Kent facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kent
Ceremonial county
The White Cliffs of Dover, stained glass depicting Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, and Rochester Castle
Ceremonial Kent within England Ceremonial Kent Historic Kent in the British Isles Historic Kent
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	South East
Established	Ancient
Time zone	UTC±00:00 (Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+01:00 (British Summer Time)
Members of Parliament	List of MPs
Police	Kent Police
Ceremonial county Lord Lieutenant Annabel Campbell High Sheriff Mrs Remony Millwater (2020/21) Area 3,736 km2 (1,442 sq mi)  • Ranked 10th of 48 Population (2005 est.) 1,621,000  • Ranked 7th of 48 Density 434/km2 (1,120/sq mi) Ethnicity 93.7% White (89.1% White British) Non-metropolitan county County council Kent County Council Executive Conservative Admin HQ Maidstone Area 3,544 km2 (1,368 sq mi)  • Ranked of 26 Population 1,369,900  • Ranked 1st of 26 Density 386/km2 (1,000/sq mi) ISO 3166-2 GB-KEN ONS code 29 GSS code E10000016 ITL UKJ42 Districts Districts of Kent   Unitary   County council area Districts Sevenoaks Dartford Gravesham Tonbridge and Malling Medway Maidstone Tunbridge Wells Swale Ashford City of Canterbury Folkestone and Hythe Thanet Dover

Kent is a county in the South East England region. It is the closest county in England to continental Europe. Kent shares borders with Essex to the north, across the River Thames estuary. To the south-east, it faces the French area of Pas-de-Calais across the Strait of Dover. East Sussex is to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Greater London to the north-west. The main town of the county is Maidstone.

Kent is the fifth most populated county in England. It is the most populated non-metropolitan county, meaning it does not have a large city at its center. It is also the most populated of the Home Counties, which are areas near London. These areas are often influenced by the capital, for example, many people travel to London for work. A big part of Kent (28%) is made up of two special natural areas: the North Downs and The High Weald.

Kent was one of the first places in Britain where Germanic tribes, especially the Jutes, settled after the Romans left. Canterbury Cathedral in Kent is the oldest cathedral in England. It has been the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury since Christianity began spreading in England in the 6th century. This started with Saint Augustine. Rochester Cathedral is England's second-oldest cathedral. Because it is located between London and the Strait of Dover, Kent has been important for both conflicts and peace talks. This includes the Battle of Britain during World War II and peace talks at Leeds Castle in 1978 and 2004.

England often relied on Kent's ports for warships throughout history. The Cinque Ports (from the 10th to 14th centuries) and Chatham Dockyard (from the 16th to 20th centuries) were very important. On clear days, you can see France from Folkestone and the famous White Cliffs of Dover. Hills like the North Downs and the Greensand Ridge run across the county. In the Vale of Holmesdale, between and south of these hills, you can find most of Kent's 26 castles.

Kent has important industries like farming, transport, and tourism. Since it is between London and Europe, it is a wealthy county. Farming is a big part of Kent's economy, which is why it is nicknamed "The Garden of England." It has many orchards and gardens. In north-west Kent, industries include making building materials, printing, and scientific research. Coal mining was also important in the past.

What's in a Name? The Etymology of Kent

The name Kent likely comes from an old Celtic word. It might mean 'coastal district,' 'corner-land,' or 'land on the edge.' For example, the Welsh word cant means 'bordering of a circle' or 'edge.' In old Latin writings, the area was called Cantia or Cantium. The Anglo-Saxons later called it Cent, Cent lond, or Centrice.

A Journey Through Time: The History of Kent

Kent was first lived in by early humans during the Stone Age. This was shown by a Neanderthal skull found at Swanscombe. Large stone monuments called Medway megaliths were built here in the New Stone Age. Many discoveries, like the Ringlemere gold cup, show that people lived here during the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Roman times.

