Cuxton

Coordinates: 51°22′30″N 0°27′00″E / 51.375°N 0.450°E / 51.375; 0.450

Cuxton
Looking south, Cuxton seen from Ranscombe Farm. In the distance is the cement works at Halling
Cuxton  Cuxton shown within Kent
OS grid reference	TQ709665
Parish	Cuxton
Unitary authority	Medway
Ceremonial county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ROCHESTER
Postcode district	ME2
Dialling code	01634
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Rochester and Strood
List of places: UK • England • Kent

Cuxton is a village in the unitary authority of Medway. It lies on left bank of the River Medway in the North Downs. It is served by the A228, and Cuxton railway station on the Medway Valley Line between Strood and Maidstone. A low valley leads up from the river to the hamlet of Lower Bush.

History

Archaeological evidence suggest the first human occupation was around 200,000 years ago. A hoard of 196 handaxes from the Acheulian era was excavated in 1962. This is now displayed in the British Museum. The name is believed to have developed from "Cucula's stone".^[1]

Remains of a Roman villa was found under the church yard. The Saxons occupied the village and it became known as Cuckelstane. The church and parish was given by Æthelwulf, King of the West Saxons to the Cathedral church of St. Andrew, Rochester. The church contains much Norman architecture, and is unusual as it lies on a southeast northwest axis. This gave rise to the rhyme, He that would see a church miswent / Let him go to Cucklestane in Kent.

In Tudor times the principal house in the village was Whorne's place erected on the river, by Sir William Whorne, Lord Mayor of London in 1487. This was later owned by Sir Joseph Levinson (1556-1615) the privateer. This was taken over by the Mashams, strong royalists who moved on to the Mote in Maidstone. Only an outlying granary survived in 1971.

The only other manor in Tudor Cuxton was that of Beresse or Beresh, now known as Bush. It doesn't survive.

In 1610, William Laud was rector of Cuxton, he later became Archbishop of Canterbury under Charles I, he was executed by the puritans in 1645 because of his strong royalist loyalties.

In Upper Bush there are four houses dating from 14th century and a Tudor Kentish Yeoman's house.^[2] A tin chapel from Cuxton was dismantled and re-erected at the Museum of Kent Life, Sandling.

Ranscombe Farm

Main article: Ranscombe Farm

Ranscombe Farm is a plantlife nature reserve, country park and working farm. Part of the site is included in the Cobham Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the whole farm is within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Industry

Chalk extraction and Cement.

References

1. ^ Judith Glover,The Place Names of Kent,1976,Batsford.
2. ^ Brian Matthews, M.A.,A History of Strood Rural District, pub. Strood Rural District Council 1971

External links

Media related to Cuxton at Wikimedia Commons