Rainham, Medway
Encyclopedia
The town of Rainham is a part of the Medway Towns conurbation
, under the unitary authority
of Medway
, in South East England
, and part of the ceremonial county
of Kent
. Historically, Rainham was a separate village until, in 1928, it was added to the Municipal Borough of Gillingham, which had itself been created in 1903. It became part of the Medway authority when Gillingham was incorporated with the other towns to form Medway
Unitary Authority
in 1998.
of the North Downs
where it descends to the River Medway
; its maximum height is about 125m above sea level. There are three roads crossing the town. The M2 motorway runs along its southern edge, two miles (6 km) from the town centre. The main road through the town, the A2
, follows the ancient Watling Street
, the Roman road
between London
and Canterbury
. The most northerly road runs close to the southern bank of the river. The Chatham Main Line
has a railway station
here. London is approximately 39 miles (62.4 km) to the west.
Park Wood estate, in the south of Rainham, was built mainly during the 1960s and 70s. Building this estate required the destruction of one of the last large areas of relict woodland in North Kent. The area towards Gillingham
is known as Rainham Mark, named after an old ecclesiastical boundary: and Macklands is an older part of the town to the north. The Macklands Arms public house was named after Macklands Manor House. The manor house was home to members of the Mackay family, who owned a printing company in Chatham
. Lower Rainham, once a separate village, is now also a part of the town.
Rainham was originally a linear settlement along the main road. The population in 1801 was 422; two centuries later it is well over six thousand. Part of the reason for this huge growth can be attributed to the railway.
When the railway came in 1858 it brought an almost immediate increase in the size of the village; when the Chatham Main Line
was electrified in 1959, as with all the places served by it, town growth began again. One of the results was the building of Park Wood estate (see above).
The parish church is dedicated to St Margaret; the Roman Catholic church to St Thomas of Canterbury.
Metro, Iceland, Boots and Wilkinsons. There is a record store called MagicDiscs and a bakery called Goldings Bakery Ltd. The precinct has two different Lloyds Pharmacy chemists, and various dining places including a cafe called Bunkers. Other shops include Blockbuster and two different Sense charity shops (A standard and a large one). When the centre opened, there was a major branch of Lavells Newsagents. This became a branch of Bart in the late 80s and now trades as Iceland Frozen Foods. There is a smaller shopping precinct in Parkwood. Parkwood shopping centre has a few shops including The Co-Operative Food, Martin's the Newsagent, a chip shop, a pharmacy, a veterinary and a wine store. The town also has a library as well as several parks and a public swimming pool. This swimming pool is called Splashes and is near Cozenton Park and Rainham Mark Grammar School.
Rainham is also home to the first ever oast house
theatre , where the Rainham Theatrical Society (RaTS) puts on regular performances.
and Medway Standard, both published by Kent Regional News and Media; and the Medway Messenger, published by the KM Group
. The area also has free newspapers in the Medway Extra (KM Group) and yourmedway (KOS Media
).
, owned by the KM Group. The area can also receive the county wide stations BBC Radio Kent
, Heart and Gold.
The Riverside Country Park
, which fronts on to the river Medway at Rainham Creek
, includes the promontory of Horrid Hill. Berengrave Local Nature Reserve
is located on the Lower Rainham Road.
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
, under the unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Medway
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
, in South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
, and part of the ceremonial county
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
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...
. Historically, Rainham was a separate village until, in 1928, it was added to the Municipal Borough of Gillingham, which had itself been created in 1903. It became part of the Medway authority when Gillingham was incorporated with the other towns to form Medway
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
Unitary Authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
in 1998.
Geography
Rainham is located on the dip slopeDip slope
A dip slope is a geological formation often created by erosion of tilted strata. Dip slopes are found on homoclinal ridges with one side that is steep and irregular and another side, the dip slope, that is generally planar with a dip parallel to the bedding...
of the North Downs
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs...
where it descends to 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....
; its maximum height is about 125m above sea level. There are three roads crossing the town. The M2 motorway runs along its southern edge, two miles (6 km) from the town centre. The main road through the town, the A2
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...
, follows the ancient Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
, the Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and 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....
. The most northerly road runs close to the southern bank of the river. The Chatham Main Line
Chatham Main Line
The Chatham Main Line is a British railway line that runs from either London Victoria to Dover Priory / Ramsgate or London St Pancras to Faversham, with both services travelling via Medway...
has a railway station
Rainham (Kent) railway station
Rainham railway station is on the Chatham Main Line in north Kent, between Gillingham and Newington. Train services are provided by Southeastern.Rainham station is 38 miles and 1694 yards from London Victoria, according to the mileage sign on the footbridge....
here. London is approximately 39 miles (62.4 km) to the west.
