Its 6 AM. and time to take my dogs for a walk. I open my front door and immediately smell the beautiful red and pink roses growing in my front gsrden. They are in full bloom together the giant orange poppies that have been in the gsrden ever since I moved in and long before.
I turn on to the main road Hempstead Valley Drive and walk the short walk to Hempstead Road passing the freshly cut grass along the side of the road and down the bank. Turning right into Hempstead Road towards Rainham, I walk past the many houses and bungalows with their manicured lawns and floral gardens. Most of the residents are still in bed but the odd car is beginning to pass me with the drivers on their way to work.
The dogs are getting excited here because this is where I cross over Star Lane, opposite the entrance to Spekes Raod and turn left into the woods at the bottom of The Darland Banks I can let them off their leads here. Following the path through the woods I can smell the scent of nettles and other woodland plants I gradually climb to the top of the banks.
I am now at the top of the banks walking West towards Chatham. I have the top woods to my right and, on my left, the steep banks where as a kid I used to either roll down or slide down to Star Lane running along the bottom.
Carrying along the path, I come to a clearing with a seat where I can sit and take in the view. To the West I can see Chatham and beyond, to the South I can see Bluebell hill and looking back I can see Hempstead. I can see yellow Rape fields and green Wheat fields and trees for miles and miles. I can hear all kinds of woodland birds, Jays and Magpies with their strange cackling sound, I can hear the drum of a Green Woodpecker and then suddenly its wierd screech, I think Kentish People call these Yaffle birds because of the sound that they make. I hear the flutter of Wood pigeons scuffling in the trees, Oak, Elm, Sycamore and several more. I see Crows doing their aerobatics and diving into the grassy banks. Suddenly a Fox breaks cover and runs down the banks and disappears into the Bean field at the bottom. Rabbits scurry to their burrows. There are hundreds of rabbits here as it is a nature reserve now and they are protected but years ago I used to come here with a friend who had Ferrets and we used to go home with loads of Rabbits .
It occurs to me that people such as Normans, Saxons, Romans Etc must have taken this same route to Rochester and London and looked across the same hills. Maybe more forest then but basically the same.
I carry on walking passing some fellow early morning dog walkers and come to the a break in the banks where Star Lane cuts through. If I crossed Star Lane I can enter into the second part of the Darlands leading me to Ash Tree Lane. However, I turn left into Star Lane. There are no vehicles allowed in this part, just the odd bicycle.( When I was young the Star Lane was open to cars all the way from Hempstead Road to where it reaches the A2 at Gillingham)
Walking down Star Lane towards Hempstead I pass through a tunnels of trees and chalky banks . I reach the beautiful old Oast House on my left, what tales this place could tell you. I have known it have several owners and indeed a few years ago it was a restaurant where I would often go to eat. It is now a private residence though and the owner recently had it refurbished.
I carry on past the two white cottages on my right. These cottages belong to the surrounding farm. The farm used to be owned by Mrs Bachelor who died a couple of years ago. A friend of mine who lived in one of these cottages told me that it was the lowest point of Hempstead. The traffic is allowed from Hempstead to this point so the dogs are put back on their leads.
I carry on along the road passing open fields at the bottom of the the Darlands the farmer has planted beans this year but he rotates his crop yearly sometimes Wheat saometimes Rape. If I look to my left, I can see the banks stretching all the way from Hempstead to Chatham.
Finally I come to the end of Star Lane where it reaches Hempstead Road. I turn right here and re trace my steps back to my house in Hickory Dell.
The journey has taken me about an hour and I suppose I have walked three miles or so.
