Launched 09/04/2011
Latest update
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.
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.
The Abbot's Fireside is one of the older buildings in the village and probably dates back to the mid fifteenth century.
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?
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
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
On. Tuesday last, an inquest was held at the "Rose and Crown," before T. T. Delasaux, Esq., Coroner, touching the death of John Knowler, farm labourer, aged 79 years, who, on the previous day, fell from a strew-stack, and died from the injuries sustained. Thomas Couchman said that he was at work with the deceased at the farm of Mr. Woollett, loading a waggon with straw. Deceased was on the stack throwing the bundles to witness, when he fell, striking his head upon the wheel of the waggon. He died almost immediately afterwards. Mr. Herbert Beadles, surgeon, proved that the result of a post mortem examination made by him was the discovery of the fracture of a vertibrae in the head, the pressure from which produced death. A verdict of accidental death was returned. Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald - Saturday 06 February 1869
Probate inventory of Mary Atwells, widow, 13 April 1699, inventory total £140-8-?. Six bedrooms, all with feather beds (that in the great chamber valued at £7), parlour, hall, brewhouse, bar-room, cellars, kitchen, lower parlour, kitchen parlour, stable. Half hogshead of wine, 6 bunns of strong beer, bottles, mugs, glasses, 2 gross of tobacco pipes. CKS: PRC 11/35/5
An inquest was held at the "Sportsman," Barham, on Wednesday last, by T. T. Delasaux, Esq., Coroner, on the body of Mr. John File Pilcher, aged 62, carpenter, of Wingmore, in the parish of Eiham. The only witness was Mr. William Pilcher, of Elham, who deposed :—On Saturday last I left Canterbury about 5 o‘clock in the evening in a cart drawn by one horse. Deceased was in the cart, and the horse was driven by Alfred Pilcher, son of the deceased. As we were proceeding towards Wingmore, and when we had reached Breachdown, the horse shied and drew the near wheel of the cart on a bank, overturning the cart and throwing us all out. Deceased received a severe injury on his head. He was removed to the " Sportsmen," and died yesterday morning from the injury before described. I believe the occurrence was purely an accident. A verdict of Accidental Death was recorded. Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald - Saturday 04 December 1875