Counties > Kent > Chartham

Chartham

CHARTHAM The River Stour, which divides before it enters the village, was for centuries the source of power for the former mills, one of which was converted to paper-making in the 1700s and is still in production. Chartham is not as smart as Chilham. It has a mix of old houses – some of the nicest are by the little green and the 13th-century church –and modern estates built on the sites of old orchards and St Augustine’s hospital. A three-bedroom terraced cottage in Chartham would cost around £160,000; a four-bedroom detached house up to £285,000. It is served by its own primary school, a handful of small shops, a general store, and a farmers’ market every Thursday afternoon.

Petham, three miles to the south-east, also has a mix of old thatched cottages, Victorian and new houses in a lovely setting. It has a church, a primary school and a garden centre. The new village hall has been built of local materials to resemble Kentish farm buildings. A Grade Two listed, four-bedroom former bakery in the centre of the village costs £475,000; a four-bedroom converted oast house in the countryside nearby costs £365,000.

Good for: close to Canterbury and the coast, easy access to France, high performing local grammar and independent schools.
County:Kent
London terminal: Charing Cross
Journey time: 97 mins
Season ticket: £3780
Peak trains: 1 per hour plus 1 per hour to Cannon Street
Off-peak trains: 1 per hour to Victoria*
Notes: *or change at Ashford International for a faster service to Charing Cross.