Copyright Kent Past 2010
Kent Past
The History of Kent
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History of Oare
Oare comes from the Old English ‘ōra’ meaning a 'shore, hill-
Oare parish church is a Grade: I listed building, dedicated to Saint Peter. It dates
to the 13th century, with a porch added in the 16th century. In 1798, Edward Hasted
described St Peter’s church as a ‘small building, of one isle and one chancel, having
a pointed steeple at the west end, in which are two bells’. In 1867, the Victorian
architect Joseph Clarke added a spire and carried out a general restoration to the
building.
Huguenot refugees founded Oare gunpowder works around 1690. They settled in Faversham,
where they used their knowledge of the advanced French gunpowder production technology.
The Oare Works (originally known as Davington Mills) slowly expanded, progressively
modernising, throughout its, 250 year, working life.