The Place Where I live

The Isle of Sheppey is filled with history. Its name means Island of Sheep as yuo might guess and it was remembered that when the Dutch invaded they took sheep and left the residents alone.

Opposite is the creek at Queenborough

Sheerness was the home of a Naval Dockyard until 1960 and gave good service until at last it was closed. The apprentices and the workmen from Sheerness went to Chatham or elsewhere and its place was taken by the commercial docks and the Steel Works.

Since 2005 when the Sea Sheppey group re-enacted the death of Lord Nelson there has been a resurgence in the the interest in Sheppey's past. 2009 will be a celebration and recognition of Sheppey's involvement with early flying pioneers with events to be held in and around Queenborough.


Opposite is the settlement at Sheelness

The Island is host to the Elmley RSPB reserve where there are annually a whole list of bird visitors. Remote from the rest of the island and recognised as one of the South East's unique seabird habitats Elmley is a place for the enthusiastic twitcher. In company with a friend and other enthusisasts I spent a Friday evening there creating Haiku poems which I later performed, with additional poems, at an evening event entitled Moon View - this in September when the moon was full. It was a magical evening.

Above is a view to Shellness Settlement

Sheppey's long connection with the sea which goes back to pre-Roman times is well known and so too is the connection with the trading carried out by the Thames Barges and the annual race around the island which can best be watched from the Harty Ferry Inn. This inn was once a staging post and rest for travellers from the mainland. Across the Swale, the sea divide between the mainland and Sheppey, there is the Harty Ferry landing which was once the roadway from Faversham. Today there is a nature reserve where flocks of birds fly and feed and flocks of twitchers click their shutters. It is said that seals can be seen on the sand banks close to the Sheppey side.


Across the bridge there is Sittingbourne the third leg of a the triangle between Faversham and Sheppey. Not a pretty place in general Sittingbourne is surrounded by pretty villages and in the Spring redeems itself with adisplay of blossom and daffodils that would do any town proud.

Above is Bobbing Church - a village just outside Sittingbourne.



The centre of Sittingbourne is hard to pin down but it has a civic centre although the town is scheduled for regeneration in the near future. The centre houses a swiming pool and fitness centre, entertainment halls and the Avenue Theatre - an asset for local entertainment - plus a semi-pedestrianised shopping street that was once the main A2 highway.


Central Avenue - Sittingbourne





Sheerness, the war memorial with planting of wild flowers either side that shows a little sense on the part of the Swale Borough Council which has not always been so sympathetic toward the town.

The memorial covers both world wars as to be expected and is the focus of rememberance services each year.

Out in the reaches the wreck of the Richard Montgomery can be seen marked by yellow bouys which are that can be seen at high tide and a low tide the masts of the liberty ship can be seen clearly. The local residents are waiting for the munitions nestling and rotting in her holds to explode. Exciting eh?