Otterden

The Parish of Otterden is a very rural area, set high on the Kent Downs, six miles southwest of Faversham and three miles northeast of Lenham.

Otterden Place Harrow Inn Bunce Court St Lawrence Chapel, Otterden Place

Otterden community 

• Neighrbourhood Watch
  Richard Foulger
  01622 850051
  Richard.foulger@bromley.gov.uk  

• Church
  Otterden is part of a combined benefice with Ospringe, Eastling and Stalisfield. Otterden is within the parish of 'Stalisfield with Otterden', and the parish church is St Mary's, Stalisfield. St Lawrence, in the grounds of Otterden Place, is a private chapel where services are normally held only during summer.
  Priest-in-charge: Rev Caroline Pinchbeck 01795 890487
  Chairman: Rev Caroline Pinchbeck
  Secretary: Mrs Jan Beckenham
  Treasurer: Dr Steve Ruston
  Churchwardens: Mrs Pat Thompson, Martin Beckenham
• "Good News" Parish Magazine
  Editorial and advertising: Mrs Hilary Harlow, Pinks Farm, Kettle Hill Road, Eastling, Faversham, Kent ME13 0BB 01795 890388 h.f.harlow@btconnect.com
• Parish Meeting
  Chairman: David Merifield
  Hon. Clerk: Mrs Jane Bailey
  Elected Members: Geoffrey Bailey; John Baker; Mary Barling; Don Eley; Graham Galer; Liz Grundy; David Murray; Nick Swatland.
• Transport: Bus: Route 660 (Graveney to Stalisfield Green, serving Otterden, Eastling, Painters Forstal, Faversham and Graveney). Operated by Citibus  01795 430930 01795 410910.
  Rail: Nearest station: Lenham, providing services to Maidstone, London, Ashford and the coast.
  Alternatively: Faversham, providing direct services to London, Dover and Ramsgate.
• Travel Search - bus services, timetables etc serving Otterden.

Otterden can trace its history back to the Norman Conquest when it appears in The Domesday Book as Ottringdene.
The main settlement is Warren Street, with its Harrow Inn and hotel.

Significant local buildings include Otterden Place, Halls Place and Bunce Court, the latter at one time a school run by pioneering educationalist Miss Anna Essinger as a refuge for Jewish children from Hitler's Germany.

Facts and figures

Population: 163 (source: 1991 census).
Area of Parish: approx 615 hectares.
Height above sea level: approx 120m (above sea level) to north of the parish, rising to 190m on the brow of the North Downs.