Milton Regis
Encyclopedia
Milton Regis is a village in the district of Swale
in Kent, England. It has a population of about 5,100. Today it is a suburb of Sittingbourne
although this has not always been the case. Milton Regis has a much older and richer history. It was only a few hundred years ago when the position was reversed with Sittingbourne being the less important, much smaller hamlet and under the control and power of the Manor of Milton Regis. It must be pointed out that the current location of Milton Regis dates back to Medieval period, with many fine timber-framed houses and buildings existing today, with a Medieval Court Hall (a seat of Justice and Administration) that dates back to 1450AD. The town and Manor of Middleton Regis as it was called then was recorded as the largest and most powerful manor in the Lathe of Scraye (in the centre of Kent). Before this, in ancient times - the original location of the town was approximately a mile further north, sited on what is called today Church Marshes (see Church Marshes Country Park) at the base of Kemsley Down, on the banks of Milton Creek at its estuary with the River Swale, which acts as a boundary with the Isle of Sheppey
. It's partly due to these two navigable waters that link directly to the River Thames
and its estuary across the English Channel
to Europe
,that has formed its rich history. These two waterways of Milton creek and the Swale have been used as motorways as a connection to trade and invade throughout time.
Milton Regis was formerly part of the Sittingbourne and Milton
urban district.
, Hugh de Port, to preside over the town. Later he was to become the shirereeve or Sheriff
of Kent.
Earlier in the 11th century the Saxon chronicles record Godwin, Earl of Wessex
, a powerful noblemen at the time, burning the town to the ground in 1052AD, one of several Royal towns and property possessions belonging to King Edward the Confessor
, that were destroyed by Earl Godwin's army, during a dispute which lasted over many years, due to Earl Godwin's challenge and claim to the throne of England. The town was later rebuilt to its former eminence.
The Saxon chronicles record in 893AD Haestan landed in Milton Creek with a Viking
Dane invasion force of 80 ships, the town was recorded then as Mylton Royale. This naval force was only part of a larger fleet of 250 ships, the remaining group under the command of Jarl Harald (Bloodhair) landing at Appledore
in the Romney Marsh
in the south of Kent. History recalls that Haestan's warriors with their wives and children built a fortress on the banks of Milton Creek at Kemsley Down
and this has been known as Castlerough ever since.
In response Alfred the Great
, King of England was forced to send a large army to Kent to fight and defeat the Danish invasion, certain records refer to King Alfred building a Castle or Burh on the opposite bank of the Creek. Further back in history in 680AD the Saxon chronicles recall the Abbess and Queen Seaxburh of Ely
of Kent the widow of King Eorcenberht of Kent
, passing the Kingdom of Kent to her eldest son at his coming of age. Crowning him King of Kent at a grand ceremony held at the doors of Milton Regis, Holy Trinity Church at Church Marshes, the site of the town at the time.
Other historical legends or myths involving Milton Regis include a fortress or garrison belonging the Danish princes Hengist and Horsa in their takeover of the kingdom of Kent from the local sub King Vortigern in circa 449AD.
The Cathedral
records of Ely
in 680, refer that Seaxburh of Ely
,(Queen Sexburga, Abbess of Minster in Sheppey) left her 'life' at the doors of 'Mylton' Church.
The present church is of Augustinian foundation though with substantial additions and rebuilding in the Saxon and Norman periods. Other parts added were a family chapel and chancery
by the local Barons (the Norwode (or Norwood) family) in circa 1420AD, these being descendants of Harold Godwinson
who for a few months in 1066 was King Harold II. In the 13th Century, Stephen de Northwode built a manor in the Parish of Milton. The house was known as "Norwood without Sheppey" and also known as "Norwood Chasteners."
The church also claims to have one of the thickest-walled Norman tower and to be one of the oldest churches in Kent.
For such a large tower the ring of bells is surprisingly light. A ring of 5 bells was recorded in 1681 (tenor 12-0-15), The tenor was recast as 11cwt 1qtr 24lbs in 1890. In 1934 the whole ring was retuned, rehung, the tenor again recast and a new treble added. There is currently a ring of six (tenor 10-3-13 in G) hung in the English style for full circle ringing.
Local legend tells that after the village had moved to its current location, the church was going to be rebuilt in the centre. However each time stones were moved from the old site to the new place, St Augustine came down and put them back overnight. He had put the church where he wanted it to be and did not want it moving!
starting under the ownership of the Lloyd family (see Edward Lloyd (publisher)
and Hvittingfoss
), wealthy newspaper publishers from London
, however finally the local mill ceased production in January 2007.
