Place:Kent, England

NameKent
Alt namesKENsource: Curious Fox: UK Counties and Shires [online] (2002). accessed 16 Dec 2002
TypeHistoric county, Administrative county, Modern county
Coordinates51.28°N 0.52°E
Located inEngland
See alsoGreater London, Englandmunicipality into which part of Kent was absorbed in 1965
Contained Places
Ancient city
Canterbury
Area
Bellingham ( - 1889 )
Bexleyheath ( - 1965 )
Bickley ( - 1965 )
Biggin Hill ( - 1965 )
Blackfen ( - 1965 )
Blackheath ( - 1889 )
Coney Hall ( - 1965 )
North Woolwich ( - 1965 )
Plaistow ( - 1965 )
Shooter's Hill ( - 1889 )
Borough (county)
Canterbury
Borough (metropolitan)
Woolwich (metropolitan borough) ( - 1889 )
Borough (municipal)
Beckenham ( - 1965 )
Bexley ( - 1965 )
Bromley ( - 1965 )
Chatham
Dartford
Deal
Dover
Erith ( - 1965 )
Faversham
Folkestone
Gillingham
Gravesend
Hythe
Lydd
Maidstone
Margate
New Romney
Queenborough in Sheppey ( 1968 - 1974 )
Queenborough
Ramsgate ( 450 - )
Rochester
Sandwich
Tenterden
Tunbridge Wells
Chapelry
Ash
Barham
Birchington
Bredhurst
Bridge
Broomfield (Maidstone)
Capel le Ferne
Capel
Detling
Downe ( - 1965 )
East Sutton
East Wickham ( - 1965 )
Edenbridge
Egerton
Farnborough ( - 1965 )
Greenhithe
Hildenborough
Hoath
Hucking
Knockholt
Lidsing
Margate St. John the Baptist
Molash
Otford
Oxney
Platt
Plaxtol
Seal
Sheerness
Shipbourne
Sholden
Smeeth
St. Leonard Hythe
St. Mary Cray ( - 1965 )
Stanford
Stansted
Stelling
Tunbridge Wells
Worth
City district
Catford ( - 1889 )
Civil parish
Acol
Acrise
Addington
Adisham
Aldington
Alkham
Allhallows
Allington
Appledore
Ash next Sandwich
Ash with Ridley ( 1934 - )
Ash
Ashford
Ashurst
Aylesford
Aylesham ( 1951 - )
Badlesmere
Bapchild
Barfrestone
Barham
Barming
Bearsted
Beckenham ( - 1965 )
Bekesbourne
Benenden
Bethersden
Betteshanger
Bexley ( - 1965 )
Bicknor
Bidborough
Biddenden
Bilsington
Birchington
Bircholt
Birling
Bishopsbourne
Blackmanstone ( - 1934 )
Bobbing
Bonnington
Borden
Borough Green
Boughton Aluph
Boughton Malherbe
Boughton Monchelsea
Boughton under Blean
Boxley
Brabourne
Brasted
Bredgar
Bredhurst
Brenchley
Brenzett
Bridge
Broadstairs and St. Peter's
Bromley ( - 1965 )
Brook
Brookland
Broomfield (Maidstone)
Buckland (near Dover)
Buckland (near Faversham)
Burham
Burmarsh
Canterbury
Capel le Ferne
Capel
Chalk
Challock
Charing
Charlton by Dover
Charlton ( - 1855 )
Chart Sutton
Chartham
Chatham
Chelsfield ( - 1965 )
Cheriton
Chevening
Chiddingstone
Chilham
Chillenden
Chislehurst ( - 1965 )
Chislet
Cliffe at Hoo
Cobham
Cooling
Cowden
Coxheath
Cranbrook
Crayford ( - 1965 )
Crundale
Cudham ( - 1965 )
Cuxton
Darenth
Dartford
Davington
Deal
Denton (Gravesend)
Denton (near Dover)
Denton with Wootton ( 1963 - )
Deptford St. Nicholas ( - 1889 )
Detling
Ditton
Doddington
Dover
Downe ( - 1965 )
Dunkirk
Dymchurch
East Farleigh
East Langdon
East Malling
East Peckham
East Sutton
East Wickham ( - 1965 )
Eastbridge ( - 1934 )
Eastchurch
Eastling
Eastry
Eastwell
Edenbridge
Egerton
Elham
Elmley
Elmsted
Elmstone
Eltham ( - 1889 )
Erith ( - 1965 )
Eynsford
Eythorne
Fairfield
Farnborough ( - 1965 )
