Patricia K. Timbers, a neighbor on Chillum Place NE in Riggs Park, wrote to the Washington Post to ask the origin of the Chillum name. The Post explained that the name comes from Chilham Castle in England. An individual named William Digges recorded the property that sits along the DC/Maryland border and named the parcel Chillum Castle Manor.
In 1763, William Digges patented 4,443 acres of property that today straddles the border of the District and Prince George’s County. That means that he had the property surveyed and registered with the proper authorities. Digges’s acquisition was a consolidation of nine parcels, including 506 acres of something known as Yarrow Head, 620 acres of Smyrna and 1,120 acres of Widows Purchase.
Digges decided to call the newly patented parcel Chillum Castle Manor. This was a reference to the family’s ancestral home back in the county of Kent in southeast England. That ancestral home is in the village of Chilham and is itself called Chilham Castle. You can guess how it’s pronounced: CHILL-uhm.
Kelly, John. “What’s in a name? For Chillum, the story begins at an English castle.” Washington Post July 15, 2023.
The article offers a few other interesting tidbits about the history of the name. Check it out.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 
Hi. I am the neighbor who asked the question regarding Chillum Place’s name. Love my Riggs Park!
Ms. Timbers, thank you for writing in to the Post! That’s so cool to get a response. I’ve been sitting on a few old articles for several years waiting to write a post about the LRCA. I’ll get around to doing that soonish.
Hi,
As always, you manage to find the most interesting stories about our community. Keep up the good work!