Mersham

Coordinates: 51°07′07″N 0°56′04″E / 51.1187°N 0.9345°E / 51.1187; 0.9345

Mersham
Mersham  Mersham shown within Kent
Population	1,022 [1]
OS grid reference	TR053396
Parish	Mersham
District	Ashford
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TONBRIDGE
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

Mersham is a small village and civil parish, three miles east of Willesborough and the town of Ashford in the county of Kent.

History

Historically Mersham has been a farming community with close ties to the local market town of Ashford. The small village dates back to Saxon times and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The village was owned by the Archbishops of Canterbury for over 500 years. The beautiful Church of St. John the Baptist, which stands on the site of a Saxon church, is part Norman. There are two water mills on the East Stour river, one of which, Swanton, is still working. Part of Hatch Park, an ancient deerpark and SSSI, is within the parish.

It is thought that the village gives rise to the surname Marshman.^{[citation needed]}

The Knatchbulls

The village has been the home of the Knatchbull family since the times of Henry VIII. In 1638 Sir Norton Knatchbull founded Ashford Grammar School, to which pupils were not admitted until they could read the Bible in English, he was also the Member of Parliament for Romney. In the early 19th century Edward Knatchbull served under Robert Walpole in the Whig government and in 1830 another Sir Edward Knatchbull became M.P. for Romney and served under Sir Robert Peel in his government of 1841.

Local Facilities

• Mersham Primary School
• 2 Public Houses – The Royal Oak & The Farriers Arms
• Village Hall
• Local Shop & Post Office
• Playing Fields & Play Areas

Mersham is also mentioned in the American series Dynasty (Season 5, Episode 11, Swept Away) as being the place where one of the characters (Alexis Colby) grew up.

See also

• Marshman
• HMS Mersham, a Ham class minesweeper

References

1. ^ Ashford Borough Council Census 2001

External links

• VillageNet
• http://mersham-on-the-net.webs.com/