Farningham
Faversham Without
Faversham
Fawkham
Folkestone
Fordwich
Frindsbury Extra
Frinsted
Frittenden
Gillingham
Godmersham
Goodnestone (near Dover)
Goodnestone (near Faversham)
Goudhurst
Grain
Graveney
Gravesend
Great Chart
Great Mongeham
Greenwich ( - 1889 )
Guston
Hackington
Hadlow
Halling
Halstead
Ham
Harbledown
Harrietsham
Hartley (near Dartford)
Hartlip
Hastingleigh
Hawkinge
Headcorn
Herne Bay
Herne
Hernhill
Hever
High Halden
High Halstow
Higham
Hildenborough
Hinxhill
Hoath
Hollingbourne
Hoo St. Werburgh
Hoo
Hope All Saints ( - 1934 )
Horsmonden
Horton Kirby
Hothfield
Hougham Without
Hucking
Hunton
Hurst
Hythe
Ickham and Well
Ifield
Ightham
Ivychurch
Iwade
Kemsing
Kenardington
Keston ( - 1965 )
Kidbrooke ( - 1889 )
Kingsdown (near Deal)
Kingsdown (near Sittingbourne)
Kingsnorth
Kingston
Knockholt
Knowlton
Langdon ( 1963 - )
Langley
Leaveland
Leeds
Leigh
Lenham
Leysdown
Lidsing
Little Chart
Little Mongeham
Littlebourne
Longfield
Loose
Lower Halstow
Lower Hardres
Luddenham
Luddesdowne
Lullingstone
Lydd
Lydden
Lyminge
Lympne
Lynsted
Maidstone
Marden
Mareston
Margate St. John the Baptist
Meopham
Mereworth
Mersham
Midley ( - 1934 )
Milstead
Milton (Canterbury)
Milton Regis
Milton next Gravesend
Minster in Sheppey
Minster in Thanet
Mint ( - 1889 )
Molash
Monks Horton
Monkton
Mottingham ( - 1965 )
Murston
Nackington
Nettlestead
New Romney
Newchurch
Newenden
Newington next Hythe
Newington next Sittingbourne
Newnham
Nonington
North Cray ( - 1965 )
North Preston Without ( 1894 - 1935 )
Northbourne
Northfleet
Norton Buckland and Stone ( 1974 - )
Norton
Nursted
Oare
Offham
Old Romney
Orgarswick ( - 1934 )
Orlestone
Ospringe
Otford
Otham
Otterden
Oxney
Paddlesworth (near Folkestone)
Paddock Wood
Patrixbourne
Pembury
Penge ( 1900 - 1965 )
Penshurst
Petham
Platt
Plaxtol
Pluckley
Plumstead ( - 1889 )
Postling
Poulton
Preston by Wingham
Preston next Faversham
Queenborough
Rainham
Ramsgate St. Lawrence ( - 1894 )
Ramsgate ( 450 - )
Reculver
Ridley
Ringwould
Ripple
River
Riverhead
Rochester Castle Precincts
Rochester St. Margaret
Rochester
Rodmersham
Rolvenden
Ruckinge
Ryarsh
Saltwood
Sandhurst
Sandwich
Sarre
Seal
Seasalter ( - 1894 )
Sellindge
Selling
Sevenoaks Weald
Sevenoaks
Sevington
Shadoxhurst
Sheerness
Sheldwich
Shepherdswell with Coldred ( 1963 - )
Shipbourne
Sholden
Shoreham
Shorne
Sidcup ( - 1965 )
Sittingbourne
Smarden
Smeeth
Snargate
Snave
Snodland
South Preston Without ( 1894 - 1935 )
Southfleet
Speldhurst
St. Cosmus and St. Damian in the Blean
St. Dunstan
St. Lawrence Extra ( 1894 - 1935 )
St. Leonard Hythe
St. Margaret Extra ( 1894 - 1905 )
St. Margaret's at Cliffe
St. Mary Cray ( - 1965 )
St. Mary Hoo
St. Mary in the Marsh
St. Nicholas at Wade
St. Pauls Cray ( - 1965 )
St. Peter Extra ( 1894 - 1914 )
Stalisfield
Stanford
Stansted
Staple
Staplegate
Staplehurst
Stelling Minnis
Stelling
Stockbury
Stodmarsh
Stoke
Stonar
Stone cum Ebony
Stone near Dartford
Stone next Faversham
Stourmouth
Stowting
Strood Extra ( 1894 - 1935 )
Strood
Sturry
Sundridge
Sutton at Hone
Sutton by Dover
Swalecliffe
