Coxheath
Encyclopedia
Coxheath is a village
and civil parish
within the Borough of Maidstone
, Kent
, England
. The parish is approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Maidstone
. It is mainly centred along Heath Road which links the villages of Yalding
and Boughton Monchelsea
to the west and east, respectively.
A replica beacon pole and the village coat of arms
celebrate the role that the village played as a signal bonfire site for many hundreds of years, although there is little visible evidence today of the area's location as a major army camp in the 18th century.
More recently the village was home of a large workhouse
that served a large part of mid-Kent during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The workhouse is now gone, although its chapel now serves as the village church.
Today, Coxheath is home to the South East Coast Ambulance Service's
emergency despatch centre for Kent and is twinned with La Séguinière in Maine-et-Loire
, France
. More esoterically, it was also the birthplace of the World Custard Pie Throwing Championships.
quarry.
In the 16th century, the strategic position of the ridge determined its choice for one of the sites in the network of beacon
s erected in the year of the Armada
of 1588. The first known site of a beacon was on the ridge near what are known today as Amsbury Road and Westerhill Road.
was a deserted tract of land that was the haunt of highwaymen. During the 1720s the land started to be used as a venue for cricket
matches, becoming known as Coxheath Common cricket ground
. This remained the area's main use until 1756, when, with the start of the Seven Years War, it suddenly became a huge military camp, with 12,000 Hanoverian
and Hessian
troops quartered there.
Its former sinister reputation soon gave way to a new one - for the number of duels to be fought there, usually over the ladies of nearby Maidstone. The county town had mixed views about the camp. The business community was inclined, on the whole, to be forbearing about the disadvantages, but feelings ran high once or twice between Maidstone Corporation and the military authorities about which should exercise the right to punish soldiers who misbehaved themselves in the town's confines.
Inspired by the Prussian army of Frederick the Great which carried out manoeuvres
whereby units "fought" against each other and who became the standard by which other European armies measured themselves, the British decided to hold mock battles themselves. Motivated at the time by fear of invasion from France, a number of training camps were established in southern England to allow raw militia and regular troops to train for what seemed an inevitable clash. One site chosen was Coxheath.
The Westminster Magazine covered the events at one such camp held there during the summers of 1778 and 1779. By all accounts, this camp was on a massive scale involving 17,000 troops as well as civilians, many representing the 700 retailers who had come from London to service the soldiers. On the 18th of September 1778 a mock battle was held on Barming Heath
with the Grenadiers, Light Infantry
and Dragoons involved.
The camp was the scene of several big reviews of troops by visiting dignitaries, including one by the King himself, George III
, and his Queen Charlotte in 1778. The king made it an occasion to knight
the Mayor of Maidstone, William Bishop, before he left, which probably did something to reduce the friction between the camp and the nearby town. The last major cricket match was played in 1789, the year of the French Revolution
.
Soon after the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo
, most of the troops were discharged. The army encampment was closed in 1815 by an Act of Parliament
and then in 1817 the heath was enclosed by local landowners, removing the right of villagers to use it.
Heath Road (now designated as the B2163) which bisects the village, runs in an absolutely straight line for over 2 miles (although the majority of this section of the road resides within neighbouring Boughton Monchelsea and Linton). The very straight course of this road is the direct result of work by the military engineers.
in 1834, led to the creation of the "Coxheath Poor Law Union" in 1835, more commonly known simply as the Coxheath Union. This union also involved many of the other local parishes. A reluctant Maidstone was finally coerced into joining in 1836, bringing the number of parishes involved to 15 and leading to the union's name being officially changed to the Maidstone Union (although contemporary references appear to show that the Coxheath Union name remained in general use).
The Maidstone Union Workhouse
was built in 1836 at a site to the south of Heath Road, replacing a smaller workhouse built near the junction of Heath Road and Stockett Lane
in 1771.
By the mid-19th century when Kent was producing half of the entire national crop and something like 50000 acres (202.3 km²) were under cultivation, thousands of Londoners were travelling into Kent in search of work in the hop gardens. Eventually, supply outstripped demand and many arrived in the countryside only to be told they were not required. Hungry and destitute, they threw themselves on the mercy of the union house-keepers. In 1867 the workhouse was home for 600 to 700 people.
