Gravesend Railway Station, DA11 0HP

After meeting at Gravesend Railway Station your tour guide will take visitors to St George’s Church, the burial place of the Native American Indians, Pocahontas.

From there the route will continue along the River Thames from Town Pier to New Tavern Fort.

Stops along the route include The Three Daws public house, St Andrews Gardens, Bawley Bay, St Andrews Arts Centre, Gravesend Tudor Block House, the Clarendon Royal Hotel, the Royal Terrace Pier and Milton Chantry, the oldest building in Gravesend and situated within the confines of New Tavern Fort.

Milton Chantry, Fort Gardens, Gravesend, Kent DA12 2BH

Milton Chantry has had many different uses and is one of a few surviving buildings of this type. It contains a number of well-preserved architectural features from the 14th to 19th centuries along with a variety of displays relating to the heritage of the Borough. Located close to the Thames, New Tavern Fort was designed to defend London against an enemy fleet. Experience life underground and follow in the steps of the Victorian artillery men.

FREE entry to Milton Chantry Heritage Centre. New Tavern Fort – £1

Milton Chantry, Fort Gardens, Gravesend, Kent DA12 2BH

Milton Chantry has had many different uses and is one of a few surviving buildings of this type. It contains a number of well-preserved architectural features from the 14th to 19th centuries along with a variety of displays relating to the heritage of the Borough. Located close to the Thames, New Tavern Fort was designed to defend London against an enemy fleet. Experience life underground and follow in the steps of the Victorian artillery men.

FREE entry to Milton Chantry Heritage Centre. New Tavern Fort – £1

Ambient Romanian Restaurant, 34 Windmill Street, Gravesend

This hour or so long walk will take us around familiar and not so familiar streets, plenty of stories and then back for a buffet lunch, which takes you on another journey to Romania.

Speaker: Christoph Bull

Price: £25 includes tour, buffet lunch and soft drinks - alcoholic drinks available at extra cost.

Booking and prepayment by cash essential - please pay in the restaurant Contact: 07448348613

Gad's Hill Place, Higham, ME3 7PA

Visit the former home of Charles Dickens, Gad's Hill Place - his 'Little Kentish Freehold'.

When he was a boy Charles Dickens and his father took a walk through Kent. On Gravesend Road they passed a house called Gad’s Hill Place. Young Charles was impressed and bought the house in 1856. In this house he wrote his last four Novels, including Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities. He lived there until his death in 1870. Gad’s Hill is set in pleasant grounds. You can visit the ground floor of the house, stroll in the gardens and appreciate Dickens’ love for his country home in the Garden of England.

Enjoy a tour with a Dickens Fellowship guide followed by tea and biscuits.

Gad's Hill Place, Higham, ME3 7PA

Visit the former home of Charles Dickens, Gad's Hill Place - his 'Little Kentish Freehold'.

When he was a boy Charles Dickens and his father took a walk through Kent. On Gravesend Road they passed a house called Gad’s Hill Place. Young Charles was impressed and bought the house in 1856. In this house he wrote his last four Novels, including Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities. He lived there until his death in 1870. Gad’s Hill is set in pleasant grounds. You can visit the ground floor of the house, stroll in the gardens and appreciate Dickens’ love for his country home in the Garden of England.

Enjoy a tour with a Dickens Fellowship guide followed by tea and biscuits.

St George’s Church, Church Street, Gravesend DA11 0DJ

Guided tour of St George’s church (Guided tour to follow short service 15 minutes for Pocahontas and refreshments)
Discover the story of a building that all know, but few understand - loads of grizzly Gravesend stories included.

Guide: Christoph Bull

Price: £10 per person - minimum of 10 people needed for tour to go ahead.

Booking essential by contacting Rev Jim Fletcher (Rector of St George’s Church) on 01474 532505 or jim@stgeorgesgravesend.org

Meadow Rooms, The Street, Cobham DA12 3BZ

Cobham Gardeners Society invites you to a talk about The Kitchen Garden by Steve Edney.

Kitchen gardens or potagers as they are called in France conjure up images of wildly romantic spaces which are both beautiful yet functional. Steve's talk will cover a beginners guide to, good design, planting and variety choices plus handy tips to get the best from your fruit, veg and herbs.

Steve has been perfecting his art for over 28 years, accolades include appointment to the RHS Herbaceous Committee, the RHS plant trial forums, multiple RHS Gold medal winner, plus he has appeared on TV several times including Gardeners World!

Members - free, non members £3

Meet: 1pm  - No 3 Coffee Shop, 9a The Street, Shorne DA12 3EA

Repeated by popular demand, this hour long tour reveals some of Shorne's great stories.

Speaker: Christoph Bull

Price: £15 - includes both the historical guided tour and cream tea

Booking and prepayment essential at No 3 Coffee Shop, Shorne - 07732792290

St Mary’s Church Hall, Wrotham Road, Gravesend, DA11 7LL

Gravesend Historical Society invites you to a very interesting talk.

Join Keith Whitnel for a talk about 'Growing up in Gravesend in the 60s'.

Visitors are welcome, voluntary donation £3. 

Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend

This talk explores Gordon's life in Gravesend and abroad - and much reference is given to the Gordon Schools.

Speaker: Christoph Bull

Begins: 6pm for supper-talk to follow

Price: £23 for both talk and supper

Booking and prepayment by cash essential - Reliance Restaurant 01474 533593 or Jack 07768087036

Gravesend Library, Windmill Street, Gravesend, DA12 1BE

DJG Palmer will be talking about his books ‘A Rougher Task’ and ‘In the Ranks of Death’.
This is a heart wrenching LGBTQ+ tale of the brutalities of love and war.
A fight for survival against the backdrop of the emotive Anglo-Zulu War of 1879.

