Surrounding Villages
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Paddlesworth
Paddlesworth is a village located about 3 miles NNW of Folkestone in Kent, near Hawkinge.
Paddlesworth was a sighting-point for the Anglo-French Survey ( 1784-1790) linking the Royal Greenwich Observatory with the Paris Observatory, undertaken by General William Roy. A chain of readings was made from high points between the two observatories, including locally from Dover Castle, St Peter’s Church, Swingfield, and Aldington Knoll.
The Early Norman Anglican parish church is dedicated to St Oswald. It was built in the 11th century or earlier but underwent alteration in the 13th and restoration in the 19th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
It is said of Paddlesworth that it has the “Highest Church, Lowest Steeple, Poorest Parish, Fewest People”. These words can be seen carved in a circle round the edge of the village sign.
The local Public House is ‘The Cat and Custard Pot’ and was a popular haunt of
Spitfire pilots and RAF personnel during the second world war.
Acrise
Acrise is an ecclesiastical and civil parish in Shepway District, Kent, England, about six miles north of Folkestone. The settlement derives its name from Old English, ‘Acrise’ being a development of the Old English term for “Oak Rise”. The parish being on a small hill, still populated with old oak trees.
The parish includes three particularly significant buildings. The 18th century Acrise Place is a manor house. The medieval church of St Martin (which now stands within the grounds of the big house) is of Norman origin. The Old Rectory is a very fine example of a parsonage dwelling of its era and is a grade II listed building. The civil parish meets at a Parish Meeting.
Densole
Densole is a small village in Kent located close to Hawkinge on the A260. It is three miles from Folkestone and 12 miles from Canterbury. There are several caravan and camping sites along the main Canterbury Road, as well as the Reinden Woodland. There is one pub, The Black Horse, on the Canterbury Road.
Selsted and Shepway
Selsted and Shepway are villages and civil parishes in the Shepway district of Kent.