Snodland
Encyclopedia
Snodland is a small town in the county of Kent
, England
, located on the River Medway
between Rochester and Maidstone
. It has a population of about 12,000 people.
The town is situated on the A228 road
connecting the Medway Towns with Tonbridge
. The M20 motorway
junction 4 is 2 miles south of the town allowing good access to London and the Channel Ports. The Snodland by-pass takes heavy commercial traffic away from the town centre (an area commonly referred to as "the village" by residents). The Medway Valley Line
between Strood
and Maidstone
passes through Snodland. There is a station
; for London passengers change at Strood
or Maidstone Barracks
/Maidstone East
.
The first Roman
advance in the conquest of Britain
may have crossed the River Medway
near Snodland, although there are contending locations. The supposed crossing place is marked by a memorial on the opposite side of the river from Snodland, close to Burham. Near this spot, a ferry later carried pilgrims bound for Canterbury
along the Pilgrims' Way
.
By the Domesday survey, Snodland and adjoining Halling
were owned by the Bishop of Rochester. Bishop Gundulph, at the end of the 11th Century, built a palace at Halling that was used by his successors until the 16th century.
Snodland shows much evidence of industrialisation, particularly chalk extraction. There are long terraces of 19th and 20th century houses.
Lime working had been carried out at Snodland for centuries, but expanded dramatically in the 19th Century, as building boomed. The firm of Poynder and Medlicott began quarrying on the Snodland-Halling border in the early 19th century and the company was taken over by William Lee in 1846. Others followed and the last one was built in 1923 by W L H Roberts at Holborough. Lime for building the Waterloo and new London bridges came from the area.
The paper-making industry came to Snodland around 1740, when the May family built a mill which the Hook family took over in 1854. New manufacturing techniques and the coming of the railway in the 1850s improved paper production from five to 70 tons a week. Snodland's population doubled between 1840 and 1857. After the Medway Valley
railway was opened on June 18, 1856, the village trebled in size between 1861 and 1881. The parish boundary was re-aligned in 1898 and again in 1988 to reflect the growth of Snodland, both changes absorbed areas of Birling Parish, known locally as "Lower Birling".
Since 1903, Snodland has been the home of the Mid Kent Water
Company. MKW merged in 2007 with South East Water
, adopting the name South East Water, whilst retaining the headquarter facilities in Rocfort Road. The company supplies 2.1 million customers in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire - over 565 million litres of drinking water per day.
Since 1986 Snodland has been twinned with Moyeuvre-Grande
, a town of similar size, located near Metz
in North East France. The twinning has proved to be successful. The most recent twinning visit took place in Moyeuvre during May 2010.
(1800–50), a postal pioneer who shortened the overland route between England and India from three months to between 35 and 45 days.
The white reggae
singer Judge Dread
(real name Alex Hughes, 1945–98) lived in Snodland. Eleven of Hughes's songs were banned by the BBC, starting with Big Six in 1972. Hughes had worked as a club bouncer in Brixton
, as a wrestler (called the Masked Executioner), as a bodyguard for Prince Buster
and a DJ before his career in "rude reggae". Hughes died from a heart attack on March 13, 1998, shortly after finishing a set at the Penny Theatre, Canterbury
. Alex Hughes Close is now named after him. Several Judge Dread
songs refer to Snodland or mention Snodland in the lyrics. Belle of Snodland Town and Last Tango in Snodland are two examples.
The poet and playwright Samuel Beckett
referred to the town in his short play 'Play':
Before I could do anything he disappeared. That meant she had won. That slut! I couldn't credit it. I lay stricken for weeks. Then I drove over to her place. It was all bolted and barred. All grey with frozen dew. On the way back by Ash and Snodland
It is believed that Beckett found Snodland while examining a local map of the area whilst staying in Kent.
The British jazz/rock band Soft Machine
included a track titled Snodland on their 1973 album Seven
.
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...
, located on 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....
between Rochester and 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 has a population of about 12,000 people.