The old workhouse was incorporated into Linton Hospital, though this, in the mid 1990s, finally closed and was demolished.
.
A replica beacon bearing the village's coat of arms celebrates the area's role as a signal bonfire site since the time of the Armada stands on the side of the Heath Road opposite the Bird in Hand public house. The original beacon, and its first replica, were blown down and replaced.
Alternating between the two municipalities, a meeting is held each year. The proposed association also aims to foster placements for young people in England and France.
, whose Member of Parliament
as of May 2010 is Helen Grant
of the Conservative Party
. It is also in the South East England constituency
in the European Parliament
.
that runs through Kent. To the north the land descends gently into the Medway
valley. To the south there is a steeper descent down into the Low Weald
.
As of the 2001 UK census, the Coxheath electoral ward had a population of 3,856 in 1,582 households, of whom 3,732 (96.8%) were British by birth. In terms of ethnicity, 98.7% described themselves as white, with 0.5% mixed, 0.2% Asian or Asian British, 0.3% Black or Black British and 0.4% Chinese or other ethnic group.
Religion was recorded as 80.6% Christian, 0.2% Muslim, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.1% Hindu. 11.9% were recorded as having no religion, 0.4% had an alternative religion and 6.7% did not state their religion.
Of the 3,120 adults (aged 16 and over), the socio-economic breakdown by NRS social grade
found 1,631 people fell into the ABC1 category and 1,489 people into the C2DE grouping.
The economic activity of the 2,792 residents aged 16–74 was 43.6% in full-time employment, 14.1% in part-time employment, 8.8% self-employed, 2.0% unemployed, 1.9% students with jobs, 2.9% students without jobs, 17.1% retired, 5.3% looking after home or family, 2.7% permanently sick or disabled and 1.8% economically inactive for other reasons. The industry of employment of residents was 19.3% retail, 12.3% manufacturing, 11.3% real estate, 11.2% health and social work, 10.5% construction, 7.3% transport and communications, 6.6% education, 5.8% finance, 5.2% public administration, 2.9% hotels and restaurants, 1.9% agriculture and 5.7% other.
. It does not have a railway station. The nearest station is East Farleigh on the Medway Valley Line
. The closest mainline services are via Maidstone East to the north (serving London
and Ashford
/Canterbury
/Ramsgate
) or Staplehurst
to the south on the Southeastern Main Line.
is provided by schools elsewhere in the Maidstone area.
Mike Fitzgerald, who founded the championships (and latterly served as Mayor
of Maidstone in 2006/7), originally organised the event to raise money to build a village hall
and was inspired by the Charlie Chaplin
comedy film Behind the Screen
. More than 80 teams threw custard pie
s at each other during its heyday dressed in Victorian Era style costumes or the latest fashion style at that time. In its early days only men were allowed to join as they thought it was unacceptable for women to join in. Before long worldwide teams homed in on the act coming from Japan, Canada, Finland and Germany. The winners of the Custard Pie Trophy were usually women. This tradition came to an end in 1982 at Coxheath when Councillor Fitzgerald moved to Ditton
taking the championships with him, and it died out in 1988 after the trophy was lost and never found. However, the competition was revived on the 6th of June 2007, and it has been held annually in Coxheath ever since.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
within the Borough of Maidstone
Maidstone (borough)
Maidstone is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its administrative centre is Maidstone which is also the County town of Kent...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The parish is approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
. It is mainly centred along Heath Road which links the villages of Yalding
Yalding
Yalding is a village and part of Yalding civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England.The village is situated six miles south-west of Maidstone at a point where the Rivers Teise and Beult join the River Medway....
and Boughton Monchelsea
Boughton Monchelsea
For other Boughtons in Kent see Boughton Aluph; Boughton under Blean and Boughton MalherbeThe village and civil parish of Boughton Monchelsea is in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The civil parish lies on a ragstone ridge situated between the North Downs and the Weald of Kent and has...
to the west and east, respectively.
A replica beacon pole and the village coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
celebrate the role that the village played as a signal bonfire site for many hundreds of years, although there is little visible evidence today of the area's location as a major army camp in the 18th century.