Julius Caesar wrote about the area in 51 BC, calling it Cantium. He said it was home to the Cantiaci tribe. By the time of Roman Britain, the western part of modern Kent was home to another Celtic tribe called the Regni. Caesar wrote that the people of Kent were "by far the most civilised inhabitants of Britain."

After the Romans left, many Germanic people from Europe settled in Kent. They brought their language, which became Old English. While they pushed out most of the native Romano-British people, some likely stayed and mixed with the new settlers. The Jutes were the main tribe, and the area became a Jutish kingdom called Cantia around 730 AD and Cent in 835 AD. The people of Kent in the early Middle Ages were called the Cantwara. Canterbury was the biggest city in Kent.

In 597 AD, Pope Gregory I sent Saint Augustine to England. Augustine successfully convinced the pagan King Æthelberht of Kent to become Christian. The Diocese of Canterbury became England's first center for Christianity. Rochester Cathedral was the second English cathedral.

Kent was traditionally split into East and West Kent by the River Medway. People from east of the Medway are called "Men (or Maids) of Kent." Those from the west are called "Kentishmen or Kentish Maids." Some believe this split came from the Anglo-Saxon migrations, with Jutes settling mainly in the east and Saxons in the west.

In the 11th century, the people of Kent adopted the motto Invicta, meaning "undefeated." This happened after William of Normandy invaded Britain. He could not fully conquer Kent, so they negotiated special terms. Kent's continued resistance led to it becoming a special, semi-independent area in 1067. Under William's half-brother, Odo of Bayeux, Kent was given similar powers to areas bordering Wales and Scotland.

During the Middle Ages and early modern period, Kent was involved in several important rebellions in England. These included the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, led by Wat Tyler. There was also Jack Cade's rebellion in 1450, and Wyatt's Rebellion in 1554 against Queen Mary I.

The Royal Navy first used the River Medway in 1547. By the time of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603), a small dockyard was set up at Chatham. By 1618, more buildings, a rope-making area, a drydock, and houses for officials were built downstream from Chatham.

By the 17th century, conflicts with the Netherlands and France led to more military buildings in Kent. Forts were built along the coast after the raid on the Medway in 1667. This was a successful attack by the Dutch navy on the shipyards in the Medway towns.

The 18th century saw many wars with France. The Medway became the main base for the British fleet. Later, Portsmouth and Plymouth took over this role, and Chatham focused on building and repairing ships. Because of its military importance, the first ever Ordnance Survey map (a detailed map) was a map of Kent, published in 1801. Many old naval buildings from that time still stand.

In the early 19th century, smugglers were very active on the Kent coast. Gangs like The Aldington Gang brought illegal goods like spirits, tobacco, and salt into the county. They also transported goods like wool across the sea to France.

In 1889, the County of London was created. It took over local control of parts of north-west Kent. These included towns like Greenwich and Woolwich. However, in 1900, Kent gained the district of Penge. Some parts of Kent, like Dartford, are now very close to the spreading urban area of Greater London.

Originally, the border between Kent and Sussex (now East Sussex) ran through Tunbridge Wells and Lamberhurst. In 1894, parts of these towns that were in East Sussex became part of Kent.

During World War II, much of the Battle of Britain was fought in the skies over Kent. Between June 1944 and March 1945, over 10,000 V1 flying bombs, also called "Doodlebugs," were fired at London from northern France. Many were shot down, but about 2,500 of these bombs hit London and Kent.

After the war, Kent's borders changed a few more times. In 1965, the London boroughs of Bromley and Bexley were created from nine towns that used to be in Kent. In 1998, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, and Rainham formed their own local authority called Medway.

For almost 900 years, a small part of East London (the North Woolwich area) was part of Kent.

Exploring the Land: Geography of Kent

Kent is in the south-eastern corner of England. It borders the Thames Estuary and the North Sea to the north. To the south, it borders the Straits of Dover and the English Channel. France is only about 34 kilometers (21 miles) away across the Strait.

