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KENT. 



KENT. 



BeoH Tb» Teiw riies in tha northani put of Suasaz, and flow* by 

 Ltmbarliunt into the Madwmy. The Baalt Hm* in the Weald of 

 Kent, near Shadoxhunt, and flowe north by west to Yalding. From 

 thia plaoe the ooune of the Medway, tboogh very winding, ii for the 

 moat part northward ; it paoet through an opening in the greenaand 

 hiUa, aoroaa the prolongation of the valley of Holmadale by Maid- 

 atone and Ayleaford, throogfa a great opening in the North Downs, 

 and by Rooheater and Chatham, into the ocetuary of the Thames at 

 SheemeM, It is navigable for moro than 40 miles. The tide flows up 

 to Maidstone bridge, but ships and large vessels cannot ascend above 

 Bocheater bridge. Below Rochester the nstnary gradually expands 

 to a ooDsideTable width, and forms an important harbour for the 

 British navy. Nnmwoua arms of the river or creeks penetrate the 

 marshea, which spread inland to a considerable extent from the banks 

 of the river. The royal dockyard of Chatham is on the Modway, and 

 that of Sheemera at the junction of the Medwny with the Thames. 

 The Medway is plentifully stored with fish : above Maidstone is an abund- 

 ance of fresh-water fish ; and below Rochester are soles, flounders, and 

 other flat-fish, and smelts of excellent quality and Ini^ size. In the 

 creeks in the lower part of the river are considerable oyster-beds. 

 The Stow has two main branches, distinguisbed as the Greater and 

 the Leaser Stour. The Greater Stour is formed by two streams, which 

 flow along the valley between the North Downs and the greensand 

 hills in opposite directions, and uniting near Ashford, turn to the 

 north-east, pass through a depression in the North Downs, and flow 

 by Canterbury to the neighbourhood of Sarre in the Isle of Tbanet. 

 Here the Stour parts into two branches, one of which falls into the 

 estuary of the Thames near Reculver ; the other into P^^well Bay 

 below Sandwich. These two arms cut off Tbanet from the rest of 

 the county, and constitute it an island. The Leitser Stour rises near 

 Lyminge, about 8 miles north from Hythe, and flowing north by east 

 to Barfaam, above which it sometimes becomes dry, turns north by 

 west, and akirting Barbam Do^vns, flows to Bridge near Canterbury. 

 Here it makes another bend, and runs north-east into that arm of 

 the Greater Stour which falls into Pegwell Bay. The two arms of the 

 Stour, which insulate Thanet, were once a channel 3 or 4 miles over, 

 called the Wantsume, which received several streams besides the 

 Greater and Leaser Stour. In Bede's time the breadth was diminished 

 to 3 furlongs. The channel was navigable for ships of tolerable 

 burden in the reign of Henry VIII. ; but subsequently the waters 

 of the nortbem branch from the Stour to Reculver became too small 

 for navigation, aii<l it was for a period quite dry in the neighbourhood 

 of Sorre, so that Tbanet became a peninsula rather thau an island. 

 A cut from the Stour restored the continuity of the watercourse, but 

 this north channel is not used for navigation. The Greater Stour, 

 which enters Pegwell Bay, is navigable up to Fordwich near Canter- 

 bury. The whole length of the river from Lenham to Pegwell Bay 

 may be estimated at 45 miles. Both the Greater and the Lesser Stour 

 contain excellent trout 



The Bother rises iu Sussex, to which county it more properly 

 belongs. [Sussex.] Itfirst touches the border of Kent at the junction 

 of a small stream, which rises near Hawkhurst, and separates the two 

 countiee. From this junction the Uother flows by Newenden and 

 Wittersham, below which it quits the border and re-enters Sussex. 

 Several small streams from the Weald of Kent flow into it, and the 

 arms of these, with the Rother itself, inclose the river island of 

 Oxney(6 miles long from east to wert, and 3 miles broad). The 

 Rother is navi^ble in all that part which touches this county. 



