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53-591: The Saxon Shore Way is a long-distance footpath in England. It starts at Gravesend , Kent , and traces the coast of South-East England as it was in Roman times as far as Hastings , East Sussex , 163 miles (262 km) in total. This means that around Romney Marsh the route runs significantly inland from the modern coastline. The line of the Roman fortification that the route traces includes ancient forts, modern towns, nature reserves and coastline: four Roman forts built in

106-482: A dominant feature, Gravesend's highest point is actually further inland at Marling Cross, adjacent to the A2 . From its origins as a landing place and shipping port , Gravesend gradually extended southwards and eastwards. Better-off people from London visited 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 World War II, when many of

159-564: A fighter station, RAF Gravesend , and so Gravesend was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe . In 1956 the site was taken over by Gravesend Borough Council; a large housing estate, known as Riverview Park, was built on its site. Gravesend is part of and is the principal town of the Borough of Gravesham. The borough was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , by the merger of

212-521: A lack of centralised command and control, and lack of a 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 carried out. He then oversaw its development and ultimate installation at Gravesend. Until the building of Tilbury Docks , on

265-859: A pontoon is now in place at the pier head onto the Thames, which provides for small and medium-sized craft to land at Gravesend. On 17 September 2012, the Gravesend–Tilbury Ferry , relocated to the Town Pier, from its previous terminal in nearby West Street. Built in 1844, the initial construction was funded by the Gravesend Freehold Investment Company, at a cost of £9,200. It was where Princess Alexandra of Denmark arrived on her way to marry Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in March 1865, and River pilots have been based here since

318-475: A seat of government in 1968 when the new Gravesham Civic Centre was opened, it remained in use as a magistrates' court until 2000. It now operates as a venue for weddings and civil partnership ceremonies. During the Hundred Years' War , Gravesend was raided by a Castilian fleet in 1380. In 1401, a further royal charter was granted, allowing the men of the town to operate boats between London and

371-428: Is also a Grade II listed structure. Situated at the junction of Milton Road and Harmer Street, its foundation stone was laid on 6 September 1887. The memorial stone records that the clock tower was erected by public subscription (£700 was raised toward its construction) and dedicated to Queen Victoria , to commemorate the 50th year of her reign. Built of Portland and Dumfries stone and backed by London stock brick,

424-571: Is found with its name translating into "Sand (or sandy area) belonging to the Count". The ' s is a contraction of the old Dutch genitive article des , and translates into plain English as of the . In Brooklyn, New York , the neighbourhood of Gravesend is said by some to have been named for 's-Gravenzande, though its founding by the English religious dissenter Lady Deborah Moody in 1645 suggests that it may be named after Gravesend, England. Lady Deborah

477-561: Is located at a point where the higher land – the lowest point of the dip slope of the North Downs – reaches the Thames. To the east are the low-lying Shorne Marshes; to the west, beyond Northfleet and the Swanscombe Marshes. The settlement was thus established as it was a good landing place : it was also sheltered by the prominent height of what is now called Windmill Hill (see Landmarks below); although Windmill Hill still remains

530-435: Is therefore less cloudy, drier, and less prone to Atlantic depressions with their associated wind and rain than western parts, as well as being hotter in summer and colder in winter. Thus Gravesend continues to record higher temperatures in summer , sometimes being the hottest place in the country, e.g. on the warmest day of 2011, when temperatures reached 33.1 °C. Additionally, the town holds at least two records for

583-400: Is unknown. Thomas Rolfe survived, but was placed under the supervision of Sir Lewis Stukley at Plymouth , before being sent to his uncle, Henry Rolfe whilst John Rolfe and his late wife's assistant Tomocomo reached America under the captaincy of Sir Samuel Argall 's ship. Pocahontas (real name: Matoaka) is an important figure in both American and British history and was the inspiration for

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636-604: The MV Royal Daffodil down the Thames from Gravesend to France, but they ceased in 1966. Cruises are now operated by the Lower Thames and Medway Passenger Boat Company up the river to Greenwich . The cross-river passenger ferry to Tilbury provides a long-established route to and from Essex. Before the Dartford Crossing came into being, there was a vehicle ferry at Gravesend as well. Portreeve The origins of

689-588: The Municipal Borough of Gravesend and Northfleet Urban District along with several parishes from Strood Rural District. Gravesend was incorporated as a Municipal Borough in 1835 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and Northfleet was constituted an Urban District in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894 : Gravesend absorbed Milton (1914), Denton, Chalk and part of Northfleet, including Claphall, Singlewell and King's Farm (1935). Gravesend

