Istead Rise
Encyclopedia
Istead Rise is a village 3 miles (5 km) south of Gravesend
in Kent
, England
. It is in the borough of Gravesham
and has a population of 3,505 (2001 census).
By road, it is 23 miles (37 km) east of London
on the A2 road
. The nearest railway station is 2 miles (3 km) away at Meopham
(39 minutes from London Victoria). Istead Rise is 4 miles (6 km) from Ebbsfleet International railway station
which opened in 2007 for Eurostar
services to Paris
, Brussels
and Lille
. In June 2009, North Kent commuter trains started running on the high speed track to London St Pancras
(16 minutes away), stopping only at Stratford.
The new Linear Park, on the site of the old A2, is 15 minutes' walk away, 5 minutes by bike, and is suited to cycling, walking and jogging. At one end are Nell's Cafe and Shorne Country Park, and at the other end are Morrisons
and Sainsbury's. Nearby is Ifield, a quiet little village with a beautiful church.
Istead Rise Primary School provides education for children till the age of 11. In addition, on the site of the primary school, there are two nursery schools.
St Barnabas Church (Church of England
), founded in 1957, is located near the shops.
There is a small parade of shops with an Indian restaurant, bakery, butcher, pharmacy, supermarket, hardware store, dry cleaner, and dentist. On Lewis Road there is a hairdresser, florist and dentist. There is also a new medical practice.
Istead Rise was a pig-farming community in the 1860s, situated in the North Downs
pathway. Indeed, a pig farm used to exist on what is now the site of Istead Rise Primary School. Kent County Council acquired the site prior to building the new school in the 1960s. Prior to this, Istead Rise did not have a school as there were insufficient children in the area to make this viable. References to this can be found in the local censuses.
As well as pig farm on Downs Road, there were orchards on what is now the Community Centre field and the surrounding housing area. There was also a flower farm with large greenhouses around what is now Flower Hill House and Flowerhill Way. Edward & Kenneth Crush used to deliver coke to heat the greenhouses. Frog Island is on the site of what is now Istead Rise Parade. Frog Island is also the name of the local Morris Men group. References to these can be found in the local history of Istead Rise "The Rise of the Rise", by Ken Jones.
Istead Rise community centre was destroyed by a fire started during a burglary on 20 March 2007. The centre was re-built and opened again on 17 December 2008
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...
in 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is in the borough of Gravesham
Gravesham
Gravesham is a local government district and borough in North West Kent, England. It has borders with the River Thames to the north; the City of Rochester and Medway to the east; the borough of Tonbridge and Malling ; and the boroughs of Sevenoaks and Dartford to the west.Its council is based at...
and has a population of 3,505 (2001 census).
By road, it is 23 miles (37 km) east of 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...
on the A2 road
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...
. The nearest railway station is 2 miles (3 km) away at Meopham
Meopham
Meopham is a large linear village and civil parish in the Borough of Gravesham and ceremonial county of Kent, in England, and lies to the south of Gravesend. The parish covers , and comprises two villages and two smaller settlements; it has a population of 6,427...
(39 minutes from London Victoria). Istead Rise is 4 miles (6 km) from Ebbsfleet International railway station
Ebbsfleet International railway station
Ebbsfleet International railway station is a railway station in Ebbsfleet Valley, in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, 10 miles outside the eastern boundary of Greater London, England. It is near Dartford and the Bluewater shopping centre to the west and Gravesend to the east. Ebbsfleet International...
which opened in 2007 for Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
services to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
. In June 2009, North Kent commuter trains started running on the high speed track to London St Pancras
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
(16 minutes away), stopping only at Stratford.
The new Linear Park, on the site of the old A2, is 15 minutes' walk away, 5 minutes by bike, and is suited to cycling, walking and jogging. At one end are Nell's Cafe and Shorne Country Park, and at the other end are Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
and Sainsbury's. Nearby is Ifield, a quiet little village with a beautiful church.
Istead Rise Primary School provides education for children till the age of 11. In addition, on the site of the primary school, there are two nursery schools.
St Barnabas Church (Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
), founded in 1957, is located near the shops.
There is a small parade of shops with an Indian restaurant, bakery, butcher, pharmacy, supermarket, hardware store, dry cleaner, and dentist. On Lewis Road there is a hairdresser, florist and dentist. There is also a new medical practice.
Istead Rise was a pig-farming community in the 1860s, situated in the North Downs
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs...
pathway. Indeed, a pig farm used to exist on what is now the site of Istead Rise Primary School. Kent County Council acquired the site prior to building the new school in the 1960s. Prior to this, Istead Rise did not have a school as there were insufficient children in the area to make this viable. References to this can be found in the local censuses.
As well as pig farm on Downs Road, there were orchards on what is now the Community Centre field and the surrounding housing area. There was also a flower farm with large greenhouses around what is now Flower Hill House and Flowerhill Way. Edward & Kenneth Crush used to deliver coke to heat the greenhouses. Frog Island is on the site of what is now Istead Rise Parade. Frog Island is also the name of the local Morris Men group. References to these can be found in the local history of Istead Rise "The Rise of the Rise", by Ken Jones.
Istead Rise community centre was destroyed by a fire started during a burglary on 20 March 2007. The centre was re-built and opened again on 17 December 2008