The priociiml canal in the county of Kent is the Royal Military 

 Canal, which was formed, rather for the purposes of defence than of 

 commerce, during the alarm of invasion in the late war against 

 Napoleon. It runs along the edge of Romney Marsh from its com- 

 mencement in the sea near Hythe to its junction with the Rother in 

 the south-eastern comer of Oxney Isle. Three principal roads traverse 

 the county. The Dover road enters the county at New Cross, 3} miles 

 from London, and runs eaat-aouth-east in a nearly direct line through 

 Otaveeend, Rochester, and Canterbury to Dover, 71 miles. The Hythe 

 road branches off from the Dover roa[d at New Cross, and runs south- 

 east to Maidstone, and from thence by Ashford to Hythe, 65 miles. 

 The Hastings road branches off from the Hythe and Maidstone road 

 more than a mile beyond New Cross, and passing through Bromley, 

 Savenoaks, and Tonoridge, enters Sussex near Flimwell, 45 milen. 

 Tb* road to Bye branches oft from the principal IlimtingN ro.id just 

 before it quits Kent, and passes through Newenden, 53 miles, where 

 it o r oases the Rother into Sussex. The roads to Margate and Rams- 

 gate, and to Sandwich and Deal, branch off from the Dover road at 

 Uaaterbut^. The South-Eastem railway diverges from the Brighton 

 line at Raigate, Surrey, and enters Kent near Edenbridge, whcnoe the 

 main line proceeds in a generally eastern direction to Dover, 66 miles. 

 From the Tonbridga station a branch runs off southward to Ton- 

 bridge Wella, S miles, where it quits the county. At Paddock Wood 

 a bimooh runs off northward to Maidstone, 10 miles. From Ashford 

 a branch is carried south-westward to Rye, 16 miles, and thence to 

 Hastings ; another in a north-eosteni direction to Ramsgate, 30 miles, 

 from which a short branch for goods diverges at Canterbury, north 

 to Whitstable ; at Minster one, U milok to Deal ; and from iiamsgate 

 one, 4 miles, to Margate. The North Kent railway, also belonging to 

 the South-Eastem Company, leaves the main-trunk at DeptfonI, and 



rans at a short distance from the Thames to Oravaeend, 24 miles, and 

 thence to Strood, 7 miles. 



Climate, Soil, Ai/riculture. — The climate of Kent is in general mild 

 and genial. The proximity to the continent of Europe exposes it to 

 occasional north-east winds, which chill the air, but they carry off the 

 superfluous moisture of the soil ; and some of the most fertile spots 

 are in the Isle of Thanet, which lies at its uorth-eastera extromit}-, 

 and in the adjaoent partx. The soil of this county may be divide*! 

 into the gravel, chalk, and clay, which produce, where thoy mix in due 

 proportions, an extremely fertile loam. The alluvial soils along the 

 Thames and Medway, and in Romney Marsh, produce some of the 

 richest marah pastures in the kingdom. The chalk rises into hills 

 between Canterbury and Dover, where are extensive sheep downs, but 

 from Canterbury townrd.i Loudon it is mostly covered by a stiff clay, 

 and only breaks out here and there on the banks of the Thames. 

 The Wealds contain some very fertile clays and woods, iu which oaks 

 grow to a great size. Throughout the county the clay may be said to 

 predominate, and the mode of cultivation generally adopted is that 

 which suits the strongest soils. 



Besides the usual crops which are raised on good clays, Kent pro- 

 duces several which are peculiar to it, such as canary- and radish-seed, 

 which grow chiefly in the Isle of Thanet. Other seeds are likewise 

 raised fur the I^ondou seedsmen, such as spinach, cresses, and white 

 mustard. Kidney beans are cultivated in the neighbourhood of 

 Sandwich. 



There is comparatively a very small proportion of grass land in 

 Kent, if we except the sheep downs on the chalk hills and the marshes. 

 The marshes produce most of the hay consumed in winter. Romney 

 Marsh, which is well known for the richness of its grass, contains 

 about 44,000 acres ; on the bordera of the Stour are 27,000 aorea; and 

 along the Medway, Thames, and Swale, about 11,500 acres more. 

