Lower Halstow
Encyclopedia
Lower Halstow is a village located in Kent
, England
. The village is situated on the banks of the Medway
Estuary and it has a long and interesting history, with evidence of constant occupation since the iron age
. Being so close to the water, Lower Halstow has (until recently) been a village that has made its living from the water – in one way or another. Whether it be ancient pottery making, ancient fishing
, or in the 19th and 20th century brick
-making, the water has been the lifeblood of the village.
The name of the village has developed gradually over the years: Holy Place (Halig stow) Pronounced "ail-stoo", with a long "oo" as in "through". c. 1100; Halgastaw, 1160; Halgastow, 1199; Halegestowe, 1226; Halgesto, 1576; Halstowe, 1610; Halstoe, c1790; Halstow, 1810 – Lower Halstow.
The church is a historian's delight with some fascinating features and ancient artifacts that are still in use today. The church can trace its oldest parts back to the 7th century, making it one of the oldest churches still in use in England. Some points of interest are:
called Radio Halstow, a commentary on rural life from this small village in Kent. Its produced and hosted by Paul A.T. Wilson (local historian
and resident) who was also responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Village website, formerly an Editor of the Village Newsletter and held a position as a Parish Councillor for a number of years.
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 village is situated on the banks of the 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...
Estuary and it has a long and interesting history, with evidence of constant occupation since the iron age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. Being so close to the water, Lower Halstow has (until recently) been a village that has made its living from the water – in one way or another. Whether it be ancient pottery making, ancient fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, or in the 19th and 20th century brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
-making, the water has been the lifeblood of the village.
The name of the village has developed gradually over the years: Holy Place (Halig stow) Pronounced "ail-stoo", with a long "oo" as in "through". c. 1100; Halgastaw, 1160; Halgastow, 1199; Halegestowe, 1226; Halgesto, 1576; Halstowe, 1610; Halstoe, c1790; Halstow, 1810 – Lower Halstow.
St Margaret's of Antioch Church
Huddled down on the banks of the Medway Estuary is the church of St Margaret's of Antioch. This church has a fascinating history that can be traced back to Saxon England. The first recorded Parish Priest is John de London who is nephew to St Thomas Becket.The church is a historian's delight with some fascinating features and ancient artifacts that are still in use today. The church can trace its oldest parts back to the 7th century, making it one of the oldest churches still in use in England. Some points of interest are:
- Roman Tiles built into the brickwork (taken from a Roman Villa and Temple in the village)
- A Saxon Window built into the wall of the church
- An ancient Norman Lead Font – very rare and possibly the oldest in the country
- Medieval Frescos and Graffiti – a statement of what life was like in pre-reformation England
- A war memorial for the men of the village who died in the Great War
Village Podcast
In August 2007, Lower Halstow started to produce a PodcastPodcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
called Radio Halstow, a commentary on rural life from this small village in Kent. Its produced and hosted by Paul A.T. Wilson (local historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and resident) who was also responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Village website, formerly an Editor of the Village Newsletter and held a position as a Parish Councillor for a number of years.