West Peckham comes from the Old English words ‘pēac’ meaning a ‘knoll, hill, peak’
and ‘hām’ as a ‘village, homestead’; therefore a ‘homestead/village at a peak’. The
prefix ‘west’ distinguishes it from East Peckham. The Domesday Book chronicles West
Peckham as Pecheham, and the Textus Roffensis as Pecham.
West Peckham parish church is a Grade: I listed building, dedicated to Saint Dunstan.
The Saxons built the church towards the end of the 10th century. In the 11th century,
the Normans rebuilt the nave, although, did not add the chancel until the 13th century.
Stephen Swan cast and hung a bell in 1611, with Christopher Hodson and Joseph Hatch
each adding a bell in 1624. Edward Hasted describes the church in 1798 as ‘a small
building, with a low pointed steeple’…. more
