Mersham

In the mid 19th century, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Mersham in the following terms: today.}} Patron, Oriel College, Oxford. The church is ancient but good; comprises nave, aisles, and two chancels; and contains monuments of the Hatch family. There are an endowed school with £10 a year, today.}} and charities £61. today.}} }} Until the early 20th century Mersham was for its majority a farming and orchard-tending community with close ties to the local market town of Ashford. The small village dates back to Saxon times and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The village was owned by the Archbishops of Canterbury for over 500 years. The Anglican church…

The village has been the home of the Knatchbull family since the times of Henry VIII. In 1638 Sir Norton Knatchbull founded Ashford Grammar School, to which pupils were not admitted until they could read the Bible in English, he was also the Member of Parliament for Romney. In the early 19th century Edward Knatchbull served in the Whig government and in 1830 another Sir Edward Knatchbull became M.P. for Romney and was given responsibility under Sir Robert Peel in his government of 1841. Both the funeral and committal services of John Knatchbull, 7th Baron Brabourne, were held at St John the Baptist Church, Mersham after his death in 2005. When his wife, Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess…