Hamstreet
The village of Hamstreet is often referred to as the Gateway to the Marsh, being located where the clay hills of the Weald of Kent meet Romney Marsh. The village is 6 miles south of Ashford and encompasses two parishes. The majority of Hamstreet falls withing Orlestone parish, whilst the western edge is located in Warehorne parish. The original location of the village is at Orlestone one mile to the north of the modern day village. Now just a hamlet, the parish church of St Mary's is located here and dates back to Norman times. It was the coming of the railway in 1851 that ultimately led to the growth of the village at the cross of the Ashford to New Romney Road and the Tenterden to Hythe road. This Ashford to Hastings line is one of only two remaining diesel lines in the provincial southeast. Hamstreet's central area comprises of many traditional Kentish weatherboard buildings and the oldest buildings, which include the former bakery and Middle Platt, are located in Warehorne Road. Indeed, before 20th century development the majority of Hamstreet's population would have lived within the parish of Warehorne. Hamstreet Woods nature reserve is a site of special scientific interest famed for wild service trees and nightingales. This, and Hamstreet's other public woodland, namely Orlestone Forest, would have once formed part of the huge forest of Anderida that traversed the entire Weald. The Royal Military Canal is located half a mile to the south of Hamstreet and the village's amenities make a welcome stop for ramblers exploring the 28-mile long public footpath along its length. The canal was built as a line of defence against a feared Napoleonic invasion. The 110-mile Greensand way starts at the village crossroads and runs to Haselmere in Surrey. The Saxon Shore Way long distance footpath also passes through the village. Hamstreet's moment of fame came in 1991 when maps of the village appeared on postage stamps countrywide to commemorate 200 years of the Ordnance Survey who commissioned their first map nearby.
Courtesy of www.hamstreet.info
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