166 THE DOVER ROAD 



The " Anchor Hotel " was once a posting-house 

 and a stopping-place on the route of local coaches 

 between Chatham and Heme Bay, but this traffic has 

 of course been long discontinued. The modern 

 pilgrim should not fail, before leaving Ospringe, to 

 explore Water Lane and the country road for half a mile 

 beyond. The place abounds in old cottages, 

 picturesque windmills, and old timbered houses of 

 some pretensions. Of these. Queen Hall is probably 

 the most interesting. Beyond it is the parish church, 

 a very large building with a tower of grand design and 

 unusual type. The edifice has been thoroughly and 

 unusually well restored, with an exquisite taste 

 unfortunately too rare in country districts, and may be 

 instanced as an example of what " restoration " should 

 be. The approach to the church by the road is past 

 hop-gardens which group beautifully, and form an 

 excellent motive for a sketch. 



XXX 



Eaversham town, lying a mile distant, between 

 Eaversham Creek and the turnpike road, will doubtless 

 in the course of a few years adjoin Ospringe, and 

 convert the village into a mere suburb. Preston, the 

 old suburb of Eaversham, is distant something over 

 a mile, but in between there have lately been built 

 very many new streets of cottages and villas, evidences 

 of Faversham's prosperity, doubtless, but not pleasing 

 to the tourist. That prosperit}^ is due to its situation 

 upon a navigable creek, along which are pursued the 

 trades of brick and tile making, and the manufacture of 

 gunpowder ; and the oyster fishery, which adds 

 such a great proportion of wealth to this flourishing 

 county of Kent, is largely centred here. 



The surrounding country, too, is probably the very 

 richest and most suitable district for the growing of 



