Gravesend

Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England. It is about 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross, central London, on the south bank of the River Thames. Across the river is Tilbury in Essex. Gravesend is part of the Diocese of Rochester and is the main town for the Gravesham area.

In 2021, about 60,250 people lived in Gravesend. Because of where it is, Gravesend has been important for travel and trade for a long time. It is the eastern edge of the Greater London Built-up Area, as the UK Office for National Statistics says. Today, Gravesend is still linked to the River Thames, especially through the Port of London Authority Pilot Station.

The town is a Thames Gateway commuter town, so many people live there and work somewhere else. Gravesend has become more lively and modern lately, especially with the start of High Speed 1 trains. The Gravesend railway station has been updated with a new bridge, making travel easier.

Name

Gravesend was first recorded as Gravesham in the Domesday Book from 1086. At that time, it belonged to Odo, Earl of Kent and Bishop of Bayeux, who was the half-brother of William the Conqueror.

There are different ideas about where the name Gravesend comes from. Some think it might be linked to a place in the Netherlands called 's-Gravenzande. In Brooklyn, New York, there is a neighborhood also named Gravesend. The spelling of the town's name has changed over time. The official name Gravesham for the area was adopted in 1974.

History

Stone Age tools have been found in the area since the 1900s, along with signs of an Iron Age settlement near Springhead. Many Roman remains have been found close by. Gravesend is near an old Roman road linking London to the Kent coast, now called Watling Street. The Domesday Book mentioned mills, places to dock boats, and fisheries in Gravesend.

Gravesend has one of the oldest markets in the country, with its first charter dating back to 1268. The town received official status from King Henry III that same year. The first town hall was built much later, in 1573, and the current Gravesend Town Hall finished in 1764. Though it stopped being a government building in 1968, it is now used for special events.

In 1380, during a big war between England and France, Gravesend was attacked. In 1617, explorer John Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas stopped there after she became ill. She passed away and was buried in the local church of St George, Gravesend.

The town also has old forts built for protection, like the New Tavern Fort, now a heritage center. Traveling by road to Gravesend used to be dangerous, but stagecoaches often stopped there. A military base opened in Gravesend in 1862. The town had an airport from 1932 to 1956, and during World War II, it was used by the Royal Air Force.

Governance

Gravesend is the main town of the Borough of Gravesham. The borough was created on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972. It was formed by combining the Municipal Borough of Gravesend and Northfleet Urban District Council, along with several parishes from Strood Rural District. Gravesend became a Municipal Borough in 1835 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and Northfleet became an Urban District in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894. Over time, Gravesend grew to include areas like Milton, Denton, Chalk, and parts of Northfleet.

Geography

Gravesend is where higher land meets the River Thames. To the east are the Shorne Marshes, and to the west lie Northfleet and the Swanscombe Marshes. The town grew here because it was a good place for boats to land, sheltered by Windmill Hill. Though Windmill Hill is noticeable, the town's highest point is further inland at Marling Cross, near the A2 road.

In 1817, Gravesend was a market town and the first port on the River Thames. Over time, the town grew south and east. Wealthier people from London started visiting in the summer, first by boat and later by train. After the wars, the town expanded with new housing. Today, Gravesend includes areas like Painters Ash, King's Farm, Christianfields, Riverview Park, and Singlewell. Some southern parts of Gravesend were once separate villages named Cobham and Northfleet.

Climate

Gravesend has an oceanic climate, like much of southern England. It is called a Marine West Coast Climate.

In August 2003, Gravesend had one of the hottest temperatures ever recorded in the United Kingdom, reaching 38.1 °C (100.6 °F). The town reports weather data every hour. Because it is a bit inland and close to continental Europe, Gravesend often has warmer summers and colder winters than areas near the coast. Sometimes it records the highest temperatures in the country.

Demography

The area around Gravesham has changed from heavy industry to more service jobs since 1990. In 2012, about 101,700 people lived there, which was 6,000 more than ten years before. The area is very crowded, with nearly 10 people living in each hectare of land. Many people are young, with 40% under the age of 30, and 60% are old enough to work.

According to the 2021 census, the largest group of people by belief are Christians, making up more than 49% of the population. The largest religious group are Sikhs, who make up 8% of the population. After that, 32.1% of people do not follow any specific belief.

Shopping

Gravesend is a place where people shop and live. It has a local shopping area with places like St Georges and the Thamesgate shopping centre. There is also a regular farmers' market. The Gravesend Market Hall, right in the middle of the town, has been around since the year 1268.