742-584: The Port of London Authority Pilot Station and has witnessed rejuvenation since the advent of High Speed 1 rail services via Gravesend railway station . The station was recently refurbished and now has a new bridge. Recorded as Gravesham in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it belonged to Odo, Earl of Kent and Bishop of Bayeux , the half-brother of William the Conqueror , its name probably derives from graaf-ham :

795-561: The Thames and was a popular spot for Victorian visitors to the town because of the camera obscura installed at the Old Mill and for its tea gardens and other amusements. The hill was the site of a beacon in 1377, which was instituted by King 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". A modern beacon

848-509: The 1960s, and Singlewell, which is adjacent to the A2 in the South Part of the southern built-up area of the town was originally two separate rural parishes: viz , Cobham and Northfleet . Gravesend has an oceanic climate similar to much of southern England, being accorded Köppen Climate Classification-subtype of " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate). On 10 August 2003, Gravesend recorded one of

901-430: The 19th century other major employers have been the cement and paper industries. From 1932 to 1956, an airport was located to the east of the town. On Sunday 5 February 1939, Alex Henshaw commenced his record-breaking flight to Cape Town and back from here. He completed the flight in 39 hours 36 minutes over the next four days; his record still stands. Originally a civilian airfield , during World War II it became

954-499: The Commonwealth of Virginia ; the ship had only sailed as far as Gravesend before Rebecca fell ill, and she died shortly after she was taken ashore. It is not known what caused her death. Her funeral and interment took place on 21 March 1617 at the parish church of St George, Gravesend . The site of her grave was underneath the church's chancel , though since the previous church was destroyed by fire in 1727 her exact resting place

1007-574: The Prince of Orange and the Lord Nelson . Post coaches had been plying the route for at least two centuries: Samuel Pepys records having stopped off at Gravesend in 1650 en route to the Royal Dockyards at Chatham. A permanent military presence was established in the town when Milton Barracks opened in 1862. Although much of the town's economy continued to be connected with maritime trade, since

1060-673: The River Thames. A dinghy at an unmodernised Gravesend was the backdrop to the 1952 thriller The Long Memory starring Sir John Mills . In the film, Mills plays a character living in poverty on a derelict fishing boat stranded in the mud flats. Gravesend also has one of England's oldest regattas retained from its strong maritime links with the Thames. Although the origins of the regatta are unknown it dates back at least to Tudor times . The races are traditionally competed by Gravesend skiffs , 21-foot-long (6.4 m) oaken round-bottomed, clinker-built boats. The Thames Navigation Service

1113-549: The Terrace Pier Gardens, Windmill Hill, Springhead Gardens and Rosherville Gardens . 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 Control Centre (formerly known as Thames Navigation Service ), has its headquarters at Gravesend, providing maritime pilots who play an important role in navigation on

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1166-679: The Wantsum Channel provided a thoroughfare for boats between the Isle of Thanet and mainland England. The Way takes its name, the Saxon Shore , from a line of fortifications built along the coastline as it was in the 3rd century AD, towards the end of the Roman period. In this time of crisis Saxon invaders came from the southern regions of modern Denmark and in response the Romans built a line of defensive forts along

1219-579: The ancient coastline between Folkestone and Rye. The Saxon Shore Way was originally opened in 1980, but has since been re-established, and in parts re-routed and extended. It follows the coastline of the South East as it was about 1500 years ago, long before the North Kent Marshes or the Romney Marsh came into existence, when the cliff lines to the north and south extended further into the sea and when

1272-533: The coast to repel the newcomers. Gravesend, Kent Gravesend / ˌ ɡ r eɪ v z ˈ ɛ n d / is a town in northwest Kent , England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex . Located in the diocese of Rochester , it is the administrative centre of the borough of Gravesham . Gravesend marks

1325-469: The country where the office is still held by act of parliament); Kingsbridge , Devon; Beccles , Suffolk; Callington , Cornwall (where the name is given to the council chairman); and Yeovil , Somerset. This article related to government in the United Kingdom or its constituent countries is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This job-, occupation-, or vocation-related article

1378-562: The design of the structure is based on the design of the Elizabeth Tower in the Palace of Westminster, which houses Big Ben . The centre of the clock itself is measured at 50 feet (15 m) above ground and the face measures 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) in diameter. The tower is Grade II listed . An American sculptor, William Ordway Partridge , created a life-size statue of the 17th-century Native American princess Pocahontas , which

