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Historic Towns & Picturesque Villages

Battle Abbey

Battle

in the county of East Sussex

Ely

Ely

a Historic City in the county of Cambridgeshire

The museum at Berkswell, Warwickshire

Berkswell

in the county of West Midlands

Pictures of Higham

in the county of Kent

About Higham

An interesting village situated between Gravesend and Rochester in Kent, with links to the author Charles Dickens, the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin, and auctioneer and electoral reformer Charles Larkin.

The village is divided into two parts, often refered to locally as the 'top' and 'bottom' of the village. It has an interesting Church, St Mary's, which contains the oldest church Pulpit in Kent, and at the highest point in the village can be found The Larkin memorial on Telegraph Hill, built in 1835 to the memory of Charles Larkin (1775-1833).

Gads Hill Place in the locality of Gadshill, Higham, now a school, was once home to the famous author Charles Dickens who saw the house when he was 9 yrs old, telling his father he wished to live there someday. His father told him if he worked hard enough his dream may come true. The rest is history. Dickens purchased the house 36 yrs later and lived there until his death in 1870.

Other links with the village are Dick Turpin, who is said to have robbed a sailor at 4am one morning at gadshill, and then embarked on an extraordinary journey, bareback on his horse, all the way to York some 200 miles away, simply to establish an alibi for the robbery, which he did do by engaging the Lord Mayor in York, who later became a witness for his defence. However, the truth seems to be that it was not Turpin at all, but another famous highwayman named John 'Swift Nick' Nevison, a man whose exploits earned him praise from even King Charles II and a mention in Lord Macaulay's History of England.

William Shakespeare also refers to Gadshill and its relationship with highway robbery in his Henry IV Part I.

Recommended towns & villages near Higham

A Blackbird on a Crab Apple Tree in a Gravesend Garden

Gravesend (270 Pictures) in the county of Kent

(4.2 miles, 6.8 km, direction NW of Higham)

Attractive old town overlooking the Thames estuary with walkways and picnic sites ideal for watching the busy water traffic, for this stretch of the river is said to be one of the busiest in the world...

Beckoned into the High Street, Aylesford, Kent

Aylesford (50 Pictures) a Picturesque Village in the county of Kent

(7.6 miles, 12.3 km, direction S of Higham)

Aylesford is a large village in Kent, 4 miles NW of the county town of Maidstone. It sits on the river Medway, and has many interesting and historic buildings including the 14th.....

Ingress Abbey

Greenhithe (16 Pictures) in the county of Kent

(8.0 miles, 12.9 km, direction W of Higham)

Greenhithe is an area of Kent found sandwiched between the River Thames and Watling...

The Tower of St. Clements Church, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

Leigh-on-Sea (58 Pictures) a Seaside Town in the county of Essex

(12.3 miles, 19.8 km, direction NE of Higham)

At Leigh, visitors will find a small sandy beach and a narrow High Street containing lovely old fishermen's cottages. The resort is situated close to Leigh Marsh Nature Reserve and Two Tree Island, a lonely expanse of windswept grass and saltings...

Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club, Sheerness

Sheerness (22 Pictures) in the county of Kent

(13.4 miles, 21.5 km, direction E of Higham)

This is the port to which Nelson's body was brought home following his untimely death after his glorious victory at the Battle of Trafalgar...

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Nearby attractions..

Rochester Castle

Rochester Castle (88 Pictures)

(2.6 miles, 4.1 km, direction SE)

The impressive ruins of Rochester Castle at the side of the Medway River make up one of the most spectacular riverside views in.....

Charles Dickens Chalet, Rochester, Kent

Charles Dickens Chalet (4 Pictures)

(2.8 miles, 4.5 km, direction SE)

Unfortunately due to its fragility, the Dickens Chalet is not open to the public although it can be viewed from outside. The.....

Rochester Cathedral

Rochester Cathedral (104 Pictures)

(3.0 miles, 4.8 km, direction SE)

Rochester Cathedral is awesome in its beauty, matching this is an impressive history stretching back to when the cathedral was.....

Upnor Castle

Upnor Castle (61 Pictures)

(3.1 miles, 5.0 km, direction E)

The romantic ruins of this fabled centuries old fortress occupies one of the most delightful sites in England. The castle was.....

Number Three Slipway, Chatham Dockyard

Chatham Historic Dockyard (122 Pictures)

(3.3 miles, 5.3 km, direction E)

Set in a stunning 80-acre estate The Historic Dockyard Chatham will excite and entertain you - whatever your age! Explore the.....

A picture of New Tavern Fort

New Tavern Fort (2 Pictures)

(4.0 miles, 6.5 km, direction NW)

Amongst the fascination of the waterfront at Gravesend is New Tavern Fort, and although the fort was re-armed in 1904 and guns.....

A picture of Tilbury Fort

Tilbury Fort (16 Pictures)

(4.6 miles, 7.5 km, direction NW)

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