Swanley ( 1955 - )
Swanscombe
Swingfield
Temple Ewell with River ( 1960 - )
Temple Ewell
Tenterden
Teston
Teynham
Thanington
Throwley
Thurnham
Tilmanstone
Tonbridge
Tonge
Trottiscliffe
Tunbridge Wells
Tunstall
Ulcombe
Upchurch
Upper Hardres
Waldershare ( - 1935 )
Walmer
Waltham
Warden
Warehorne
Wateringbury
West Cliffe ( - 1934 )
West Farleigh
West Hythe
West Kingsdown
West Langdon ( - 1963 )
West Malling
West Peckham
West Wickham ( - 1965 )
Westbere
Westerham
Westgate Holy Cross
Westwell
Whitfield
Whitstable
Wichling
Wickhambreaux
Willesborough
Wilmington
Wingham
Wittersham
Womenswold
Woodchurch
Woodnesborough
Woolwich ( - 1889 )
Wootton
Wormshill
Worth
Wouldham
Wrotham
Wye
Yalding
District municipality
Ashford District ( 1974 - )
Canterbury District ( 1974 - )
Dartford District ( 1974 - )
Dover District ( 1974 - )
Gillingham District ( 1974 - 1998 )
Gravesham District ( 1974 - )
Maidstone District ( 1974 - )
Medway District ( 1974 - )
Rochester upon Medway
Sevenoaks District ( 1974 - )
Shepway District ( 1974 - )
Swale District ( 1974 - )
Thanet District ( 1974 - )
Tonbridge and Malling District ( 1974 - )
Tunbridge Wells District ( 1974 - )
Extra parochial area
Dunkirk
Mint ( - 1889 )
Ramsgate ( 450 - )
Rochester Castle Precincts
Staplegate
Stelling Minnis
Former administrative division
Aylesford Lathe
Scray Lathe
Shepway Lathe
St. Augustine Lathe
Sutton at Hone Lathe
Hamlet
Acol
Brockley ( - 1900 )
Mottingham ( - 1965 )
Hundred
Aloesbridge Hundred
Axstane Dartford and Wilmington Hundred ( - 1894 )
Berkeley Hundred
Bewsborough Hundred
Bircholt Barony and Franchise
Blackbourne Hundred
Blackheath Hundred
Bleangate Hundred
Boughton under Blean Hundred
Brenchley and Horsmonden Hundred
Bridge and Petham Hundred
Bromley and Beckenham Hundred ( - 1965 )
Calehill Hundred
Chart and Longbridge Hundred
Chatham and Gillingham Hundred
Codsheath Hundred
Cornillo Hundred
Cranbrook Hundred
Downhamford Hundred
East Barnfield Hundred
Eastry Hundred
Eyhorne Hundred
Faversham Hundred
Felborough Hundred
Folkestone Hundred
Ham Hundred
Hayne Hundred
Hoo Hundred
Hythe Hundred
Isle of Sheppey Liberty
Kinghamford Hundred
Langport Liberty
Larkfield Hundred
Little and Lesnes Hundred
Littlefield Hundred
Loningborough Hundred
Maidstone Hundred
Marden Hundred
Milton Hundred
Newchurch Hundred
Oxney Hundred
Preston Hundred
Ringslow Hundred
Rolvenden Hundred
Romney Marsh Liberty
Ruxley Hundred
Selbrittenden Hundred
Shamwell Hundred
Somerden Hundred
St. Martin Ivychurch Hundred
Stowting Hundred
Street Hundred
Tenterden Hundred
Teynham Hundred
Toltingtrough Hundred
Tonbridge Lowey Hundred
Twyford Hundred
Washlingstone Hundred
West Barnfield Hundred
Westerham Hundred
Westgate Hundred
Whitstable Hundred
Wingham Hundred
Worth Hundred
Wrotham Hundred
Wye Hundred
Inhabited place
Borstal
Hoo St. Werburgh
Horton
Idle Hill
Istead Rise
Kearsney
Kennington
Kingsdown (near Deal)
Kit's Coty
Knockholt Pound
Lade
Leybourne
Linton
Luddesdowne
Luton
Manston
Margate
Martin Mill
Martin
Meopham Station
North Eastling
North Leigh
Northwood
Paddlesworth (near Folkestone)
