Local history at its finest: Chalk, Shorne, Higham and the Marsh Land

Next Page: Great Expectations: Charles Dickens' love affair with the land

Return to the Home Page

Chalk, Shorne and Higham all have historical significance in their own right. The three villages surrond the Green Belt fields.

Chalk is located to the west of the fields and east of Gravesend. The village can be traced back to the 8th century where a Saxton meeting held in the village was recorded in the Doomsday book. Its' recent history is just as fascinating as its distant past. In 1935 Chalk became part of a Municipal Borough. Having not had a parish council since then the village has had to cling on to its history and culture as Gravesend continued to expand into its perimeters. 

Christoph Bull recalls Chalk being 'annexed' by the Borough of Gravesend.

One important histoical figure of the area, whose novels are still read today, is yet to be mentioned. Move on to the next page to find out more.

Chalk Street, Chalk, looking west. 1935.

Shorne village, 1918.

Villa Road, Mid- Higham, 1925.

Mid Higham looking over the Green Belt and the river Thames.

Higham is located east of the fields. Next to Higham are the Medway towns. The village, once known as Lilliechurch before going back to its original name of Higham, was once part of the possessions with which William the Conqueror gave to his half brother Odon, earl of Kent under the general title of whose lands in the year of 1080. One of the most substantial parts of its history consisted of the parish’s priory fate.

Christoph Bull see's the events of the priory as a rich part of Higham's history.

Around the year 1521, the priory and all its possessions were surrendered into the hands of King Henry VIII. Three years after the priory was taken over by the King, it and the church along with all the rents and revenues belonging to them, with the pope’s consent and Henry VIII permission, was given to the master and sellows of St John’s college, in Cambridge.

The vilage of Shorne is south of the Green Belt land. Located in between Chalk and Higham, in the 12th century the villiage use to be part of Henry II demense. When the money was collected the cheif would pay the sum of 36s and 8 d.

The legend of John D. Shorne is an important part of Shorne's past. Click on the audio link below to listen to Christoph Bull tell of his legacy.