The Kent Village That Helped Shape Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn became one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood history, known for her roles in Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady. Before she was a star, she was a young girl living in a small village called Elham in Kent, England. Between 1936 and 1939, she took music and dance lessons there. Local historians say those three years helped shape the person — and performer — she would become.

Hepburn arrived in Elham after her parents separated. It was decided she should continue her English education in Kent, where family friends already lived. She moved into Orchard Cottage with a family called the Butchers, who often welcomed visitors before World War Two began. Today, a blue plaque on a cottage near the King's Arms pub marks the spot where she once lived.

She attended Rigden School in the center of the village, where a teacher encouraged her love of music and dance. Brian Badham, a historian from the Elham Historical Society, said this experience was a major turning point in her life. 'One of the sisters encouraged Audrey to get involved with music and dance. That really was the starting point for the young Audrey Hepburn that she became,' he said. Without those lessons, her path to stardom might have looked very different.

Life in Elham was busy and enjoyable for a young girl growing up in the late 1930s. Fellow historian Dilys Webb said the village once had more shops, coffee houses, and pubs than it does today. Hepburn took ballet classes, socialized with friends, and took part in village activities. Webb said she had 'quite a nice social life' and that 'there was plenty here for her in the few years she was here.'

As war with Germany grew closer, everything changed for Hepburn. Her mother was a Dutch baroness, and in December 1939 she arranged for her daughter to return to the Netherlands, which was still a neutral country. However, Germany invaded in May 1940, and Hepburn spent much of her teenage years living under Nazi occupation. Those difficult years would shape the rest of her life in profound ways.

Even as a teenager, Hepburn showed bravery during the war. She helped the Dutch resistance by carrying secret messages and taking part in hidden ballet performances to raise money for anti-Nazi causes. She also endured serious hardship, suffering from malnutrition as food shortages swept the country. Her son Luca Dotti later said: 'She believed very much that there is a struggle between good and evil and you have to take sides.'

Historians do not believe Hepburn ever returned to Elham after leaving in 1939. Even so, the village remains deeply proud of its connection to her. Dilys Webb said: 'Now everybody knows of Audrey and we are a very, very proud village.' Brian Badham summed it up simply: 'She was very special. A wonderful lady and fondly loved by the people that she met while she was here. A short time but a lasting impact on their lives.'