Over the centuries many Upchurch residents have become well-known within the village, and a few have gained fame farther afield.

The King’s Carpenter

Hugh Herland became the first recorded Upchurch resident to gain widespread fame. Living in Upchurch from 1378 to 1391 he became chief carpenter to Richard II and designer of the hammer-beam roof of Westminster Hall, the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe. Considered a masterpiece, this became his greatest achievement. He also completed work at Rochester, Leeds and Winchester castles, the Tower of London, Canterbury Cathedral and the tomb of Edward III’s wife, Philippa of Hainault, in Westminster Abbey. Herland initially worked with his father William, also the king’s carpenter, but on September 28th, 1370 the king rewarded Hugh with ‘pesage of wools’ in Queenborough (which established him as a member of the merchant class) and also with a tenement in the City of London. Herland’s wife Joan also came from Upchurch but the couple eventually moved to Kingston in Surrey. Herland died in 1405 but a stained glass window featuring him exists at Winchester College Chapel.

The Crackerbarrel Actor

Actor, James Robertson Justice lived in Greylag, Ham Green during part of WW2 after getting wounded. A big man with a beard and a booming well-spoken voice, he was also highly-educated, with two doctorates. Being interested in nature and a keen ornithologist, Justice soon settled and was often accompanied by naturalist and wildlife TV presenter, Sir Peter Scott as he ventured onto the saltings for bird watching. He drank in The Crown, where he was considered an extrovert and always had an audience. He periodically walked around the peninsula dressed in a kilt playing the bagpipes, bathed naked in the river with lady friends from London and openly bathed in a tin bath in his garden. The village children called him ‘Crackerbarrel’ because he appeared in media advertising said cheese. However, he got into trouble with Sittingbourne Magistrate’s Court for breaking blackout law.

Village gossip said he was a German spy after a torch was spotted flicking on and off from the bedroom window of Greylag at night and Justice received a caution. After Upchurch, he gained fame as an actor in the popular ’Doctor in’ films. He also appeared in other films: Moby Dick, Scott of the Antarctic, The Guns of Navarone and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Justice taught Prince Charles falconry whilst living in Scotland becoming a personal friend of Prince Philip. He was also rector of Edinburgh University and stood as a Labour candidate for North Angus and Mairns in the 1950 General Election.

A blue plaque bearing his name is attached to the front wall of Greylag at Ham Green in memory of him. 

David Wood

The Cricketers pub is situated in the heart of Rainham on the A2 High Street, next to the church and opposite Station Road. These photos of the Cricketers Pub in Rainham were taken in 1901, 1950, 1972, in 2001 and 2014. It was the terminus for the trams from Chatham and Rochester when they came to Rainham in 1906. The first photo is prior to the tram lines being built and was taken around 1901.

Cricketers pub in 1901. (photo thanks to Nick Knell)

The pub sign shows P.A Schurig as the landlord at this time and the name is The Cricketers Commercial Inn. Note how the pub is much further forward than the current building, this was demolished in the 1930s and rebuilt. Another sign to the left of the pub says Bowling Green and Tea Gardens. It is advertising London Porter, Dark Stout. The shop further down the High Street is advertising Reckitts Blue.

Cricketers in 1906

This photo shows the first tram to come to Rainham in 1906 outside the pub where they terminated. There are now steps and a railing outside the Cricketers which suggests the road level was slightly reduced when the tram lines were added as the door was at street level. There are now pavements on both roads of the road unlike in 1901. The pub sign has changed to read Cricketers Inn and Tourists Hotel.  There is a sign for the Theatre Royal in Chatham on the wall opposite and the tram shown is from Chatham Town Hall to Rainham.

Rainham Cricketers Pub in 1950s with church in background. You can also see the belisha beacon crossing rather than traffic lights outside the pub

 Cricketers Pub around 1972.

Very little changes from 1950s in this photo but the area around would have looked more different.

Cricketers Rainham in 2001

The junction is now controlled by traffic lights and there are tables to the front of the pub.

Cricketers in 2014

During the construction of the Churchill Retirement living housing project on the A2 various remains have been found that date habitation of the area back to the early Iron Age, some 3000 years ago. Sandy Fleming from Rainham News visited the site to find out more

Watch her YouTube video on the discoveries here

Churchill Retirement Living statement re Rainham archaeology dig – November 2021

“Our site in Rainham is of historic interest due to its location, so having liaised with the relevant authorities we brought in a team of professional archaeologists and temporarily paused work on the site while they carry out their important work. We are pleased to be supporting this project and very interested to see what the team discovers.”