Shoreham is a village in the valley of the River Darent six miles north of Sevenoaks in Kent: it is in the District of Sevenoaks.

The probable derivation of the name is estate at the foot of a steep slope. Steep slope was from the Saxon word scor. pronounced shor, but written sore by Norman scribes.

History

The Darent valley was one of the major areas of stone Age settlement; and Shoreham is mentioned in the Domesday Book.

It was also known as a smuggling area.

Papermaking was once a local industry; the mill closed finally in 1925.

Wartime Shoreham

WWI: memorial cross

There is a white memorial cross in the hillside opposite the village church. It was dug in 1920 as a memorial to local men killed in action.

WWII: Shoreham Aircraft Museum

The official opening of the Aircraft Museum in 1978 was attended by fifteen former Battle of Britain pilots. It pays lasting tribute to all those airmen who fought in the skies over southern England during World War II and houses a substantial collection of aviation relics excavated by the group over many years from sites of crashed British and German aircraft, as well as items which have been donated.

Run by local enthusiasts, the Museum is largely funded by proceeds made by visitors whose donations contribute to the recovery and preservation of the artefacts.

• • The now famous battle fought between Fighter Command and the Luftwaffe on 15th September 1940, the Battle of Britain, brought the village of Shoreham directly into the war when as part of a force of about 100 German bombers approaching London a Dornier 17Z was shot down shortly before noon. The invading formation had been challenged by nine RAF Squadrons and the battle developed into a series of individual 'dogfights'. The unfortunate pilot of the Dornier was forced to land in a field at Castle Farm, with a Spitfire circling overhead, its cockpit canopy open, and its pilot waving a handkerchief, to signal a warning to the growing crowd of hop pickers nearby to stay away until the Shoreham Home Guard arrived to recover the German crew. Feldwebel Heitsch, the pilot and Feldwebel Pfeiffer, the observer, were driven to the public house in Shoreham village, where they were bought a brandy before being driven to Sevenoaks Police Station. The museum holds a collection of photographs of the Dornier, along with items taken from the wreckage at the time.

• • NB There is also a Shoreham Airport in West Sussex

Famous People

• John Wesley is known to have often preached here: he was friends of the then vicar.

• It was once the home of the London born artist Samuel Palmer, (1805-1881) who lived in the village for from 1826 to 1835 where he was part of a group of artists who followed William Blake and called themselves The Ancients. Palmer was principally a landscape painter and etcher, with his early works mainly done in water colours described as possessing a 'visionary, mystical style greatly influenced by Blake'.
• Lord Dunsany (1878-1957), the writer, was resident here.

Communications

• Road: Shoreham stood on the turnpike which ran from Dartford to Sevenoaks, opened between 1750-1780. The route of that road is now followqed by the A225.
• Rail: Shoreham station is on the Swanley to Sevenoaks line and was opened on 2 June 1862. In the station building is a Countryside Centre, which is run by volunteers and opens weekend afternoons. Shoreham is a good base for walkers.

External Links

• Shoreham Aircraft Museum
• Lord Dunsany

Books with local content include:

Joe's Walks for Bad Map-Readers - 13 Country Walks around London, by Joe Alexander with illustrations by Joy Paul (Roxburghe Publishing, 1992, ISBN 09519402 01) Available from the publishers: Roxburghe Publishing, 8 Kenneth Crescent, London NW2 4PT