Southfleet
Encyclopedia
Southfleet is a small compact village five miles SW of Gravesend
in Kent
; it is a civil parish within the borough of Dartford
, and includes within its boundaries the hamlet of Betsham
, and the even smaller settlement of Northfleet Green
. The main village is grouped around a crossroads and many of its buildings, including the Ship Inn, are extremely old. The parish church of St Nicholas has 14th century origins, although pre-Roman
Christian
remains have been found in the area.
Southfleet had a railway station
on the Gravesend West Line
, which operated from 1886 to 1953. The section of the trackbed south of the A2 road
of that closed line was used by Eurostar
services to London Waterloo
.
Southfleet takes its name from the River Fleet (a minor tributary of the River Thames
). The water that supplied the river came from a place called Springhead, where there were watercress and oyster beds; the river then ran on through Southfeet, Ebbsfleet and Northfleet.
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...
; it is a civil parish within the borough of Dartford
Dartford (borough)
Dartford is the name given to a local government district and borough in north west Kent, England, which takes its name from its administrative capital. It borders Thurrock, to the north across the River Thames; to the west lies the London Borough of Bexley; to the south Sevenoaks district; and the...
, and includes within its boundaries the hamlet of Betsham
Betsham
Betsham is a village near Gravesend in Kent, England....
, and the even smaller settlement of Northfleet Green
Northfleet Green
Northfleet Green is a village near Gravesend in Kent, England....
. The main village is grouped around a crossroads and many of its buildings, including the Ship Inn, are extremely old. The parish church of St Nicholas has 14th century origins, although pre-Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
remains have been found in the area.
Southfleet had a railway station
Southfleet railway station
Southfleet was a railway station on the Gravesend West Line which served the small village of Southfleet in Kent, England.- Opening :...
on the Gravesend West Line
Gravesend West Line
The Gravesend West Line was a short railway line in Kent that branched off the Swanley to Chatham line at Fawkham Junction and continued for a distance of 5 miles to Gravesend where the railway company constructed a pier to connect trains with steamers...
, which operated from 1886 to 1953. The section of the trackbed south of 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...
of that closed line was used by 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 London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
.
Southfleet takes its name from the River Fleet (a minor tributary of 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,...
). The water that supplied the river came from a place called Springhead, where there were watercress and oyster beds; the river then ran on through Southfeet, Ebbsfleet and Northfleet.