During a similar period the area around Milton Regis and its marshlands was very involved with brick making, being rich in brick earth as a local resource.
The creek was once used as a power source for the paper mills at Milton Regis and Kemsley to operate, along with the many brick works as being an effective, safe and cheap method of transporting the materials in and the goods out. This long commercial and industrial history of Milton Creek generated a need for a large fleet of trading barges at the time, and sadly now that time has passed.
A major industry remaining in the area is Milton Pipes, producers of pre-cast concrete drainage pipes.
Swale
Swale is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its council is based in Sittingbourne. The borough is named after the narrow channel called The Swale, a channel that separates the mainland of Kent from the Isle of Sheppey, and which occupies the central part of the...
in Kent, England. It has a population of about 5,100. Today it is a suburb of Sittingbourne
Sittingbourne
Sittingbourne is an industrial town about eight miles east of Gillingham in England, beside the Roman Watling Street off a creek in the Swale, a channel separating the Isle of Sheppey from mainland Kent...
although this has not always been the case. Milton Regis has a much older and richer history. It was only a few hundred years ago when the position was reversed with Sittingbourne being the less important, much smaller hamlet and under the control and power of the Manor of Milton Regis. It must be pointed out that the current location of Milton Regis dates back to Medieval period, with many fine timber-framed houses and buildings existing today, with a Medieval Court Hall (a seat of Justice and Administration) that dates back to 1450AD. The town and Manor of Middleton Regis as it was called then was recorded as the largest and most powerful manor in the Lathe of Scraye (in the centre of Kent). Before this, in ancient times - the original location of the town was approximately a mile further north, sited on what is called today Church Marshes (see Church Marshes Country Park) at the base of Kemsley Down, on the banks of Milton Creek at its estuary with the River Swale, which acts as a boundary with the Isle of Sheppey
Isle of Sheppey
The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some to the east of London. It has an area of . The island forms part of the local government district of Swale...
. It's partly due to these two navigable waters that link directly to 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,...
and its estuary across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
,that has formed its rich history. These two waterways of Milton creek and the Swale have been used as motorways as a connection to trade and invade throughout time.
Milton Regis was formerly part of the Sittingbourne and Milton
Sittingbourne and Milton
Sittingbourne and Milton was an urban district in Kent, England, consisting of the settlements of Sittingbourne and Milton Regis. It was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and made part of the Swale district....
urban district.
History
To list some of its rich earlier history; the Norman Domesday Book of 1086AD records the town as Middleton Terra Regis ( Royal lands ) the Kings town of Kent. Noting it as a town and a port of wealth, whereby William the Conqueror, took it into his personal possession and gave it into the hands of his half brother Odo for safe keeping, and also appointed a portreevePortreeve
A portreeve, or 'port warden' is a historical British political appointment with a fluctuating role which evolved over time.The origins of the position are in the reign of Edward the Elder, who, in order to ensure that taxes were correctly exacted, forbade the conducting of trades outside of a...
, Hugh de Port, to preside over the town. Later he was to become the shirereeve or Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Kent.
Earlier in the 11th century the Saxon chronicles record Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin of Wessex , was one of the most powerful lords in England under the Danish king Cnut the Great and his successors. Cnut made him the first Earl of Wessex...
, a powerful noblemen at the time, burning the town to the ground in 1052AD, one of several Royal towns and property possessions belonging to King Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
, that were destroyed by Earl Godwin's army, during a dispute which lasted over many years, due to Earl Godwin's challenge and claim to the throne of England. The town was later rebuilt to its former eminence.
The Saxon chronicles record in 893AD Haestan landed in Milton Creek with a Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
Dane invasion force of 80 ships, the town was recorded then as Mylton Royale. This naval force was only part of a larger fleet of 250 ships, the remaining group under the command of Jarl Harald (Bloodhair) landing at Appledore
Appledore, Kent
Appledore is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village centre is 12 miles south-west of Ashford town, and on the northern edge of the Romney Marsh The northerly part of this village is Appledore Heath....
in the Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about 100 mi ² .-Quotations:*“As Egypt was the gift of the Nile, this level tract .....
in the south of Kent. History recalls that Haestan's warriors with their wives and children built a fortress on the banks of Milton Creek at Kemsley Down
and this has been known as Castlerough ever since.
In response Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
, King of England was forced to send a large army to Kent to fight and defeat the Danish invasion, certain records refer to King Alfred building a Castle or Burh on the opposite bank of the Creek. Further back in history in 680AD the Saxon chronicles recall the Abbess and Queen Seaxburh of Ely
Seaxburh of Ely
Seaxburh ; also Saint Sexburga of Ely, was the queen of King Eorcenberht of Kent, as well as an abbess and a saint of the Christian Church....
of Kent the widow of King Eorcenberht of Kent
Eorcenberht of Kent
Eorcenberht of Kent was king of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Kent from 640 until his death, succeeding his father Eadbald....
