If you would like to attend we are meeting at the Brompton Road entrance (opposite Medway Park) at 10am. 

Equipment and refreshments will be provided. All welcome

We hope to see you there.

The Friends of the Admiral’s Gardens (the Lower Lines Park, next to MidKent College in Gillingham) is holding a litter pick on Saturday 19 May. 

If you would like to attend please meet in the playground area in the park, at 10:00 am.

Equipment will be provided. All welcome.

The group is also planning a series of community events over the Diamond Jubilee Holiday.

To find out more, contact Adam Price on 07976 969912 ]]> http://www.chathamworldheritage.org.uk/friends-of-admiral-gardens/feed 0 http://www.chathamworldheritage.org.uk/come-join-the-guided-historic-walks http://www.chathamworldheritage.org.uk/come-join-the-guided-historic-walks#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 11:12:19 +0000 Mike http://www.chathamworldheritage.org.uk/?p=1452 Guided Historic Walks
 
Join the Royal Engineers Museum Library and Archive and the Brompton History Research Group in celebrating the 200th anniversary the Royal Engineers in Brompton with the Heritage Lottery Funded Brompton 200: Civilian Life in a Military Village.
 
From Sunday May 13th to Sunday 9th September the Royal Engineers Museum Library and Archive (REMLA) and Brompton History Research Group will be running a number of guided tours of Brompton Village and the Chatham Lines. As you walk in the footsteps of people long passed, compare historic images with what can be seen today. See how much (or in some cases, how little) has changed over the years. The historic images give you a glimpse of how the area looked fifty, one hundred, or more years ago. See what your ancestors would have seen if they had been stood on the same ground you are walking over. As you travel learn a little of the history of the place, of the people who once stood where you stand.
 
There are two different walks that compliment one another – the first deals with the historic fortuifications built to defend the Dockyard and which were so instrumental in shaping the area we see today; the other shows you the civilian village at the heart of this military area, the village of Brompton. You can choose whether you wish to go on just one or both of these walks.
 
Places are limited for these guided walks so booking is essential. To book your place or to get more information contact: Amy Adams: 01634 822261/01634 822839 or e-mail: assistant-curator@rhqre.co.uk
 
Chatham Lines Guided Historic Walk
Approximate Length: 2.5mi (4km)
Approximate time: 1½-2hours
 
This walk, starting at the Royal Engineers Museum, traces the line of the fortifications of Chatham Lines. Stretching from Fort Amherst northwards to the river near Gillingham,. The Lines were first built in 1756 to defend Chatham Dockyard, and were constantly remodelled during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. By the late nineteenth century, after they had fallen out of defensive use, much of the southern part became parkland for the soldiers of the Chatham Garrison and their families, whilst the northern end continued to be used for barracks, siege exercises and specialist military training and research. The Lines saw a return to their defensive use during the Second World War. 
 
The Lines are intact for most of their original length and this walk will take you along them, through pleasant wooded and open park-land. Discover the long and fascinating history of these defences, both in wartime and peacetime. Refreshments will be provided at the Museum after the walk.
 
There is some uneven (and possibly muddy) ground on this walk, so practical footwear is recommended, and parts may not offer easy wheelchair access.
 
Brompton Village Guided Historic Walk
Approximnate Length: 1mi (1.5km)
Approximate Time: 2-2½ hours
 
The village of Brompton was, from its start a planned settlement. For those who know Brompton it will come as no surprise that the first building there was a pub, erected before 1700, on what would later become Brompton High Street. Brompton grew rapidly, although its growth was held in check when the Crown purchased a large part of the area surrounding it to build Chatham Lines, and isolating it even more from the surrounding towns and villages. Despite its limited room to expand, Brompton was, in it’s heyday during the age of sail, the major commercial and social centre of the Parish of Gillingham, and an important adjunct to the growing metropolis of nearby Chatham. The civilian settlement became an island in a sea of Military and Naval establishments.
 
Following the age of sail the village went into something of a decline as the dockyard expanded and the railways arrived. Unable to expand, confined as it was in its Military world, the towns of New Brompton and Gillingham, along with Chatham, grew to eclipse it. Despite this gradual decline in importance, Brompton has always clung to its own identity, those restrictions that limited its expansion also serving to stop it being engulfed by neighbouring growth as happened to so many other small villages in the Medway Towns.
 
This walk around the village will help bring to life the bustling shopping center and packed residential area that Brompton was from its founding until recent times. You might be surprised at the past of this now quiet area!
 