The main features of Kent's landscape are ridges and valleys that run from east to west. These were formed by the wearing away of the Wealden dome. This dome, which covers Kent and Sussex, was created by mountain-building movements millions of years ago. The dome has layers of chalk, Upper Greensand, Gault Clay, Lower Greensand, Weald Clay, and Wealden sandstone. The ridges and valleys formed because the softer clay wore away faster than the harder chalk, greensand, or sandstone.

Towns like Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Ashford, and Folkestone are built on greensand. Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells are on sandstone. Towns like Dartford, Gravesend, the Medway towns, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Canterbury, Deal, and Dover are built on chalk. The eastern part of the Wealden dome has been worn away by the sea. This is why you see cliffs like the White Cliffs of Dover where a chalk ridge, called the North Downs, meets the coast. The Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty stretches between Dover and Westerham.

The Wealden dome sits on an older rock base, which can create conditions for coal to form. Coal is found in East Kent, roughly between Deal, Canterbury, and Dover. The coal layers are about 250 to 400 meters (820 to 1,310 feet) deep and can be prone to flooding. They are found in two large troughs that extend under the English Channel.

Sometimes, small earthquakes happen in Kent, but their centers are usually offshore. In 1382 and 1580, there were two strong earthquakes. In 2007, an earthquake caused some damage in Folkestone. Another quake in 2015 caused little damage.

Kent's coastline is always changing due to land rising and coastal erosion. For example, the Isle of Thanet used to be an island until about 960 AD. The channels around it filled up with mud and sand over time. Similarly, Romney Marsh and Dungeness have been formed by the build-up of mud and sand.

Kent's main river is the River Medway. It starts near East Grinstead in Sussex and flows east to Maidstone. Then it turns north, cuts through the North Downs at Rochester, and joins the River Thames estuary near Sheerness. The Medway is about 112 kilometers (70 miles) long. The river's water level changes with the tides up to Allington lock. In the past, boats carrying goods could travel as far upstream as Tonbridge. Other rivers in Kent include the River Stour in the east.

A study in 2014 found that Kent has large amounts of shale oil. This oil could create jobs and help the UK be more self-sufficient in energy. However, getting this oil out of the ground requires fracking, which environmental groups oppose.

Weather and Climate

Kent is one of the warmest parts of Britain. On August 10, 2003, the temperature in Brogdale near Faversham reached 38.5°C (101.3°F). At that time, this was the highest temperature ever officially recorded in the United Kingdom. It is still the hottest August day ever recorded.

How Kent is Governed

Most of Kent is managed by Kent County Council (KCC) and its 12 local district councils. The area known as the Medway Towns, which is more densely populated, is managed by its own council, Medway Council. Together, these areas have about 300 smaller town and parish councils. KCC's main office is in Maidstone, while Medway's office is in Chatham.

In the 2013 county council elections, the Conservatives won control of Kent County Council. They won 44 out of 83 seats. Other parties also won seats, including the UK Independence Party, the Labour Party, and the Liberal Democrats.

At the national level, Kent is represented in the Parliament by 17 Members of Parliament (MPs). Most of these MPs are Conservative.

Who Lives in Kent? Demographics

At the 2011 census, Kent, including Medway, had over 1.7 million residents. There were over 711,000 households and 743,000 homes. In Kent (not including Medway), 51.1% of the population was female. In Medway, this was 50.4%.

The tables below show information for the administrative county of Kent, which means Medway is not included.

Main household types

Married couples with/without children	Sole occupants	Unmarried couples with/without children	Lone parents	Shared homes and institutions
210,671	174,331 of which 79,310 over aged 65	63,750	60,645	77,877

Claimants of JSA or Income Support (DWP)

Unit	Claimants		Population (April 2011)
	August 2012	August 2001
Kent	55,100	89,470	1,463,740
% of 2011 Kent resident population (2001 population where applicable)	3.8%	6.7%	-
Three highest-ranking districts
Thanet	6.5%	11.3%	134,186
Folkestone and Hythe	4.9%	8.9%	107,969
Swale	4.8%	7.5%	135,835
Three lowest-ranking districts
Tonbridge and Malling	2.5%	4.4%	120,805
Sevenoaks	2.3%	4.3%	114,893
Tunbridge Wells	2.2%	5.1%	115,049

Kent's Economy and Industries

In 2001, about 41.1% of people in Kent (including Medway) worked full-time. 12.4% worked part-time, and 9.1% were self-employed. 2.9% were unemployed. About 16% of residents aged 16–74 had a higher education degree, compared to 20% nationwide.

