A226 road
Encyclopedia
The A226 road travels in a west-east direction, from Crayford
in the London Borough of Bexley
, along north Kent
through Gravesend
to the Medway Towns. It is about 11 miles (17.6 km) in length. Before road numbering began in the United Kingdom, the road was part of the major route between London
and Dover
, the road taken by all traffic heading for mainland Europe. When the Ministry of Transport
published its first list of road numbers, however, the building of the A2
had already begun; and the earliest map shows the projected route of that latter road; the previous road being relegated to what is now the A226.
The road begins with an end-on junction with the A207 to the east of the town of Crayford
in the London Borough of Bexley
. Both roads are marked on street maps as being part of the Roman road Watling Street
; although the A207 is Crayford Road, the A226 being Dartford Road. After 1 miles (1.6 km) the road becomes West Hill where the descent into the valley of the River Darent
and the town of Dartford
begins. At the foot of the hill the clockwise ringroad is encountered: the original road continued through what is now the pedestrianised High Street. Roads making up the Ring Road are (from the west): Highfield Road; Westgate; Home Gardens; Market Street; Lowfield Street (which continues south as the A225 road
); and Instone Road.
Beyond the Ring Road is East Hill, still part of Watling Street. At its top the road becomes The Brent: a junction here takes traffic south-east on the A296 road to connect with the Dartford Crossing
. The Brent crosses a bridge over the A282 road
here. This is the only part of the M25
which not a motorway, where it crosses the River Thames
by tunnel and bridge.
From here the road follows a somewhat undulating course as it passes through areas of chalk
which have been excavated for the cement
industry, many of which factories having been closed down. The villages of Stone
, Greenhithe
and Swanscombe
all lie along this stretch of the road. Near the latter the line of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link
is crossed, after which the built-up area of Northfleet
and Gravesend
is reached.
As with Dartford, Gravesend has a ring road: this takes traffic around the town centre via Bath Street, West Street, Harmer Street, Milton Road, Parrock Street (where there is junction with the A227 road
), Windmill Street, Stone Street, Rathmore Road and Pelham Road. The A226 leaves Gravesend via Milton Road and continues east through the one-time village of Milton-next-Gravesend
and Denton. It by-passes south of the village of Chalk
via the 1930s "Arterial road
". This section of the A226 also follows the 1711 turnpike road
between Gravesend and Rochester. The next village, lying mainly to the north of the road, is Higham
; immediately following that is the junction with the dual-carriaway A289, the Medway Towns Northern Relief Road.
The final section of the road crosses the A228
and then drops down to the Medway valley
, crossing the river at Strood
to reach Rochester.
Crayford
Crayford is a town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bexley that was an important bridging point in Roman times across the River Cray, a tributary of the River Darent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-History:...
in the London Borough of Bexley
London Borough of Bexley
The London Borough of Bexley lies in south east Greater London, and is a borough referred to as part of Outer London. It has common borders with the London Borough of Bromley to the south, the London Borough of Greenwich to the west, across the River Thames to the north it borders the London...
, along north Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
through Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
to the Medway Towns. It is about 11 miles (17.6 km) in length. Before road numbering began in the United Kingdom, the road was part of the major route between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, the road taken by all traffic heading for mainland Europe. When the Ministry of Transport
Department of Transport
Department of Transport may refer to:* The Irish government department, see Department of Transport * The UK government department formerly known as the Department of Transport, see Department for Transport...
published its first list of road numbers, however, the building of the A2
A2 road (Great Britain)
The A2 is a major road in southern England, connecting London with the English Channel port of Dover in Kent. This route has always been of importance as a connection between the British capital of London and sea trade routes to Continental Europe...
had already begun; and the earliest map shows the projected route of that latter road; the previous road being relegated to what is now the A226.
The road begins with an end-on junction with the A207 to the east of the town of Crayford
Crayford
Crayford is a town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bexley that was an important bridging point in Roman times across the River Cray, a tributary of the River Darent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-History:...
in the London Borough of Bexley
London Borough of Bexley
The London Borough of Bexley lies in south east Greater London, and is a borough referred to as part of Outer London. It has common borders with the London Borough of Bromley to the south, the London Borough of Greenwich to the west, across the River Thames to the north it borders the London...
. Both roads are marked on street maps as being part of the Roman road Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
; although the A207 is Crayford Road, the A226 being Dartford Road. After 1 miles (1.6 km) the road becomes West Hill where the descent into the valley of the River Darent
River Darent
The River Darent or River Darenth is a Kentish tributary of the River Thames in England. Its name is believed to be from a Celtic word meaning 'river where oak-trees grow'...
and the town of Dartford
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
begins. At the foot of the hill the clockwise ringroad is encountered: the original road continued through what is now the pedestrianised High Street. Roads making up the Ring Road are (from the west): Highfield Road; Westgate; Home Gardens; Market Street; Lowfield Street (which continues south as the A225 road
A225 road
The A225 road runs in a north-south direction, connecting Dartford with Sevenoaks in Kent, England. For much of its journey it follows the valley of the River Darenth.-Overview:...
