Luddesdown

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.373
longitude= 0.400
official_name= Luddesdown
population =
shire_district= Tonbridge and Malling
shire_county = Kent
region= South East England

constituency_westminster= Gravesham
post_town=Gravesend
postcode_district=DA12
postcode_area=DA
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= TQ675665

Luddesdown is a civil parish in the Gravesham District of Kent, England. This very rural parish, forming part of the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is located in a dry valley to the south of Gravesend and is named after a scattered group of houses and farms around "Luddesdown Court" and its church.

The civil parish also contains the hamlets of Great Buckland and Boughurst Street.Matthews, Brian (1971) "The History of Strood Rural District", Strood Rural District Council] Luddesdown was a parish in Strood Rural District prior to 1979.

Luddesdown is first recorded in 975 as "Hludes duna" (Hlud's hill); in 1186 it was Ludesdon and in 1610 Luddesdowne. It is pronounced "Ludsdun". In 939 there was a mound nearby called Hludes beorh - suggesting that Hlud was a prominent citizen.Glover, Judith (1976) "The Place Names of Kent" London: B.T. Batsford Ltd., ISBN 0905270 614]

The church, originally belonging to the local manor, is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul; [ [http://www.ukattraction.com/south-east-england/st-peter-and-st-pauls-church.htm Luddesdown church] ] it is part of the ecclesiastical parish of Cobham to the north. The church school now operates as a village hall. The small Norman Chapel of Dode, now just inside Snodland parish, was also associated with Luddesdown. Dode village was ravaged by the Black Death in 1349; it never recovered and has been erased from the map. The parish also contains a picturesque cricket club, with a very flat batting track, Luddesdown CC.

References