Faversham and the Surrounding Area
The pretty market town of Faversham lies to the east of Swale roughly halfway between Sittingbourne and Canterbury. It is mentioned in the Doomsday Book and by the 1900s the area became the centre of the nation’s explosives industry and manufactured gunpowder for the battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo. Nearby, Oare Gunpowder Works Country Park gives a fascinating insight into the past, combining heritage and nature.
There are over 400 listed buildings in Faversham, recording its extraordinary industrial past. Today you can browse the range of independent shops, inns and tea rooms. The Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre in Preston Street provides a full history of Faversham from the early Iron Age settlements right up to the vast prosperity of Elizabethan times.
The town is home to Britain’s Oldest Brewer - Shepherd Neame has been brewing beer since 1698 although history suggests that the drink has been produced in Faversham for several centuries before that. The Brewery has a Visitors Centre and offers guided tours which include a tasting session at the end of them.
Not far from Faversham is Brogdale Farm - home of the National Fruit Collection which offers visitors a great day out. There is a choice of 3 gardens to visit in the area too. Mount Ephraim Gardens is a mature Edwardian garden with topiary, and a Japanese rock garden. Doddington Place has a wonderful woodland garden with azaleas. Belmont House offers a glimpse of 18th Century style and Lord Harris’ clock collection is one of the finest in Britain.
Swale Tourism
Phone: 01795 417155
Email: tourism@swale.gov.uk