Gravesend
Gravesend shown within Kent
Population	56000 (2005)
OS grid reference	TQ647740
District	Gravesham
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Gravesend
Postcode district	DA11, DA12
Dialling code	01474
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
European Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Gravesham
List of places: UK • England • Kent

Coordinates: 51°26′29″N 0°22′07″E / 51.4415, 0.3685

Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government The name 'Gravesham' Robert H Hiscock Chairman of the Gravesend Historical Society in the foreword to his book 'A History of Gravesend' (Phillimore 1976 wrote Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South East England is one of the nine official Regions of England. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Dartford postcode area, is a group of 18 postal districts in south east Greater London and north west Kent which are subdivisions The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Kent Police, a Home Office police force polices Kent in England, including the unitary authority of Medway. The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Kent Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory fire and rescue service for the County of Kent covering a geographical area south of London The South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb is the NHS Ambulance Services Trust for south-eastern England, covering Kent (including Medway South East England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Gravesham is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of places in Kent, England split by local government district and sorted alphabetically A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. Essex is a county in the East of England. The County town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of England. The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government The name 'Gravesham' Robert H Hiscock Chairman of the Gravesend Historical Society in the foreword to his book 'A History of Gravesend' (Phillimore 1976 wrote It still retains today a strong link with the river. The opening of the Eurostar railway station at Ebbsfleet, and the fact that it is lies with the Thames Gateway, add to the town's importance. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris Ebbsfleet International railway station is a railway station in Ebbsfleet Valley, in the borough of Dartford, Kent, just outside the eastern boundary The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching 40 miles (60 km east from inner East London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Governance 4 Geography 5 Climate 6 Demography 7 Economy 8 Landmarks 8.1 Gravesend Town Pier 8.2 Gravesend clock tower, Harmer Street 8.3 Pocahontas statue 8.4 Windmill Hill 9 Gravesend and the Thames 9.1 Thames and Medway Canal 10 Transport 10.1 Roads 10.2 Rail 10.3 Footpaths 11 Religious buildings 12 Education 13 Health 14 Sport 15 Culture 16 Notable people 17 Twin towns 18 References

Etymology

The town was recorded as Gravesham in the Domesday Book in 1086 as belonging to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux: the name probably derived from "graaf-ham": the home of the Reeve, or Bailiff, of the Lord of the Manor. The name 'Gravesham' Robert H Hiscock Chairman of the Gravesend Historical Society in the foreword to his book 'A History of Gravesend' (Phillimore 1976 wrote The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey Odo of Bayeux (c 1036 &ndash February 1097 Palermo) Norman Bishop and English earl was the half-brother of William the Conqueror, and was for The title of Lord of the Manor arose in the English mediaeval system of Manorialism following the Norman Conquest. Another theory suggests that the name Gravesham may be a corruption of the words grafs-ham – a place "at the end of the grove".

History

Stone Age implements have been found in the area; as has the evidence of an Iron Age settlement at nearby Springhead. Springhead (or Vagniacis lies at the source of the River Ebbsfleet, just southwest of the Gravesend suburban conurbations Extensive Roman remains have been found nearby, at Vagniacae (Springhead); and Gravesend lies immediately to the north of their road connecting London with the Kent coast – now called Watling Street. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 Watling Street is the name given to an Ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern The Domesday Book recorded mills hythes and fisheries here. ^[1].

In the Fort Gardens is Milton Chantry, Gravesend's earliest existing building of the late 13th century. Chantry is the English term for the establishment of an institutional Chapel on private land or within a greater church where a priest would chant masses It was refounded about 1321 on the site of a hospital founded in 1189. At the time it was supported by lands in Essex.

Gravesend has one of the oldest surviving markets in the country, its earliest charter dating from 1268. Town status was granted to the two parishes of Gravesend and Milton, the Charter of Incorporation being received in that year. Milton-next-Gravesend was and still is one of the ancient Ecclesiastical parishes in the NW of the county of Kent, England The first Mayor of Gravesend was elected in that year, although the first Town Hall was in place by 1573: it was replaced in 1764. A city hall or town hall is the chief administrative building of a City or Town 's administration and usually houses the city or A new frontage was built in 1836. Although its use as a Town Hall came to an end in 1968, when the new Civic Centre was opened, it continued in use as the Magistrates' Courts. At present (2004) it is disused, and discussions are being held with a view to its future.