1431-525: The eastern limit of the Greater London Built-up Area , as defined by the UK Office for National Statistics . In 2021 it had a population of 58,102. Its geographical situation has given Gravesend strategic importance throughout the maritime and communications history of South East England . A Thames Gateway commuter town , it retains strong links with the River Thames , not least through

1484-456: The fourth century lie along the route, at Reculver , Richborough , Dover and Lympne . At Seasalter there is an internationally important area for geese, ducks, and waders. The diversity of scenery along the route includes the wide expanses of marshland bordering the Thames and Medway estuaries, the White cliffs of Dover , and panoramic views over Romney Marsh from the escarpment that marks

1537-405: The heart of the town, was first chartered in 1268. Gravesend has the world's oldest surviving cast iron pier , built in 1834. It is a unique structure having the first known iron cylinders used in its construction. The pier was completely refurbished in 2004 and now features a bar and restaurant; with public access to the pier head when the premises are open. A recent £2 million investment in

1590-536: The highest temperatures since records began in the United Kingdom, with a reading of 38.1 °C (100.6 °F), only beaten by Brogdale , near Faversham , 26 miles (42 km) to the ESE. Gravesend, which has a Met Office site, reports its data each hour. Being inland and yet relatively close to continental Europe , Gravesend enjoys a somewhat more continental climate than the coastal areas of Kent, Essex and East Anglia and also compared to western parts of Britain. It

1643-583: The home of the reeve or bailiff of the lord of the manor . Another theory suggests that the name Gravesham may be a corruption of the words grafs-ham – a place "at the end of the grove". Frank Carr asserts that the name derives from the Saxon Gerevesend , the end of the authority of the Portreeve (originally Portgereve , chief town administrator). In the Netherlands , a place called 's-Gravenzande

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1696-411: The housing estates in the locality were built. Gravesend's built-up areas comprise Painters Ash , adjacent to the A2; King's Farm (most of King's Farm estate was built in the 1920s); and Christianfields . The latter housing estate has been completely rebuilt over a 6-year project from 2007 to 2013. There is also the aforementioned Riverview Park estate built on the old RAF field in the south-east, in

1749-619: The larger ships moored at Tilbury landing stages. 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 Indiamen traditionally stopped here at a point known as Long Reach to lighten their loads before sailing up the Thames to moorings at Blackwall . For some years after, war steamer excursions were run on

1802-459: The late 19th century. Today, Royal Terrace Pier is in constant 24-hour use, as part of the Port of London Authority main operations centre and Gravesend RNLI Lifeboat Station , one of four lifeboat stations situated on the River Thames; thus, its public access is available only occasionally during the year. It is T-shaped, with a pontoon at its pier head. Like the Town Pier , Royal Terrace Pier

1855-454: The late Middle Ages, portreeves acted as representatives of the people to ensure that their duties to the mayor and community were fulfilled. In some cases (and usually more recently) the role has been combined with that of mayor . Portreeves may also have acted as returning officers at elections. Contemporary British towns which still nominally have or appoint a portreeve include Laugharne , Carmarthenshire; Ashburton , Devon (the only town in

1908-454: The main London-Dover road crossed Blackheath , notorious for its highwaymen . Stagecoaches from London to Canterbury , Dover and Faversham used Gravesend as one of their "stages" as did those coming north from Tonbridge . In 1840 there were 17 coaches picking up and setting down passengers and changing horses each way per day. There were two coaching inns on what is now Old Road East:

1961-484: The north of the Roman road connecting London with the Kent coast – now called Watling Street . Domesday Book recorded mills , hythes , and fisheries here. Milton Chantry is Gravesend's oldest surviving building and dates from the early 14th century. It was refounded as a chapel in 1320/21 on the original site of a former leper hospital founded in 1189. It is a Grade II* listed building. Gravesend has one of

2014-422: The oldest surviving markets in the country . Its earliest charter dates from 1268, with town status being granted to the two parishes of Gravesend and Milton by King Henry III in its Charter of Incorporation of that year. The first Mayor of Gravesend was elected in 1268 but the first town hall was not built until 1573. The current Gravesend Town Hall was completed in 1764: although it ceased to operate as

2067-524: The opposite side of the river, between 1882 and 1886, Gravesend was the Thames's first port of entry. 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 entrance to the Docks is somewhat awkward, situated as it is on the sharp bend of the river, and boats often need tugboat assistance, as do

2120-531: The popular Disney animated film of the same name . At Fort Gardens is the New Tavern Fort , built during the 1780s and extensively rebuilt by Major-General Charles Gordon between 1865 and 1879; it is now the Chantry Heritage Centre , under the care of Gravesend Local History Society . The fort is a Scheduled monument . Journeys by road to Gravesend were historically quite hazardous, since

