The Statue of Pocahontas
TOWNSPOTLIGHT
Spotlight on
GRAVESEND
Shorne Woods Country Park
Gravesend is a surprising place really. THERE IS A LOT MORE TO IT THAN ONE MIGHT EXPECT, INCLUDING A FASCINATING HISTORY( WITH ONE OR TWO FIGURES WHOM YOU MIGHT WELL RECOGNISE) AND FANTASTIC TRANSPORT LINKS TO PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY, OR THE COUNTRY – OR EVEN OTHER COUNTRIES, COME TO THAT! ADD TO THAT LOVELY RIVERSIDE PARKS, SUPERB SHOPPING AND A TOWN CENTRE THAT IS A PRETTY AS A PICTURE AND YOU’ LL SOON REALISE THAT GRAVESEND IS ONE OF KENT’ S MOST VIBRANT AND INTERESTING TOWNS.
HISTORY IN BRIEF
Popular thought says that Gravesend became such in 1665, when the bubonic plague struck nearby London, killing around 100,000 people. Not knowing where to bury the dead, those in charge had to look a little further out and this particular spot of land seemed to fit the bill. The dead were buried and the name Gravesend stuck. As interesting a story as that might be, it’ s not technically correct. Gravesend existed long before the plague came to town and is noted in the 1086 Domesday Book as being called Gravesham, which stems from Grafsham, meaning‘ at the end of the grove’.
The real history of Gravesend starts even further back than that, though – Stone Age tools have been excavated here, as have items from the Iron Age – 150,000 different objects were discovered when the Channel Tunnel Rail Link began to build from 2000-2003. Romans were also a strong presence in
Gravesend; the A2, which runs alongside the town and to London as well as down to the Kentish coast, was originally a Roman road. Over time, and thanks to an excellent location, Gravesend became a hub of commerce and transport, a reputation that continues to this day.
THINGS TO DO
Cyclopark The Cyclopark is a fantastic addition to Gravesend. It’ s a place where kids – and adults – can ride their bikes, ride skateboards, join in with races, use the playground equipment, eat in the café and generally spend a full day having fun. This multisport site was opened in 2012 with funding provided by Sport England amongst others.
Shorne Woods Country Park Just outside of Gravesend is the magnificent Shorne Woods Country Park. This is a quiet, peaceful little haven that is fun for adults and children alike. The site includes the ecofriendly visitor centre and café, a sensory garden, orienteering, fishing lakes, a trim trail and picnic and play areas – not to mention 292 acres of rolling woodlands, wetlands and meadows that can be explored via a variety of waymarked trails.
New Tavern Fort The remains of an 18th-century fort are always exciting to explore and the New Tavern Fort is no exception. It was built in the 1780s to protect the Thames against the threat of a naval attack from France, and General Gordon rebuilt it constantly between 1865 and 1879. Visit the fort and you can learn all about its history. There is a café on site too.
The Statue of Pocahontas Far from the fairytale ending that Disney would have us believe, Pocahontas did not live happily ever after. She died on board a ship that was passing Gravesend in 1617 at the age
39