Pineham
Preston by Wingham
Richborough
Riverhead
Rolvenden
Saint Lawrence
Sandgate
Sevenoaks Weald
Shalmsford Street
South Ashford
Sutton Valence
Thong
Under River
Walderslade
Wallend
West Kingsdown
Westgate on Sea
Whitley Row
Wye
Island
Isle of Sheppey
Neighborhood
Brockley ( - 1900 )
Hither Green ( - 1889 )
Parish
Deptford
Foots Cray ( - 1965 )
Frant ( - 1894 )
Harty
Hawkhurst
Hayes ( - 1965 )
Lamberhurst ( 1895 - )
Lee ( - 1889 )
Lewisham ( - 1889 )
Parish (ancient)
Acrise
Addington
Adisham
Aldington
Alkham
Allhallows
Allington
Appledore
Ash next Sandwich
Ash
Ashford
Ashurst
Aylesford
Badlesmere
Bapchild
Barfrestone
Barming
Bearsted
Beckenham ( - 1965 )
Bekesbourne
Benenden
Bethersden
Betteshanger
Bexley ( - 1965 )
Bicknor
Bidborough
Biddenden
Bilsington
Bircholt
Birling
Bishopsbourne
Blackmanstone ( - 1934 )
Bobbing
Bonnington
Borden
Boughton Aluph
Boughton Malherbe
Boughton Monchelsea
Boxley
Brabourne
Brasted
Bredgar
Brenchley
Brenzett
Broadstairs St. Peter ( - 1894 )
Bromley ( - 1965 )
Brook
Brookland
Buckland (near Dover)
Buckland (near Faversham)
Burmarsh
Chalk
Challock
Charing
Charlton by Dover
Charlton ( - 1855 )
Chart Sutton
Chartham
Chatham
Chelsfield ( - 1965 )
Cheriton
Chevening
Chiddingstone
Chilham
Chillenden
Chislehurst ( - 1965 )
Chislet
Cliffe at Hoo
Cobham
Cowden
Cranbrook
Crayford ( - 1965 )
Crundale
Cudham ( - 1965 )
Cuxton
Darenth
Dartford
Davington
Deal
Denton (near Dover)
Deptford St. Nicholas ( - 1889 )
Doddington
Dymchurch
East Langdon
East Malling
East Peckham
Eastbridge ( - 1934 )
Eastchurch
Eastling
Eastry
Eastwell
Elham
Elmley
Elmsted
Elmstone
Eltham ( - 1889 )
Erith ( - 1965 )
Eynsford
Eythorne
Fairfield
Farningham
Faversham
Fawkham
Folkestone
Fordwich
Frinsted
Frittenden
Gillingham
Godmersham
Goodnestone (near Dover)
Goodnestone (near Faversham)
Goudhurst
Grain
Graveney
Gravesend
Great Chart
Great Mongeham
Greenwich ( - 1889 )
Guston
Hackington
Hadlow
Halling
Halstead
Ham
Harbledown
Harrietsham
Hartley (near Dartford)
Hartlip
Hastingleigh
Hawkinge
Headcorn
Herne
Hernhill
Hever
High Halden
High Halstow
Higham
Hinxhill
Hollingbourne
Horsmonden
Horton Kirby
Hothfield
Hougham Without
Hunton
Hurst
Hythe
Ickham and Well
Ifield
Ightham
Ivychurch
Iwade
Kemsing
Kenardington
Keston ( - 1965 )
Kidbrooke ( - 1889 )
Kingsdown (near Sittingbourne)
Kingsnorth
Kingston
Knowlton
Langley
Leaveland
Leeds
Leigh
Lenham
Leysdown
Little Chart
Little Mongeham
Littlebourne
Longfield
Loose
Lower Halstow
Lower Hardres
Luddenham
Lydd
Lydden
Lyminge
Lympne
Lynsted
Maidstone
Marden
Mareston
Margate St. John the Baptist
Meopham
Mersham
Midley ( - 1934 )
Milstead
Milton (Canterbury)
Milton Regis
Milton next Gravesend
Minster in Sheppey
Minster in Thanet
Monks Horton
Monkton
Murston
Nackington
Nettlestead
New Romney
Newchurch
Newenden
Newington next Sittingbourne
Newnham
Nonington
North Cray ( - 1965 )
Northbourne
Northfleet
Norton
Nursted
Oare
Offham
Old Romney
Orgarswick ( - 1934 )
Orlestone
Ospringe
Otham
Otterden
Patrixbourne
Pembury
Penshurst
Petham
Pluckley
Postling
Poulton
Queenborough
Rainham