The town is situated on the A228 road
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...
connecting the Medway Towns with Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
. The M20 motorway
M20 motorway
The M20 is a motorway in Kent, England. It runs from the M25 motorway to Folkestone, providing a link to the Channel Tunnel and the ports at Dover. It is long...
junction 4 is 2 miles south of the town allowing good access to London and the Channel Ports. The Snodland by-pass takes heavy commercial traffic away from the town centre (an area commonly referred to as "the village" by residents). The Medway Valley Line
Medway Valley Line
The Medway Valley Line is the name given to the railway line linking and the Medway Towns with and onward to , and London St Pancras International...
between 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....
and 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...
passes through Snodland. There is a station
Snodland railway station
Snodland railway station is on the Medway Valley Line in north Kent, and serves the town of Snodland which lies some way to the west. Train services are provided by Southeastern. The APTIS-equipped ticket office, in an imposing building on the northbound platform, closed in the early 1990s and...
; for London passengers change at Strood
Strood railway station
Strood Railway Station serves the town of Strood in Medway. It is on the North Kent Line and is a terminus for the Medway Valley Line. Train services are operated by Southeastern.-History:...
or Maidstone Barracks
Maidstone Barracks railway station
Maidstone Barracks railway station is one of three railway stations which serve Maidstone in Kent. It is on the Medway Valley Line, and train services are provided by Southeastern....
/Maidstone East
Maidstone East railway station
Maidstone East railway station is one of three stations in the central area of Maidstone, Kent, but currently the only one with a regular direct service to London. The station is on the Maidstone East Line, south-east of London Victoria , and is served by trains operated by...
.
History
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
advance in the conquest of Britain
Roman conquest of Britain
The Roman conquest of Britain was a gradual process, beginning effectively in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius, whose general Aulus Plautius served as first governor of Britannia. Great Britain had already frequently been the target of invasions, planned and actual, by forces of the Roman Republic and...
may have crossed 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....
near Snodland, although there are contending locations. The supposed crossing place is marked by a memorial on the opposite side of the river from Snodland, close to Burham. Near this spot, a ferry later carried pilgrims bound for Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
along the Pilgrims' Way
Pilgrims' Way
The Pilgrims' Way is the historic route supposed to have been taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in Kent...
.
By the Domesday survey, Snodland and adjoining Halling
Halling, Kent
Halling is a village on the North Downs in the northern part of Kent, England, covering 7.1 square kilometres of land. Consisting of Lower Halling, Upper Halling and North Halling, it is scattered over some along the River Medway parallel to the Pilgrims' Way running over Kent.The origin of the...
were owned by the Bishop of Rochester. Bishop Gundulph, at the end of the 11th Century, built a palace at Halling that was used by his successors until the 16th century.
Snodland shows much evidence of industrialisation, particularly chalk extraction. There are long terraces of 19th and 20th century houses.
Lime working had been carried out at Snodland for centuries, but expanded dramatically in the 19th Century, as building boomed. The firm of Poynder and Medlicott began quarrying on the Snodland-Halling border in the early 19th century and the company was taken over by William Lee in 1846. Others followed and the last one was built in 1923 by W L H Roberts at Holborough. Lime for building the Waterloo and new London bridges came from the area.
The paper-making industry came to Snodland around 1740, when the May family built a mill which the Hook family took over in 1854. New manufacturing techniques and the coming of the railway in the 1850s improved paper production from five to 70 tons a week. Snodland's population doubled between 1840 and 1857. After the Medway Valley
Medway Valley Line
The Medway Valley Line is the name given to the railway line linking and the Medway Towns with and onward to , and London St Pancras International...
railway was opened on June 18, 1856, the village trebled in size between 1861 and 1881. The parish boundary was re-aligned in 1898 and again in 1988 to reflect the growth of Snodland, both changes absorbed areas of Birling Parish, known locally as "Lower Birling".
Since 1903, Snodland has been the home of the Mid Kent Water
Mid Kent Water
Mid Kent Water was a water industry utilities provider in Kent, England. In 2007 it merged with South East Water....
Company. MKW merged in 2007 with South East Water
South East Water
South East Water is a Victorian Government owned corporation that provides drinking water, sewerage, trade waste, recycled water and water-saving services for residents and businesses in an area ranging from the South East of Melbourne to South Gippsland in Australia.- South East Water manages...
