insideKENT Magazine Issue 47 - February 2016 | Page 101

TOWNSPOTLIGHT

© Jane Armstrong

S P O T L I G H T

© Alex Perseval

O N

headcorn

Headcorn may be one of the largest villages in the Low Weald, but it encapsulates a small
village charm that delights anyone who encounters it. The locals love their village, and its
3,300 residents enjoy a vast array of restaurants, shops, activities, and services including a
superb new village hall. It’s this special neighbourly bond that really sets Headcorn apart
from other villages; they say that that community spirit is dying out these days, but in
Headcorn it’s thriving – and doing wonderful things. BY LISAMARIE LAMB

history in brief

Headcorn was a prized possession, one which
King Henry III awarded to the Maison Dieu at
Ospringe in 1222 – it brought with it the chance
to make money, and the Master and Brethren of
Ospringe were given the rights to hold a weekly
market there, as well as an annual fair every June.
It wasn’t just the markets that made Headcorn
prosperous; a weaving industry grew up there
and soon the clothes that were being made in

Today the same pioneering spirit of the past has
meant that the village is just as well loved, and
just as successful as ever. Villagers can join in
with various clubs and activities such as angling,
bowls, badminton, cricket, tennis, walking, judo,
pilates, tai chi, dance, yoga, bridge, philosophy,
art, theatre, and Blooming Headcorn (a group
that aims to make the village even more attractive
than it already is).

things to do
Headcorn Aerodrome
At Headcorn Aerodrome there are plenty of
activities for those who enjoy all things flying
related. Here you can start your flying lessons,
or build up your flying hours. You can skydive,

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© Jane Armstrong

From what has been discovered during digs in
the area, it would seem as though Headcorn
began as a small clearing where pigs were sent
to feed, and thanks to the work of archaeologists
from the Kent Archaeological Society, we know
that there has been a settlement in the Headcorn
area since Bronze Age times, and that there has
never been a period of history in which Headcorn
wasn’t peopled.

the village caught the eye of King Edward III, who
thought the cloth was exceptional.

fly a hot air balloon, be taken for a fly around
Kent, try a microlight, or even fulfil your dream of
parachuting. All the instructors at the aerodrome
are fully qualified, and you won’t find any better
view of the county than you will when you fly from
here.
Lashenden Air Warfare Museum
Sited on the grounds of Headcorn Aerodrome,
the Lashenden Air Warfare Museum is one of the