In 1401 a Royal Grant was issued, allowing the men of the town to operate boats between London and the town; these became known as the ‘’Long Ferry’’. It became the preferred form of passage, because of the perils of the road journey (see below).

On the river front is recorded the archaeological remains of a riverside fort built at the command of Henry VIII in 1543. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of At Fort Gardens is the New Tavern Fort built during the 1780s and later extensively rebuilt by General Gordon between 1865 and 1879: it is now a museum, partly open-air under the care of the Gravesend Local History Society. A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development open to the public which acquires conserves researches communicates and exhibits the [1]

Journeys by road to Gravesend were once quite hazardous, since the main London-Dover road crossed Blackheath, notorious for its highwaymen. Dover is a town and major ferry port in the county of Kent, England. Blackheath is an area in southeast London centred around a section of open public grassland ('the Heath' and straddling the boundary of the London Borough of Lewisham and the Stagecoaches from London to Canterbury, Dover and Faversham used Gravesend as one of their "stages" as did those coming north from Tonbridge. For other meanings see Stagecoach (disambiguation. A stagecoach (also called diligence) is a type of four-wheeled enclosed Canterbury ( ˈkæntəbɹ̩i is a City in eastern Kent in the South East region of England. Faversham (fævɜʃəm is a town in Kent, England, in the district of Swale, roughly halfway between Sittingbourne and Canterbury Tonbridge (historic spelling Tunbridge) is a Market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30340 in 2007 In 1840 there were 17 coaches picking up and setting down passengers and changing horses each way per day. There were two coaching inns in the New Road: the New Prince of Orange and the Lord Nelson. Stagecoaches had been plying the route for at least two centuries: Samuel Pepys records having stopped off at Gravesend in 1650. Samuel Pepys, FRS (23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703 was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, who is now most famous for

Although a great deal of the economy of the town continued to lie with the shipping trades, the other big employees were the cement and paper industries.

During the period 1932-1956 there was an airport located to the east of the town. Gravesend Airport, located to the east of the town of Gravesend Kent, England was in existence from 1932 until 1956. It began life as a civilian field, but during the WWII it became a Royal Air Force fighter station. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In 1956 the site was taken over by the town council; the large estate known as ‘’Riverview Park’’ was built on its site. *^[2]

Governance

Gravesend is part of, and is the principal town of, the Borough of Gravesend^[3]. As noted above, it consists of the two ancient ecclesiastical parishes of Gravesend and Milton-next-Gravesend. A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches Milton-next-Gravesend was and still is one of the ancient Ecclesiastical parishes in the NW of the county of Kent, England The Borough was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by the merger of the Gravesend Urban District Council and Northfleet Rural District Councils (RDCs), both set up under the Local Government Act 1894, which also revived the parish councils. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of Local government district that covered an Urbanised area Rural districts were a type of Local government area &ndash now superseded &ndash established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and The Local Government Act 1894 (56 & 57 Vict c 73 created a system of Urban districts and Rural districts with elected councils in all areas of England Since the built-up areas of the two latter council coincide, it was always impossible to discern the boundary between them.

Geography

The site of Gravesend is at a point where the high land - the lowest point of the dip slope of the North Downs - reaches the river bank. A dip slope is a geological formation often created by Erosion of tilted strata. The North Downs are a ridge of Chalk hills in south east England that stretch for 120 miles (190 km from Farnham in Surrey to the White To the east is the low-lying marshy areas of the Shorne Marshes; to the west, beyond Northfleet, the Swanscombe Marshes. The settlement which grew up was therefore the only good landing place; it was also sheltered by the prominent height of what is now called Windmill Hill (see Landmarks below). Windmill Hill, located in Gravesend, Kent, named for its erstwhile Windmills offers extensive views across the Thames and was a popular spot