, passing the Kingdom of Kent to her eldest son at his coming of age. Crowning him King of Kent at a grand ceremony held at the doors of Milton Regis, Holy Trinity Church at Church Marshes, the site of the town at the time.
Other historical legends or myths involving Milton Regis include a fortress or garrison belonging the Danish princes Hengist and Horsa in their takeover of the kingdom of Kent from the local sub King Vortigern in circa 449AD.
Holy Trinity Church
The church has long history, it is believed to have been originally constructed over a Pagan stone worship site, by the Romans (with a nearby Roman Villa), with remains and bricks of that period (and ruined villa) still visible in the church walls.The Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
records of Ely
Ely, Cambridgeshire
Ely is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about by road from London. It is built on a Lower Greensand island, which at a maximum elevation of is the highest land in the Fens...
in 680, refer that Seaxburh of Ely
Seaxburh of Ely
Seaxburh ; also Saint Sexburga of Ely, was the queen of King Eorcenberht of Kent, as well as an abbess and a saint of the Christian Church....
,(Queen Sexburga, Abbess of Minster in Sheppey) left her 'life' at the doors of 'Mylton' Church.
The present church is of Augustinian foundation though with substantial additions and rebuilding in the Saxon and Norman periods. Other parts added were a family chapel and chancery
Chancery (medieval office)
Chancery is a general term for a medieval writing office, responsible for the production of official documents. The title of chancellor, for the head of the office, came to be held by important ministers in a number of states, and remains the title of the heads of government in modern Germany,...
by the local Barons (the Norwode (or Norwood) family) in circa 1420AD, these being descendants of Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
who for a few months in 1066 was King Harold II. In the 13th Century, Stephen de Northwode built a manor in the Parish of Milton. The house was known as "Norwood without Sheppey" and also known as "Norwood Chasteners."
The church also claims to have one of the thickest-walled Norman tower and to be one of the oldest churches in Kent.
For such a large tower the ring of bells is surprisingly light. A ring of 5 bells was recorded in 1681 (tenor 12-0-15), The tenor was recast as 11cwt 1qtr 24lbs in 1890. In 1934 the whole ring was retuned, rehung, the tenor again recast and a new treble added. There is currently a ring of six (tenor 10-3-13 in G) hung in the English style for full circle ringing.
Local legend tells that after the village had moved to its current location, the church was going to be rebuilt in the centre. However each time stones were moved from the old site to the new place, St Augustine came down and put them back overnight. He had put the church where he wanted it to be and did not want it moving!
Industry Past and Present
In more recent times, the area in the 1887 was heavily involved in the paper manufacturing industry,starting under the ownership of the Lloyd family (see Edward Lloyd (publisher)
Edward Lloyd (publisher)
Edward Lloyd was a British publisher.Born in Thornton Heath, Lloyd studied shorthand at the London Mechanics' Institution, then wrote a book on stenography. Before he was eighteen, he had opened shops in London to sell cheap books and valentines.From 1835, he began publishing cheap books, many...
and Hvittingfoss
Hvittingfoss
Hvittingfoss is a village in the municipality of Kongsberg, in the county of Buskerud, Norway. Hvittingfoss has traditionally been associated with the manufacture of pulp, paper and paper products....
), wealthy newspaper publishers from 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...
, however finally the local mill ceased production in January 2007.
During a similar period the area around Milton Regis and its marshlands was very involved with brick making, being rich in brick earth as a local resource.
The creek was once used as a power source for the paper mills at Milton Regis and Kemsley to operate, along with the many brick works as being an effective, safe and cheap method of transporting the materials in and the goods out. This long commercial and industrial history of Milton Creek generated a need for a large fleet of trading barges at the time, and sadly now that time has passed.
A major industry remaining in the area is Milton Pipes, producers of pre-cast concrete drainage pipes.
Places of interest
- Holy Trinity church
- The Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light RailwaySittingbourne and Kemsley Light RailwayThe Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway in Kent is a gauge heritage railway that operates from Sittingbourne to the banks of The Swale. The line was formerly owned by Bowater, the paper making firm, and was used to carry raw materials and finished products between Ridham Dock and the company's...
- The Periwinkle Water Mill. A museum project is now underway to help restore the area surrounding the creek as the Periwinkle Water Mill Museum,
- The Old Court Hall (see right),
- Timber framed buildings in and around the village centre.