More recently the village was home of a large workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
that served a large part of mid-Kent during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The workhouse is now gone, although its chapel now serves as the village church.
Today, Coxheath is home to the South East Coast Ambulance Service's
South East Coast Ambulance Service
The South East Coast Ambulance Service is the NHS Ambulance Services Trust for south-eastern England, covering Kent , Surrey, West Sussex and East Sussex . It also covers a part of north-eastern Hampshire around Aldershot...
emergency despatch centre for Kent and is twinned with La Séguinière in Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. More esoterically, it was also the birthplace of the World Custard Pie Throwing Championships.
Toponymy
Early documentation shows the name of Coxheath as Cokkyshoth (1489) and Coxhoth (1585). The nearby Cock Inn (founded 1568) may point to its etymology.Early history
Although there is little evidence of early settlement, nearby Boughton Monchelsea was the site of a RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
quarry.
In the 16th century, the strategic position of the ridge determined its choice for one of the sites in the network of beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
s erected in the year of the Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
of 1588. The first known site of a beacon was on the ridge near what are known today as Amsbury Road and Westerhill Road.
Military Influence
Aside from this, until the eighteenth century the heathHeath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
was a deserted tract of land that was the haunt of highwaymen. During the 1720s the land started to be used as a venue for cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
matches, becoming known as Coxheath Common cricket ground
Coxheath Common
Coxheath Common at Coxheath, Kent was used as a major cricket venue for 8 first-class matches between 1728 and 1789 as well as for a number of minor matches. It was first recorded in 1728 when Edward Stead's Kent team played against Sussex...
. This remained the area's main use until 1756, when, with the start of the Seven Years War, it suddenly became a huge military camp, with 12,000 Hanoverian
Hanoverian
The adjective Hanoverian is used to describe:* British monarchs or supporters of the House of Hanover, the dynasty which ruled the United Kingdom from 1714 to 1901.* things relating to the Electorate of Hanover, Kingdom of Hanover, or Province of Hanover...
and Hessian
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
troops quartered there.
Its former sinister reputation soon gave way to a new one - for the number of duels to be fought there, usually over the ladies of nearby Maidstone. The county town had mixed views about the camp. The business community was inclined, on the whole, to be forbearing about the disadvantages, but feelings ran high once or twice between Maidstone Corporation and the military authorities about which should exercise the right to punish soldiers who misbehaved themselves in the town's confines.
Inspired by the Prussian army of Frederick the Great which carried out manoeuvres
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
whereby units "fought" against each other and who became the standard by which other European armies measured themselves, the British decided to hold mock battles themselves. Motivated at the time by fear of invasion from France, a number of training camps were established in southern England to allow raw militia and regular troops to train for what seemed an inevitable clash. One site chosen was Coxheath.
The Westminster Magazine covered the events at one such camp held there during the summers of 1778 and 1779. By all accounts, this camp was on a massive scale involving 17,000 troops as well as civilians, many representing the 700 retailers who had come from London to service the soldiers. On the 18th of September 1778 a mock battle was held on Barming Heath
Barming Heath
Barming Heath is an area of NW Maidstone in Kent, England. The parish church is dedicated to St Andrew....
with the Grenadiers, Light Infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
and Dragoons involved.
The camp was the scene of several big reviews of troops by visiting dignitaries, including one by the King himself, George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
, and his Queen Charlotte in 1778. The king made it an occasion to knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
the Mayor of Maidstone, William Bishop, before he left, which probably did something to reduce the friction between the camp and the nearby town. The last major cricket match was played in 1789, the year of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Soon after the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, most of the troops were discharged. The army encampment was closed in 1815 by an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
and then in 1817 the heath was enclosed by local landowners, removing the right of villagers to use it.
Heath Road (now designated as the B2163) which bisects the village, runs in an absolutely straight line for over 2 miles (although the majority of this section of the road resides within neighbouring Boughton Monchelsea and Linton). The very straight course of this road is the direct result of work by the military engineers.
