Blue Bell Hill

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Blue Bell Hill
The CTRL tunnel portal, under the North Downs at Blue Bell Hill
Elevation	160 m (525 ft)
Location	North Downs, England
Prominence	c. 30 m
Topo map	OS Landranger 188
OS grid reference	TQ740625

Blue Bell Hill (sometimes Bluebell Hill) is a chalk hill between Maidstone and Rochester in the English county of Kent. It overlooks the River Medway and is part of the North Downs.

A famous feature of the hill is the eastern group of the prehistoric tombs called the Medway megaliths including Kit's Coty House. A Roman temple was also later built on the hill. The A229 dual carriageway follows the route of a former Roman road and climbs the hill, today linking the M2 and M20 motorways. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link also runs beneath the hill, via the North Downs Tunnel, and archaeological work in advance of it uncovered a Neolithic long house on its slopes.

Kit's Coty chamber tomb on the lower slopes of Blue Bell Hill with the Medway valley beyond

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries much of the hill was quarried for chalk. The south west side of Blue Bell Hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest as it harbours several rare plant species. A picnic area serves as a rest point for walkers on the North Downs Way which runs along the top of the hill whilst the prehistoric trackway of the Pilgrims' Way skirts its foot. A modern crematorium also surmounts the hill as does a 251 foot, 30 kW television transmitter (BBC1 South East, ITV Meridian (East), BBC2, Channel 4)

Blue Bell Hill is supposedly haunted by a ghostly figure that walks the A229. Settlements on the hill include Blue Bell Hill village, Walderslade and Kit's Coty village.

[edit] External links

• Ghosts on Blue Bell Hill
• Another link about the ghost
• Blue Bell Hill at Kent Countryside Access
• Panoramic view from the hill

[edit] References

Coordinates: 51°20′5.9″ N 0°29′47.2″ E (51.33497, 0.49645)