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History of East Peckham

East Peckham comes from the Old English ‘pēac’ meaning a ‘knoll, hill, peak’ with ‘hām’ as a ‘village an estate, homestead’; therefore a ‘homestead/village at a peak’. The prefix ‘east’ distinguishes it from West Peckham. The Domesday Book records East Peckham as Pecheham and the Textus Roffensis as Pecham.

East Peckham redundant parish church is a Grade: II listed building, dedicated to Saint Michael. The present church dates to the 14th century when it replaced a 10th century Saxon Building. Robert Catlin cast and hung two bells in 1747, with William Mears adding two more in 1785. In 1798, Edward Hasted described the East Peckham church as a ‘fair large building, with a square tower at the west end. It stands near the summit of the hill almost adjoining to the southern pales of Mereworth-park’. In 1825, Thomas Mears added two treble bells to complete six. The diocesan architect Joseph Clarke carried out a heavy restoration in 1857. The church is two miles from the village. In 1973, as a redundant church, it passed into the care of the Churches Conservation Trust, with the pastoral needs of East Peckham passing to Holy Trinity church, more conveniently situated in the centre of the village.

East Peckham parish church is a Grade: II listed building, dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The Victorian architects Whichcord and Walker built the two cell church in 1842, following the neo-Decorated style.

Walter Arnold of East Peckham received the first speeding fine in England of 1 shilling, on 28 January 1896, for travelling at 8 mph in a 2mph area. A policeman on a bicycle apprehended Mr Arnold.