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Kent Past

The History of Kent

Copyright Kent Past 2010

Welcome to the history of Kent

Kent Past is a website site like no other, it delves into the history of Kent; enabling the visitor to discover why Kent is the county, it is today. As the pages are explored, you will journey back in time following the evolution of Kent. We travel to a time when Kent was a tribal settlement, then an outpost of the Roman Empire and eventually a Kingdom, before settling as a county in England.

Kent Past Times

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Cliffe and St Helens Church

A history of Cliffe and St Helens Church, written by Henry Smeetham c1956….more

The Courtenay Uprising

In the early morning of 31st May 1838 near Dunkirk, John Tom masquerading as Sir William Courtenay murdered a village constable who had been sent to arrest him. Later that day, he led a band of followers into a fight with the military at Bosenden Wood, in which eleven more lives were lost, including his own….more

RAF Hawkinge

Following the outbreak of war in 1914, the War Office surveyed Kent for suitable sites to place airfields. One such place was just outside the village of Hawkinge….more

A Tour of Westerham

‘Westerham’, observed George Bevan in his 1876 Handbook to the County of Kent, is ‘a pretty little town, dependent more on the scenery around than on any intrinsic interest.’…more

Winston Churchills Butterflies

Sir Winston Churchill led Britain to victory in the Second World War and is a world renowned historian although he is much less well known for his lifelong love of butterflies….more

Oldest Shop in England

Chiddingstone possess one of the oldest surviving rural shops in England, the street where it stands is also one of the most pleasing in Kent….more

The Dutch Raid of 1667

In an early morning in June 1667, the Dutch fleet sailed, unchallenged up the river Medway, their target the British Navy at anchor in Chatham. No alarm was raised, and the coastal defences were scattered far and wide. Most of the home army were based in London, although they had not been paid in months….more

Jack Cade’s Rebellion

For a long time, dissatisfaction with the leadership of Henry VI had been growing. The powerbrokers of his government had been lining their own pockets, to the detriment of his people….more

Memories of a Land Army Girl

Until the spring of 1942, I lived with my mother, father, sisters and brothers in a neat little brick council house, in Bellingham, on the outskirts of South East London, and worked at the nearby Chiltonian Biscuit Factory….more

Churchill’s Sanctuary

Much is known of the professional life of Sir Winston Churchill, the interior aspects of his personal life, however, remain relatively unexamined—and under appreciated….more

Memories of Kingsnorth Airfield

The Advanced Landing Ground at Kingsnorth near Ashford, Kent was built in June 1943. Frank Beckley was 14 years old and lived about half a mile away from the airfield….more

Henry VIII and Tudor Kent

Throughout his reign, King Henry VIII had a special relationship with Kent. The Garden of England, on his London doorstep, was an escape and playground, a gateway for royal travels to the Continent, and a first line of defence against invasion….more

Parliamentary Representation

Originally, parliaments were formed as advisors to the king. They consisted of noblemen, members of the aristocracy and two elected representatives from each county called ‘Knights of the Shire’….more

History of Kent Airfields

Whenever one thinks of Kent airfields, the vision of tired but jovial pilots relaxing in deck chairs between sorties on hot, sunny days with the gentle drone of spitfires in the background often springs to mind. We take a look at the reality and history of some of those iconic airfields….more

George Smeed

The life of George Smeed is a story of rags to riches, of a jailbird, smuggler, and above all a businessman, who from humble beginnings became one of the wealthiest men in Kent, commanding an industrial empire to compare to those of the Midlands and North of England….more

 

Acol Acrise Addington Adisham Aldington  Alkham Allhallows Allington Appledore Ash Ashford Ashley Ashurst Aylesford Aylesham Badlesmere Bean Benenden Bidborough Birchington Bishopsbourne Borough Green Boughton Monchelsea Brabourne Brenchley Brenzett Bridge Brook Burham Burmarsh Canterbury Capel Charing Chatham Chattenden Chestfield Chislet Cliftonville Cobham Cowden Cranbrook Crundale Cuxton Darenth Dartford Deal Denton Ditton Doddington Dover Dungeness Dunkirk Dunton Green Dymchurch East Barming Eastbridge East Langdon East Malling East Sutton Eastwell Eccles Elham Elvington Eynsford Farningham Faversham Fawkham Finglesham Folkestone Folkestone's History Fordwych Four Elms Frindsbury Frinsted Frittenden Frogholt Gillingham Godmersham Goodnestone (near Faversham) Goudhurst Grain Graveney Great Chart Great Mongeham Greatstone Greenhithe Guston Hadlow Hamstreet Hartley Hastingleigh Hawkinge Headcorn Herne High Halstow Hoath Horsmonden Hunton Hythe Ickham Ide Hill Ightham Iwade Joss Bay Kenardington Kemsing Kingsnorth Knockholt Knowlton Lamberhurst Leeds Lenham Linton Littlestone Loose Luddesdown Lydd Lyminge Lynsted Maidstone Manston Marden Margate Marsh Green Matfield Meopham Mersham Milstead Minster - Sheppey Molash Monkton Nackington New Ash Green Newchurch Newington New Romney Nonington Northfleet North Foreland North Street Norton Oad Street Oare Offham Old Romney Orlestone Ospringe Otford Otham Otterden Ottinge Paddock Wood Pedlinge Pembury Penenden Heath Petham Plaxtol Pluckley Postling Preston - next - Faversham Queenborough Rainham Ramsgate Reading Street Reculver Richborough Ringlestone River Riverhead Rochester Rolvenden Ruckinge Rusthall St Margaret-at-Cliffe Sandwich Sevenoaks Sheerness Shoreham Singlewell Sissinghurst Sittingbourne Smarden Snodland Staple Staplehurst Stelling Minnis Strood Swalecliffe Swanscombe Tankerton Tenterden Teston Teynham Throwley Thurnham Tonbridge Tovil Tunbridge Wells Tunstall Ulcombe Upchurch Upper Hardres Upper Walmer Walderslade Wateringbury Westerham A Tour of Westerham Westgate-on-Sea West Peckham Wilmington Wickhambreaux Wichling Wormshill Wrotham Wye Yalding

The Aldington Gang History of All Hallows-on-Sea Station History of Ashford Station History of Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral Saints History of Canterbury Stations Chatham Defences Chatham Dockyard Chatham Station Churchills Butterflies Churchill's Sanctury Canterbury and Whitstable Railway Cliffe and St Helens Church The Courtenay Uprising Domesday Book Dover Castle Dover Castle Under Siege Dutch Raid of 1667 History of East Kent Railway History of Faversham Abbey History of Foord Viaduct George Smeed Henry VIII and Tudor Kent Jack Cades Rebellion History of Kent's Airfields Finally a County Police Force King Aethelberht Kings of Kent Memories of a Land Army Girl History of the London and Brighton Railway History of London and Croydon Railway History of London and Greenwich Railway History of London Chatham and Dover Railway Martello Towers Memories of Kingsnorth Airfield Oldest Shop in England Parliamentary Reprersentation PLUTO RAF Hawkinge History of Kent Railways History of Rochester Bridge History of Rochester Castle History of Rochester Cathedral King John at Rochester Castle History of Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway Saint Alphage Saint Anslem Saint Autustine's Mission Saint Eanswythe Saint Dunstan History of St Martins of Tours - Canterbury St Mary & St Eanswythe Church Saint Mary the Virgin - Dover Saint Mary in Castro - Dover Castle Saint Mellitius Saint Peter and Saint Paul - River Saint Thomas Becket History of South Eastern Railway History of Southern Railway History of Southern Region Why were William Harvey's discoveries rejected? 

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