| Mersham | |
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Mersham
Mersham shown within Kent |
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| Population | 1,022 [1] |
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| OS grid reference | TR053396 |
| Parish | Mersham |
| District | Ashford |
| Shire county | Kent |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | TONBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | TN25 |
| Dialling code | 01233 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Ashford |
| List of places: UK • England • Kent | |
Mersham is a small village and civil parish, three miles east of Willesborough and the town of Ashford in the county of Kent.
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Historically Mersham has been a farming community with close ties to the local market town of Ashford. The small village dates back to Saxon times and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The village was owned by the Archbishops of Canterbury for over 500 years. The beautiful Church of St. John the Baptist, which stands on the site of a Saxon church, is part Norman. There are two water mills on the East Stour river, one of which, Swanton, is still working. Part of Hatch Park, an ancient deerpark and SSSI, is within the parish.
It is thought that the village gives rise to the surname Marshman.
The village has been the home of the Knatchbull family since the times of Henry VIII. In 1638 Sir Norton Knatchbull founded Ashford Grammar School, to which pupils were not admitted until they could read the Bible in English, he was also the Member of Parliament for Romney. In the early 19th century Edward Knatchbull served under Robert Walpole in the Whig government and in 1830 another Sir Edward Knatchbull became M.P. for Romney and served under Sir Robert Peel in his government of 1841.
Mersham is also mentioned in the American series Dynasty (Season 5, Episode 11, Swept Away) as being the place where one of the characters (Alexis Colby) grew up.