); and Instone Road.
Beyond the Ring Road is East Hill, still part of Watling Street. At its top the road becomes The Brent: a junction here takes traffic south-east on the A296 road to connect with the Dartford Crossing
Dartford Crossing
The Dartford - Thurrock River Crossing, Dartford River Crossing is a major road crossing of the River Thames in England, connecting Dartford in the south to Thurrock in the north, via two road tunnels and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. It opened in stages, the west tunnel in 1963, the east tunnel...
. The Brent crosses a bridge over the A282 road
A282 road
The A282 is a road that includes the Dartford Crossing across the River Thames between Essex and Kent in England. It forms part of the London Orbital connecting junctions 2 and 31 of the M25, and a part of the unsigned Euroroute E15. It has junctions numbered to fit inside the sequence of the M25...
here. This is the only part of the M25
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
which not a motorway, where it crosses the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
by tunnel and bridge.
From here the road follows a somewhat undulating course as it passes through areas of chalk
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
which have been excavated for the cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
industry, many of which factories having been closed down. The villages of Stone
Stone, Kent
Stone, also known as Stone-next-Dartford, is one of a string of villages lying along the Dartford to Gravesend road on the south bank of the River Thames in Kent, England.-History:...
, Greenhithe
Greenhithe
Greenhithe is a town in Dartford District of Kent, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe.Greenhithe, as it is spelled today, is located where it was possible to build wharves for transshipping corn, wood and other commodities; its largest cargoes were of chalk and...
and Swanscombe
Swanscombe
Swanscombe is a small town, part of the Borough of Dartford on the north Kent coast in England. It is part of the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe.-Prehistory:...
all lie along this stretch of the road. Near the latter the line of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
High Speed 1 , officially known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and originally as the Continental Main Line , is a high-speed railway line running from London through Kent to the British end of the Channel Tunnel.The line was built to carry international passenger traffic from the United Kingdom...
is crossed, after which the built-up area of Northfleet
Northfleet
Northfleet is a town in the Borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. Its name is derived from North creek , and the settlement on the shore of the River Thames adjacent to Gravesend was known as Norfluet in the Domesday Book, and Northflet in 1201...
and Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
is reached.
As with Dartford, Gravesend has a ring road: this takes traffic around the town centre via Bath Street, West Street, Harmer Street, Milton Road, Parrock Street (where there is junction with the A227 road
A227 road
The A227 road in England runs from Gravesend in Kent in a generally south-south-westerly direction to Tonbridge. It is about in length.-Overview:...
), Windmill Street, Stone Street, Rathmore Road and Pelham Road. The A226 leaves Gravesend via Milton Road and continues east through the one-time village of Milton-next-Gravesend
Milton-next-Gravesend
Milton-next-Gravesend was, and still is, one of the ancient ecclesiastical parishes in the NW of the county of Kent, England. When Gravesend became a town under Royal Charter in the 13th century, Milton was included within it. Much of the parish was, until c. 1840, rural...
and Denton. It by-passes south of the village of Chalk
Chalk, Kent
Chalk is a village lying east of Gravesend, Kent, England, part of the town area. The name comes from the Saxon word cealc meaning a chalkstone....
via the 1930s "Arterial road
Arterial road
An arterial road, or arterial thoroughfare, is a high-capacity urban road. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector roads to freeways, and between urban centres at the highest level of service possible. As such, many arteries are limited-access roads, or feature...
". This section of the A226 also follows the 1711 turnpike road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
between Gravesend and Rochester. The next village, lying mainly to the north of the road, is Higham
Higham, Kent
Higham is a small village bordering the Hoo Peninsula, in Kent, between Gravesend and Rochester. The civil parish of Higham is in Gravesham district and as at the 2001 UK Census, had a population of 3,938.-History:...
; immediately following that is the junction with the dual-carriaway A289, the Medway Towns Northern Relief Road.
The final section of the road crosses the A228
A228 road
The A228 road is an important transport artery in Kent, England. It begins at the Isle of Grain and runs in a south-westerly direction to connect eventually with the A21 trunk road at Pembury. It serves existing communities and new and proposed housing developments and commercial enterprises...
and then drops down to the Medway valley
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
, crossing the river at Strood
Strood
Strood is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in South East England. It is part of the ceremonial county of Kent. It lies on the north west bank of the River Medway at its lowest bridging point, and is part of the Rochester post town....
to reach Rochester.