Wouldham

Wouldham
Wouldham  Wouldham shown within Kent
District	Tonbridge and Malling
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
List of places UK England Kent

Wouldham is a small village on the bank of the River Medway in Kent, Great Britain. As of 2006 its population is approximately 1000 people, with the 11th-century church, one school, one village shop, and two public houses, The Medway Inn and The Waterman's Arms. The 3rd public house in the village- The Foresters Inn closed to the public in 2013.

Until 1963 there was a ferry crossing over the Medway to Halling on the opposite bank. On the Wouldham Marshes is Starkey House built in 1483: a now-restored Grade II listed medieval manor house called Starkey Castle.

In the churchyard, is the grave of Walter Burke, who was present onboard HMS Victory at the battle of Trafalgar and the man who held Nelson in his arms as he died.

Wouldham school celebrates this connection with history in many ways, its four sports teams being named after ships at the Battle of Trafalgar (Victory, Ajax, Sovereign, Britannia), students being assigned into a house named after one of four famous figures at Trafalgar, which they are able to earn merit points for, and by holding an annual event at the nearby church to commemorate Walter Burke.

Before 1999 a large area of allotments were situated between the school and the recreation ground. Despite the opposition of many villagers a housing estate was built over them, which increased the village's population by a large percentage.

A narwhal was discovered in the 1940s washed up on the bank of the river, and is documented in the Natural History Museum, London.

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  Entrance to Wouldham
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  Approach to Wouldham Church
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  Wouldham Church

External links

• Village History (www.wouldhamvillage.com)
• Village notes (www.historic-kent.co.uk)
• Location map