Westerham and Chartwell House
Westerham Kent is a market town in the North West corner of Kent. It is part of the historic North Weald and the North Downs Way. The town was granted its market charter in 1227 and due to the metropolitan green belt act of 1938 has managed to keep its country feel, history and atmosphere. It is designated as an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and special landscape value and also has lots of historic houses and lovely villages.
General James Wolfe was born here and was the victor in the battle of Quebec in 1759 between the French and English but he also lost his life. There is a bronze Statue of him wielding his sword on the green. His home as a boy Quebec House is open to the public at certain times in the summer and has a museum which holds a collection of relics of his life and career.
Sir Winston Churchill Britain’s wartime Prime Minister also has connections to Westerham and there is also a statue of him on the green. He lived at Chartwell House which is two miles south of Westerham from 1922 until his death in 1965. He bought the house for its wonderful views over the Weald of Kent. In 1947 a group of Churchill’s friends purchased the house so that Churchill could continue living there and was opened to the public in 1966.
The rooms and garden remain much as they were, with some of the rooms holding exhibits of his life and career. Churchill’s paintings can be seen in the garden studio where he worked. Many of his uniforms are displayed and also awards and presents he received from countries throughout the world. The terraced hillside gardens, the lakes and water garden fed by Chart Well (where the house got its name), and Lady Churchill’s Rose Garden can also be seen.
Westerham Map
All images copyright©2008 Andrew Weller except Sir Winston Churchill