Davington
Encyclopedia
Davington is a suburb of Faversham
in Kent
, England
.
The population of Davington parish is approaching 6,000. Davington Priory is a local government ward within the Faversham
Town Council and Swale
Borough Council areas. Until the civic boundary changes were brought into effect in 2004, and the electoral ward had broadly mirrored the ecclesiastical parish of Davington.
There are three current histories of different aspects of the parish generally available:
It forms the western section of the town, including Bysing Wood and Bysing Wood fishing lakes. But the ward of Davington also encompasses Luddenham and Oare
and other nearby rural areas. The parish's most striking geographical feature is the sharply defined ridge, up which Davington Hill, Brent Hill and Dark Hill travel, with the parish church sitting at its top. The ridge runs south-west to north-east, losing height as it approaches the marshes and sea. Its topography is similar to the ridge upon which Bysing Wood stands further to the west of the area, near Oare.
The parish has large areas of post-war housing developments, as well as industrial estates and complexes along the Oare Road and the Western Link Road. These include Brett's (quarry firm), GIST (business logistics company) and Shepherd Neame Brewery also has a warehouse, as well as in the town centre of Faversham.
Before the war and later expansion. The parish was fairly rural and essentially was a cluster of houses around the parish church and school, as well as a few widely distributed farm houses and cottages around. The post-war residential development connected the parish to centre of Faversham.
Davington church is a prominent and much-loved local feature, which stand on top of a ridge above Stonebridge Pond. The Norman
Priory Church is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene and St Lawrence the church is the oldest existing building in the Faversham area. Most of its building construction dates from the second half of the twelfth century. Beside it, is a Priory
house. This is largely the remains of Davington Priory, which was founded in 1153 for a prioress and her 26 Benedictine
nuns. It is well-known for being the home of Bob Geldof
who lives in the area.
Other important buildings in the parish include, Davington Farmhouse and
Davington Manor.
Davington also had its own light railway. Davington Light Railway
. Built in 1916, the 3 mile track was used for passenger traffic mainly. It was also very short-lived and closed in 1919.
It linked Davington with the high explosives factories of the Cotton Powder Company and Explosives Loading Company between Uplees and Harty Ferry near Oare
.
The parish also has two pubs, Albion Taven (Shepherd Neame) and Brents Tavern. It also has the popular Davington Primary School.
Also incuded within the parish is the Faversham Angling Club Lakes and nearby Oare Gunpowder Works (now a country park).
Davington Light Railway.
Faversham
Faversham is a market town and civil parish in the Swale borough of Kent, England. The parish of Faversham grew up around an ancient sea port on Faversham Creek and was the birthplace of the explosives industry in England.-History:...
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...
, 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 population of Davington parish is approaching 6,000. Davington Priory is a local government ward within the Faversham
Faversham
Faversham is a market town and civil parish in the Swale borough of Kent, England. The parish of Faversham grew up around an ancient sea port on Faversham Creek and was the birthplace of the explosives industry in England.-History:...
Town Council and Swale
Swale
Swale is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its council is based in Sittingbourne. The borough is named after the narrow channel called The Swale, a channel that separates the mainland of Kent from the Isle of Sheppey, and which occupies the central part of the...
Borough Council areas. Until the civic boundary changes were brought into effect in 2004, and the electoral ward had broadly mirrored the ecclesiastical parish of Davington.
There are three current histories of different aspects of the parish generally available:
- Robert Hackford, The School in an Orchard (Faversham Papers No 16),
- Kenneth Melrose, Davington: Parish & People (Faversham Papers No 52), 1996
- John Burke and Laurence Young, A History of Davington Priory, 2003.
It forms the western section of the town, including Bysing Wood and Bysing Wood fishing lakes. But the ward of Davington also encompasses Luddenham and Oare
Oare, Kent
Oare is a village and civil parish north of Faversham in southeast England. It is separated from Faversham by the Oare Creek. To the north of the village are the Oare Marshes, and the Harty Ferry which linked to Harty on the Isle of Sheppey. Kent Wildlife Trust manages a nature reserve that is an...
and other nearby rural areas. The parish's most striking geographical feature is the sharply defined ridge, up which Davington Hill, Brent Hill and Dark Hill travel, with the parish church sitting at its top. The ridge runs south-west to north-east, losing height as it approaches the marshes and sea. Its topography is similar to the ridge upon which Bysing Wood stands further to the west of the area, near Oare.
The parish has large areas of post-war housing developments, as well as industrial estates and complexes along the Oare Road and the Western Link Road. These include Brett's (quarry firm), GIST (business logistics company) and Shepherd Neame Brewery also has a warehouse, as well as in the town centre of Faversham.
Before the war and later expansion. The parish was fairly rural and essentially was a cluster of houses around the parish church and school, as well as a few widely distributed farm houses and cottages around. The post-war residential development connected the parish to centre of Faversham.
Davington church is a prominent and much-loved local feature, which stand on top of a ridge above Stonebridge Pond. The Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
Priory Church is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene and St Lawrence the church is the oldest existing building in the Faversham area. Most of its building construction dates from the second half of the twelfth century. Beside it, is a Priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
house. This is largely the remains of Davington Priory, which was founded in 1153 for a prioress and her 26 Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
nuns. It is well-known for being the home of Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
who lives in the area.
Other important buildings in the parish include, Davington Farmhouse and
Davington Manor.
Davington also had its own light railway. Davington Light Railway
Davington Light Railway
The Davington Light Railway was a narrow gauge railway built to serve the armaments factories near Davington, in Kent, England. It ran between Davington and Uplees.-History:...
. Built in 1916, the 3 mile track was used for passenger traffic mainly. It was also very short-lived and closed in 1919.
It linked Davington with the high explosives factories of the Cotton Powder Company and Explosives Loading Company between Uplees and Harty Ferry near Oare
Oare, Kent
Oare is a village and civil parish north of Faversham in southeast England. It is separated from Faversham by the Oare Creek. To the north of the village are the Oare Marshes, and the Harty Ferry which linked to Harty on the Isle of Sheppey. Kent Wildlife Trust manages a nature reserve that is an...
.
The parish also has two pubs, Albion Taven (Shepherd Neame) and Brents Tavern. It also has the popular Davington Primary School.
Also incuded within the parish is the Faversham Angling Club Lakes and nearby Oare Gunpowder Works (now a country park).
Davington Light Railway.
External links
- http://www.kentnet.org.uk/davington/index.htm#links