is a small village in
Kent , in south-east
England , situated at the foot of the
North Downs . Its population is 2,750 (Hobbs Parker web site, 2000).
The name first appears in
799 as ''Ciorrincg''. The name probably comes from the
Anglo-Saxon word ''cerring'', which means a bend in the road, or it may be from ''Ceorra-ingas'', which is Anglo-Saxon, meaning ''people of Ceorra''. The village is sited on the
Pilgrims Way from
London to
Canterbury , and is one day's walk from
Canterbury . There are a number of old manors located around the village, such as Newlands (now a horse stud) and Pett Place. The village had a market recorded in
1285 , and a fair recorded in the fifteenth century.
Its most famous building is the
Archbishop's Palace , which lies by the church and was an ancient possession of the
Archbishop of Canterbury. The palace was an important building in the
Diocese of Canterbury, and counted amongst its guests
King Henry VIII . It has been a farmhouse for the last 300 years. In
2004 , the palace was an unsuccessful contestant in the
BBC television programme ''Restoration'', where a number of potential restoration projects throughout the UK competed for funds. The church is said to contain the stone on which
John The Baptist was beheaded.
The village has a
Church Of England Primary School ; a main-line railway station; a library; a doctors' surgery and a number of traditional shops. It also has several
Pubs and restaurants. The village is still surrounded by farmland, but the good transport links and housing development since the 1960s have also led to the area becoming a popular commuter village for people employed in
London . The village has a strong community life, and the inhabitants organise regular community and charity events such as box-cart races and fairs.