The average work week for males in Kent was 43.1 hours, and for females, it was 30.9 hours. The main industries where people worked were retail (17.3%), manufacturing (12.4%), and real estate (11.8%).

Kent is sometimes called the "Garden of England" because of its many orchards and hop gardens. The county grows a lot of fruit, strawberries, and hazelnuts. You can often see special hop-drying buildings called oasts in the countryside. Many of these have been turned into homes. Near London, there are also many market gardens. Kent is the main area for hazelnut production in the UK.

However, farming has become less common in recent years. Industries and services are growing more important. This change is shown in the table below, which tracks economic output (GVA) between 1995 and 2003.

Year	Regional GVA	Agriculture		Industry		Services
County of Kent (excluding Medway)
1995	12,369	379	3.1%	3,886	31.4%	8,104	65.5%
2000	15,259	259	1.7%	4,601	30.2%	10,399	68.1%
2003	18,126	287	1.6%	5,057	27.9%	12,783	70.5%
Medway
1995	1,823	21	3.1%	560	31.4%	1,243	68.2%
2000	2,348	8	1.7%	745	30.2%	1,595	67.9%
2003	2,671	10	1.6%	802	27.9%	1,859	69.6%

Components may not sum to totals due to rounding

includes energy and construction

includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured

North Kent has many factories. These include cement-making at Northfleet and Cuxton, brickmaking at Sittingbourne, and shipbuilding on the Medway. There is also engineering and aircraft design at Rochester, chemicals at Dartford, and oil refining at Grain. There is a steel mill in Sheerness and a rolling mill in Queenborough. Two nuclear power stations are at Dungeness. The older one, Dungeness A, stopped operating in 2006.

Cement-making, papermaking, and coal-mining were important in Kent during the 19th and 20th centuries. Cement became very important in the 19th century due to huge building projects. The large chalk pits between Stone and Gravesend show how big this industry was.

Kent's first paper mills were on streams like the River Darent. Later, large modern mills were built at Dartford and Northfleet on the River Thames. In the past, almost every village had its own windmill or watermill. Over 400 windmills are known to have existed at some point. Today, 28 still stand in the county. All the major rivers in Kent were used to power watermills.

From about 1900, several coal mines operated in East Kent. The Kent Coalfield was mined throughout the 20th century. Mines like Chislet and Snowdown operated until 1986.

The western part of Kent, including Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks, has fewer people claiming low-income benefits compared to coastal areas like Dover and Thanet. West and Central Kent have long been home to many people who travel to London for work.

Kent's Rich Culture

Buildings and Architecture

Kent's location between the Strait of Dover and London has shaped its architecture. Its geology, good farmland, and fine building clays have also played a role. Kent's countryside has many small settlements due to an old inheritance system. There were no large open fields. Two big abbeys, Christ Church, Canterbury and St Augustine's Abbey, owned large areas of land. Canterbury Cathedral is the main cathedral in the UK. It was founded in 598 AD and shows building styles from all periods. There are nine Anglo-Saxon churches in Kent. Rochester Cathedral is England's second-oldest cathedral. These two cathedrals made sure every village had a church.

The Romans and the Dukes of Kent fortified sites like Richborough Castle and Dover Castle. Other important sites include the Canterbury city walls and Rochester Castle. There was always a need to defend London, and thus Kent. Deal Castle, Walmer Castle, and Sandown Castle were built in later medieval times. More recently, HM Dockyard at Chatham and its surrounding forts, like Upnor Castle, were built.

Kent has three unique types of traditional buildings: the oast house (for drying hops), the Wealden hall house, and Kentish peg-tiles.

