A228 Grain Road, Stoke Level Crossing

Work has commenced on building a road bridge over Stoke level crossing on the A228 (Grain Road). The first phase of the project includes extensive work to protect the surrounding environment, including the creation of a habitat for water voles. Construction work is expected to continue until March 2011. Medway Council has said the new bridge will be a single carriageway bridge to realign the A228 and improve safety.

Roadworks (Kingsnorth Development) - Ropers Lane and Stoke Road, Hoo and Kingsnorth

Roadworks off the A228 (reference ZT9981893 and ZT9981894), including Ropers Lane and Stoke Road, towards Kingsnorth, seem to be progressing. Completion of the 're-alignment' work is expected in February 2011. Updates and further information can be obtained by clicking here.

RSPB Wildlife & Country Fair (Cooling), Sunday 5 September 2010

The RSPB Wildlife & Country Fair will be held on Sunday 5 September at Bromhey Farm (Cooling), from 11am to 5pm. Activities will include: ditch dipping, mini-beast hunting, bird ringing demos, sheep dog trials, pony rides, art and craft stalls, guided country walks, a car boot sale (stalls must be booked in advance), refreshments and much much more! This is a FREE event, although parking donations are welcome.

RSPB Northward Hill (main car park), Cooling, Rochester, ME3 8DS - signposted from the A228. Further information about this event may be obtained by phoning 01634 222480, or by emailing here. Alternatively, take a look at the RSPB website.

The below photographs, supplied by the RSPB, are from previous events held at RSPB Northward Hill.

St. Mary Hoo, Village Photographs

Following an earlier post about the Spencer family and St. Mary Hoo, I thought I would add some photographs of this location.

With the weather continuing its warm spell, I went over to St. Mary Hoo at the weekend, whilst on route to the Summer Fete at Stoke School and then, yet again, on to spend some time at Grain Beach.

St. Mary Hoo is located off the Ratcliffe Highway (which is off the A228) and the entire village sits on Hall Road, which is a no through road. The 2001 census states that the village had a population of 244 and I doubt this has changed very much since that time.

Although the Church is privately owned, I had a walk around the outside to look at the graves. I couldn’t find any connected to my family, but there are clearly many gaps where stones have either been removed (because of damage and age) or simply because people (like my own family) couldn’t really afford them.

I would really like to find old photographs of St. Mary Hoo and the surrounding areas.

Clinch Street and Decoy Hill Road

Clinch Street leads into Decoy Hill Road, both of which run from Britannia Road (between Fenn Corner on the A228 and High Halstow). Luckily, the weather was pleasant when I had a stroll along these roads, but I still have much to explore, including further exploration of Halstow Marshes to Egypt Bay – famous for its historical smuggling links and where prison hulks once anchored.

 

A228 Ratcliffe Highway, Fenn Corner Roundabout

Good to see progress being made on the construction of the new roundabout at Fenn Corner, on the A228 Ratcliffe Highway.