Ramsgate St. Lawrence ( - 1894 )
Reculver
Ridley
Ripple
River
Rochester St. Margaret
Rodmersham
Ruckinge
Ryarsh
Saltwood
Sandhurst
Sarre
Seasalter ( - 1894 )
Sellindge
Selling
Sevenoaks
Sevington
Shadoxhurst
Sheldwich
Shoreham
Shorne
Sidcup ( - 1965 )
Sittingbourne
Smarden
Snodland
Southfleet
Speldhurst
St. Cosmus and St. Damian in the Blean
St. Dunstan
St. Margaret's at Cliffe
St. Mary in the Marsh
St. Nicholas at Wade
St. Pauls Cray ( - 1965 )
Stalisfield
Staple
Staplehurst
Stockbury
Stodmarsh
Stoke
Stonar
Stone next Faversham
Stourmouth
Stowting
Strood
Sturry
Sundridge
Sutton at Hone
Sutton by Dover
Swalecliffe
Swanscombe
Swingfield
Temple Ewell
Tenterden
Teston
Teynham
Thanington
Throwley
Thurnham
Tonbridge
Tonge
Trottiscliffe
Tudeley
Tunstall
Ulcombe
Upchurch
Upper Hardres
Waldershare ( - 1935 )
Walmer
Waltham
Warden
Warehorne
Wateringbury
West Cliffe ( - 1934 )
West Farleigh
West Hythe
West Langdon ( - 1963 )
West Malling
West Peckham
West Wickham ( - 1965 )
Westbere
Westerham
Westgate Holy Cross
Westwell
Whitfield
Whitstable
Wichling
Wickhambreaux
Willesborough
Wilmington
Wingham
Wittersham
Womenswold
Woodchurch
Woodnesborough
Woolwich ( - 1889 )
Wootton
Wormshill
Wouldham
Wrotham
Yalding
Region
East London ( - 1965 )
Registration district
Ashford Registration District ( 1941 - 1998 )
Ashford with Shepway Registration District ( 1998 - 2003 )
Blean Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Bridge Registration District ( 1837 - 1974 )
Bromley Registration District ( 1837 - 1965 )
Canterbury Registration District ( 1837 - 1998 )
Canterbury with Swale Registration District ( 1998 - 2003 )
Chatham Registration District ( 1941 - 1998 )
Cranbrook Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Dartford Registration District ( 1837 - 1900 )
Dover Registration District ( 1837 - 1998 )
East Ashford Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Eastry Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Elham Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Faversham Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Folkestone Registration District ( 1941 - 1974 )
Gravesend Registration District (new) ( 1980 - 2003 )
Gravesend Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Greenwich Registration District ( 1837 - 1889 )
Hollingbourne Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Hoo Registration District ( 1837 - 1923 )
Kent Registration District ( 2003 - )
Lewisham Registration District ( 1837 - 1889 )
Maidstone Registration District ( 1837 - 2003 )
Malling Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Medway Registration District (new) ( 1998 - )
Medway Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Milton Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
North Aylesford Registration District ( 1837 - 1884 )
Romney Marsh Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Sevenoaks Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Sheppey Registration District ( 1837 - 1979 )
Shepway Registration District ( 1974 - 1998 )
Sidcup Registration District ( 1837 - 1965 )