Coxheath Union
The enactment of the new Poor LawPoor Law Amendment Act 1834
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to PLAA, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
in 1834, led to the creation of the "Coxheath Poor Law Union" in 1835, more commonly known simply as the Coxheath Union. This union also involved many of the other local parishes. A reluctant Maidstone was finally coerced into joining in 1836, bringing the number of parishes involved to 15 and leading to the union's name being officially changed to the Maidstone Union (although contemporary references appear to show that the Coxheath Union name remained in general use).
The Maidstone Union Workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
was built in 1836 at a site to the south of Heath Road, replacing a smaller workhouse built near the junction of Heath Road and Stockett Lane
in 1771.
By the mid-19th century when Kent was producing half of the entire national crop and something like 50000 acres (202.3 km²) were under cultivation, thousands of Londoners were travelling into Kent in search of work in the hop gardens. Eventually, supply outstripped demand and many arrived in the countryside only to be told they were not required. Hungry and destitute, they threw themselves on the mercy of the union house-keepers. In 1867 the workhouse was home for 600 to 700 people.
20th century
The modern civil parish was created in 1964 from areas formerly within the parishes of East Farleigh and Linton (and to a lesser extent areas from Hunton and Loose), the timing coinciding with large scale housing developments in the village.The old workhouse was incorporated into Linton Hospital, though this, in the mid 1990s, finally closed and was demolished.
Landmarks
Perhaps the most distinctive landmark in Coxheath is the Holy Trinity church, built in 1884 as the chapel to the workhouse and latterly the former Linton Hospital. It became the Parish church for the village in 1996 following the hospital's closure and falls under the Diocese of RochesterDiocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
.
A replica beacon bearing the village's coat of arms celebrates the area's role as a signal bonfire site since the time of the Armada stands on the side of the Heath Road opposite the Bird in Hand public house. The original beacon, and its first replica, were blown down and replaced.
Twinning with La Séguinière
The twinning of La Séguinière and Coxheath was born from a meeting of representatives from the two villages in 1995. It was formalized by La Séguinière in 2003 and by Coxheath in 2004. Its main objective is to promote linguistic and cultural exchanges between the two villages.Alternating between the two municipalities, a meeting is held each year. The proposed association also aims to foster placements for young people in England and France.
Governance
The current parish chairman is Mr Clive Parker. Coxheath is part of the parliamentary constituency of Maidstone and the WealdMaidstone and The Weald
Maidstone and The Weald is a county constituency which elects one Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Boundaries:...
, whose Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
as of May 2010 is Helen Grant
Helen Grant (politician)
Helen Grant is a British lawyer and Conservative Party politician. She is the current Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald in Kent. She was elected at the 2010 general election, replacing the constituency's previous incumbent, Ann Widdecombe, who had decided to step down as an MP...
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. It is also in the South East England constituency
South East England (European Parliament constituency)
South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 10 Members of the European Parliament using the D'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
Geography
The village sits on the very southern edge of the greensand ridgeGreensand Ridge
The Greensand Ridge is an extensive, prominent, often heavily wooded, sandstone escarpment and range of hills in south-east England. It runs in a horseshoe shape around the Weald of Surrey, Sussex and Kent. It reaches its highest elevation, , at Leith Hill in Surrey—the second highest point...
that runs through Kent. To the north the land descends gently into the Medway
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
valley. To the south there is a steeper descent down into the Low Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
.
Demography
| Coxheath compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census | Coxheath ward | Maidstone (non-metropolitan district) | England |
| Population | 3,856 | 138,948 | 49,138,831 |
| Foreign born | 3.2% | 4.6% | 9.2% |
| White | 98.7% | 98.3% | 90.9% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 0.7% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.3% | 0.1% | 2.3% |
| Christian | 80.6% | 76.1% | 71.7% |
| Muslim | 0.2% | 0.3% | 3.1% |
| Hindu | 0.1% | 0.2% | 1.1% |
| No religion | 11.9% | 15% | 14.6% |
| Unemployed | 2% | 1.9% | 3.3% |
| Retired | 17.1% | 14.2% | 13.5% |
As of the 2001 UK census, the Coxheath electoral ward had a population of 3,856 in 1,582 households, of whom 3,732 (96.8%) were British by birth. In terms of ethnicity, 98.7% described themselves as white, with 0.5% mixed, 0.2% Asian or Asian British, 0.3% Black or Black British and 0.4% Chinese or other ethnic group.
