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).
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 World War I. Development accelerated rapidly post World War II leading to the current makeup of several large estates surrounding the original village, which has now become the centre of local retailing. Walderslade consists of several sub-towns / estates, notably The Davis Estate (near Rochester Airport), Wayfield, Weeds Wood, Walderslade Woods, Princes Avenue and Lordswood.
Contents |
[edit] Constituent 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 - separating Rochester and Chatham from Walderslade. There is a small link via Luton, which is "connected" to Wayfield and Princes Avenue estates. To the east is Capstone Country park, a whole 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 consists of a Co-Op supermarket, church, a doctor's surgery, a public house (the Sherwood Oak), a number of estate agents and take away outlets (currently Indian, Chinese and "fish and chips"), as well as an Indian restaurant, newsagent, off-licence, chemist, florist, cafe, dry cleaners, hair dresser, petrol station (containing a small supermarket) and a public library.
[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 and petrol station. The original farm houses can still be seen to the observant viewer between the Princes Avenue area and the Village area at the foot of Dargets Hill.
[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" public house 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 (Bridgewood Manor - Best Western).
[edit] Walderslade Woods
Walderslade Woods is a recent (circa 1970s through to 1990s) development to the south of the village near to the M2 motoway. It is hemmed in by Walderslade Woods road (A2045), the only part of the incomplete Medway Towns southern relief road (in contrast 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 (with no A&E). 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 in two latter's areas.
[edit] Weedswood
Weedswood is located above the village to the east. It has a large parade of shops and several public houses, including the "Poachers Pocket". The two secondary schools are situated here. There is a church and community hall and until recently a library.
[edit] Wayfield Estate
Wayfield is a estate based arund two through roads; "Wayfield Road" and "Churchill Avenue", with several smaller roads linking them. The estate is located 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 woods" and the "Collibank woods."
[edit] Lordswood
Lordswood is a large development to the east above the villiage. It directly accesses Chatham via the North Dane Way road (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 retail parades. One centred on the "Kestrel" Public house also has a library, and a recently refurbished health centre. There is also a leisure centre situated off the North Dane Way
[edit] Education
Walderslade has a number of schools, as part of the larger Medway area education system (except Tunbury which is in Kent), which include:
Primary
- Horstead Infants School - Davis Estate - Years R-2 [1]
- Horstead 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 nursary, R-2 [16]
Secondary
- Bradfields School - a special secondary school [17] for "moderate or complex learning difficulties" [18]
- Greenacre School - a boys secondary school (formerly Walderslade Boys) - on Walderslade Road [19]
- Walderslade Girls School - A girls secondary school - on 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 away 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, currently 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
The majority of Walderslade is within Medway Unitary Authority, in the traditional 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 Weedswood and the eastern bulk of Walderslade Woods are technically in Aylesford parish and thus in the borough of Tonbridge and Malling (formerly Malling Rural District) in Kent.
- The eastern parts of Walderslade Woods and southern parts of Lordswood are technically in Boxley parish [21], in the borough of Maidstone in Kent.
[edit] External links
|
The unitary authority of Medway in Kent, South East England with its suburbs, villages, towns and parishes: |
|
|---|---|
|
Allhallows • Borstal • Brompton • Chatham • Chattenden • Cliffe-at-Hoo • Cliffe and Cliffe Woods • Cliffe Woods • Cooling • Cuxton • Frindsbury • Frindsbury Extra • 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 |
|
| The borough of Medway List of places in Kent |
|
