Walderslade
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Walderslade is a large suburb to the south of Chatham in Kent encompassing almost all the ME5 postcode (except parts of Luton).
The name Walderslade comes from the Saxon and means "wood in a valley".
It was formerly a small rural village nestled in the valleys of the North Downs, however development accelerated with the expansion of the Medway Towns leading after the First World War. Development accelerated rapidly after the Second World War leading to the current make-up of several large estates surrounding the original village, which has now become the centre of local retailing. Walderslade comprises several communities/estates, notably the Davis Estate (near Rochester Airport), Wayfield, Weeds Wood, Walderslade Woods, Princes Avenue and Lordswood.
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[edit] Walderslade's parts
Walderslade is clearly separated from the rest of the Medway Towns by a green belt incorporating Rochester Airport, Horsted Farm and the Coney Bank to the north. There is a small link via Luton, which is connected to Wayfield and Princes Avenue estates. To the east is Capstone country park, a valley preserved from development (although formerly a large landfill): this clearly separates Gillingham and Hempstead from Walderslade. To the south the M2 motorway completes the encirclement of Walderslade.
[edit] Walderslade village
The centre of Walderslade village comprises St William's Church, a doctor's [[surgery, a Co-op supermarket, a pub (the Sherwood Oak), a number of estate agents and takeaway outlets (currently Indian, kebab, two Chinese and a fish and chip shop), as well as an Indian restaurant, newsagent, off-licence, chemist, two florists, cafe, dry cleaners, hairdressers, petrol station (containing a small supermarket) and a public library. The church is also used as St William's Pre-School during the school terms.
[edit] Princes Avenue
Princes Avenue estate is located lower down the valley the village sits in (to the north). It has a community hall, public house, newsagents and a Morrisons Supermarket, petrol station and a Primary and Junior school. The school is situated at the same location of the barns of one of the main farms in the valley. The original farm house can still be seen by the observant on Princes Avenue itself closer to 'the Village' on the corner of Kenwood Avenue.
[edit] Davis Estate
The Davis Estate has a community hall, a parade of shops including a post office, newsagents; several take aways, the Tiger Moth pub and a garage. Neighbouring is the Horsted retail park where several large retailers are located and a hotel (Holiday Inn), close by is a large Asda superstore and a further hotel. the Bridgewood Manor, owned by Best Western.
[edit] Walderslade Woods
Walderslade Woods is a recent development, begun in the 1970s, to the south of the village near to the M2 motorway. It is hemmed in by Walderslade Woods road (A2045), the only part of the incomplete Medway Towns southern relief road. (The northern relief road is a complete dual carriageway.) There are a few corner shops and one school, but plan have existed for more shops and at least one further primary and secondary school. There is a private hospital, the BUPA Alexandra. The area is at the intersection of Medway Unitary authority, Maidstone Borough council and Tonbridge and Malling borough council - thus there are two community halls.
[edit] Weedswood
Weedswood, to the east, has a large parade of shops and several pubs, including the Poacher's Pocket. The two secondary schools are here. There is a church and community hall and until recently a library.
[edit] Wayfield Estate
Wayfield is an estate based around two through roads — Wayfield Road and Churchill Avenue — with several smaller roads linking them. The estate is to the north of Weedswood above and alongside the Princes Avenue area. It has several small shops, a woodyard, golf driving range with a pitch and putt golf course, a Fitness First gym and a playing field. The estate also borders two areas of woodland; the Snodhurst wood" and the Collibank woods.
