SPECIALFEATURE
Learning Journeys cont...
Fun fact! Dickens died before completing The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and his sudden passing left literary sleuths obsessing for over a century. Today, Drood conspiracy theories abound- some even say Dickens left secret plot notes hidden in Gads Hill Place.
A Snack-Sized Legacy: The Sandwich
Perhaps Kent’ s most digestible claim to fame lies in the quiet town of Sandwich. In the 18th century, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, reputedly requested his meat be served between slices of bread so he could continue playing cards without using a fork. Thus, the humble sandwich was born- or at least popularised. While food historians debate the exact details, the town happily embraces the association with annual food festivals and sandwich-themed souvenirs.
Fun fact! The Earl of Sandwich’ s food hack became so popular that by the 1760s, aristocrats at the gaming table would say:“ I’ ll have the same as Sandwich!”, a request that gave the modern sandwich its name.
Faversham: Beer, Bangs and Boatbuilding
Faversham is one of England’ s most historic market towns, but it also boasts several hidden achievements. It is home to Shepherd Neame, the UK’ s oldest working brewery( founded in 1698), which still produces ale from local hops. The town also had a pivotal role in England’ s gunpowder industry, supplying explosives for centuries.
In addition, Faversham’ s shipyards once built boats for the Royal Navy, and the nearby Swale Estuary served as a key waterway during medieval trade. Despite its small size, Faversham’ s impact on industry and defence is undeniable.
Shocking fact! In 1916, Faversham was the site of one of the worst accidental explosions in British history. A massive blast at the local gunpowder factory- where TNT was being stored and manufactured- killed over 100 workers and was so powerful it shook houses 20 miles away in Canterbury. The crater left behind was over 40 feet deep and the tragedy was kept largely secret at the time due to wartime censorship, but remains a haunting reminder of the town’ s explosive legacy.
Tunbridge Wells: The Original Spa Town
Discovered in the early 17th century by a nobleman recovering from illness, the chalybeate spring at Tunbridge Wells sparked a health craze. Rich in iron, the waters became a magnet for aristocrats and royals seeking wellness. By the Georgian era, Tunbridge Wells was known as England’ s first spa town, drawing visits from Queen Victoria and her son Edward VII who granted the town its‘ Royal’ title. Today, you can still drink the spring water served by a costumed‘ dipper’ at The Pantiles.
Fun fact! Tunbridge Wells’ ironrich spring water was said to cure everything from hangovers to infertility. So powerful was its reputation that Queen Henrietta Maria visited in 1629 and within a year she was pregnant with the future Charles II!
Rochester to Gillingham: Unsung Inventors
The Medway towns are rich with pioneering minds. Sir Henry Tizard, born in Gillingham, helped develop radar technology and the octane rating system for petrol, both essential in WWII. Meanwhile, Thomas Crampton, an engineer from Broadstairs, designed the Crampton locomotive and laid the first successful cross-Channel telegraph cable in 1851.
Another lesser-known figure is Patrick Alexander from Erith, who experimented with balloons and early aeronautics. Kent has clearly long been fertile ground for bold thinking and quiet revolutionaries.
Fun fact! James Chuter Ede, born in Rochester, wasn’ t just a politician, he quietly helped invent the modern British police force. As Home Secretary after WWII, he championed the Police Act of 1946, which unified fragmented local forces into a national structure and shaped modern policing as we know it. A great example of how radical reform can come from behind a desk, not just a lab.
Canterbury to Whitstable: Rail Firsts and Religious Echoes
The Crab and Winkle Line, opened in 1830, connected Canterbury to Whitstable and became Britain’ s first regular steampowered passenger railway. Though it ceased operations in the 1950s, parts of the route are now a scenic cycle path.
Canterbury itself, while globally recognised for its cathedral and Chaucer’ s tales, also hides centuries of scientific and artistic influence, from medieval glasswork to astronomical studies conducted in its schools.
Fun fact! When the Crab and Winkle Line first opened in 1830, it used stationary winding engines to help haul trains up steep inclines meaning parts of the journey were powered by ropes, not locomotives! Even more curious, one of its early engineers, William James, was so enthusiastic about railways that he once declared they’ d soon make horses obsolete. A bit premature, but not entirely wrong.
TUNBRIDGE WELLS CHARLES DICKENS
36 • www. insidekent. co. uk