Discover Chilham, a Kent village seemingly frozen in time. Tudor buildings, medieval squares, and historic pubs await.
Chilham is one such place. It sits by the Great Stour River, nine miles away from Canterbury. Chilham feels like a medieval town, not 2025. Old wooden beams and orange roofs mark the buildings.
Chilham’s buildings are very well kept, giving it a frozen-in-time appearance. Its Tudor look is great for filming. Shows like “Emma” and “Miss Marple” used it, and “Poirot” and “A Canterbury Tale” filmed there too.
Chilham is rural, with nice countryside, and near Canterbury, making it good for walks. Pilgrimage routes start there; Pilgrims Way goes through it to Canterbury. People visited the Cathedral long ago.
Saint Thomas Beckett is said to be buried there. His body was moved after his grave was ruined. The village has a medieval square, which is also on Pilgrims Way.
Chilham has a castle, like old towns should. The castle is private property, but the gardens are open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from May to September.
Visit the village to marvel at the old buildings.
After a stroll, visit the old pubs; The Woolpack Inn and White Horse are great. Both pubs date back to the 1500s. The Woolpack has pub food, and the White Horse won an award for its cozy feel.
Homes in Chilham cost about £596,250. Detached homes sold for around £778,333, and semi-detached homes averaged £414,167. These prices are from the last year.
Last year, The Telegraph picked Britain’s best villages. Experts chose places avoiding too many tourists. They wanted villages to stay uncrowded.
The paper wrote about pretty British villages. Being close to cities can make them too busy. Castle Combe and Polperro were examples, and they have lots of tourists now.
The Telegraph added that there are still nice, quiet villages where medieval pubs and churches are central. Shopkeepers sell local goods. Chilham was the only Kent village listed.
The Telegraph praised Chilham’s features such as the timber buildings surrounding the medieval square. It highlighted the good pubs, tea room, and post office. An old church was the spot where the shrine of St. Augustine rested after the Reformation.
A Jacobean mansion is also in Chilham, sitting where an old castle once stood.