Biddenden Maids

Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst, also known as the Biddenden Maids, were reportedly conjoined twins born in the village of Biddenden, Kent, in the year 1100. According to tradition, they were joined at both the shoulder and the hip and lived for 34 years. Upon their death in 1134, they are said to have left five plots of land to the village, known collectively as the Bread and Cheese Lands. The income from these lands funded an annual Easter distribution of food and drink to the poor. Since at least 1775, this Easter dole has included the famous Biddenden cakes—hard biscuits stamped with the image of two conjoined women.

Although the charitable custom is documented as far back as 1605, the story of the twins themselves does not appear in any surviving records before 1770. At that time, the sisters' names were still unknown, and early depictions of the cakes did not include any identifying information. The names "Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst" did not emerge until the early 19th century.

Kent historian Edward Hasted dismissed the tale as a local myth, arguing that the image on the cakes originally represented two impoverished women, and that the idea of conjoined twins arose from a misreading of this image. Robert Chambers, another prominent historian, acknowledged that the story might be true but considered it improbable. For much of the 19th century, the origins of the legend remained largely unexamined, but public interest in the tale grew, and Biddenden became a popular Easter destination. Later investigations suggested that if the twins had existed, they may have lived in the 16th century and been joined only at the hip.

In 1907, the Bread and Cheese Lands were sold for development, and the resulting funds allowed the Easter dole to expand, eventually providing not just food but also tea and monetary gifts to local widows and pensioners. Today, the Biddenden cakes are still distributed to the poor each Easter and are also sold as souvenirs, preserving a tradition rooted in a blend of charity, folklore, and enduring mystery.