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Launched 09/04/2011

Latest update

20/05/2026 22:43

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Graveyard Memorial Inscriptions
Welcome to the Elham Historical Society database website. Feel free to browse and uncover the history of Elham. Our dedicated team of historians has recently finished recording the details on all the memorials in the graveyard. Our chairman Derek Boughton has overseen the operation, correlating the data and checking for errors. The results of their labours can be seen on the burials page.

Elham beat off stiff competition for the title of Kent Village of the year 2011 organised by Action with Communities in Rural Kent.

Censuses for outlying communities in the parish will be rolled out gradually. Check out the stats page for interesting facts and

trivia about the village. We still need your help so please send us any information relating to Elham that may be of interest.

Les Ames hits out
Les Ames in action

Elham resident Les Ames in action for England against the West Indies in 1939. He was one of the finer wicketkeeper - batsmen and played for Kent CCC.

Abbot's Fireside c 1450
Abbot's Fireside

The Abbot's Fireside is one of the older buildings in the village and probably dates back to the mid fifteenth century.

Audrey attends school
Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn (neé Rushton) lived in Orchard Cottage (Five Bells) for five years in her childhood (1935-1940) and attended the local village schools. She took ballet lessons and dreamed of becoming a prima ballerina. I wonder what became of her?

George V Playing Field
George V Playing Field

Dave Lee opens Elham's brand new playground with a sensory garden and a pretty flower meadow created by the Play for Elham charity. 21st November 2010

Swing Riots of 1830
Swing Riots

The machine breaking that led to the riots of August 1830 onwards started in the Elham Parish, writes our historian Derek Boughton, who has made a lifetime's study of the subject.

Elham residents were prominent in the gangs that sought out the new fangled threshing machines and destroyed them. Some of them cost the not inconsiderable sum for the day of £100. Full Story

Sad Loss 1811

March 25, at his house in Eiham 'Mr. John Bowes, aged 75, whose loss is greatly lamented by his numerous friends and acquaintance. He belonged to the choir of psalm singers nearly 40 years, in which he always took an active part; he departed this life after a long and distressing illness, which he bore with the fortitude of a man and the resignation of a christian; he was distinguished for his uprightness and moderation, with a proper degree of firmness on all occasions which required it; sincere in his attachments and friendship, he observed that mild and conliatory demeanor towards all, that a loss so generally regretted will rarely occur. Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 02 April 1811

Natural Death 1852

On Thursday last, Mr. Delasaux held an inquest at Elham on the body of Ann Keeler, who died suddenly. Her mother Hannah Webb, an aged woman, called in to see her the previous day, and while talking to her, she suddenly fell forward into the grate, from which her mother immediately lifted her, and obtained assistance. She was found dead. Verdict—“Natural Death.” Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 27 April 1852

Webb Foreman 1749

Probate Inventory of Webb Foreman, 14th March 1748/9. £ s d Household goods amounting to 42-10-0 Wood in Stack and a Hop Brack & other things 2- 0-0 Seventy-Seven Butts of Beer at £4 p. Butt 308- 0-0 Eleven Barrells of Beer at £1 4s 0d p. Barrell 13- 4-0 Twelve emty Buts at 8s p. Butt 4-16-0 Twenty emty Barrells at £0 3s p. Barrell 3- 0-0 In the Brewhouse, One Copper 12-10-0 One Mish Tubb & under back 5- 0-0 One Tunn Tubb, Three Pumps, three Gutts, Three Coolbacks, & Stalders 7- 0-0 One Buckett, Rope & Cabston 2-10-0 Malt Fifty Qrs at £1 p. Qr 50- 0-0 450-10-0 CKS: PRC 11/82/219


What's in the database
11823 People
6789 Demography entries
2423 Events
1301 Marriages
415 Properties
427 Photographs
Completed projects ...
  • Properties 1841-1911
  • Demography records 1841-1911 (village only)
  • Cemetery & Graveyard burials
  • Memorial and graveyard inscriptions
Work in progress ...
  • Demography records 1841-1911 (parish)
  • Marriages within the Elham parish
  • Audio/verbal accounts by Elham residents
Coming soon ...
  • Mapping of all properties within the Elham parish
  • List of artefacts
Future projects ...
  • Audio village tour
  • Complete list of shops - past and present
What's new!
Michael Hayes
Doctor Who Producer
Arthur Frederick Broadbridge
Elham resident and diplomat
Charles Alfred Fortin
Elham assistant surgeon
William Lewis Cowley
Elham resident and author
George W Palmer
Graveyard burials
John Midgeley
Henry Clayson
STATS - Facts & Trivia
Windlass Cottage Title Deeds
Church Cottage history back to 1720
Anthony Eden
Prime Minister and Elham resident

EHS
Swing Riots
Les Ames in action
Audrey Hepburn
Letters

EHS Database

Swing Riots of 1830 recounted by Derek Boughton our local expert historian.

Les Ames for England v West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica 1930 or 1935. WK Ivan Barrow watches on.

Audrey Hepburn attended private schools in the village and dreamed of being a ballerina. I wonder what became of her?

What's in the database? Find the latest additions here.

1947 Fire at the Manor