Mereworth (/ˈmɛriwɜːrθ/ MERRY-worth)[2] is a village and civil parish near the town of Maidstone in Kent, England. The Wateringbury Stream flows through the village and powered a watermill, the site of which now lies within the grounds of Mereworth Castle.
| Mereworth | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Mereworth Location within Kent | |
| Population | 1,068 (2011 Census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TQ660537 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Maidstone |
| Postcode district | ME18 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | |
History
editIn the early 18th century the Honourable John Fane – later 7th Earl of Westmoreland – inherited the manor. He had the Palladian mansion built. Designed by Colen Campbell, Mereworth Castle then overlooked the village, so Fane had the village moved so that it couldn't be seen from the estate, about 1⁄2 mile (800 m) to the north west of its original location. He also demolished the church, providing the villagers with a new Palladian-style replacement, now dedicated to St Lawrence. Mereworth Church is a Grade I listed building.[3]
Notable people
edit- Dominick Browne (1901-2002), 2nd Baron Mereworth, lived at Mereworth Castle until 1930.
- Geoffrey Browne, 3rd Baron Oranmore and Browne (1861-1927), 2nd Baron Mereworth, lived at Mereworth Castle.
- Francis Fane (1580-1629), peer, lived at Mereworth Castle.
- John Fane (1685-1762), nobleman, built the present Mereworth Castle.
- Richard Hosmer (1757-1820), cricketer, was born in Mereworth.
- Charles Lucas VC (1834-1914), Rear-Admiral, is buried in the churchyard of St Lawrence's Church, Mereworth and was the first person to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
See also
edit- Mereworth Sound, British Columbia, Canada
References
edit- ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ^ "I say "potatoes"..." June 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
- ^ "Church of St Lawrence". English Heritage. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
External links
edit
Media related to Mereworth at Wikimedia Commons