Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne

Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne
Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne is located in Kent
Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne
Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne
Location within Kent
Population925 (2011)[1]
OS grid referenceTR191559
Civil parish
  • Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCANTERBURY
Postcode districtCT4
Dialling code01227
PoliceKent
FireKent
AmbulanceSouth East Coast
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Kent
51°15′36″N 1°08′29″E / 51.2600°N 1.1413°E / 51.2600; 1.1413

Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne is a civil parish in the City of Canterbury district of Kent, England. It is located 4 miles south-east of Canterbury.[2]

According to the 2001 census it had a population of 868, increasing to 925 at the 2011 Census. The parish consists of Bekesbourne and Patrixbourne. It is most famous for being the home location of Howletts Wild Animal Park, but it is also renowned for the growing of hops and sunflowers.[2]

It has one church and has a medieval historical connection with Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, who was responsible for the reform of the Church of England under Henry VIII.

The archiepiscopal palace was built around 1552 for Cranmer using buildings belonging to Christchurch, Canterbury. It was destroyed in the Civil War and only the gatehouse, now a cottage, survives. The gatehouse consists of two storeys of red brick laid in English bond and a hipped slate roof. In the west wall is a four-centred stone doorway with a stone over it inscribed "T C 1552" and a cartouche of the arms of Archbishop Parker of Canterbury.

  1. ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Bekesbourne-with-Patrixbourne Parish Council". Kent County Council. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2006.