village until 1906 when it was destroyed by a storm - the mill had not been working for many years prior to this event.^[5] The parish church is dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian; it has fine wall paintings by celebrated local artist John Ward and his friend Gordon Davies. There is also a Methodist chapel in the village. A Goose Fair is held in September each year.

The showjumper William Funnell was born and raised in the village.

References

↑ Key Statistics; Quick Statistics: Population Density United Kingdom Census 2011 Office for National Statistics Retrieved 10 May 2014
↑ Judith Glover, The place names of Kent (London: Batsfords Ltd, 1976).
↑ Charles Igglesden, A saunter through Kent with pen and pencil, Volume XXI.(Ashford: Kentish Express, 1927)
↑ Ibid.
↑ William Coles Finch, Watermills and windmills: a historical survey of their rise, decline and fall as portrayed by those of Kent. (Sheerness: Arthur Cassell, 1976)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Challock.

Towns and villages in the Borough of Ashford, Kent, England

Aldington Aldington Frith Anvil Green Appledore Appledore Heath Ashford Bagham Bethersden Biddenden Bilsington Bilting Bockhanger Bodsham Bonnington Boughton Aluph Boughton Corner Boughton Lees Brabourne Brabourne Lees Brattle Bromley Green Brook Challock Charing Chilham Chilmington Green Crundale Eastwell Ebony Egerton Godinton Godmersham Great Chart Hamstreet Hastingleigh High Halden Hothfield Kenardington Kennington Kingsnorth Leigh Green Little Chart Mersham Molash Newenden Newtown Orlestone Pluckley Reading Street Rolvenden Rolvenden Layne Ruckinge St Michaels Sevington Shadoxhurst Small Hythe Smarden Smeeth Stanhope Stone in Oxney Stubbs Cross Tenterden Warehorne Westwell Westwell Leacon Willesborough Wittersham Woodchurch Woolpack Corner Wye

List of places in Kent

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