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Coordinates: 51°20'59?N 0°27'30?E? / ?51.34964, 0.45836Wouldham is a small village on the bank of the River Medway in Kent, Great Britain. As of 2006 its population is approximately 1000 people, with the 11th century church, one school, one village shop, and three public houses.
Until 1963 there was a ferry crossing over the Medway to Halling on the opposite bank. On the Wouldham Marshes is Starkey House built in 1483: a now-restored medieval manor house.
In the churchyard is the grave of Walter Burke, who was present onboard HMS Victory at the battle of Trafalgar and the man who held Nelson in his arms as he died.
Wouldham school celebrates this connection with history in many ways, its four sports teams being named after ships at the Battle of Trafalgar (Victory, Ajax, Sovereign, Brittania), students being assigned into a house named after one of four famous figures at Trafalgar, which they are able to earn merit points for, and by holding an annual event at the nearby church to commemorate Walter Burke.
Before 1999 a large area of allotments were situated between the school and the recreation ground. Despite the opposition of many villagers a housing estate was built over them, which increased the village's population by a large percentage.
A narwhal was discovered in the 1940s washed up on the bank of the river, and is documented in the British Natural History Museum.
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(Source: Wikipedia) |