Country: | England |
Official Name: | Mereworth |
Coordinates: | 51.2719°N 0.3876°W |
Static Image: | Mereworth Church.jpg |
Static Image Width: | 250px |
Static Image Caption: | St Lawrence's Church, Mereworth |
Population: | 1,068 |
Population Ref: | (2011 Census)[1] |
Civil Parish: | Mereworth |
Shire District: | Tonbridge and Malling |
Shire County: | Kent |
Region: | South East England |
Constituency Westminster: | Tonbridge and Malling |
Post Town: | Maidstone |
Postcode District: | ME18 |
Postcode Area: | ME |
Os Grid Reference: | TQ660537 |
Mereworth [2] is a village and civil parish near the town of Maidstone in Kent, England. The Wateringbury Stream flows through the village and powered a watermill, the site of which now lies within the grounds of Mereworth Castle.
In the early 18th century the Honourable John Fane - later 7th Earl of Westmoreland - inherited the manor. He had the Palladian mansion built. Designed by Colen Campbell, Mereworth Castle then overlooked the village, so Fane had the village moved so that it couldn't be seen from the estate, about NaNmiles to the north west of its original location. He also demolished the church, providing the villagers with a new Palladian-style replacement, now dedicated to St Lawrence. Mereworth Church is a Grade I listed building.[3]