Chilham

Chilham sits high above the River Stour in the Kent Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the doorstep of Canterbury. The village is built where four steep, narrow lanes converge on a small square, and the effect is of stepping into a scene that has barely changed in five hundred years: jettied Tudor houses lean over cobbles, a flint church tower rises at one end, and the gatehouse of Chilham Castle closes the other. It is one of the most complete and photogenic medieval squares in England, which is why film and television crews return to it again and again.

Beyond the square, Chilham unwinds into orchards, hop gardens and beech woodland typical of this part of Kent. The North Downs Way passes close by, and the village makes a natural stopping point for walkers heading between Canterbury and the Wye Downs. Despite its storybook looks, Chilham is a working village rather than a museum piece, with a primary school, a shop and a pub that has served the square for centuries. It is small enough to explore in an afternoon but atmospheric enough to justify staying the night.

Top things to do in Chilham

Chilham rewards slow exploration on foot. Highlights include:

• Chilham Castle and Gardens — a Jacobean manor house built for Sir Dudley Digges beside the shell of a Norman keep, with 25 acres of terraced gardens partly landscaped by Capability Brown; the gardens open to visitors on selected days through the summer.
• Chilham Square — the heart of the village, ringed by 15th- and 16th-century timber-framed houses and a favourite location for period dramas and films, from Winnie the Pooh adaptations to Miss Marple.
• St Mary's Church — a mainly 15th-century flint church with a squat tower overlooking the square, holding monuments to the Digges family of the castle.
• The North Downs Way — the long-distance path runs within easy reach of the village, offering waymarked walks through orchards and beechwoods with views across the Stour valley.
• Canterbury — the cathedral city is a short hop away by train or car, with its UNESCO World Heritage cathedral, city walls and riverside streets.
• Godmersham Park — the nearby estate, once owned by Jane Austen's brother Edward, sits just along the Stour valley and is a pleasant walking destination.

Getting to Chilham

Chilham has its own railway station on the line between Ashford and Ramsgate via Canterbury West, with services roughly every half hour taking around ten minutes into Canterbury and a similar time to Ashford, where fast trains connect to London St Pancras in well under an hour. By road, the village lies just off the A28 between Ashford and Canterbury, with the M20 and A2/M2 both within easy reach for drivers arriving from London or the coast.

Best time to visit Chilham

Spring and early summer bring blossom to the surrounding orchards and the best chance of catching Chilham Castle Gardens on one of their open days. Summer weekends see the village at its busiest, with visitors filling the square, so early mornings or weekdays offer a quieter look at the timbered houses. Autumn adds rich colour to the beechwoods along the North Downs Way, while a crisp winter morning, with woodsmoke rising over the castle walls, has its own quiet appeal.

Where to stay in Chilham

Options in and around the village range from characterful pub rooms on the square to country cottages and farm-based stays scattered through the surrounding Kent Downs countryside, with Canterbury a short drive away offering a wider choice of hotels for anyone wanting more facilities on hand.

Food and drink in Chilham

The White Horse, a 14th-century inn right on the square opposite the castle gatehouse, is the village's traditional local, serving real ales and pub food and hosting regular live music and quiz nights. The Church Mouse tea rooms, also on the square, are well placed for a cream tea after visiting St Mary's Church, while the Woolpack Inn on The Street offers a more spread-out country pub setting with a garden terrace, a short drive from the centre.