Landmarks

Gravesend Town Pier

Gravesend has the world's oldest surviving cast iron pier, built in 1834. This pier was the first to use iron cylinders. After repairs in 2004, the pier now has a bar and a restaurant. People can sometimes walk to the end. In 2012, a ferry service started here but stopped in the 2020s because of money problems.

Royal Terrace Pier

Further information: Royal Terrace Pier

Royal Terrace Pier was built in 1844. A famous princess, Princess Alexandra of Denmark, arrived here when she came to marry Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1865. Today, the pier is always busy because it helps run the Port of London Authority and has a lifeboat station. People can visit the pier on special days.

Gravesend Clock Tower, Milton Road

The Gravesend Clock Tower is at the corner of Milton Road and Harmer Street. Its stone was laid in 1887 to honor Queen Victoria for 50 years as queen. The tower looks like the famous Elizabeth Tower in London, home of Big Ben.

Pocahontas statue

A statue of Pocahontas, a famous 17th-century Native American princess, was made by an American artist and first shown in Jamestown, Virginia in 1922. In 1958, a copy of this statue was given to the British people and placed at St George's Parish Church in Gravesend. In 2017, a US ambassador visited the statue to remember Pocahontas.

Windmill Hill

Main article: Windmill Hill, Kent

Windmill Hill is named after the old windmills that used to be there. It offers great views of the Thames River and was a popular spot for visitors in Victorian times. During World War I, bombs were dropped on the hill, and you can still see markers where they fell.

Gravesend Power Station

Gravesend Power Station was built between 1902 and 1903 to supply electricity for the local area. The buildings were torn down in 1995.

Gravesend and the River Thames

The River Thames has always been very important to Gravesend. It might have been why people first settled there. In the late 1300s, Gravesend got special permission to be the only place people could travel to and from London by water.

In the 1500s, a famous queen, Catherine of Aragon, was expected to arrive in Gravesend. The "Tilt Boat" was a common sight on the river, with passengers protected from the weather by a special covering. In the early 1800s, the first steamboat started traveling between Gravesend and London. This brought many visitors to places like Terrace Pier Gardens and Rosherville Gardens. Gravesend became one of England's first resort towns because it became very popular with tourists.

Gravesend has strong ties to the sea. Local watermen often passed down their jobs through families. The town is home to the Port of London Authority Control Centre, which helps guide ships on the River Thames. Gravesend also holds one of England's oldest boat races, using special 21-foot-long wooden boats called skiffs.

Before a big dock was built across the river at Tilbury Docks in the late 1800s, Gravesend was the first place where ships could stop when entering the Thames. Many people leaving England and many soldiers started their journeys from here. Today, there are still companies in Gravesend that help move boats, like the Smith Howard Towing Company.

There is a lifeboat station at Royal Terrace Pier, which is one of the busiest in the country.

Thames and Medway Canal

Main article: Thames and Medway Canal

The Thames and Medway Canal opened in 1824, connecting Gravesend to Frindsbury near Strood. It was seven miles long with two locks. The canal had a very long tunnel, which was the second longest ever built in the UK at the time. However, because the tunnel was so expensive, the canal was not very successful.

After about 20 years, most of the canal closed. The tunnel was turned into a railway tunnel. Today, the old canal area in Gravesend is used for docking pleasure boats, and the Gravesend Sailing Club meets there.

Transport

Roads

The main roads through Gravesend are the A226 road from Dartford to Rochester, and the A227 road to Tonbridge. The A2 road passes nearby.

In 2006, new Fastrack bus services began. These buses use regular roads and special bus lanes. They connect to Ebbsfleet International railway station, Greenhithe, Bluewater Shopping Centre, and Dartford.

Rail

The historic Gravesend Railway Station opened in 1849 and is on the North Kent Line. The Gravesend West Line closed in 1968.

Gravesend is a key spot for fast and metro rail services. Since 2009, high-speed trains have run from London to Kent. These trains go from London St Pancras and Stratford International to places like the Medway towns, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Margate, Broadstairs, and Ramsgate. Some trains continue to Ashford International via Sandwich and Dover Priory.

There are also metro services to London Charing Cross, London Waterloo East, and London Bridge through places like Sidcup, Woolwich Arsenal, Lewisham, and Bexleyheath, and to Gillingham.

