Faversham

Faversham, the oldest market town in Kent and recorded in the Domesday Book, is bursting with history and located on a winding creek. With an amazing array of independent shops, captivating places to visit, walking and a reputation for fine foods, Faversham is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy a short break.

Faversham is first mentioned in a royal charter of 811AD, where it is described as the King's Town.
The town is 48 miles (77 km) from London and 10 miles (16 km) from Canterbury, and lies next to the Swale, a strip of sea separating mainland Kent from the Isle of Sheppey in the Thames Estuary. It is close to the A2, which follows an ancient British trackway which was used by the Romans and the Anglo-Saxons, and known as Watling Street. The Faversham name is of Latin via Old English origin, meaning "the metal-worker's village".

There has been a settlement at Faversham since pre-Roman times, next to the ancient sea port on Faversham Creek. It was inhabited by the Saxons and mentioned in the Domesday book as Favreshant. The town was favoured by King Stephen who established Faversham Abbey, which sur-vived until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538.

Subsequently, the town became an important seaport and established itself as a centre for brewing, and the Shepherd Neame Brewery, founded in 1698, remains a significant major employer.

The town was also the centre of the explosives industry between the 17th and early 20th century, before a decline follow-ing an accident in 1916 which killed over 100 workers. This coincided with a revival of the shipping industry in the town. Faversham has a number of landmarks, with several his-toric churches including St Mary of Charity, Faversham Parish Church, the Maison Dieu and Faversham Recreation Ground. Faversham Market has been established for over 900 years and is still based in the town centre. There are good road and rail links, including a Southeastern service to the High Speed 1 line at Ebbsfleet International and London.