Kent has special trusts to maintain its bridges. While the large medieval bridge at Rochester was replaced, older bridges still stand at Aylesford, Yalding, and Teston. In the late 20th century, motorways brought new bridges, like the M2 motorway bridge over the Medway and the Dartford Bridge over the Thames.

Writers and Books

Kent has inspired many famous writers and artists. Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales was set in Canterbury and was very important for the English language. The father of novelist Charles Dickens worked at the Chatham Dockyard. Dickens often wrote about the places in Chatham, Rochester, and the Cliffe marshes in his books. William Golding, who won the Nobel Prize, taught at Maidstone Grammar School in the 1930s.

William Caxton, who brought the first printing press to England, was born in Kent. His invention helped many Kent dialect words become standard in English. Lord Northbourne hosted a farming conference in Kent in 1939. He created the term 'organic farming' and published his ideas, starting a global movement for sustainable food.

Music and Arts

Many famous musicians have connections to Kent. Walter Galpin Alcock, a composer and organist, was born in Edenbridge in 1861. Richard Rodney Bennett, a composer, was born in Broadstairs in 1936. Alfred Deller, a singer, was born in Margate in 1912. Orlando Gibbons, a composer, is buried in Canterbury Cathedral. George Frideric Handel visited Royal Tunbridge Wells in the 1730s. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his family stayed near Canterbury in 1765. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a Russian composer, stayed in Gravesend in the 1860s. Malcolm Sargent, a conductor, was born in Ashford in 1895.

Many important artists came from Kent. These include Thomas Sidney Cooper, who painted landscapes with farm animals. Richard Dadd was known for his fairy paintings. Mary Tourtel created the famous children's character, Rupert Bear. The artist Clive Head was also born in Kent. The landscape painter J. M. W. Turner spent part of his childhood in Margate and often returned there. The East Kent coast inspired many of his famous sea paintings. Other artists who lived in Kent include Frank Auerbach and Tracey Emin.

In the 19th century, Kent had the most art schools in the country. This might be because it was a front-line county during the Napoleonic Wars. Draughtsmen (people who draw maps) were used to map battlefields. After the wars, many settled in Kent. Some small art schools grew into larger ones, like Canterbury College of Art, founded in 1868. Today, it is the University for the Creative Arts.

Blean near Canterbury was home to Smallfilms. This company created popular children's TV shows like Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, and Bagpuss.

Performing Arts

The largest theatre in Kent is the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury.

Music festivals in Kent include Chilled in a Field Festival, Electric Gardens, and Hop Farm Festival. Other places for live music are Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone and the Assembly Hall in Tunbridge Wells.

Kentish Pride

People from Kent have long felt a strong connection to their county. They often call themselves 'Men of Kent' or 'Kentish men,' depending on which side of the River Medway they live on. After the 2016 Brexit referendum, there were talks about "border checks" on Kent's border. This led to some people, especially local newspapers, jokingly suggesting an independent Kent or an autonomous republic within the UK. This pride and rebellious spirit in Kent can be explained by its history. It was an important and independent kingdom for centuries and the starting point for many major rebellions in the UK.

Getting Around: Transport in Kent

Roads

When the Romans invaded, they built roads to connect London to the Channel ports like Dover. These roads are now roughly the A2, A20, and A21. The A2 goes through Dartford, Gravesend, Rochester, Canterbury, and Dover. The A20 goes through Maidstone and Ashford. The A21 goes around Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells. In the 1960s, two motorways were built: the M2 and the M20. Part of the M25 also runs through Kent. The M26 motorway connects the M25 and M20. Kent has more motorways by distance than any other county in the UK, totaling 173 kilometers (107 miles).

Before Britain left the European Union, the government planned to create a special system for lorries entering Kent. This was to manage expected queues of thousands of lorries at ports like Folkestone and Dover. Large lorries now need a 24-hour Kent Access Permit (KAP) to enter Kent if they plan to cross to the EU via Dover or the Eurotunnel.