From its origins as a landing place and first port of call for shipping Gravesend gradually extended. southwards and eastwards. The well-off people from London were coming to the town during the summer months; at first by boat, and then by railway. More extensive building began after World War I; this increased after WWII, when many of the estates around the town were built. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All ^[4]

Climate

On 10 August 2003, Gravesend recorded one of the highest temperatures since records began in the United Kingdom, with a reading of 38. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 1 degrees Celsius (100. 6 degrees Fahrenheit),^[5] only beaten by Brogdale, near Faversham, 26 miles (42 km) to the ESE. Brogdale is a hamlet in Kent, England, located beside the M2 motorway two Miles south of Faversham. Faversham (fævɜʃəm is a town in Kent, England, in the district of Swale, roughly halfway between Sittingbourne and Canterbury ^[6] One explanation for the phenomenon was the large amount of earthworks in connection with High Speed 1, which had exposed a great deal of the local sandy soil, which absorbed more sunshine!

Demography

NB Statistics here are for the Borough of Gravesham, not simply Gravesend

In the past twenty years the economy of Gravesham has changed from being based on heavy industry to being more service-based. The population in 2001 was 95,717, an increase of 2. 6% since 1991; it has a high population density (almost 10 people per hectare) compared nationally; it has a relatively young population (40% of the population are below 30); and 60% of the population are of working age.

The second largest religious group in the Borough are Sikhs, who make up 6. 7% of the population. ^[7]

Economy

Gravesend today is a busy commercial town. It serves a large area as a shopping centre: there are several of the multiples here, and a good range of local shops. It has a market meeting twice weekly; and a newly-established farmers’ market. There are still those employed on the river as crews on the tugboats. TUGboat (ISSN 0896-3207 is a journal published three times per year by the TeX Users Group. Gravesend "watermen" were often in a family trade; and the town is the headquarters of the Port of London Authority Thames Navigation Service, supplying both river and sea pilots. The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. Today radar plays an important part in the movement of shipping on the river.

Its position in the Thames Gateway makes for being an important asset: there are many commuters away from the town, but local enterprises employ as many people. The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching 40 miles (60 km east from inner East London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. ^[8]

Landmarks

Gravesend Town Pier

The Pier is the world's oldest surviving cast iron pier, built in 1834^[9] it is a unique structure with the first known iron cylinders used for its foundation. The pier has recently been completely refurbished (2004) and now has upon it a bar and restaurant.

Gravesend clock tower, Harmer Street

The town’s clock tower was built at the top of Harmer street. The foundation stone was laid on 6 September 1887. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The memorial stone states that the clock tower was erected by public subscription (£700 was raised toward its construction) and it was dedicated to Queen Victoria, to commemorate the 50th year of her long reign. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ^[10] Built with Portland and Dumfries stone, backed with hard stock brickwork, the design of the structure was based on St Stephens tower, the Westminster tower that houses Big Ben. The Clock Tower is the world's largest four-faced chiming Clock. The centre of the clock itself is measured at 50 feet (15 m) above the ground and the face is 5 ft 6 in (1. 68 m) in diameter.

Pocahontas statue

An American sculptor, William Ordway Partridge, had created a life-size statue of Pocahontas, which was unveiled in Jamestown, Virginia in 1922. William Ordway Partridge ( April 11, 1861 – May 22, 1930) was an American sculptor whose public commissions can be Pocahontas (c 1595 – March 21 1617 was a Native American woman who married an Englishman John Rolfe, and became a celebrity in London in the last year of her Queen Elizabeth II viewed this statue in 1957 and again on 4 May 2007, while visiting Jamestown on the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first successful English colonial settlement in America. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. On 5 October 1958 an exact replica of the Pocahontas statue by Partridge was dedicated as a memorial to the princess at St. George's Church in Gravesend. Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. St George Gravesend is an Anglican church dedicated to Saint George near the foot of the High Street in Gravesend in north Kent. The Governor of Virginia presented the statue as a gift to the British people; this gesture was prompted by The Queen's visit to America the previous year.

