Wittersham is the largest of three Villages situated on the Isle of Oxney, along with Stone-in-Oxney and Ebony. The Village has a long history immediately depicted by the Village Sign which has the image of a Danish longship incorporated into the design. It is believed that the Danes occupied an area of the Isle of Oxney in AD 892 as it offered a vantage point from which to observe the troops of Alfred the Great who were camped at nearby Newenden. During the First World War, there was a mooring site for Airships in Wittersham and the Village also housed a key listening post for downed pilots over the Channel during the Second World War. All that is left of this listening post now is a small concrete house and a few craters dotted around from attacks by the Luftwaffe and several Doodlebug (V1) strikes. Stocks Mill, about one mile away from Wittersham, is a fine example of a Post Mill. Built in 1781, it is the largest of its type in Kent. The white weather-boarded Mill is thought to have initially been moved from another site and, although the Mill is no longer in production, it is open to the public on Sundays and Bank Holidays from May to September.
Village amenities include a Primary School, the 13th Century Church of St. John the Baptist, a Parish Council, a Country Cricket Club, an Under 5’s Local Group, and a Community Market every Tuesday morning specialising in Organic produce. The close-knit community organises a Village Fete every year including an Easter Island Walk. Wittersham is also home to ‘The Swan’, a popular Country Inn that has been repeatedly voted ‘CAMRA’ Pub of the Year and is open every day with a full menu. ‘The Swan’ also provides local entertainment in the form of live bands and the Winter Ale Festival.
Approximately 6 miles away one will find Tenterden, a quintessentially English, tree-lined County Town flanked by elegant Georgian properties. Tenterden enjoys everything from renowned Schools (above all, Homewood School for ages 3 to 18) to excellent Shopping, including a Waitrose, a Tesco and a wide range of very good non-food Shops, plus Sports and Leisure facilities including two excellent Golf Courses. The Town also has a variety of other amenities such as a large Doctors’ Surgery, Banks, excellent Restaurants, friendly Country Inns and fascinating Antique Shops, all within reasonable walking distance of each other. Sitting quietly in between Wittersham and Tenterden is Smallhythe, with its Vineyards producing world-class Wines, a Gift Shop and an outstanding Richard Phillips Restaurant.
Approx. 6 miles from Wittersham in the opposite direction is Rye, perched on a hill, overlooking the River Rother and Romney Marsh. This Ancient Town is the sort of place you thought existed only in your imagination. With enchanting cobbled streets, a medieval Church and beautifully preserved historic houses from Medieval, Tudor and Georgian times, Rye is almost suspended in time and has a uniquely unhurried atmosphere. Whether you want a Sussex Cream Tea with homemade cakes and scones, a tasty pub lunch or a gourmet meal, Rye provides a delightful range of Tea Rooms, Restaurants and welcoming Country Inns. Many of the Country Inns are housed in historic buildings and, for the connoisseurs of beer-drinking, some serve real ale. A speciality of the area is fresh fish, caught in Rye Bay by the Town’s fishing fleet and celebrated every year by the famous Rye Scallop Week. For those into Golf, the renowned Rye Golf Club offers a challenging and exhilirating course. Rye also benefits from a Branch Line Station, Primary and Secondary Schools as well as St. Antony's, the Catholic Boarding School for Girls, and a host of unusual and interesting shops for items old and new: Antiques, Collectors' Book and Record Shops and many Art Galleries - selling works by local Artists and Potters, with changing exhibitions throughout the year. Classic Clothing, Leather Bags, Hats, hand-painted Model Soldiers, Maritime Photographic Prints, Tapestries and Teddy Bears, Rye has nearly everything for the discerning shopper.