2173-464: The position are in the reign of Edward the Elder (c. 874 – 17 July 924), who, in order to ensure that taxes were correctly exacted, forbade the conducting of trades outside of a 'port' or duly appointed place for trading, and without the supervision of a portreeve or other trustworthy person. At this time, therefore, they had a role as a fiscal supervisor, much like modern customs and revenue officers. By

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2226-604: The statue as a gift to the British people in 1958, a gesture prompted by The Queen's visit to the USA in the previous year. In 2017, US Ambassador Matthew Barzun visited the statue to mark the 400th anniversary of the death and burial of Pocahontas in Gravesend. The Ambassador laid a floral tribute of 21 roses at its base, symbolising each year of Pocahontas' life. Windmill Hill, named after its former windmills, offers extensive views across

2279-520: The term belief is used, Christians are most numerous at more than (49%), non-religious (32.1%) and third Sikhs (8%). Gravesend today is a commercial and commuter town, providing a local shopping district, including the St Georges shopping complex, the Thamesgate shopping centre and a regular farmers' market . It also used to have a Debenhams and Wilko, but they closed down. Gravesend market hall, in

2332-458: The town; these became known as the "Long Ferry". It became the preferred form of passage, because of the perils of road travel (see below). On Gravesend's river front are the remains of a device fort built by command of King Henry VIII in 1543. In March 1617, John Rolfe and his Native American wife Rebecca ( Pocahontas ), with their two-year-old son, Thomas , boarded a ship in London bound for

2385-499: The year 2010, of 30.9 °C and 31.7 °C. Another record was set during England's Indian summer of 2011 with 29.9 °C., the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK for October. In 2016 the warmest day of the year occurred very late on 13 September with a very high temperature of 34.4C Since 1990 the economy of Gravesham has changed from one based on heavy industry to being service-based . The borough's estimated population in 2012

2438-469: Was parson , and attributed to where the graves ended after the Black Death . The municipal title Gravesham was formally adopted in 1974 as the name for the new borough . Stone Age implements have been found in the locality since the 1900s, as has evidence of an Iron Age settlement at nearby Springhead . Extensive Roman remains have been found at nearby Vagniacae ; and Gravesend lies immediately to

2491-425: Was 101,700: a 6,000 increase in less than a decade. It has a high population density (almost 10 people per hectare) compared to nationally; it has a relatively young population (40% of the population are below 30); and 60% of the population are of working age. Based upon figures from the 2021 census, the second largest religious group in the borough are Sikhs who at that time made up 8% of the population. However, if

2544-467: Was built by the Gravesend Corporation in 1902–03 to supply local demand for electricity. It was built on the south side of the basin at the west end of the Thames and Medway canal . The buildings were demolished in 1995. The Thames has long been an important feature in Gravesend life, and may well have been the deciding factor for the first settlement there. One of the town's first distinctions

2597-735: Was erected and lit in 1988, the 400th anniversary of the Armada. It was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I that the first windmill was placed at the highest point in Gravesend, 179 ft (55 m) overlooking the high-water mark of the river. One mill burnt down in 1763 but was replaced the following year and that too demolished in 1894. The last surviving windmill is reported as having been destroyed by fire during Mafeking Night celebrations in 1900. During World War I an Imperial German Navy airship passed over Windmill Hill, dropping bombs on it; today there are three markers indicating where these bombs struck. Gravesend power station (TQ 6575 7413)

2650-644: Was first thought up between 1950 and 1952 by Cdr Peter de Neumann , while he was captain of HMRC cutter Vigilant based at Gravesend Reach . 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

2703-401: 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 as it sailed along the Thames, the passengers protected from the weather by a canvas tilt (awning). 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

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2756-527: Was originally from London and is credited with being the first woman to found a settlement in the New World. The Domesday spelling is its earliest known historical record; all other spellings – in the later (c. 1100) Domesday Monachorum and in Textus Roffensis the town is Gravesend and Gravesende , respectively. The variation Graveshend can be seen in a court record of 1422, where Edmund de Langeford

2809-477: Was unveiled at Jamestown, Virginia in 1922. Queen Elizabeth II viewed this statue in 1957 and again on 4 May 2007, while visiting Jamestown on the 400th anniversary of foundation, it being the first successful English colonial settlement in America. On 5 October 1958, an exact replica of Partridge's statue was dedicated as a memorial to Pocahontas at St George's Parish Church . The Governor of Virginia presented

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