Windmill Hill

Main article: Windmill Hill, Kent

Windmill Hill named for its erstwhile windmills, offers extensive views across the Thames, and was a popular spot for Victorian visitors to the town, because of the Camera obscura installed in the old mill and for its tea gardens and other amusements. Windmill Hill, located in Gravesend, Kent, named for its erstwhile Windmills offers extensive views across the Thames and was a popular spot Windmill Hill, located in Gravesend, Kent, named for its erstwhile Windmills offers extensive views across the Thames and was a popular spot A windmill is a machine that is powered by the energy of the wind The camera obscura (Latin dark chamber) is an optical device used for example in drawing or for entertainment The hill was the site of a beacon in 1377, which was instituted by Richard II, and still in use 200 years later at the time of the Spanish Armada, although the hill was then known as "Rouge Hill". Richard II (6 January 1367 &ndash ca 14 February 1400 was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399 The Spanish Armada ( Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, "Great and Most Fortunate Navy" or Armada Invencible, "Invincible A modern beacon was erected and lit during 1988, the 300th anniversary.

It was during the reign of Elizabeth I that the first windmill was placed on top the highest point in Gravesend, 179 ft (55 m) above the high water mark of the river. A windmill is a machine that is powered by the energy of the wind One mill burnt down in 1763, but was replaced the following year and that too demolished in 1894. The last surviving windmill was destroyed by fire during Mafeking Night celebrations in 1900.

During World War I A German airship passed over Windmill Hill and dropped bombs on it. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Today there are three markers indicating where these bombs struck.

Gravesend and the Thames

The Thames has long been an important feature in Gravesend life and may well have been the deciding factor for the first settlement here. One of the town's first distinctions was in being given the sole right to transport passengers to and from London by water in the late 14th century. The "Tilt Boat" was a familiar sight on the river. The first steamboat plied its trade between Gravesend and London in the early 19th century, bringing with it a steadily increasing number of visitors to The Terrace Pier Gardens, Windmill Hill, Springhead Gardens and Rosherville Gardens. Rosherville Gardens was a Pleasure garden in Gravesend Kent, England. Gravesend soon became one of the first English resort towns and thrived from an early tourist trade.

Gravesend "watermen" were often in a family trade; and the town is the headquarters of the Port of London Authority Thames Navigation Service, supplying both river and sea pilots. The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. Today radar plays an important part in the movement of shipping on the river.

The Thames Navigation Service was first thought up between 1950 and 1952 by Captain Peter de Neumann, GM, when he was Commander of HMRC Vigilant (HM Customs & Excise), whose base was in Gravesend Reach. Bernard Peter de Neumann, GM ( 18 September 1917 &ndash 16 September 1972) had an adventurous often courageous sometimes extremely [It is possible that "Vigilant Way" in Gravesend is named for her. ] This idea followed on from considering such incidents as the accidental ramming of HMS Truculent by the Divina in 1950, the collision with the Nore Forts by Baalbek, and the disastrous flooding of Canvey, Foulness and the East Coast in 1953. In these and other situations, rescue and intelligence gathering were severely hampered by a lack of centralised command and control, and lack of detailed "picture". de Neumann resigned his command after returning Vigilant from the Spithead Review and joined the PLA, immediately suggesting in a report to them, submitted in 1953, that a feasibility study of such a system be commenced. He then oversaw its development and ultimate installation at Gravesend.

Until the building of Tilbury Docks on the opposite side of the river, between 1882-6, Gravesend was the first port of entry. Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. Thousands of emigrants, as well as large numbers of troops, embarked from here. Tilbury Docks have expanded considerably since with the closure of all the London Docks. The London Docks were one of several sets of docks in the historic Port of London. The entrance to the Docks is somewhat awkward, situated as it is on the sharp bend of the river, and often need tugboat assistance, as do the larger ships moored at Tilbury landing stages. TUGboat (ISSN 0896-3207 is a journal published three times per year by the TeX Users Group. There have been many tug companies based at Gravesend: among them the Sun Company, the Alexandra Towing Company and, today, the Smith Howard Towing Company. East Indiaman traditionally stopped here at a point known as Long Reach to lighten their loads before sailing up the Thames to moorings at Blackwall. An East Indiaman was a Ship operating under charter or licence to the Honourable East India Company. The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. ^[11]

The river still plays a vital part in the life of the community today, providing an important link for industry and jobs to the benefit of many people. The cross-river passenger ferry to Tilbury provides a long-established route to and from the neighbouring County of Essex. Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. Before the Dartford Crossing came into being there was a vehicle ferry here as well. The Dartford Crossing joins Dartford and Thurrock across the River Thames, to the east of London.