 A great many sheep are reared and fattened in these marshes. There 

 are very few dairies of any consequence in Kent. Cheese is mode 

 ouly for domestic consumption. 



Hops are grown to a very great extent in this county ; and, with 

 the exception of those which are raised at Famham in Surrey, are the 

 mo.)t esteemed of any in England. In that part of Kent which is 

 nearest to London there are many extensive market-gardens; and 

 many hundreds of acres are laid out in asparagus beds. Great quan- 

 tities of peas are raised for the London market. Apples, pears, plums, 

 and cherries are raised in orohards, and the produce sent to London. 

 Cider is lately made. In some places hops, apples, cherries, and 

 filberts may be seen growing together in the same grounds. The hops 

 last 1 2 years, the filberts 30 years ; aiter which the apples and pean 

 require the whole ground. There are still some extensive woods in 

 Keut, but they are diminishing every year ; and the produce of bark 

 and timber is much reduced from what it formerly was. 



JHvitiom, Totem, <bc. — Kent has long been divided into five lathes. 

 These divisions, in the opinion of some writers, take their name from 

 the Saxon, 'ge-lathian,' 'to assemble;' they had formerly distinct 

 courts superior to the hundred courts ; each of them comprehends 

 several hundreds, and other smaller divisions. The lathes are as 

 follows : — Sutton-at-Hone, containing 8 hundreds ; Aylesford, 1 2 hun- 

 dreds, with the liberty of the city of Rochester, and the liberty of the 

 Lowey of Tonbridge; Scray, 16 hundreds, and the liberty of the Isle 

 of Sheppey; St. Augiistine, 12 hundreds; and Shepway, or Shipway, 

 13 hundreds, besides the barony of Bircholt. 



There are several parts of the county which have their particular 

 'liberties,' exempt from the jurisdiction of the county magistrates. 

 They are as follows : — I. The county of the city of Canterbury, in 

 St Augustine Lathe. II. The city of Rochester, and — III. The 

 borough of Maidstone ; both in Aylesford Lathe. IV. The liberty of 

 Romney Marsh, comprehending several hundreds, which is under the 

 jurisdiction of its own bailiff and jurats. V. Tlie liberty of the 

 Cinque-ports, which comprehends: — 1. Sandwich, including the 

 borough of Sandwich ; the vUle of Sarro and the ville of Ramsgate, 

 in the Isle of Thanet ; the town and parish of Deal, the parish of 

 Walmcr, and part of that of Woodnesborough, near Sandwich ; and 

 the parish of Fordwich, near Canterbury : 2. Dover, including tho 

 town of Dover, with part of the neighbouring parishes of Charlton 

 and Hougham ; the pari.sh of Ringswould, between Dover and Deal, 

 and the town and parish of St John, Margate ; the parishes of Bireh- 

 ington, St Peter's, and Wood, or Woodchuroh, in Thanet ; tho town 

 and part of the parish of Folkestone, in Shepway Lathe ; and tho 

 town and part of the parish of Favereham, in Scray Lathe : 3. Hythe, 

 including the town and parish of Hythe, and part of the parish of 

 West Hythe : 4. New Romney, including the town and parish of New 

 Romney, and part of the parishes of Old Romney, Applcdore, Brenixt, 

 Ivychurch, Snargate, and part of Bromhill, all near Romney : 6. Rye, 

 the liberty of which includes in this county the town of Tenterden. 



There are in tho county two cities, (.;A>°TERncRT and Rocbestbb ; 

 the Cinque-ports of Dover, Hytrk, New Romney, and Sandwich ; 

 the parliamentary boroughs of Oreemwicb, CaATBAJf, and MaiDSTONE, 

 and 18 other market-towns, namely, Asbforo, Bromley, CRANnRooK, 

 DARiroRO, Deal, Fatbrsbam, Folkestoke, Oratesbnd, Lydd, Mar- 

 OATE, Milton, Ramsgate, Sevenoakb, Shf.erness, Sittingbourne, 

 Tenterden, Tondridob or Tunbridgc, and Westeuham. There wore 

 formerly markets at Atlbsfobd, Elbau, St Mary Cray, Eltham, 



