Kingsnorth Air Station

The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust installed a memorial at Kingsnorth Industrial Estate near Hoo on 6th October - in recognition of where a Royal Navy Airship Station (and later RAF) airfield once stood. 

The memorial was initiated and privately-funded by Kenneth Bannerman from the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.

You can find out more about this memorial (and the work of the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust) by clicking here.

  

Take a tour of Gad’s Hill in Higham

Don’t miss visiting Gad’s Hill Place in Higham. The building was purchased by Charles Dickens in March 1856 and is now part of Gad’s Hill School.

Tours (with volunteer guides) will be at 1pm, 2.15pm and 3.30pm on 4th and 5th April, 2nd and 3rd May, 6th and 7th June, 11th and 12th July, 8th and 9th August, 12th and 13th September and 10th and 11th October.

Tickets (includes a delicious cream tea) are £9.50 for adults, £5 for children (aged seven to 12 - free for six and under), available by phoning 01474 337600 or by emailing: info@visitgravesend.co.uk

Charles Dickens lived at Gad’s Hill until his death in 1870, aged 58. 9th June 2020 will be the 150th anniversary of his death.

The Beacon of Beacon Hill

I recently went searching for the original ‘beacon’ of Beacon Hill on the Chattenden/Upnor border.

The beacon is a circular mound - with a diameter of around 30 metres. A WW2 pillbox was built on the 6.5 metre-high scheduled monument, but previously there would have been a fire basket or brazier (on a pole) on the top. The mound appears on maps as far back as 1570.

The mound is on private land, but you can walk near to it - just walk along public right of way RS116 at the end of Beacon Hill Lane.