Thames and Medway Canal

The Thames and Medway Canal was opened for barge traffic in 1824, but after only 20 years it had proved too difficult a route for navigation between the Thames and Medway and was left to silt up. The Thames and Medway Canal is a disused Canal in Kent, south east England, also known as the Gravesend and Rochester Canal. From 1844, the canal's tunnel was used to provide a route for the railway. Today the canal basin at the Gravesend end of the Canal is used for pleasure craft. Gravesend Sailing Club is based here. The lock has been dredged and restoration and strengthening works have been carried out to the basin walls as part of regeneration of the area.

Transport

Roads

The main roads through the town are the west-east A226 road from Dartford and beyond to Rochester; and the A227 road to Tonbridge. The A226 road travels in a west-east direction from Crayford in the London Borough of Bexley, along north Kent through Gravesend to the Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (25 km east south-east Rochester is a town in Kent, England. It is located within the Unitary authority area of Medway and is at the lowest bridging point of the The A227 road in England runs from Gravesend in Kent in a generally south-south-easterly direction to Tonbridge. Tonbridge (historic spelling Tunbridge) is a Market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30340 in 2007 The A2 road passes two miles (3 km) south of Gravesend town centre; a four-mile stretch of it is being rerouted to take the traffic away from the south end of the town. The A2 is a major road in southern England, connecting London with the English Channel port of Dover in Kent. ^[12]

In March 2006 the first of the area’s new Fastrack bus services, which use a combination of ordinary roads and dedicated 'bus tracks', opened. Fast Track Fastrack is a busway system operating in the Thames Gateway area of Kent. The service links to Greenhithe, Bluewater Shopping Centre and Dartford. Greenhithe is a Village in Dartford District of Kent, England. Bluewater is a super-regional shopping centre, opened on 16 March 1999. Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (25 km east south-east

Rail

Main article: Gravesend railway station

Main article: Gravesend West Line

Gravesend railway station lies on the North Kent Line, and was opened in 1849. Gravesend railway station serves the town of Gravesend in north Kent; train services are operated by Southeastern. The Gravesend West Line was a short railway line in Kent that branched off the Swanley to Chatham line at Fawkham Junction and continued for a distance Gravesend railway station serves the town of Gravesend in north Kent; train services are operated by Southeastern. The North Kent Line is a railway line which connects central and south east London with Dartford and Medway. The Gravesend West Line, terminating by the river and for some time operating as a Continental ferry connection, closed in 1968. The Gravesend West Line was a short railway line in Kent that branched off the Swanley to Chatham line at Fawkham Junction and continued for a distance

Gravesend is the closest major town to the new Ebbsfleet. Ebbsfleet International railway station is a railway station in Ebbsfleet Valley, in the borough of Dartford, Kent, just outside the eastern boundary Since December 2007, Eurostar services have run to Paris and Brussels from the station and their London St Pancras International station. Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is St Pancras railway station is a major railway station situated in the St Pancras area of Central London between the British Library and King's Cross Late 2009/ early 2010 will see the opening of the final stage of the channel tunnel rail link, with the 225 km/h domestic service operating to and from Gravesend and other parts of North and East Kent into London St Pancras station. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format This link will also provide services to Stratford station, in the heart of the London 2012 Olympics site. Stratford, historically Stratford Langthorne, is a place in the London Borough of Newham in East London.

