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Launched 09/04/2011

Latest update

21/02/2025 03:58

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Graveyard Memorial Inscriptions
Welcome to the Elham Historical Society database website. Feel free to browse and uncover the history of Elham. Our dedicated team of historians has recently finished recording the details on all the memorials in the graveyard. Our chairman Derek Boughton has overseen the operation, correlating the data and checking for errors. The results of their labours can be seen on the burials page.

Elham beat off stiff competition for the title of Kent Village of the year 2011 organised by Action with Communities in Rural Kent.

Censuses for outlying communities in the parish will be rolled out gradually. Check out the stats page for interesting facts and

trivia about the village. We still need your help so please send us any information relating to Elham that may be of interest.

Les Ames hits out
Les Ames in action

Elham resident Les Ames in action for England against the West Indies in 1939. He was one of the finer wicketkeeper - batsmen and played for Kent CCC.

Abbot's Fireside c 1450
Abbot's Fireside

The Abbot's Fireside is one of the older buildings in the village and probably dates back to the mid fifteenth century.

Audrey attends school
Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn (neé Rushton) lived in Orchard Cottage (Five Bells) for five years in her childhood (1935-1940) and attended the local village schools. She took ballet lessons and dreamed of becoming a prima ballerina. I wonder what became of her?

George V Playing Field
George V Playing Field

Dave Lee opens Elham's brand new playground with a sensory garden and a pretty flower meadow created by the Play for Elham charity. 21st November 2010

Swing Riots of 1830
Swing Riots

The machine breaking that led to the riots of August 1830 onwards started in the Elham Parish, writes our historian Derek Boughton, who has made a lifetime's study of the subject.

Elham residents were prominent in the gangs that sought out the new fangled threshing machines and destroyed them. Some of them cost the not inconsiderable sum for the day of £100. Full Story

The Chequer 1740

Executors to sell messuage or tenement called or known by the name or sign of the Chequer, stable garden and appurtenances late in the tenure of Thomas Ladd the younger … and Malthouse with buildings and ground with joint use of well and way in Elham. To pay debts, etc., and towards educating bringing up and putting out of four children, Edward, John, Daniel, and Elizabeth. Mess or t. where now dwells with garden backside etc. … Hop ground of one acre at or near Bladbean and now occ. – Birch widow and self, to said four children equally. James Spillett and Stephen Pierce executors and guardians. Proved 1st December 1740. CKS: PRC 16/91 f.21] Will of Edward Maytham of Elham, yeoman, 2nd October

Tragic accident at Three Tuns 1802

Monday se’nnight as a daughter of Mr Rigden at the Three Tons in Elham, was standing near the fire, a spark flew upon her clothes, which immediately caught into a flame, and burnt her in so dreadful a manner that she died in the course of the day. K.G., 23 April 1802, 4d

Village Hall 1999

17th March. The present village hall was part funded by the Millennium Commission and replaced the 60 year old building (which started as two Army huts). It marked the end of seven years of planning and organising. With financial help also from the County and District together with the generosity of the Elham Community Trust, the Parish Council, The Tory foundation and many individual contributions from villagers, the money was raised to undertake the project. In addition we remember the contributions made by the members of the Village Hall Committee in so many different ways, from assisting in the design and planning of the new building, and the organising of the various fund raising events the were necessary. Our particular thanks go to Margaret Beeching, the late Michael Sheldon and Mike Ridley who all chaired the Hall Comnmittee during this time.

The opening day was fortunately marked by good weather and a large turnout of villagers, together with many important people. It was with delight that we were able to invite the late Mrs Harrowing, a founder member of the old hall to carry out the formal opening of the new building

John Neumark was awarded an MBE for services to the Elham Village Hall Project

Elham Delights Elham Village Hall


What's in the database
11820 People
6789 Demography entries
2422 Events
1299 Marriages
415 Properties
427 Photographs
Completed projects ...
  • Properties 1841-1911
  • Demography records 1841-1911 (village only)
  • Cemetery & Graveyard burials
  • Memorial and graveyard inscriptions
Work in progress ...
  • Demography records 1841-1911 (parish)
  • Marriages within the Elham parish
  • Audio/verbal accounts by Elham residents
Coming soon ...
  • Mapping of all properties within the Elham parish
  • List of artefacts
Future projects ...
  • Audio village tour
  • Complete list of shops - past and present
What's new!
Michael Hayes
Doctor Who Producer
Arthur Frederick Broadbridge
Elham resident and diplomat
Charles Alfred Fortin
Elham assistant surgeon
William Lewis Cowley
Elham resident and author
George W Palmer
Graveyard burials
John Midgeley
Henry Clayson
STATS - Facts & Trivia
Windlass Cottage Title Deeds
Church Cottage history back to 1720
Anthony Eden
Prime Minister and Elham resident

EHS
Swing Riots
Les Ames in action
Audrey Hepburn
Letters

EHS Database

Swing Riots of 1830 recounted by Derek Boughton our local expert historian.

Les Ames for England v West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica 1930 or 1935. WK Ivan Barrow watches on.

Audrey Hepburn attended private schools in the village and dreamed of being a ballerina. I wonder what became of her?

What's in the database? Find the latest additions here.

1996 Ross Sydney Hook