Sittingbourne Registration District ( 1941 - 1979 )
Strood Registration District ( 1884 - 1923 )
Strood and Hoo Registration District ( 1923 - 1941 )
Swale Registration District ( 1980 - 1998 )
Tenterden Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Thanet Registration District ( 1837 - 1998 )
Thanet with Dover Registration District ( 1998 - 2003 )
Tonbridge Registration District ( 1837 - 1979 )
Tunbridge Wells Registration District ( 1980 - 2003 )
West Ashford Registration District ( 1837 - 1941 )
Woolwich Registration District ( 1837 - 1889 )
Rural district
Blean Rural ( 1894 - 1934 )
Bridge Blean Rural ( 1934 - 1974 )
Bridge Rural ( 1894 - 1934 )
Bromley Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Cranbrook Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Dartford Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Dover Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
East Ashford Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Eastry Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Elham Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Faversham Rural ( 1894 - 1935 )
Hollingbourne Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Hoo Rural ( 1894 - 1935 )
Isle of Thanet Rural ( 1894 - 1935 )
Maidstone Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Malling Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Medway Rural ( 1894 - 1905 )
Milton Rural ( 1894 - 1935 )
Romney Marsh Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Sevenoaks Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Sheppey Rural ( 1894 - 1968 )
Strood Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Swale Rural ( 1935 - 1974 )
Tenterden Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Tonbridge Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
West Ashford Rural ( 1894 - 1974 )
Settlement
Greenhithe
Suburb
Beckenham ( - 1965 )
Bexleyheath ( - 1965 )
Chelsfield ( - 1965 )
Crayford ( - 1965 )
Cudham ( - 1965 )
Denton (Gravesend)
Eltham ( - 1889 )
Foots Cray ( - 1965 )
Forest Hill ( - 1889 )
Keston ( - 1965 )
North Cray ( - 1965 )
Orpington ( - 1965 )
Riverhead
Sidcup ( - 1965 )
Sydenham ( - 1889 )
Welling ( - 1965 )
West Wickham ( - 1965 )
Unitary authority
Medway ( 1998 - )
Unknown
Beamston Manor
Bewerley
Flemings
Frankfield
Gavelkind
Glassenbury
Hampton
Linkhill
Matfield Green
Nepicar
Rosherville
Seabrook
Shortlands
Sissinghurst
Small Hythe
South Street
Tatesham
Westenhanger
Wheatle Hall
Woodlands
Urban district
Ashford
Beckenham ( - 1965 )
Bexley ( - 1965 )
Broadstairs and St. Peter's
Cheriton
Chislehurst and Sidcup ( 1934 - 1965 )
Crayford ( - 1965 )
Erith ( - 1965 )
Foots Cray ( - 1965 )
Herne Bay
Milton Regis
Northfleet
Orpington ( - 1965 )
Penge ( 1900 - 1965 )
Sandgate
Sevenoaks
Sheerness
Sidcup ( - 1965 )
Sittingbourne and Milton ( 1930 - 1974 )
Sittingbourne
Southborough
Swanscombe
Tonbridge
Walmer
Whitstable
Wrotham
source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
source: Family History Library Catalog
the following text is based on an article in Wikipedia

