New Hythe
Encyclopedia
New Hythe is a village in mid-Kent
, England
on the banks of the River Medway
approximately 5 miles northwest of the county town
of Maidstone
. It derives its name from the Old English word Hythe, meaning haven or landing place.
During the 20th century it held a relatively prominent position in the local economy due to the large paper mill
based there, now one of Europe's
largest (although this is now due to close shortly) and having its own railway station
.
It was also the home to Meridian's
newsroom and studio for the south eastern television region until 2004 when the station relocated its Kent operations to the Maidstone Studios in Vinters Park, Maidstone, the former home of the previous southern ITV
franchise holder TVS
.
Once distinct and visibly separate from its surrounding villages, the large scale development of neighbouring Larkfield from the 1960s onwards, the building of Lunsford Park in the 1970s and 1980s, and most recently the development of the Leybourne
Lakes area, has seen New Hythe become effectively subsumed into the general Larkfield conurbation.
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...
on the banks of the River Medway
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....
approximately 5 miles northwest of the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
. It derives its name from the Old English word Hythe, meaning haven or landing place.
During the 20th century it held a relatively prominent position in the local economy due to the large paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
based there, now one of Europe's
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...
largest (although this is now due to close shortly) and having its own railway station
New Hythe railway station
New Hythe railway station is on the Medway Valley Line in Kent, and serves New Hythe. The APTIS-equipped ticket office, in an imposing 1930s building on the northbound platform, closed in Sept 1989 and subsequently became derelict...
.
It was also the home to Meridian's
Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited....
newsroom and studio for the south eastern television region until 2004 when the station relocated its Kent operations to the Maidstone Studios in Vinters Park, Maidstone, the former home of the previous southern ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
franchise holder TVS
Television South
Television South was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1992. The company operated under various names, initially as Television South plc and then following reorganisation in 1989 as TVS Entertainment plc, with its UK...
.
Once distinct and visibly separate from its surrounding villages, the large scale development of neighbouring Larkfield from the 1960s onwards, the building of Lunsford Park in the 1970s and 1980s, and most recently the development of the Leybourne
Leybourne
Leybourne is a small village in Kent, England situated off Junction 4 of the M20 Motorway. Leybourne is adjacent to Larkfield and West Malling....
Lakes area, has seen New Hythe become effectively subsumed into the general Larkfield conurbation.