Waterways

The medieval Cinque Ports, except for the Port of Dover, have now filled with silt. The Medway Estuary has been an important port and naval base for 500 years. The River Medway is tidal up to Allington and boats can travel up to Tonbridge. Kent has two canals: the Royal Military Canal (still existing) and the Thames and Medway Canal (partially filled in by railways). Container ports are at Ramsgate and Thamesport. The Woolwich Ferry is the only domestic ferry service in the wider Kent area.

Railways

The first train line in Britain that carried passengers using a locomotive was the Canterbury & Whitstable Railway, opened in 1830. This and other early lines later joined to form the South Eastern Railway (SER). By the 1850s, SER's network reached Ashford, Ramsgate, and Canterbury. Kent also had another major railway, the London, Chatham & Dover Railway.

The two companies merged in 1899. Britain's railways became nationalized in 1948, forming British Railways. The railways were privatized in 1996.

The Channel Tunnel was finished in 1994. High Speed 1, a high-speed rail line, opened in 2007, connecting Kent to London St Pancras. A new station, Ebbsfleet International, opened between Dartford and Gravesend. This high-speed line helps provide faster train service to coastal towns like Ramsgate and Folkestone.

Besides the main railways, Kent has several smaller, historic, and industrial railways. There are three heritage railways: Spa Valley Railway near Tunbridge Wells, East Kent Railway, and the Kent & East Sussex Railway. There is also the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway along the Dungeness peninsula. Finally, there is the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway, which used to be a paper factory railway.

Air Travel

Charter flights (private flights) are available from Lydd Airport at Lydd.

In 2002, the government thought about building a new airport near Cliffe on the Hoo Peninsula. This plan was stopped in 2003 after protests. However, other plans for a Thames Estuary Airport on the Kent coast later came up. These included the Thames Hub Airport and the London Britannia Airport, sometimes called "Boris Island." Both of these ideas were dropped in 2014.

Manston Airport, near Manston, was a former RAF base that also handled some civilian flights. It closed in 2014.

Learning in Kent: Education

Kent has four universities. These are Canterbury Christ Church University, University of Kent, University of Greenwich, and the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).

While most of Britain changed to a comprehensive education system in the 1970s, Kent County Council (KCC) and Medway Unitary Authority still use a selective education system. Students take an eleven-plus exam. Based on their results, they are given a place at either a secondary modern school or a grammar school.

Together, Kent and Medway have 38 of the 164 grammar schools left in Britain. Kent County Council has the largest education department of any local council in Britain. It provides school places for over 289,000 students.

In 2005–06, Kent County Council and Medway started using a standardized school year with six terms. Kent County Council Local Education Authority manages 96 secondary schools. Of these, 33 are selective grammar schools and 63 are secondary modern schools.

Schools in Kent (data from 2000)
LEA	Nursery	Primary	Secondary (modern)	Secondary (grammar)	Special	Pupil Referral Units	Independent	City Technology College	Total
KCC	1	475	74	32	34	11	83	1	711
Medway	0	89	14	6	3	1	7	0	120

Music education is provided by Kent Music. It offers services across the county, including the Kent County Youth Orchestra and Kent Youth Choirs.

National Challenge Schools

In 2010, Kent had the highest number of "National Challenge schools" in England. These schools were considered "failing" if less than 30% of their students achieved at least 5 GCSE grades A* to C. Of Kent's 63 secondary modern schools, 33 did not meet this target. This meant 52% of Kent's secondary modern schools were considered "failing."

Sports in Kent

In football, Kent's highest-ranked team is Gillingham FC (nicknamed 'The Gills'). They play in EFL League Two. Maidstone United was a Football League team from 1989 to 1992. Other Kent clubs in higher levels of non-league football include the current Maidstone United and Dover Athletic. Dartford plays in the sixth tier of English football.

Kent is represented in cricket by Kent County Cricket Club. The club was a founding member of the County Championship in 1890 and has won it seven times. The club's main ground is the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury. Cricket has always been popular in Kent, and it is believed to be one of the places where the game first developed. The Kent Cricket League is the top club competition in Kent.

