Fordwich: The fascinating story of the medieval Kent town dubbed the tiniest in Britain
Canterbury
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The first historical record of the town dates back to 675 AD
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Kent Live
Fordwich sits on the River Stour just a few miles from Canterbury.

Wrapped in beautiful surroundings, its recorded history dates back to the seventh century.

Known as the smallest town in Britain, it houses just 381 people, according to the most recent census.

But how did this tiny patch of land inherit such a status?

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Patrick Heren is a former mayor, current councillor and chairman of Fordwich United Charities, a group which manages the assets of the town’s historic liberty, including seven miles of fishing rights and the 16th century town hall.

A resident for 20 years, he lives in Watergate House, the old manor house formerly owned by St Augustine’s Church.

Explaining how the town gained its status, he said: “Essentially, it is geography.

“It’s the highest navigable point on the Stour.

“So, sea-going or river-craft could come no further than here. It became the de-facto port for Canterbury.

“Up until the railways in 1840-1850, all heavy goods, all cargo for Canterbury would have come by river and landed here.

“So, we know that by Doomesday it was described as a small borough, one of seven in Kent.

“We know also by that time, it was essentially what was called a liberty.

“It basically controlled its own destiny within its borders.

“It was quite an unpleasant place actually, I would guess.

He continued: “Another aspect of it was the manor of Fordwich was owned by St Augustine’s Abbey, which was one of the two great ecclesiastical foundations in Canterbury, the other one being Christ Church, the cathedral.

“They’re the same vintage, they’re both essentially established by St Augustine.

“They owned the manor of Fordwich. This was the manor house, well, whatever was here was the manor house and what is now our garden was the bit of the port that belonged to St Augustine’s Abbey.

“Famously, all the stone for Canterbury Cathedral, which was bought from Normandy after 1066, when the Normans rebuilt all the cathedrals, all the Caen stone came through here, what is now the back garden.

“Probably through a gate, which is near the other end of the house there, taken up by ox-cart to Canterbury.”

He continued: “The key thing was in 1184, King Henry II, the king who had accidentally, or not accidentally had Beckett killed, and who is at that time making intense reparations for this mistake, granted Fordwich, what is called a Merchant Guild Charter and that, essentially, together with its previous status as a small borough, cemented the whole thing and that essentially makes it the small town it claims to be today.

“The other thing that happened was when the monasteries were nationalised by Henry VIII, St Augustine’s in 1539 I think, the townspeople who were always in contention with the abbot built their own town hall, which is the building over the wall there in 1544.

“So, within five years they put that up and that’s been the centre of the town, that’s been town government ever since, except for a period.

“Everything was swept away in one of the Victorian reorganisations, rationalisations of local government, 1880, I think, and it wasn’t restored until 1976.

“There is actually a legal status called a small town, essentially a parish council, but we have a town council and the mayor has a chain and that sort of thing.”

On how the population has changed, he added: "It’s been pretty similar for 1,000 years. It’s quite amazing actually."

Largely through his own investigative work, Mr Heren has discovered a link between Fordwich and William Shakespeare.

He explained: “The accounts books of the town council are held in the Canterbury Cathedral Archive.

“In there you will see, say six or seven times, over a period of around 40 years, from the late 16 to early 17 century, Fordwich Town Council paid the King’s Men, Shakespeare’s company, to play here.

“They didn’t pay them a whole lot, they paid them usually six shillings and eight pence.

“Whereas, Canterbury City Council also paid them and other companies that were on tour essentially.

“They would usually pay them a pound.

“Fordwich is less explicit about what it paid them for.

“Canterbury City Council would say ‘to play before Master Mayor and his brethren,’ so probably in the town hall.

“But there were around six or seven occasions when King’s Men were paid.

“The reason is fairly obvious.

“So, was Shakespeare himself actually here, would he have stayed in comfort in London?

“I don’t know.

“There’s no indication of where they played either.

“If you go in the town hall it’s a bit small.

“They probably could have put something on in the town hall for the benefit of the councillors.

“If they were doing something more, and I think they probably did do something more, they probably would have done it in the church because that was the biggest space here.

“So, that’s my guess of what happened.”

Fast forward to 2020 and the town has barely grown, still with just a few hundred inhabitants.

There is the town hall, the Fordwich Arms, now a Michelin Star restaurant, The George and Dragon pub, St Mary’s Church and a community centre.

Catherine Molin, FUC treasurer, has lived in Fordwich for 13 years.

On the town hall, she said: “It’s that central point that makes it a town.

“It’s a pretty extraordinary town hall, it really is.

“You’ve got Milton Regis and this one but you haven’t got a lot more surviving.

“You walk in any you absolutely sense that medieval feel the town has.”

She continued: “It’s ever changing as the seasons go.

“Not only do you have these amazing colours that come through but you have all this wildlife.

“People don’t really appreciate how much wildlife there actually is in Fordwich.

“There’s an array of everything in the river but actually above it as well.

“It’s absolutely gorgeous. Really quite special.”