Gravesend has a special Platform 0 for trains ending their journey from London Cannon Street or London Charing Cross via Sidcup.

Buses

Gravesend has many Arriva Kent Thameside bus routes. They connect to places in Kent such as Dartford, Bluewater, Sevenoaks, and the Medway Towns.

The Fastrack buses link Gravesend to Bluewater, Darent Valley Hospital, and Dartford.

Ferry

Ferry services to Tilbury in Essex ran daily from Gravesend Town Pier until March 31, 2024.

Footpaths

The Saxon Shore Way is a long walking path that starts in Gravesend and follows the coast. It goes all the way to Hastings in East Sussex. The Wealdway also begins at the Town Pier and heads south to Eastbourne in East Sussex, where it connects to the South Downs Way.

Religious Buildings

Gravesend’s main Anglican church is the Church of St George. Many tourists visit because of its connection to Princess Pocahontas. It is the main parish church. The town also has three other Church of England parishes. There are also Roman Catholic, Methodist, United Reformed, and Baptist churches, along with smaller chapels.

The town has a large Sikh community. The first gurdwara, or Sikh place of worship, opened in 1956. Another opened ten years later. In 2010, one of Europe’s largest Sikh temples was built.

Education

Gravesend has many schools. These include Northfleet School for Girls, Northfleet Technology College, Mayfield Grammar School, St John's Catholic Comprehensive School, Thamesview School, and St George's Church of England School. Gravesend Grammar School is known for helping students do well in their studies. There are also primary schools, special schools, and independent schools, as well as a place for adult learning.

Health & Hospice

Gravesend Hospital started in 1854 after the 6th Earl of Darnley gave some land. It began to help poor people who could not pay for doctors.

Today, Gravesend Community Hospital helps with small injuries, dental care, talking and movement therapy, and care for people who have had strokes. It also has a place where people can stay overnight. For bigger injuries or special doctor visits, people go to Darrent Valley Hospital. There is also a small clinic in the town centre for minor injuries.

Sport

Football

The football ground at Stonebridge Road in Northfleet is where Ebbsfleet United F.C. plays. The team changed its name from Gravesend and Northfleet F.C. in 2007. They now play in the National League. They won the FA Trophy in 2008.

Cricket

Gravesend Cricket Club, founded in 1881, is at the Bat and Ball Ground on Wrotham Road. People have played cricket there since the mid-1800s.

Rugby Union

Gravesend has two rugby union teams, Gravesend Rugby Football Club and Old Gravesendians RFC. They are close to each other near Gravesend Grammar School. Old Gravesendians RFC started in 1929 by former students of the school.

Rowing

Rowing races have happened on the River Thames at Gravesend since at least 1698. The first organized Regatta was in 1715, and the first Borough Regatta began in 1882. Gravesend Rowing Club, founded in 1878, is one of the oldest clubs there. Gravesend Grammar School also has its own Rowing Club.

Cycling

South of Gravesend, Cyclopark was built on the old Watling Street site. It opened in early 2012 and has trails for mountain bikes, a road circuit, a BMX racetrack, and paths for family cycling.

Culture

Gravesend has an interesting history in books and movies. The Gravesend Historical Society meets often and shares stories in a magazine they publish twice a year.

Famous writer Charles Dickens lived near Gravesend at Gad's Hill Place. He wrote about the town in several books. For example, in David Copperfield, characters say goodbye in Gravesend before sailing to Australia. In Great Expectations, an important scene happens near the town. Gravesend also appears in The Pickwick Papers.

Other well-known books that mention Gravesend include Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and stories by Arthur Conan Doyle about Sherlock Holmes. The film The Long Memory from 1952 was made in Gravesend.

Notable people

Gravesend has been home to many famous people throughout history.

Sir Edwin Arnold, a well-known poet, was born here. Actress Gemma Arterton and film director Paul Greengrass also grew up in Gravesend.

Charles Dickens, the famous author, spent time in the area and found inspiration for his stories here. Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, who created the weather scale we still use today, was stationed in Gravesend.

Other notable individuals include Sir Derek Barton, a Nobel Prize-winning chemist, and Sir Peter Blake, a famous artist. The town has also been home to athletes like footballer Marc Guehi and rugby player Olamide Sodeke.

Twin towns

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the United Kingdom

Gravesend has friendly partnerships with cities in other countries. These include:

• Cambrai, France
• Chesterfield, Virginia, United States
• Neumünster, Germany
• Brunswick, Victoria, Australia