Many people ask me why I came back to England from Australia, perhaps here lies the answer
Walk From Hempstead towards Chatham
- Details
- Category: History Articles
-
Building the Broadview Garden Estate inc Herbert/Arthur Road
3 hits21 January 2021As can be seen from the plans below the grandly named Broadview Garden Estate consisted ... -
Finwell Road Rainham 1967 - Rainham House Prices
3 hits21 January 2021The new Tilbury estate off Station Road including Finwell Road in Rainham was built in t... -
Rainham of the Future in 1965! Article from 1995
119 hits20 January 2021After the article about The Missing Rainham Bypass - Rainham Southern Relief Road Maggie... -
Memories of Wigmore in the late 1970s
10 hits20 January 2021I grew up in Rainham & Wigmore in the 1970s and went to school at Fairview where the hea... -
The Missing Rainham Bypass - Rainham Southern Relief Road
347 hits17 January 2021Rainham Southern Relief Road plans - back in the 1970s and 1980s it was envisaged that t... -
Hoath Lane Wigmore 1930 - Martin's Kiosk
325 hits16 January 2021This postcard shows Hoath Way in Wigmore in approx 1930 with building showing Martin's K... -
Old and New Photos - Rainham Time Machine
80 hits16 January 2021Go back in time with the History Time Machine! -
The Oast Rainham - Then and Now
74 hits16 January 2021Jas has kindly sent in this edited image of the Oast Community Centre in Rainham combini... -
Old Photographs of Rainham, Kent - 1980s
253 hits29 December 2020Photos of Rainham taken in the 1980s -
Old Photographs of Rainham, Kent - 1960s
237 hits29 December 2020 -
Old Photographs of Rainham, Kent - 2000s
215 hits29 December 2020 -
Old Photographs of Rainham, Kent - 1990s
214 hits29 December 2020 -
20 Years of Rainham History
410 hits28 December 2020Obviously the history of Rainham goes back more than 20 years but this website celebrate... -
Action Forum - December 2001
180 hits25 December 2020Action Forum magazine number 363, December 2001. Cover photo is of a snowy Berengrav... -
Action Forum - November 2001
34 hits25 December 2020Action Forum magazine number 362, November 2001. Cover photo is of Lord Stanley publ... -
Action Forum - October 2001
46 hits23 December 2020Action Forum magazine number 361, October 2001. Cover photo is an aerial shot of Rainham... -
Action Forum - June 2001
44 hits22 December 2020Action Forum magazine number 357, June 2001 Cover picture of Penfold Gallopers in around... -
Action Forum - July 2001
51 hits22 December 2020Action Forum magazine number 358, July 2001 Cover picture of Ma Barrett Solomon Road Can... -
Memories of National Service by Vic Wickenden
205 hits14 December 2020I was ‘called up’ to commence my national service on the 1st March 1951 (age 18 years &... -
Memories of Rainham by Arthur Kimber
522 hits13 December 2020I was born in Gillingham, but my connection with Rainham began early. One of my friends... -
Action Forum - December 2020
52 hits12 December 2020Action Forum magazine from Dec 2020. Cover photo of Santa Sleigh around Rainham -
RMGS 4th Year Class Photos 1982 Rainham Mark Grammar School
479 hits29 November 2020 -
Action Forum - May 2001
77 hits17 November 2020Action Forum magazine number 356, May 2001 Cover picture of Soloman Road Council School... -
Action Forum - March 2001
76 hits17 November 2020Action Forum magazine number 356, May 2001 Cover picture of Soloman Road Council School... -
Memories of the Rainham Mark Area in the 1940s & 50s
674 hits15 November 2020MEMORIES OF THE RAINHAM MARK AREA Some weeks ago I was shown some postcards of the Rain... -
A Walk Along Rainham High Street in 1974
1451 hits13 November 2020The shops along Rainham High Street are constantly evolving over the years. This list sh... -
Action Forum - May 2019
89 hits12 November 2020Action Forum magazine number 553, May 2019 Cover photo of Rainham Mark in the early 193... -
Action Forum - April 2019
81 hits11 November 2020Action Forum magazine number 552 from April 2019. Cover photo of The Queens Head pub in ... -
Action Forum - Mar 2019
82 hits10 November 2020Action Forum magazine from March 2019. Cover photo of The Heather Family at the Tea Gard... -
Stop Pump Lane Development
571 hits09 November 2020Developers want to build 1,250 on the orchards that run between Pump Lane and Bloors Lan... -
Action Forum - June 2018
85 hits08 November 2020Action Forum magazine from June 2018. Cover photo of Rainham County Secondary Schools bu... -
Action Forum - December 2018
78 hits08 November 2020Action Forum magazine from December 2018. Cover photo of The Street, Upchurch in around ... -
Action Forum - November 2020
215 hits08 November 2020Action Forum magazine from November 2020.Cover photo of Rainham War Memorial in 2007 -
Action Forum - July 2020
231 hits08 November 2020Action Forum magazine from July 2020. Cover photo of Rainham Small Fever Cart around 192... -
Action Forum - Jan/Feb 2019
82 hits08 November 2020Action Forum magazine from January 2019. Cover photo of The Oast Community centre Rainha... -
Action Forum - March 2020
244 hits03 November 2020Action Forum magazine from March 2020. Cover photo of Rainham Cooperative Station Road 1... -
Rainham Secondary School for Girls 1955?