Kent is a county in southeast England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the northwest, the county of Surrey to the west and the county of East Sussex to the southwest. The county also shares borders with the county of Essex via the Dartford Crossing and the French department of Pas-de-Calais through the English Channel and the Channel Tunnel. The county town is Maidstone.

Canterbury Cathedral in Kent has been the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England, since the conversion of England to Christianity by Saint Augustine began in the 6th century. Between London and the Strait of Dover, which separates it from mainland Europe, Kent has seen both diplomacy and conflict, ranging from the Leeds Castle peace talks of 1978 and 2004 to the Battle of Britain in World War II.

England relied on the county's ports to provide warships through much of its history; the Cinque Ports in the 12th–14th centuries and Chatham Dockyard in the 16th–20th centuries were of particular importance. France can be seen clearly in fine weather from Folkestone and the White Cliffs of Dover. Hills in the form of the North Downs and the Greensand Ridge span the length of the county west to east. In the series of valleys in between and to the south are most of the county's 26 castles.

Because of its relative abundance of fruit-growing and hop gardens, Kent is known as 'The Garden of England'. Kent's economy is greatly diversified. Haulage, logistics, and tourism are major industries; major industries in northwest Kent include aggregate building materials, printing and scientific research. Coal mining has also played its part in Kent's industrial heritage. Large parts of Kent are within the London commuter belt and its strong transport connections to the capital and the nearby continent makes Kent a high income county.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

The area has been occupied since the Palaeolithic era, as attested by finds from the quarries at Swanscombe. The Medway megaliths were built during the Neolithic era. There is a rich sequence of Bronze Age, celtic Iron Age, and Britto-Roman era occupation, as indicated by finds and features such as the Ringlemere gold cup and the Roman villas of the Darent valley.

Julius Caesar described the area as Cantium, or the home of the Cantiaci, in 51 BC. The extreme west of the modern county was by the time of Roman Britain occupied by a celtic Iron Age tribe known as the Regni. Caesar wrote that the people of Kent were 'by far the most civilised inhabitants of Britain'.[1]

Following the withdrawal of the Romans, large numbers of Germanic speakers from the continent settled in Kent, bringing their language, which came to be Old English. While they expelled the native Romano-British population, some likely remained in the area, eventually assimilating with the newcomers. Of the invading tribes, the Jutes were the most prominent, and the area became a Jutish kingdom recorded as Cantia in about 730 and Cent in 835. The early medieval inhabitants of the county were referred to as the Cantwara, or Kentish people. The city of Canterbury was the largest in Kent.

In 597, Pope Gregory I appointed the religious missionary (who became Saint Augustine of Canterbury after his death) as the first Archbishop of Canterbury. In the previous year, Augustine successfully converted the pagan King Æthelberht of Kent to Christianity. The Diocese of Canterbury became England's first Episcopal See with first cathedral and has since remained England's centre of Christianity. The second designated English cathedral was for West Kent at Rochester Cathedral.

Kent was traditionally partitioned into East and West Kent, and into lathes and hundreds. The traditional border of East and West Kent was the county's main river, the Medway. Men and women from east of the Medway are Men (or Maids) of Kent, those from the west are Kentishmen or Kentish Maids.[1] The divide has been explained by some as originating in the Anglo-Saxon migrations, with Jutes mainly settling east of the Medway and Saxons settling west of it.

In the 11th century, the people of Kent adopted the motto Invicta, meaning "undefeated" or "unconquered". This naming followed the invasion of Britain by William of Normandy as he was unable to subdue the county and they negotiated favourable terms. The continued resistance of the Kentish people against the Normans led to Kent's designation as a semi-autonomous county palatine in 1067. Under the nominal rule of William's half-brother Odo of Bayeux, the county was granted similar powers to those granted in the areas bordering Wales and Scotland.

During the medieval and early modern period, Kent played a major role in several of England's most notable rebellions, including the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, led by Wat Tyler, Jack Cade's Kent rebellion of 1450, and Wyatt's Rebellion of 1554 against Queen Mary I.


The Royal Navy first used the River Medway in 1547. By the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603) a small dockyard had been established at Chatham. By 1618, storehouses, a ropewalk, a drydock, and houses for officials had been built downstream from Chatham.

By the 17th century, tensions between Britain and the powers of the Netherlands and France led to increasing military build-up in the county. Forts were built all along the coast following the raid on the Medway, a successful attack by the Dutch navy on the shipyards of the Medway towns in 1667.