[edit] Lordswood
Lordswood is a large development, also to the east. It has direct access to Chatham via North Dane Way (B2156), which hems in Walderslade to the east. (This road is also incomplete, with Walderslade Woods Road as part of the unfinished Medway Towns southern relief road.) It has two separate shopping parades: one, centred on the Kestrel pub, also has a library, and a recently refurbished health centre. There is also a leisure centre off North Dane Way
[edit] Education
Walderslade has a number of schools, as part of the larger Medway area education system (except Tunbury, which is run by Kent County Council), which include:
Primary
- Horsted Infants School, Davis Estate — Years R-2 [1]
- Horsted Junior School, Davis Estate — Years 3-6 [2]
- Kingfisher Primary School, Princes Avenue — Years R-6 [3]
- Lordwood Primary School, Lordswood — Years R-2 [4]
- Lordwood Junior School, Lordswood — Year 3-6 [5]
- Maundene School, Princes Avenue — Year R-6 [6]
- Oaklands Infants School, Weedswood — Years R-2 [7]
- Oaklands Junior School, Weedswood — Years 3-6 [8]
- Ridge Meadow Primary School, Wayfield / Weedswood - Years R-6 [9]
- Spinnens Acre Junior School, Lordswood — Years 3-6 [10]
- St Benedicts Catholic Primary School, Lordswood — Years R-6 [11]
- St Thomas More RC Primary School, Weedswood — Years R-6 [12]
- Swingate Infants School, Lordswood — Years R-2 [13]
- Tunbury County Primary School, Walderslade Woods — Years R-6 [14]
- Walderslade Primary School, Walderslade Village/Princes Avenue — Years R-6 [15]
- Wayfield Community Primary & Nursery Unit, Wayfield — Years nursery, R-2 [16]
Secondary
- Bradfields School, a special secondary school [17] for pupils with moderate or complex learning difficulties [18]
- Greenacre School, a boys' secondary school (formerly Walderslade Boys) in Walderslade Road [19]
- Walderslade Girls School, a girls' secondary school in Walderslade Road [20]
Due to the selective education system operated in Kent, children have to travel outside Walderslade often to nearby Rochester and Chatham for grammar schools and for independent and religious education.
[edit] Transport
Access to Walderslade is off the M2 motorway at junction 3 and not far from junction 6 of the M20 motorway. This gives access to the Channel Tunnel and cross channel ferries as well as road and rail links to London the M25 motorway, Dartford bridge/tunnel, Blackwall tunnel and the rest of Britain.
Bus services focus on the bus hub of Medway, the Pentagon shopping centre in Chatham. Other routes provide links with the neighbouring town of Maidstone. There are also bus links to the Bluewater shopping centre between Dartford and Gravesend.
[edit] Local government
Most of Walderslade is within Medway Council, a unitary authority, in the county of Kent. Parts of Walderslade are, however, in different parishes and thus in different areas of local government, and since the advent of the unitary authority are now technically in a different county.
- The southern most parts of Weeds Wood and the eastern bulk of Walderslade Woods are in Aylesford parish and thus in the borough of Tonbridge and Malling (formerly Malling Rural District).
- The eastern parts of Walderslade Woods and southern parts of Lordswood are in Boxley parish [21], in the borough of Maidstone.
[edit] People associated with Walderslade
- Billy Childish, painter, writer and musician, grew up in Walderslade and attended Walderslade Secondary Boys' school in the 1970s.
- John Buckingham, born in Thanet, will be most remembered as a Walderslade resident. A leading light in the creation of the 41st Medway Scout group and his involvement with the St William's church.
[edit] External links
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The unitary authority of Medway in Kent, South East England with its suburbs, villages, towns and parishes: |
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Allhallows • Borstal • Brompton • Chatham • Chattenden • Cliffe • Cliffe and Cliffe Woods • Cliffe Woods • Cooling • Cuxton • Frindsbury • Frindsbury Extra • Frindsbury Intra • Gillingham • Halling • Hempstead • High Halstow • Hoo St Werburgh • Isle of Grain • Lordswood • Lower Rainham • Luton • Park Wood • Rochester • Rainham • Rainham Mark • St Mary Hoo • St Mary's Island • Stoke • Strood • Twydall • Upchurch • Upnor • Wainscott • Walderslade • Wigmore • Wouldham |
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| The unitary authority of Medway List of places in Kent |
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with its suburbs, villages, towns and parishes: |
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Addington • Aylesford • Beltring • Birling • Blue Bell Hill • Borough Green • Burham • Ditton • East Malling • East Malling and Larkfield • East Peckham • Eccles • Golden Green • Hadlow • Hildenborough • Ightham • Kings Hill • Larkfield • Leybourne • Mereworth • Offham • Platt • Plaxtol • Ryarsh • Shipbourne • Snodland • Stansted • Tonbridge • Trottiscliffe • Walderslade • Wateringbury • West Malling • West Peckham • Wrotham • Wrotham Heath |
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| The borough of Tonbridge and Malling List of places in Kent |
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