Religion was recorded as 80.6% Christian, 0.2% Muslim, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.1% Hindu. 11.9% were recorded as having no religion, 0.4% had an alternative religion and 6.7% did not state their religion.
Of the 3,120 adults (aged 16 and over), the socio-economic breakdown by NRS social grade
NRS social grade
The NRS social grades are a system of demographic classification used in the United Kingdom. They were originally developed by the National Readership Survey in order to classify readers, but are now used by many other organisations for wider applications and have become a standard for market...
found 1,631 people fell into the ABC1 category and 1,489 people into the C2DE grouping.
The economic activity of the 2,792 residents aged 16–74 was 43.6% in full-time employment, 14.1% in part-time employment, 8.8% self-employed, 2.0% unemployed, 1.9% students with jobs, 2.9% students without jobs, 17.1% retired, 5.3% looking after home or family, 2.7% permanently sick or disabled and 1.8% economically inactive for other reasons. The industry of employment of residents was 19.3% retail, 12.3% manufacturing, 11.3% real estate, 11.2% health and social work, 10.5% construction, 7.3% transport and communications, 6.6% education, 5.8% finance, 5.2% public administration, 2.9% hotels and restaurants, 1.9% agriculture and 5.7% other.
Transport
The village is served by bus services provided by ArrivaArriva Southern Counties
Arriva Southern Counties is a bus operator in London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and Essex in England. It is a regional division of Arriva.- History :...
. It does not have a railway station. The nearest station is East Farleigh on the Medway Valley Line
Medway Valley Line
The Medway Valley Line is the name given to the railway line linking and the Medway Towns with and onward to , and London St Pancras International...
. The closest mainline services are via Maidstone East to the north (serving London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
/Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
/Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
) or Staplehurst
Staplehurst railway station
Staplehurst railway station serves Staplehurst in Kent, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by Southeastern. Staplehurst is south east of London Charing Cross on the South Eastern Main Line....
to the south on the Southeastern Main Line.
Education
Coxheath Primary School has, as of May 2009, 238 pupils aged between 4 and 11. Secondary educationSecondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
is provided by schools elsewhere in the Maidstone area.
World Custard Pie Throwing Championship
Coxheath has the distinction of being the original home of the World Custard Pie Throwing Championship, the inaugural event of which was held in the village on June 24, 1967. CouncillorCouncillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
Mike Fitzgerald, who founded the championships (and latterly served as Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Maidstone in 2006/7), originally organised the event to raise money to build a village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
and was inspired by the Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
comedy film Behind the Screen
Behind the Screen
Behind the Screen is a 1916 short silent film written by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin, and also starring Eric Campbell and Edna Purviance. The film takes place in a movie studio; Chaplin plays a stagehand named David while Campbell, a large man, plays Goliath, his supervisor...
. More than 80 teams threw custard pie
Custard pie
A custard pie is any type of uncooked custard mixture added to an uncooked or partially cooked crust and baked together. In North America, custard pie commonly refers to a plain mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and sometimes nutmeg combined with a pie crust...
s at each other during its heyday dressed in Victorian Era style costumes or the latest fashion style at that time. In its early days only men were allowed to join as they thought it was unacceptable for women to join in. Before long worldwide teams homed in on the act coming from Japan, Canada, Finland and Germany. The winners of the Custard Pie Trophy were usually women. This tradition came to an end in 1982 at Coxheath when Councillor Fitzgerald moved to Ditton
Ditton, Kent
Ditton is a large village and civil parish in the Tonbridge and Malling District of Kent, England. The village is about north-west of Maidstone town centre and east of West Malling. The parish, which is long and narrow, straddles the A20 , with farmland to the south and industry to the north...
taking the championships with him, and it died out in 1988 after the trophy was lost and never found. However, the competition was revived on the 6th of June 2007, and it has been held annually in Coxheath ever since.
Notable people
- Hugh KennardHugh KennardWing Commander Hugh Charles Kennard, DFC was a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II and later an entrepreneur in civil aviation.-Personal life:...
(1918-95), Battle of BritainBattle of BritainThe Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
pilot and owner of a number of airlines postwar, was born in Coxheath.