The 18th century was dominated by wars with France, during which the Medway became the primary base for a fleet that could act along the Dutch and French coasts. When the theatre of operation moved to the Atlantic, this role was assumed by Portsmouth and Plymouth, with Chatham concentrating on shipbuilding and ship repair. As an indication of the area's military importance, the first Ordnance Survey map ever drawn was a one-inch map of Kent, published in 1801. Many of the Georgian naval buildings still stand.

In the early 19th century, smugglers were very active on the Kent coastline. Gangs such as The Aldington Gang brought spirits, tobacco and salt to the county, and transported goods such as wool across the sea to France.

In 1889 the County of London was created and took over responsibility for local administration of parts of north-west Kent. These included the towns of Greenwich, Woolwich, Lee, Eltham, Charlton, Kidbrooke. In 1900, however, Kent absorbed the district of Penge. Some of Kent is contiguous with the Greater London sprawl, notably parts of Dartford.

Originally the border between Kent and Sussex (later East Sussex) ran through the towns of Tunbridge Wells and Lamberhurst. In 1894, by the Local Government Act, the parts of these towns that lay in East Sussex were absorbed by Kent.

During the Second World War much of the Battle of Britain was fought in the skies over Kent.

Between June 1944 and March 1945 more than 10,000 V1 flying bombs, or "Doodlebugs", were fired towards London from bases in Northern France. Although many were destroyed by aircraft, anti-aircraft guns and barrage balloons, both London and Kent were hit by around 2,500 of these bombs.

After the war Kent's borders changed several more times. In 1965 the London boroughs of Bromley and Bexley were created from nine towns formerly in Kent. In 1998 Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham left the administrative county of Kent to form the Unitary Authority of Medway. Plans for another unitary authority in north-west Kent were dropped, but in 2016 consultations began between five Kent local authorities (Canterbury, Thanet, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe, and Ashford) with a view to forming a new unitary authority for East Kent, outside the auspices of Kent County Council.

For almost nine centuries a small part of present-day East London (the North Woolwich, London E16 area), formed part of Kent.

Research Tips

  • Kent County Council Archive, Local Studies and Museums Service. James Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LQ. This incorporates the Centre for Kentish Studies in Maidstone and the East Kent Archives Centre near Dover.
  • Canterbury Cathedral Archives see the Archives web pages on the Canterbury Catherdral site.
  • For information on the area around the Medway Towns, have a look at Medway Council's CityArk site.
  • Ordnance Survey Maps of England and Wales - Revised: Kent illustrates the parish boundaries of Kent when rural districts were still in existence and before Greater London came into being. The map publication year is 1931. An earlier map of 1900 may also be useful. The maps blow up to show all the parishes and many of the small villages and hamlets. Maps in this series are now downloadable for personal use.
  • Census records for Kent are available on FamilySearch, Ancestry and FindMyPast. The first site is free; the other two are pay sites but have access to microfilmed images. Steve Archer produced a very useful round-up of the available sources, but this information may not be up to date.
  • Registration Districts in Kent for the period 1837 to the present. By drilling down through the links you can follow any parish through the registration districts to which it was attached.
  • England, Kent, Parish Registers, 1538-1911 The full database from Kent Archives Office, Maidstone, has been available online from FamilySearch since June 2016.
  • Kent had five family history societies (now only four):
  • Volume 2 of the Victoria County History of Kent (published 1926) is available online through the auspices of British History Online. It includes accounts of the early history of Canterbury and Rochester cathedrals, and of several sites now within the conurbation of London.
  • Volume 3 of the Victoria County History of Kent (published 1932) This includes the text of, and the index to, the Kent Domesday survey. It has been provided by the Kent Archaeological Society.
  • In place of the other volumes of the Victoria County History, British History Online has transcriptions of the numerous volumes of The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent by Edward Hasted (originally published 1797)
  • English Jurisdictions 1851, a parish finding aid provided by FamilySearch, is particularly helpful in locating parishes in large ancient towns and cities like Canterbury.
  • Kent Probate Records Numerous links provided by Maureen Rawson
  • GENUKI lists other possible sources, however, it does not serve Kent so well as it does some other counties.
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