Canterbury Hockey Club and Holcombe Hockey Club both play in the top division of the men's and women's England Hockey Leagues. Sevenoaks Hockey Club's women's team plays in the second tier.

The Invicta Dynamos, based in Gillingham, are a semi-professional ice hockey team. They play in the National Ice Hockey League. They share their home rink with the Invicta Mustangs and the ladies' team, the Invicta Dynamics.

In rugby union, Tonbridge Juddians and Canterbury RFC play in the fourth tier of English rugby. Gravesend RFC plays in the seventh tier. Blackheath FC, a club within the historic county, also plays in the fourth tier.

In motorsport, the Brands Hatch circuit near Swanley has hosted many national and international racing events. It hosted the British Grand Prix 12 times between 1964 and 1986.

Kent has also been home to several American football teams. The East Kent Mavericks are based in Canterbury.

Kent is home to two National League netball clubs: Telstars and KCNC. In basketball, the Kent Panthers play in Division 3 of the National Basketball League.

News and Media in Kent

Television

Most of Kent gets its TV news from BBC South East, based in Tunbridge Wells. Its commercial rival is ITV Meridian Ltd, which has a newsroom at The Maidstone Studios. Main TV transmitters are near Dover and Maidstone. Parts of Kent closer to London, like Dartford and Sevenoaks, receive their TV signals from the Crystal Palace transmitter.

Radio

Kent has two county-wide radio stations: BBC Radio Kent, based in Tunbridge Wells, and the commercial station KMFM. KMFM used to have seven local stations but now shares all programming.

Kent's first commercial station was Invicta FM, which started broadcasting in 1984. It later became Heart Kent in 2009. This station closed in 2019 and merged with other Heart stations in the south of England.

There are also several community radio stations in Kent, including:

• Academy FM (Folkestone)
• Academy FM (Thanet)
• Ashford FM (Ashford) on 107.1 FM
• BRFM 95.6 FM (Sheppey)
• Cabin FM (Herne Bay) on 94.6FM
• Cinque Ports Radio 100.2FM (Romney Marsh, Rye, Hythe)
• CSR 97.4FM (Canterbury) - now online only
• Deal Radio (Deal) - online only
• Dover Community Radio (DCR) (Dover) - currently online only, will broadcast on 104.9FM from May 2022
• Radio Faversham (Faversham) - online only
• Maidstone Community Radio (MCR) - online only
• Miskin Radio (Dartford and Gravesend) - online only
• SFM 106.9FM (Sittingbourne)
• Sheppey FM 92.2 (Sheppey)
• Shoreline Easy (Romney Marsh) - online only
• West Kent Radio (WKCR) (Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks) on 95.5 and 106.7FM
• Whitstable Bay Radio (Whitstable) - online only

Newspapers

The KM Group, KOS Media, and Kent Regional News and Media all provide local newspapers for most of Kent's towns and cities. County-wide papers include the Kent Messenger and the Kent and Sussex Courier.

Images for kids

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  Ceremonial Kent within England

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  Historic Kent in the British Isles

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  The White Cliffs of Dover

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  Stained glass depicting Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral

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  Rochester Castle

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  Districts of Kent

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  An early mention of Kent in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

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  The flag of the historic county of Kent

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  Title page of William Lambarde's Perambulation of Kent (published in 1576)

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  Hand-drawn map of Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Middlesex from 1575.

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  The White Cliffs of Dover

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  View of the White Cliffs of Dover from France

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  A map of Romney Marsh from 1662.

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  Geological cross-section of Kent

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  The coat of arms of Kent County Council

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  Converted oast houses at Frittenden

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  Canterbury Cathedral

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  The M2 motorway and High Speed 1 crossing the Medway Valley

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  A 300 km/h (186 mph) Eurostar train on High Speed 1, near Strood

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  Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway

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  Priestfield Stadium, home of Gillingham FC

See also

In Spanish: Kent para niños