Offham is a village in the
local government district
The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the st ...
of
Tonbridge and Malling
Tonbridge and Malling is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Tonbridge is the largest settlement but the authority is based in the modern development of Kings Hill.
Geography
Tonbridge and Malling Borough cover ...
in
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, England, five miles to the west of
Maidstone
Maidstone is the largest town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it wi ...
.
Offham has a
quintain on the village green that was reported in medieval times for use in
jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying to strike the opponen ...
. It is reputed to be the last English quintain in its original position, though it was removed for safekeeping during the Second World War.
The village gets its name from "Offa", the name of a Saxon landowner, and "ham", a village or homestead.
History
The village has been occupied since Roman times, and the major Roman road from London to the Weald ran through the parish. Offham grew in prominence in the early ninth century under the Saxons.
The village has two entries in the
domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manus ...
. This shows that there were two separate estates. The first is:
the second entry follows a little later:
Jack Straw
John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet from 1997 to 2010 under the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He held two of the traditional Great Offices of State, as Home Secretary ...
, the rebel during the reign of
Richard II, is said to have been born at Pepingstraw Manor in the parish.
[''A Topographical Dictionary of England'' (1848), pp. 469-472]
Quintain
The village is famed for its medieval quintain which stands on the green, believed to be the last remaining example in the country.
The quintain consists of a wooden post around eight feet in height with a freely rotating arm on the top. One end of the arm is flat (the "eye"), with the other used to attach heavy objects such as a leather pack. In a sport dating back to perhaps Roman times, a horseman would ride at the quintain at full pace with his lance extended to strike the flat end. Should the horseman not be riding sufficiently quickly, the arm would swing around and the heavy object knock him off his horse.
[
]
Ragstone
The village's houses are predominantly constructed from ragstone
Rag-stone is a name given by some architectural writers to work done with stones that are quarried in thin pieces, such as Horsham Stone, sandstone, Yorkshire stone, and the slate stones, but this is more properly flag or slab work. Near London ...
, Kent's most celebrated building stone. The stone has been mined in the parish since Roman times, with its hardness and durability making it a popular choice for fortifications in London and the south-east.
Church
The first church in the parish was founded by the Saxon lord of the manor who built a private chapel in the early ninth century. After the Norman Conquest it was replaced by a stone church and the lower stage of the tower of the present church dates from this time.[
The present church is dedicated to ]St Michael
Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), also ...
. The Reverend David Green is the Current Incumbent.
Village life
The village hosts annual May Day celebrations on the green; a May Queen parades through the village, accompanied by Morris Men, school children perform maypole dances, and occasionally local horseriders undertake the ancient sport of "tilting at the quintain", though a replica quintain is now used.[
The King's Arms is the only remaining public house. Built-in the sixteenth century, the pub was originally two cottages, later owned by a saddler and harness maker who ran his business there until granted a licence in 1680.][
Offham also has its own primary school, called Offham Primary School.
Offham Cricket Club (www.offhamcc.co.uk) plays each week during the season at its ground in Church Road. The club has two teams that play in the Shepheard Neame Kent Cricket League each Saturday, as well as a range of friendly fixtures on a Sunday. Adult training is each Wednesday evening during the season. The club has a vibrant and growing junior section with U9, U10, U11, U13 and U15 teams, the last three of which play in the Invicta Junior Cricket League. Coaching for all age groups is from 6pm each Friday evening, during the season.
]
Notes
References
External links
Nearest Settlements
{{authority control
Villages in Kent