Why Challock?
A beautiful village in the Kent Downs
Challock is a mostly wooded, large village and civil parish in the Borough of Ashford, Kent, England. The village name derives from the old English 'Cealfloca' - calf enclosure. A clear nucleus of the village is centred 8 miles south of the port of Faversham and 5 miles north of Ashford. It dates from around AD823.
William the Conqueror gave the manor of Challock to Battle Abbey, and it remained in the Abbey's possession until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century.[3] A smock mill stood to the north of the village until 1906 when it was destroyed by a storm - the mill had not been working for many years prior to this event.[4] The parish church is dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian; it has fine wall paintings by celebrated local artist John Ward and his friend Gordon Davies. There is also a Methodist chapel in the village. A Goose Fair is held in September each year.
Hotspots
My favourite places in Challock
Eastwell Manor
A grand estate with a renowned spa as part of its facilities, this is a retreat best saved for special occasions. A destination in its own right, the Champneys Spa has world-class facilities and a menu of spa treatments that will leave you feeling truly rejuvenated and rested.
Address:
Eastwell Park, Ashford TN25 4HR
What I like
You can sit and relax in the lounge area and enjoy a cocktail or go for a walk around the grounds.
Website
The Kingswood
King's Wood lies within the heart of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty and offers 588ha of mixed conifer and broadleaf woodland for you to enjoy. Some of the wood's highlights include the sweet chestnut coppice and beech woodland.
Address:
Challock, Ashford TN25 4AR
What I like
Lots of diffent trails. It's a great place for picnics, walking the dog or just roaming around.
Website
Beech Court
Beech Court Gardens is a woodland garden with many mature maple and acer trees but at this time of year is notable for its wide and colourful collection of hydrangeas. It was laid out in an informal way nearly 70 years ago using the natural contours.
Address:
Challock, TN25 4DJ
What I like
Walk around the beautiful gardens filled with hydrangas and enjoy an afternnon tea in the summer.
WebsiteGallery
My photos from Challock