Park Wood estate, in the south of Rainham, was built mainly during the 1960s and 70s. Building this estate required the destruction of one of the last large areas of relict woodland in North Kent. The area towards Gillingham
Gillingham, Kent
Gillingham is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in South East England. It is part of the ceremonial county of Kent. The town includes the settlements of Brompton, Hempstead, Rainham, Rainham Mark and Twydall....
is known as Rainham Mark, named after an old ecclesiastical boundary: and Macklands is an older part of the town to the north. The Macklands Arms public house was named after Macklands Manor House. The manor house was home to members of the Mackay family, who owned a printing company in Chatham
Chatham, Medway
Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...
. Lower Rainham, once a separate village, is now also a part of the town.
Demographics
When the railway came in 1858 it brought an almost immediate increase in the size of the village; when the Chatham Main Line
Chatham Main Line
The Chatham Main Line is a British railway line that runs from either London Victoria to Dover Priory / Ramsgate or London St Pancras to Faversham, with both services travelling via Medway...
was electrified in 1959, as with all the places served by it, town growth began again. One of the results was the building of Park Wood estate (see above).
Amenities
Facilities
Rainham has a small shopping area, including the Rainham Shopping Centre precinct, with a few major shops. These include a TescoTesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
Metro, Iceland, Boots and Wilkinsons. There is a record store called MagicDiscs and a bakery called Goldings Bakery Ltd. The precinct has two different Lloyds Pharmacy chemists, and various dining places including a cafe called Bunkers. Other shops include Blockbuster and two different Sense charity shops (A standard and a large one). When the centre opened, there was a major branch of Lavells Newsagents. This became a branch of Bart in the late 80s and now trades as Iceland Frozen Foods. There is a smaller shopping precinct in Parkwood. Parkwood shopping centre has a few shops including The Co-Operative Food, Martin's the Newsagent, a chip shop, a pharmacy, a veterinary and a wine store. The town also has a library as well as several parks and a public swimming pool. This swimming pool is called Splashes and is near Cozenton Park and Rainham Mark Grammar School.
Rainham is also home to the first ever oast house
Oast house
An oast, oast house or hop kiln is a building designed for kilning hops as part of the brewing process. They can be found in most hop-growing areas and are often good examples of vernacular architecture...
theatre , where the Rainham Theatrical Society (RaTS) puts on regular performances.
Newspapers
Local newspapers for Rainham include Medway NewsMedway News
The Medway News is a weekly newspaper covering the Medway Towns in Kent, England. Established in 1855 as the Military Chronicle and Naval Spectator, it relaunched as the Chatham News and Rochester, Strood, Brompton & Gillingham Advertiser on Saturday 9 July, 1859...
and Medway Standard, both published by Kent Regional News and Media; and the Medway Messenger, published by the KM Group
KM Group
The KM Group, formerly known as the Kent Messenger Group until 2008, is a multimedia company based in the county of Kent in South East England...
. The area also has free newspapers in the Medway Extra (KM Group) and yourmedway (KOS Media
KOS Media
KOS Media is a multimedia company based in the county of Kent in South East England. The company operates local newspapers and internet sites throughout the county.-History:...
).
Radio
The local radio station for Rainham is KMFM MedwayKMFM Medway
KMFM Medway is an Independent Local Radio serving the Medway Towns and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:...
, owned by the KM Group. The area can also receive the county wide stations BBC Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent
BBC Radio Kent is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Kent.It broadcasts on FM on 96.7 , 97.6 and 104.2 also 774 and 1602 MW and DAB.- History :The radio station was launched in 1970 under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the...
, Heart and Gold.
Secondary schools
Rainham has three secondary schools:- The Howard SchoolThe Howard SchoolThe Howard School is the only Bi-lateral school in Kent and Rainham and one of the five bi-laterals in the whole of the United Kingdom. The school holds Sports College status.-Admissions:...
: a comprehensive school for boys - Rainham Mark Grammar SchoolRainham Mark Grammar SchoolRainham Mark Grammar School is the only co-educational selective grammar school in the Medway, Kent, UK area.-School Informtion:...
: selective school for which the Eleven plus exam has to be taken, open to both boys and girls - Rainham School for GirlsRainham School for GirlsRainham School for Girls is a secondary non-denominational all-girls school in Rainham, Gillingham, Kent, England. It is next to the all-boys school, The Howard School. It is a Technology College with 1554 pupils aged 11–18. It is joined with The Howard School for its sixth form...
: a comprehensive school for girls
Open spaces
Riverside Country Park
Riverside Country Park is a large coastal public park, situated alongside the River Medway estuary between Gillingham and Rainham. The park covers about 100 hectares Riverside Country Park is a large coastal public park, situated alongside the River Medway estuary between Gillingham and Rainham....
, which fronts on to the river Medway at Rainham Creek
Creek (tidal)
A tidal creek, tidal channel, or estuary is the portion of a stream that is affected by ebb and flow of ocean tides, in the case that the subject stream discharges to an ocean, sea or strait. Thus this portion of the stream has variable salinity and electrical conductivity over the tidal cycle...
, includes the promontory of Horrid Hill. Berengrave Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
is located on the Lower Rainham Road.