Chartham: Paths along the Stour and historic traces

Chartham offers travellers several distinct points of interest: surfaced paths along the Great Stour, walks with specified distances, and historic buildings in the village and its surroundings. If you’re looking for a hotel in Chartham, first consider whether you’d like to spend your days following the river, walking, or exploring historic traces. The following local features and routes can help you make that choice based on your specific interests.

Paths along the Great Stour and through the countryside

The surfaced Great Stour Way runs through Chartham and follows the Great Stour. Designed for use by several groups, it is intended for walkers, cyclists and wheelchair users; its two sections meet in Chartham. This makes the village a named point of reference for this riverside route.

The North Downs Way runs along the eastern edge of Chartham Hatch, alongside No Man's Orchard. The four-hectare orchard meadow contains approximately 152 mature Bramley apple trees and 45 pollinator trees and is designated as a Local Nature Reserve. Here, a named walking route connects with a specific natural landscape: the approximate number of Bramley trees and the additional group of pollinator trees give an impression of the orchard’s composition.

The wider landscape can also be put into context: much of Chartham’s farmland and woodland borders the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Stour Valley near Chartham is known for its wildlife, including grey herons along the riverbank. Riverbanks, farmland and woodland thus offer different landscape features to consider when planning your time in Chartham.

Walks of different lengths

The Chartham South Lost Landscapes Walk is 6.35 miles long and follows the River Stour. It passes through ancient woodland and ends at Chartham Downs, where views and prehistoric heritage are part of the route. The Chartham North Lost Landscape Trail runs through the northern part of the parish along the North Downs Way. Check the path conditions before walking this route.

The historic walking route from Chartham to Canterbury starts in the village. A shorter, three-mile section of the historic route can be started at Chartham station if you get off there. The distance provides a specific comparison with the 6.35 miles of the South Lost Landscapes Walk: these are different routes, with a shorter section option for one and the longer specified route for the other.

There is a covered bicycle storage area with eight spaces at Chartham station. Station facilities may change, so check this information before travelling.

Churches, listed buildings and older traces

St Mary's Chartham is a Grade I listed church dating from the early 14th century. Its historic features include glazing in the chancel dating from around 1294, a brass memorial to Sir Robert de Septvans, considered one of the finest in the country, and 18th-century wall monuments. The wall monuments include works by Rysbrack and Scheemakers. The dates therefore range from the glazing of around 1294 to the later wall monuments; the church itself dates from the early 14th century.

The “Dovecote at Burnt House Farm” is a rare combined dovecote dating from the 18th century, particularly well preserved and largely in its original condition. At Chartham Vineyard, visitors can see a demonstration vineyard and an old dovecote. These offer different aspects of local history side by side: a rare historic building and a place where visitors can view a vineyard and dovecote.

The surrounding area also preserves traces of earlier times. Above-ground and below-ground remains of the medieval Horton Chapel survive east-northeast of Chartham, near the River Great Stour.

Discover more destinations: Greatstone, Greenhithe, Doddington, Lower Halstow, Matfield, Farningham, Swingfield, Bapchild

For the broader travel overview: Kent.