, adopting the name South East Water, whilst retaining the headquarter facilities in Rocfort Road. The company supplies 2.1 million customers in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire - over 565 million litres of drinking water per day.
Since 1986 Snodland has been twinned with Moyeuvre-Grande
Moyeuvre-Grande
Moyeuvre-Grande is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.Since 1986 Moyeuvre-Grande has been twinned with Snodland, a town of similar size, located in Kent, England.-Personalities:...
, a town of similar size, located near Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
in North East France. The twinning has proved to be successful. The most recent twinning visit took place in Moyeuvre during May 2010.
New Snodland
Snodland is now under a 10-year development plan by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council to redevelop and expand the Holborough part of Snodland. Berkeley Homes are building about 1,000 'New England style' homes on the Holborough Quarry development.Sport
Snodland is the home of Snodland Football Club, Snodland Nomads FC, Snodland Boxing Club and Snodland Community Cricket Club who play at Rectory Meadow just off Rocfort Road car park. The Snodland Chess Club, established in 2003, use the Cricket Pavilion as their playing venue. The chess club have been national champions in two sections of the National Chess Club Championship. The Snodland Sports Association was set up in 2008.Public Houses and Working Men's Clubs
Snodland has three pubs- The Bull, The Freemasons Arms and The Monks Head, which hold their own history. There are also two Workingmen's Clubs- Snodland WMC and Ham Hill WMC.Famous people
One of Snodland's residents was Thomas Fletcher WaghornThomas Fletcher Waghorn
Thomas Fletcher Waghorn , whose statue stands in Chatham, Kent, was a postal pioneer who developed a new route from Great Britain to India. Waghorn's route reduced the journey from 16,000 miles, via the Cape of Good Hope, to 6,000 miles: from three months to between 35 and 45 days.Waghorn was born...
(1800–50), a postal pioneer who shortened the overland route between England and India from three months to between 35 and 45 days.
The white reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer Judge Dread
Judge Dread
Alexander Minto Hughes , better known as Judge Dread, was an English reggae and ska musician. He was the first white recording artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica, and has the most banned songs of all time.-Career:...
(real name Alex Hughes, 1945–98) lived in Snodland. Eleven of Hughes's songs were banned by the BBC, starting with Big Six in 1972. Hughes had worked as a club bouncer in Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, as a wrestler (called the Masked Executioner), as a bodyguard for Prince Buster
Prince Buster
Cecil Bustamente Campbell, O.D. , better known as Prince Buster, and also known by his Muslim name Muhammed Yusef Ali, is a musician from Kingston, Jamaica. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of ska and rocksteady music...
and a DJ before his career in "rude reggae". Hughes died from a heart attack on March 13, 1998, shortly after finishing a set at the Penny Theatre, Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. Alex Hughes Close is now named after him. Several Judge Dread
Judge Dread
Alexander Minto Hughes , better known as Judge Dread, was an English reggae and ska musician. He was the first white recording artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica, and has the most banned songs of all time.-Career:...
songs refer to Snodland or mention Snodland in the lyrics. Belle of Snodland Town and Last Tango in Snodland are two examples.
The poet and playwright Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
referred to the town in his short play 'Play':
Before I could do anything he disappeared. That meant she had won. That slut! I couldn't credit it. I lay stricken for weeks. Then I drove over to her place. It was all bolted and barred. All grey with frozen dew. On the way back by Ash and Snodland
It is believed that Beckett found Snodland while examining a local map of the area whilst staying in Kent.
The British jazz/rock band Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
included a track titled Snodland on their 1973 album Seven
Seven (Soft Machine album)
Seven is a 1973 album by the British progressive rock and jazz/fusion band Soft Machine who were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene...
.
Sources
A village sacrificed to industry, by Stephen Rayner, Memories page, Medway News, August, 2003. Reproduced with permission.External links
- Snodland Community Responders - Part of SECAMB
- Snodland Town Council
- Snodland history
- Local Information for Snodland
- 1st Snodland Scout Group
- Town Talk Magazine published by Snodland Chamber of Commerce
- South East Water - a major local employer with its headquarters in Snodland