Thurnham is a village and civil parish which lies at the foot of the North Downs 3 miles (4.8 km) north east of Maidstone in the Borough of Maidstone and ceremonial county of Kent in England. It had a population of 1,085 in 2001 including Weavering,[2] which increased to 1,205 following the 2011 Census.[1]

Thurnham
Thurnham Friars
Thurnham Location within Kent
Population	1,207 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	TQ805579
Civil parish	Thurnham
District	Maidstone
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MAIDSTONE
Postcode district	ME14
Dialling code	01622
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Faversham and Mid Kent
List of places UK England Kent 51.2914°N 0.5897°E / 51.2914; 0.5897

There have been several archaeological finds in the area: an Anglo-Saxon burial ground was discovered within the grounds of Thurnham Friars in 1913, a 7th-century gold cross was found in 1967 and the remains of a Roman house were excavated in 1933. The remains of Thurnham Castle are just north of the village. Two miles further north are the fragmentary remains of Binbury Castle, a medieval fortified manor house beside a medieval motte.

St Mary's church (a Norman building) and Milgate House are Grade I listed buildings.

The railway station at Bearsted, opened on 1 July 1884, was originally named Bearsted and Thurnham. Residents of the village joined forces with the neighbouring village of Bearsted, in voicing their objections to the proposed Kent International Gateway development.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thurnham, Kent.

• Bearsted and Thurnham Society