St Nicholas at Wade
Encyclopedia
St Nicholas-at-Wade is a both a village and a civil parish in the Thanet
District of Kent
, England
. The parish had a recorded population of 782 at the 2001 Census
. The village of Sarre
is part of the civil parish.
The village is best known locally for the local custom of Hoodening
, a type of mumming.
(originally separated from the Kent mainland). Before the channels of the River Wantsum
and River Stour
silted up, one would have been able to 'wade' at this point, over a ford
. In Roman times the channel was navigable and the site likely very busy with the Saxon Shore Forts of Regulbium
(Reculver
) and Rutupiae
(Richborough
) both close by. Remains of Roman shipbuilding yards are said to have been found between St. Nicholas-at-Wade and the nearby village of Sarre
The village hall (dating from 1930) houses a monthly craft fair and is also used as a polling station
. There is a static caravan park at Frost Farm and a camping site at St. Nicholas Farm.
A sports field in Bell Meadow plays host to football and cricket
matches, the cricket pavilion was constructed in the 1980s with the aid of Thanet District Council
.
for St. Mary's church at Reculver
. The first rector
is recorded as Adam de Brancaster in 1294.
Built in flint, the church houses some fine 16th century brasses, a carved oak pulpit
dated 1615, and a coat of arms
of King George III.
The parish has twice been enlarged, firstly in medieval times, when it was joined with the little-known parish of All Saints, Shuart, and again in the mid-16th century, when it was joined with the parish of St. Giles, Sarre
. The benefice is currently part of the Wantsum Group of Parishes.
St. Nicholas Court has a fine example of a medieval underground chapel, however little is known about the origins or past use of this building. The chapel is on private land but has been opened to visitors on some important local occasions.
Thanet
Thanet is a local government district of Kent, England which was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, and came into being on 1 April 1974...
District of 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...
. The parish had a recorded population of 782 at the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
. The village of Sarre
Sarre, Kent
Sarre is a village and civil parish in Thanet District in Kent, England. The village is a part of St. Nicholas-at-Wade ecclesiastical parish, after having lost the local church of St. Giles in Elizabethan times; the ecclesiastical parishes were subsequently combined. In its own right Sarre is an...
is part of the civil parish.
The village is best known locally for the local custom of Hoodening
Hoodening
Hoodening, also called Hodening, is an East Kent, England tradition vaguely related to Mumming and the Morris dance, and dating back at least to the mid-18th century. Related traditions also exist in Wales and Lancashire...
, a type of mumming.
History
The name derives from its location on the western border of the Isle of ThanetThanet
Thanet is a local government district of Kent, England which was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, and came into being on 1 April 1974...
(originally separated from the Kent mainland). Before the channels of the River Wantsum
River Wantsum
The River Wantsum is a tributary of the River Stour, in Kent, England. Formerly, the River Wantsum and the River Stour together formed the Wantsum Channel, which separated the Isle of Thanet from the mainland of Kent...
and River Stour
River Stour, Kent
The River Stour is the river in Kent, England that flows into the English Channel at Pegwell Bay. Above Plucks Gutter, where the Little Stour joins it, the river is normally known as the Great Stour. The upper section of the river, above its confluence with the East Stour at Ashford is sometimes...
silted up, one would have been able to 'wade' at this point, over a ford
Ford (crossing)
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by wading or in a vehicle. A ford is mostly a natural phenomenon, in contrast to a low water crossing, which is an artificial bridge that allows crossing a river or stream when water is low.The names of many towns...
. In Roman times the channel was navigable and the site likely very busy with the Saxon Shore Forts of Regulbium
Regulbium
Regulbium was the name of an ancient Roman fort of the Saxon Shore in the vicinity of the modern English resort of Reculver in Kent. Its name derives from the local Celtic language, meaning "great headland".- History :...
(Reculver
Reculver
Reculver is a hamlet and coastal resort situated about east of Herne Bay in southeast England. It is a ward of the City of Canterbury district in the county of Kent. Reculver once occupied a strategic location at the western end of the Wantsum Channel, between the Isle of Thanet and the Kent...
) and Rutupiae
Rutupiae
Richborough Castle contains the ruined remains of a Roman Saxon Shore Fort. It situated in Richborough near Sandwich, Kent.The site has many phases of Roman remains, collectively known as Richborough Fort or Richborough Roman Fort, still visible today and under the care of English Heritage.Rutupiæ ...
(Richborough
Richborough
Richborough is a settlement north of Sandwich on the east coast of the county of Kent, England. Richborough lies close to the Isle of Thanet....
) both close by. Remains of Roman shipbuilding yards are said to have been found between St. Nicholas-at-Wade and the nearby village of Sarre
Sarre, Kent
Sarre is a village and civil parish in Thanet District in Kent, England. The village is a part of St. Nicholas-at-Wade ecclesiastical parish, after having lost the local church of St. Giles in Elizabethan times; the ecclesiastical parishes were subsequently combined. In its own right Sarre is an...
What's In The Village
There are two public houses, 'The Bell' and 'The Sun'. There is also a Post Office, an Antiques shop and a Farm Marketing office. One of the main potato suppliers in the country has headquarters near St. Nicholas Court in the northwest of the village. Hedgend Industrial Estate is on the northern outskirts. There is the local St Nicholas CE Primary School.The village hall (dating from 1930) houses a monthly craft fair and is also used as a polling station
Polling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
. There is a static caravan park at Frost Farm and a camping site at St. Nicholas Farm.
A sports field in Bell Meadow plays host to football and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
matches, the cricket pavilion was constructed in the 1980s with the aid of Thanet District Council
Thanet District Council
Thanet District Council is the local government body for the Thanet district. Its administrative centre is Margate. It is one of the district councils in Kent...
.
Churches
The 13th century parish church of St Nicholas, after which the parish is named, was a chapel of easeChapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
for St. Mary's church at Reculver
Reculver
Reculver is a hamlet and coastal resort situated about east of Herne Bay in southeast England. It is a ward of the City of Canterbury district in the county of Kent. Reculver once occupied a strategic location at the western end of the Wantsum Channel, between the Isle of Thanet and the Kent...
. The first rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
is recorded as Adam de Brancaster in 1294.
Built in flint, the church houses some fine 16th century brasses, a carved oak pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
dated 1615, and a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of King George III.
The parish has twice been enlarged, firstly in medieval times, when it was joined with the little-known parish of All Saints, Shuart, and again in the mid-16th century, when it was joined with the parish of St. Giles, Sarre
Sarre, Kent
Sarre is a village and civil parish in Thanet District in Kent, England. The village is a part of St. Nicholas-at-Wade ecclesiastical parish, after having lost the local church of St. Giles in Elizabethan times; the ecclesiastical parishes were subsequently combined. In its own right Sarre is an...
. The benefice is currently part of the Wantsum Group of Parishes.
St. Nicholas Court has a fine example of a medieval underground chapel, however little is known about the origins or past use of this building. The chapel is on private land but has been opened to visitors on some important local occasions.