History of Burham - Kent Past

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History of Burham

Burham comes from the Old English ‘burh’ meaning ‘fortification’ with ‘hām’ as ‘village, homestead, manor’; therefore a ‘fortified homestead/village’. The Domesday Book records Burham as Borham.

Burham church is a Grade: I listed building, dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin, although no longer used. The Normans first built it in the 12th Century, on the site of a Saxon chapel. They built the north and south aisles - later demolished - in the 14th century, and added the west tower in the following century. In the late 19th century, a Maidstone architect, E W Stephens built a new church more central to the village, bringing about the desertion of this church. Unfortunately, the foundations were not sound, in the new building, resulting in the demolition of the church in 1980. In 1956, the Friends of Friendless churches carried out some restoration work before vesting the church with the Churches conservation Trust.