Kent: cities and sights

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

One of the most beautiful places in the UK - Kent. It is called the "Garden of England". It is thanks to this comparison that many tourists want to visit this beautiful corner. And immediately before the mind's eye, village pictures, well-groomed fields and even strips of roads, apple orchards, meadows and beautiful manors, castle towers and fortress walls, rural churches, etc. arise. However, not only the beauty of nature attracts tourists here, but also various historical sights that can be found in such ancient cities as Canterbury, Dover, Rochester and others.

The villages in Kent (Mereworth, for example) are also very interesting in terms of sightseeing tours. It is said that some roads were laid here in the days of the ancient Romans. By the way, Kent is the largest producer of apple wine - cider.

Description

Kent County (England) is located in the southeastern part of the country on the shores of the English Channel. Today it enters the sleeping belt of London. The capital of the county is the city of Maidstone, but Medway, which is part of it, has the status of a unitary unit. Kent is located between the capital andcontinental Europe, in view of this, the inhabitants of the county several times in their history found themselves in the theater of hostilities. The last time there was a battle for Britain on its territory (during the Second World War). Particularly affected was East Kent, which then began to be called the "mouth of Hellfire." The white stones of Dover are considered a symbol of the county, and indeed of all of England. From here, in good weather, you can see the coastal zone of France, in particular the city of Calais.

Etymology

Has the county always been called that? Kent (Kentus) is of Breton origin and means “border”, “border”. After all, the eastern part of the county adjoins the strait and, of course, is the border belt of the country. There is also evidence in history that in the first century BC, Julius Caesar bulked up these parts of Cantium, which meant “the birthplace of the Cantiacians”. So they were called until the 8th century, and after, as today, the area acquired the name of the county of Kent.

A bit of history

According to historical data, the county of Kent began to be settled in the Paleolithic era, and during the Neolithic period, megaliths were built in the Medway River area. The lands were not empty even during the Roman occupation. This is evidenced by archaeological finds. In 597, Pope Gregory I, having decided to spread the Catholic faith in Britain, appointed Augustine as the first archbishop. And he, in turn, converted King Ethelbereth (pagan) to Christianity. Since then, the Diocese of Canterbury has beenthe Christian center of Britain.

How to get there?

Most tourists who want to explore Kent first fly into London, and from there arrive by land transport to one of the intended cities of the route. The trip takes approximately one hour. Of course, the fastest way to get there is by car. Since there is only 50 km between the capital and the county, the journey will be 25-30 minutes by car and about an hour by train.

Kent Attractions

Once Kent was conquered by the tribes of the Belgians, who sailed to the island from neighboring Gaul. However, before leaving, they managed to build a lot of dugouts, various military fortifications, stone circles, etc. Then Roman legionnaires, the troops of Julius Caesar, landed on the land of Kent. They decided to equip the occupied territories, began to build roads, fortresses, villas and cities.

Archaeologists have found a large number of clay, glass and bronze products, lead coffins with a beautiful ornament. However, the Romans did not stay here for a long time, they were repelled by the humid climate and constant fogs. The Anglo-Saxon tribes who came after them to the islands founded a kingdom here. Further, Archbishop Augustine sailed to Britain with a Christian mission, and the Diocese of Canterbury became the center of Christianity in the country. On the territory of the county, defensive structures have been preserved that were erected to protect against the Normans, the French and the Dutch.

CitiesKenta

Canterbury is the oldest city in the county. It was first mentioned in 597. As already noted, it is here that the see of the Archbishop of Canterbury is located. The city has many attractions. The main one is Canterbury Cathedral, which was built in the Gothic style in the 7th century. By the way, it is included in the UNESCO list as a masterpiece of world cultural heritage. The cathedral is famous for the fact that the relics of St. Dunstan are kept here.

Other sights are the Abbey of St. Augustine, however, only ruins remain of it, and the Church of St. Martin, which was founded by St. Bertha of Kent back in the 6th century.

The city of Dover is known as a seaport. It was founded by the Romans. The city has a beautiful castle built on the coastal cliffs and is called the "Key to England". This is the main attraction of Dover. Today it houses a historical museum. The rocks rising near the castle are of a dazzling white color; they are a signal for sailors to approach the shores of Foggy Albion.

Rochester is also full of attractions, including cathedrals and castles. This city is younger than the previous two, although the first buildings were made during the era of the Roman Empire. The mighty Rochester castle rises on the banks of the main river of the county Medway. It is a defensive bastion on the way to London.

Sometimes tourists look for the city of Harley (Kent) in the UK. However, there was no such settlement here. Perhaps the tourists are confusedhim with the city, which is located in Australia, near Melbourne, in the Kent district of the same name. Probably in ancient times, settlers from Britain decided to call this settlement that way.