1035 hits01 September 2020This photo was taken in the quad at Rainham Secondary School for Girls in around 1955 -
Rainham Kent Hopping Hop Picking in the 1930s
838 hits25 April 2020Ruby Mudge (in the middle) hopping with her mother and sister Norah (at the left). Thi... -
Rainham Brickfields Workers 1900s
1024 hits25 April 2020I have attached a photo of some workers at one of the local Brickfields. -
Co-op Sports Day Tug of War 1925
655 hits25 April 2020A picture of a Tug of war team at a Co-op Sports day at the Rec. about 1925. -
Ludlam's Stores Station Road Rainham - Paynes Motor Spares
1548 hits25 April 2020Ludlam's stores on Station Road/Solomon Road junction was bought by proprietors Sid and ... -
Rainham Tip/Dump Landfill Household Waste Site 1970s/80s
2307 hits10 April 2020Until the late 1970s/early 1980s there was a household waste landfill site otherwise kno... -
Rainham Jubilee Party 1977
2066 hits08 March 2020I managed to find a photo from July 1977 of the Silver Jubilee Street Party in Bettescom... -
Rainham Bed/Cart Race Photos 1980s
2391 hits26 February 2020Photos of Rainham Cart Race from 1982 and 1983. They ran from the Cricketers to The Ange... -
Ramsgate ROMCC Bucket & Spade Run 1990
2762 hits25 February 2020ROMCC organise the annual Bucket & Spade run to Ramsgate. This originally started from G... -
The Railway Pub Rainham Kent - JD Wetherspoon
3010 hits14 October 2019 -
Gordon House Hotel Beer Festival 2019
599 hits29 April 2019The Gordon Hotel in Rochester holds an annual Beer festival during the Sweeps festival w... -
Wigmore Estate Plans 1911
5259 hits17 March 2019These maps show the layout of the Wigmore Estate being sold in 1911 -
Camp School Maidstone Road 1955/57
5519 hits06 February 2019These Camp School photos from 1955-57 were kindly sent in by John Clements -
Excalibur Nightclub - Gillingham - King Charles Hotel
12343 hits30 December 2018Originally built in 1948 as a NAAFI (navy army airforce institute) club, the building co... -
Action Forum - November 2018
1550 hits29 December 2018Action Forum magazine from November 2018.Cover photo of Rainham War Memorial in 1920 -
Action Forum - October 2018
1432 hits28 December 2018Action Forum magazine from October 2018.Cover photo of Hempstead Valley Shopping centre... -
Action Forum - September 2018
1191 hits27 December 2018Action Forum magazine from August 2018.Cover photo of Howard School. Article inside abo... -
Action Forum - August 2018
722 hits26 December 2018Action Forum magazine from August 2018.Cover photo of Howard School. Article inside abo... -
Life in Rainham Kent in 1968
6589 hits23 November 2018The year began with a serious flu epidemic that affected thousands of people in the Medw... -
Action Forum - May 2018
1134 hits22 November 2018Action Forum magazine from May 2018. Cover photo of Memorial to British Aviation at Eas... -
Old Road Maps of Rainham & Kent Motorways 1964
7370 hits20 November 2018These maps show the Kent motorway network in 1964 with M2 and A20(M) Maidstone Bypass wh... -
Gillingham Northern Relief Road A289 & Medway Tunnel
25856 hits20 November 2018Gillingham Northern Relief Road/Wainscott Bypass Kent and Medway Tunnel Photos for A289 ... -
Action Forum - April 2018
1384 hits19 November 2018Cover photo of Hempstead United Football Club in 1970 Back row: Terry Marks, Martin A... -
Action Forum - March 2018
1204 hits18 November 2018Cover photo of Lidsing chapel demolished in 1885 in Action Forum March 2018 -
Action Forum - July 2018
1107 hits04 November 2018Photo of Camp school football team 1956-57 in Action Forum July 2018 -
Action Forum - January 2018
713 hits04 November 2018Cover photo of Rainham Ladies Civil Defence Football club 1944 in Action Forum Jan 2018 -
Savacentre/Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre 40th Anniversary
4955 hits21 October 20182018 marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of Hempstead Valley shopping centre often... -
Rainham Maps of 1869 & 1931 Compared to 2018 Planned Developments
4959 hits07 October 2018Maps of Rainham from 1869, 1931 and 2018 showing the massive increase in population and ... -
Rainham Spectacular 1972 - Recognise the Faces?