This walk is on paved areas, although there are a few steps at one part of the walk.
 
Schedule of Dates
 
The daytime events consist of both walks (book for just one or both of them), with time between them for refreshments, lunch or exploring the Museum. Brompton offers several family-friendly pubs providing lunch, as well as a cafe and chip shop.   There are also several shops selling drinks and snacks.
 
Sunday 13th May
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Saturday 26th May
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Sunday 10th June
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Saturday 23rd June
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Thursday 28th June
5.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Sunday 8th July
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Thursday 12th July
5.30pm Chatham Lines Walk
 
Thursday 19 July
10.30am Chatham Lines Walk
2.00pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Saturday 28th July
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Thursday 2nd August 
5.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Sunday 12th August
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Friday 17th August
10.30am Chatham Lines Walk
2.00pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Saturday 25th August
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk
 
Sunday 9th September
11.00am Chatham Lines Walk
2.30pm Brompton Village Walk 

Saturday 19^th May 13:00-16:00

At the Royal Engineers Museum, Library and Archive

pop in for a cup of tea and a chat!

If you visited, worked or lived in Brompton, in the ‘40s, ‘50s or ‘60s (or earlier) why not come along to this free session and share your memories. Refreshments are provided and if you have photos or documents of your memories of Brompton please bring them along to share with the group. 

This session is part of

‘Brompton 200: Civilian Life in a Military Village’

A Heritage Lottery Funded community project

Join the Royal Engineers Museum Library and Archive and the Brompton History Research Group in celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Royal Engineers in Brompton in 2012.

For more information please contact: Amy Adams on

(01634) 822261 or assistant-curator@rhqre.co.uk alternatively visit www.re-museum.co.uk

A FUSE festival SPARK commission 2012

Jane Pitt has been commissioned by FUSE Festival to create a one off floating choir of  100 people from the Medway Towns.  While you gracefully paddle up the Medway aboard the Kingswear Castle Paddle Steamer the participants will vocalise specially composed rhythms and sounds of their river led by Jane; whilst taking in the view of their hometowns from the water during the 2 hour circular late afternoon trip leaving from Rochester Pier on 11 June 2012.

The journey will be recorded & photographed live; edited sounds & images (photographed by Sara Norling & Mike Snarr) will be installed inside the unique Kent Cultural Baton silver airstream caravan (designed by artist Nicole Mollett) for everyone to enjoy over the FUSE weekend at Chatham Riverside & Rochester Castle 16th & 17th June. With special thanks to Kingswear Castle Paddlesteamer.

This opportunity is open to individuals and groups of all backgrounds aged 17 – 100…

Jane would like to invite you to be part of this festive voyage.

Places are FREE but limited please Contact Jane at: rizound@gmail.com for more details and to register your interest by 30 April 2012

Please include your name & phone number in the email

Jane will then arrange to talk to you more about the project.

Absolutely no singing experience is needed, just your voices and a festive spirit

The deadline for feedback is the 26th March 2012.

Plan can be viewed at: www.medway.gov.uk/environmentandplanning/greenspaceservices/greenspacenews.aspx

If you could email Clare Lanes with your comments on the Draft Management Plan it would be really appreciated & really helpful

Her Email address is clare.lane@medway.gov.uk

Clare is hoping to propose to adopt the plan on the 16th April 2012.

Thanks for all your help.

Registration to commence from 6pm with the meeting starting at 6:30pm.

 An agenda for the evening will be issued later – if you would like reserve a place, please let Chatham World Heritage know by Tuesday 27th March 2012.

To do this please either email Chathamworldheritage@medway.gov.uk or alternatively contact Nicola Moy on (01634) 334319

We hope to hear from you soon.

The Friends of the Admiral’s Gardens (the Lower Lines Park, next to MidKent College in Gillingham) will hold their first litter pick on Saturday 24 March. 
We will be meeting in the playground area in the park, at 11:30.
All Equipment will be provided & everyone is welcome.

 
The group is also planning a series of community events and re-enactments over the Diamond Jubilee Holiday.

 
To find out more, contact Adam Price on 07976 969912.

 By popular request – the Brompton Research Study Group – led by local volunteers – is running a second oral history event

Come along to a drop-in session. Bring any photos or documents to share with the group – there’s no need to book, and refreshments will be provided.

For more information contact Nicola Moy

on 01634 334319 or 

chathamworldheritage@medway.gov.uk

All welcome on Friday 16 March

between 1pm and 5pm

at the Royal Engineers Museum,

Prince Arthur Road, Chatham