Otham

Otham

The village sign
Otham
Otham shown within Kent
Population 523 
OS grid reference TQ798536
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town MAIDSTONE
Postcode district ME15
Dialling code 01622
EU Parliament South East England
UK Parliament
Website Otham Parish Council

Otham is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone district of Kent, England. The population of the civil parish as of the 2011 census is 523, with 204 dwellings.[1]

The village itself has been in existence since before the time of the Domesday Book.[2] The village was given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother Odo, bishop of Baieux, although the lands were later handed to the crown. Under Henry III, the land was held by knight Peter de Otham, with the land changing hands several more times throughout time.[3]

One of the village's oldest buildings, the 12th-century parish church of St Nicholas, is a Grade I listed building.[4] The vicar is Reverend Steven Hughes MBE. Otham also has a number listed mediaeval houses including Otham Manor (Grade I),[5] Synyards (Grade I)[6] and Stoneacre (Grade II*).[7] Stoneacre itself is a small National Trust property, which is a private residence but is opened to visitors on Saturdays and Bank Holiday Mondays from April to September.

Otham has a circular walk of 7 km which includes the Spot Lane Nature Reserve and Stoneacre.[8] Much of the central village is protected as part of the Otham Conservation Area, due to the village being a "well-preserved example of an affluent medieval village which still maintains a strong sense of identity".[9]

The village of Otham is set to be expanded hugely over the next 10 years due to Maidstone Borough Council's Local Plan. The village currently has 204 dwellings, but is set to be expanded, with the construction of 1251 more on sites at Church Road (440 houses), Bicknor Farm (286 houses), Bicknor Green (190 houses) and Bicknor Farm (335 houses).[10] These constructions are opposed by the Parish Council, who state the construction is "likely to have a significant impact upon our village" and "will disproportionately affect Otham and nearby parishes".[11]

St Nicholas's Church

The White Horse pub is located in Otham. The White Horse Inn had two Publicans, the first William Goodwin (born in 1746)[12] and then his son, Solomon William Goodwin who was born in 1833.

Bearsted F.C. play their home matches at Honey Lane in Otham,[13] and the village is also home to Rumwood Cricket Club.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Otham Parish Council". Otham Parish Council. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  3. ↑ Hasted, Edward (1798). The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Five. Canterbury: W Bristow. pp. 513–519. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  4. ↑ Historic England. "Church of Saint Nicholas (1250738)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  5. ↑ Historic England. "Otham Manor (1250941)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  6. ↑ Historic England. "Synyards and Path Between Front Door and Road (1263084)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  7. ↑ Historic England. "Stoneacre and Path Between Front Door and Road (1250995)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  8. ↑ "Walk Maidstone 7 - Otham" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Otham Conservation Area Appraisal" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  10. ↑ "MAIDSTONE BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN" (PDF). Maidstone Borough Council. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "MBC Local Plan". Otham Parish Council. 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  12. ↑ English Post Office Records.
  13. ↑ Contact Bearsted Football Club Bearstead F.C.


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