7112 hits23 September 2018These photos were taken in the mid 1970s at the Rainham Spectacular - do you recognise y... -
Gooding / Mudge Family - Rainham Hop pickers 1926
3160 hits02 September 2018Rainham hop pickers 1926. Great Grannie Mudge is the lady in the centre. She lived in So... -
Fred Packham Rainham Haulier - F.Packham Haulage Company
1998 hits29 July 2018Mr Fred Packham was a local Rainham haulier running a haulage company in the 1930 -
Old Photos of Station Road Rainham Kent
14607 hits16 June 2018Old Photos of Station Road Rainham Kent taken over the last 100 years -
How Rainham Kent Street Names have changed over the years
20892 hits04 June 2018How Rainham Kent Street Names have changed over the years. Names of roads are now differ... -
Hidden Old Shop Signs in Rainham
6146 hits03 June 2018The recent discovery of an old hidden shop sign when Computacabs office was being conver... -
A Trip Down Memory Lane - As an 8 year old in Rainham in 1955
19970 hits02 June 2018A Trip Down Memory Lane by Colin Macgregor I lived in Quinnell Street in Rainham in 195... -
Oast Community Centre 1980s (RWCA)
5089 hits28 May 2018The Oast was purchased in 1970 for use as a Community Centre by RWCA (Rainham and Wigmor... -
H Wells General Stores - Grocery Shop in Rainham
4976 hits27 May 2018H Wells Grocery Shop Rainham on Corner of Wakeley / Station Road RAINHAM -
Explore Your Streets - Medway Archives
1839 hits27 May 2018Explore Your Streets, Chatham High Street, 1945 - 1990 -
Rainham Kent Brickfields 1881 - Horace Smith
5664 hits29 April 2018My great-great grandfather Horace Smith was a timekeeper at a brick field in Rainham. In... -
High Street Rainham Barclays Bank
7942 hits29 April 2018These shots of Rainham High Street show how it has changed over the years between 1930 a... -
Rochester Sweeps Festival 5/6/7 May 2018 - Event Programme
1362 hits20 April 2018The festival celebrates the traditional holiday chimney sweeps enjoyed on the 1 May each... -
Gordon House Hotel Beer Festival 2018
856 hits20 April 2018The Gordon Hotel in Rochester holds an annual Beer festival during the Sweeps festival w... -
Action Forum - May 1981
2746 hits14 April 2018Cover promoting the 10th Rainham Spectacular in May 1981 showing Bamptons Estate agents ... -
Herbert Road Coronation Street Party 1953
4551 hits07 March 2018Herbert Road Street Party in June 1953 for Elizabeth R 1953 Coronation -
History Talk - Medway Breweries and Old Pubs - 20/4/2018
911 hits23 February 2018 -
Old Aerial Photos of Rainham from 1930 & 1990
5738 hits22 February 2018These old Aerial Photos of Rainham are from 1930 & 1990 and show the development and cha... -
-
Joe Ennis - Rides from Rainham
4115 hits14 January 2018Joe Ennis has written for Action Forum for many years with a series of articles about th... -
Action Forum - December 2017
1362 hits28 December 2017Cover photo of a tableau from the Nativity play c1947 in St Margarets Hall Orchard Stree... -
Action Forum - November 2017
1201 hits26 December 2017Cover photo of the crowds at Rainham War memorial in November 2015 -
Tesco Extra Bowaters Rainham - When did Tesco Gillingham Open?
6554 hits20 December 2017Tesco Bowaters Rainham - When was the Opening Date? Big Tesco opened in 1994. Tesco Extr... -
Rainham Christmas Lights in the 1970s
6038 hits17 December 2017Rainham Christmas Lights in 1970s. Many shops had lights and decorations and the bracket... -
Rainham Community Centre Poster 1972
3498 hits03 December 2017The oast houses became available in 1970 and were purchased to be converted to a new com... -
Photos of Orchard Street Rainham - Then and Now
4973 hits14 November 2017Orchard Street runs from the A2 and connects with Thames Avenue, Broadview Ave and Arthu... -
Rainham Spectacular Programme 1977 - Glimpse into History!
3715 hits12 November 20171977 was the Queen's Silver Jubilee and the programme had a patriotic Jubilee theme to i... -
Miss Rainham 1981 - Kim Unger
3901 hits08 November 2017Kim Unger was crowned Miss Rainham in 1981. This photo was taken during the rather we... -
Action Forum - October 2017
1210 hits06 November 2017Cover photo of West Moor Farm Moor Street Rainham where Fred Scott arranged the last bar... -
Rainham Pram Race 1981
4229 hits30 October 2017Photos of the annual Rainham Pram Race 1981 with Railway Hotel in background -
Oasthouse Local History Quiz - 11th November 2017
923 hits22 October 2017A Medway Towns Local History Quiz - 11th November 2017 -
University of Kent lectures in Medway - Nov/Dec 2017
895 hits17 October 2017University of Kent lectures in Medway - Nov/Dec 2017 -
The Railway Pub Football Team, Station Road Rainham
3146 hits15 October 2017The Railway Pub, Station Road, Rainham football team pictured on Boxing Day 1971 .Some n... -
Action Forum - September 2017
1069 hits15 October 2017Action Forum magazine- published Sept 2017. Cover photo of Railway Pub Football team in... -
Rainham Spectacular Programme 1975
2795 hits14 October 2017Rainham Spectacular Programme from 1975 gives a great glimpse into life in Rainham and s... -
Action Forum - August 2017
2476 hits09 October 2017Action Forum magazine- published Aug 2017. Cover photo of White Horse Pub Rainham in ar...