Footpaths

The Saxon Shore Way, a long distance footpath, starts at Gravesend and traces the coast as it was in Roman times as far as Hastings, East Sussex; 163 miles (262 km) in total. Coastline The Saxon Shore Way starts at Gravesend, Kent and traces the Coast as it was in Roman times (note the changed coastline Long-distance trails (or long-distance tracks paths footpaths or Greenways are the longer recreational right-of-way routes mainly through rural areas used for non-motorised The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Hastings is a town on the coast of East Sussex in England; it is also the administrative centre for the Borough of the same name East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The Wealdway also starts at the Town Pier, and proceeds almost due south over the Weald to Eastbourne in East Sussex where it links with South Downs Way, a distance of 80 miles (128 km). The Wealdway, Kent and East Sussex, is a public footpath that runs from Gravesend, Kent on the Thames estuary to the A259 at The Weald (wɪəld is the name given to a physiographic area in south-east England situated between the parallel Chalk Escarpments of the North Eastbourne ( is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England with an estimated population of 94816 as of 2007 The South Downs Way is a Long distance footpath and Bridleway.

Religious buildings

The main Anglican parish church is the Georgian St George's. St George Gravesend is an Anglican church dedicated to Saint George near the foot of the High Street in Gravesend in north Kent. It is a tourist site as well as being the parish church, because of its connection with Pocahontas. There are also three other Church of England churches; and churches representing the following denominations: Roman Catholic ; Methodist; Baptist; and other smaller chapels. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination.

The Sikh community have their current Gurdwara (temple) located in a one-time church on Clarence place. Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. A new temple is currently being constructed at a new site which is due to open during the 2009 vaisakhi festival,^[13]

Education

In secondary education, Gravesend has the following schools: Gravesend Grammar School ^[14]; Gravesend Grammar School for Girls; St Johns Catholic Comprehensive School; Thamesview School and St George's Church of England School^[15]. There are also primary age schools, special schools and several independent schools^[16].

Health

Gravesend Hospital was opened in 1854, following the donation of a site by the Earl of Darnley in 1853; it had its origin on 2 December 1850, as a dispensary on the Milton road "to assist the really destitute poor of Gravesend and Milton and vicinities . Earl of Darnley is at title that has been created three times twice in the Peerage of Scotland and once in the Peerage of Ireland. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link . . unable to pay for medical aid". By 1893, 4,699 such people had benefited by its presence. In 2004 the original building was demolished to make way for a new local health centre.

Sport

The Stonebridge Road soccer football ground in neighbouring Northfleet is home to Ebbsfleet United F.C.. Stonebridge Road is a multi-use Stadium in Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent, England, which is primarily used for football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered For the ship wrecked on January 22nd 1873 see Northfleet (ship Northfleet is a town in Kent, England. Ebbsfleet United Football Club is an English football team currently playing in the Football Conference. The team changed their name from Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club in June 2007. Ebbsfleet is currently in the Conference National and are managed by ex-Coventry City F.C. defender Liam Daish; the club won the FA Trophy in May 2008. Conference National (currently named the Blue Square Premier for sponsorship reasons is the top division of the Football Conference. Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip is an association football club based in Coventry, Liam Sean Daish (born September 23 1968) is an Irish former football player he is the Head Coach of Nationwide Conference team History It was created by The Football Association in 1969 for Semi-professional teams to complement the existing FA Amateur Cup. The FA Trophy 2007-08 was the 38th season of the FA's cup competition for teams at levels 5-8 of the English football league system. An agreement was reached for the MyFootballClub online community to purchase a 75% stake in the club in November 2007, and the takeover was completed early in 2008. MyFootballClub is an English Industrial and Provident Society that sought starting in August 2007, to recruit at least 50000 football ^[17]

Rowing matches have been taking place on the river Thames at Gravesend since from at least the year of 1698, and the first organized Regatta was in 1715. The first Borough Regatta began in 1882, setting the pattern for an annual event on the Thames that is carried on to this day. The popularity of the early events have recently begun to return, thanks to much Borough Council publicity and the presence of a boathouse owned by Dartford's Cambria Sea Scouts.

