Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The South Eastern Railway Company's North Kent Line was constructed between the North Kent East Junction near London Bridge via Lewisham, Woolwich, Erith and Dartford to Gravesend. In 1846 the South Eastern Railway purchased the Thames and Medway Canal tunnel near Higham and laid railway tracks through it; in 1847 trains were working through from the Strood terminus, on the River Medway to Gravesend. From 30 July 1849 the line was extended, via Blackheath, to a junction with the London and Greenwich Railway at North Kent East Junction, near Deptford. (location accurate to the nearest 2m based on available information)

Monument Types

• RAILWAY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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The South Eastern Railway Company's North Kent Line was constructed between the North Kent East Junction near London Bridge via Lewisham, Woolwich, Erith and Dartford to Gravesend. Beyond there it joined the 7 miles of line operated by the Thames and Medway Canal Company, utilising the tunnels it had built between Higham and Strood. It then terminated at the canal basin at Strood, and was fully opened in 1849. The company wanted to extend its operation to Dover, but its plans were thwarted in 1855 by the London Chatham and Dover Railway (the Chatham Line), built by the East Kent Railway Company between 1853-8. (1)

In 2008 a desk based assessment was undertaken of the Thames and Medway Canal, detailing the replacement of the canal and the history of the railway line. (2)

<1> Kent Past, 2010, Kent Past - History of South East Railway (Website). SKE53557.

<2> Museum of London Archaeology Service, 2008, Thames and Medway Canal, Kent: Archaeological and built heritage assessment (Unpublished document). SKE17830.

Sources and further reading

Related records