Bapchild

Bapchild
File:St.Lawrence Church, Bapchild - geograph.org.uk - 698808.jpg St.Lawrence Church, Bapchild - geograph.org.uk - 698808
Bapchild  Bapchild shown within Kent
District	Swale
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SITTINGBOURNE
Postcode district	ME9
Dialling code	01795
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
List of places UK England Kent

Bapchild, is a village and civil parish in the Swale district of Kent, England, about two miles east of Sittingbourne. It lies on the old Roman road (Watling Street) now the A2, and according to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 1,068.

According to Edward Hasted in 1800, it was anciently written 'Beccanceld' which is Old English for 'moist and bleak' and was mostly a marshland.

According to a late seventh or early eighth century charter, the Synod of Baccanceld was held in Bapchild, but historians now believe that the charter is a forgery.

The village has its own church, the Grade I listed 'Church of St Lawrence'. Which is in the diocese of Canterbury, i in Kent, and deanery of Sittingbourne.

Other listed buildings in the parish include, the former post office, No 35, The Street (on the A2 road), and No 1, School Lane

Bapchild was also on the planned extension of the Swale Way (a bypass route, called the 'Sittingbourne Northern Relief road' (which was built in 2010/11)). Which passes over the Milton Creek heads from the A249 road (past Kemsley) towards the Eurolink Industrial estate in Murston and then towards the East Hall Farm residential development. Plans were to extend it, over the railway to Bapchild, and onwards to the Kent Science Park near Highsted, before joining the M2 Motorway. But these have be put on hold due to cost and planning issues.