Culture

The Gravesend Historical Society meets regularly and produces a biannual magazine on its activities. ^[18]

Gravesend is briefly mentioned in two novels: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley during Victor's travels through the United Kingdom with Clerval; ultimately culminating in Victor's residence in the Orkney Islands; and also in the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, generally known as Frankenstein, is a Novel written by the British author Mary Shelley Mary Shelley ( Née Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin; 30 August Orkney (also known as the Orkney Islands or incorrectly the Orkneys) is an Archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles (16 km north Heart of Darkness is a Novella written by Polish-born writer Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski) Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, 3 December 1857 – 3 August 1924 was a Polish-born English novelist

The 1952 film "The Long Memory" starring John Mills was filmed in and around Gravesend. The Long Memory is a 1952 film directed by Robert Hamer and based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Howard Clewes. Sir John Mills CBE (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 1908 &ndash 23 April 2005) was an English It features many squalid streets running down towards the river that even then were being progressively cleared for redevelopment. It is also possible to hear in the background steam engines working out of the Gravesend West Street terminus. All evidence of this station has now disappeared.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, the town was the home of a very successful youth marching band, the "Gravesham Corps of Drums" (latterly the "Gravesham Corps"). A marching band is in the broadest terms a group of performers that consist of instrumental Musicians and sometimes dance teams / color guard who generally perform The band finished third in the British Championships in 1981. They had more success than a local rival, "North West Kent Drum and Bugle Corps" who were based in nearby Northfleet. Since 1992, Gravesend has been the home of one of Europe's most successful music performance groups, Black Knights Drum and Bugle Corps. ^[19]). Carrying on the tradition of the corps and bands that preceded them Black Knights have won numerous British Championships in its history and competed across Europe.

In 1970, the ‘’Jugnu Bangra’’ dance group was formed among the Sikh community. Bhangra (ਭੰਗੜਾ pa-PK بھنگڑا pə̀ŋgɽäː is a lively form of music and dance that originated in the Punjab region of Pakistan and India Since then it has become an internationally-renowned group ^[20]

Notable people

• Pocahontas (c1595-1617), the daughter of a Native American chief, was to become the first such American to visit England. Pocahontas (c 1595 – March 21 1617 was a Native American woman who married an Englishman John Rolfe, and became a celebrity in London in the last year of her Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States After marrying a colonist in America, James Rolfe, she later sailed with him to England, with their infant son, Thomas, where she was received at the court in London by Queen Anne and was feted as a celebrity. Anne (6 February 1665 – 1 August 1714 became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702 succeeding William III of England and II of On their return voyage, seven months later, she was taken ill and died ashore in Gravesend at the age of 22. She was then buried in the parish churchyard of St George's; the exact location of her grave is unknown, due to a church fire and subsequent reconstruction in the early 18th century.

• The composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was an officer in the Russian Navy and was posted to Gravesend in 1862, where he wrote part of his first symphony, said to be the first such style of composition attempted by a Russian composer. Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov ( Николай Андреевич Римский-Корсаков, Nikolaj Andreevič Rimskij-Korsakov) also Nikolay Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

• Gravesend is associated with General Gordon (1833–1885), who lived in the town during the construction of the Thames forts. Major-General, CB ( 28 January 1833 &ndash 26 January 1885) known as Chinese Gordon, Gordon Pasha For six years he devoted himself to the welfare of the town's "poor boys", establishing a Sunday school and providing food and clothes for them from his Army wage. In command of the Royal Engineers from 1865 to 1871, he was responsible for the forts that guard the Thames downstream from Gravesend, New Tavern Fort in the town, Shornemead Fort on the south bank, and Coalhouse Fort on the north. New Tavern Fort was built at Gravesend, Kent, England in the 1780s against the threat of invasion from France Shornemead Fort (also spelt Shornmead is a gun battery dating from the 1790s, built to support New Tavern Fort at Gravesend, Kent. Coalhouse Fort is a large Casemated fort in East Tilbury, near the modern town of Tilbury, in Thurrock, Essex, 4 kilometres downstream His links with Gravesend are commemorated locally by the embankment of the Riverside Leisure Area, which is known as the Gordon Promenade, and Khartoum Place that lies just to the south.

• Thom Gunn (1929-2004), poet, was born in Gravesend. Thom Gunn ( 29 August 1929 - 25 April 2004) was an Anglo-American poet

Twin towns

• Neumünster, Germany
• Cambrai, France
• Chesterfield, Virginia, United States

References

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