Signed copies of DJG Palmer’s book will be available to purchase

Tickets £2.50 available at the library - Booking essential, please speak to a member of library staff, email gravesendlibrary@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 41 31 31

The Lost Village of Dode, DA13 0XF

Many people believe that Dode was built in 1100 by Gundulf, a Norman Bishop and contemporary and confidant of both William the Conqueror and his son William Rufus. There is good historical evidence to suggest this. Bishop Gundulf is best known for building the Tower of London (White Tower) and Colchester Castle.

 The author of Lord of the Rings, J.R.R Tolkien, was well acquainted with the life and times of Gundulf as he was a professor of Anglo-Saxon history at Oxford.

So, this begs the question; was Gandalf’s name (arguably the most famous wizard in literature) based on the builder of Dode? The similarity to the name together with the reference to the Two Towers certainly may be more than just a coincidence!

If you would like to learn more of both the history of Dode and some of its magical, mystical stories – including the appearance of ‘the Dode Child’ – Doug will be giving a talk in the Church at 7.00pm on Sunday 23rd February 2025.

Meadow Rooms, The Street, Cobham DA12 3BZ

Cobham Gardeners Society invites you to a talk called Plants For Health and Healing.

Caroline Halfpenny takes a look at plants that are found in many gardens and in the wild that have been used to improve our health and wellbeing through out history. Some of the plants with healing properties within your own garden may surprise you!

Members - free, non members £3

Iron Pier Brewery, DA11 8RU

Enjoy a Brewery Tour and samples at Iron Pier Beer.

Free tours but please book - 01474 569460

St Mary’s Church Hall, Wrotham Road, Gravesend, DA11 7LL

All welcome to enjoy a talk by Alan Williams for Gravesend Historical Society.

After the 1940s, the trial of war and post-austerity, the Festival of Britain was to be a tonic. Alan Williams tells the story of the concept, what was planned and how the public joined in.

Visitors are welcome, voluntary donation £3. 

Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend

Gravesend in the 1920s was a very different town in the time of my father's childhood - find out how different - and how similar!

Speaker: Christoph Bull

Begins 6pm for talk - supper to follow

Cost: £23 inclusive of talk and supper

Booking and pre-payment essential - Reliance Restaurant 01474 533593 or Jack 07768087036

Meeting place - corner of Lower Higham Rd/Castle Lane, Chalk DA12 2NR

On: Tuesday 31st December 2024

Meet: 10.30am corner of Lower Higham Road/Castle Lane, Chalk DA12 2NR

Cost: Free-but donations welcomed.

Gravesend Historical Society Footpaths Committee has arranged this walk across marshes and fields, along public footpaths - it is open to everyone and well behaved dogs. The surfaces are uneven, possibly slippery and there are some stiles on route. Sensible footwear is needed-the walk is about 2 hours and about 4 miles. 

The XR Repair Café - Bicycles, electricals, ceramics, clocks, fabrics repaired and restored when possible.

First Thursday in every month, 10am to 2pm.

Tea coffee biscuits. Donations welcome.

Church Road Hall, Church Road, Swanscombe

Speakers: Christoph Bull (Local Historian) and Victor Smith (Expert on local fortifications, defences and archaeology)

On: Tuesday 3rd December 2024

At: Church Road Hall, Church Road, Swanscombe (a building constructed for Cold War purposes)

Begins: 7.30pm

Cost: Free-but donations welcomed. 

Shorne Village Hall, The Street, Shorne

General Gordon is well remembered-but how much do we know about him-and what is his legacy?

Speaker: Christoph Bull (Local Historian)

On: Thursday 21st November 2024 - begins 2pm

At: Shorne Village Hall, The Street, Shorne

Price: Free to members of Shorne Local History Group - visitors £5 payable at the door. No need to book.

Gardeners Arms public house, Forge Lane, Higham

The twilight world of our local history explored-you will be amazed at what Gravesham and Dartford have to offer in folk tales and secrets.

Speaker: Christoph Bull (Local Historian)

On: Monday 18th November 2024

At: Gardeners Arms public house, Forge Lane, Higham - beginning at 11am for the talk, lunch to follow

Price: £18 for both lunch and talk

Booking essential 01474 823337 or sarahluchgardenersarms@gmail.com

The XR Repair Café - Bicycles, electricals, ceramics, clocks, fabrics repaired and restored when possible.

First Thursday in every month, 10am to 2pm.

Tea coffee biscuits. Donations welcome.

Sant & Davison Florists and café, High Street, Strood

All you wanted to know about Higham - but were afraid to ask!

Speaker: Christoph Bull (Local Historian)

On: Wednesday 6th November 2024 - begins 11am for talk-lunch to follow

Price: £16 for lunch, hot drink and talk-amazing value!

Booking essential 01634 393021 or sant_davison@hotmail.com

Reliance Restaurant, DA12 2EE

Join local historian for an illustrated talk and fish and chip supper.

Join local historian Christoph Bull for an illustrated talk and fish and chip supper.

This brand new talk explores what has happened to Chalk in our lifetime and how it fights to survive as an independent place.

Booking essential - places limited - Reliance Restaurant 01474 533593 or 07768087036.

Meet at 6pm at Reliance Restaurant, Queen Street, Gravesend. 6pm for supper and talk to follow.

Cost: £22 to include talk and supper.

Royal Terrace Pier, DA12 2BP

Join local historian for an illustrated talk with light refreshments.

Christoph Bull and the Port of London Authority are bringing you a chance to listen to a brand new talk about Gravesend and Europe in the 1860s - with a chance to visit the Royal Terrace Pier.

Booking essential - places limited - please text your name, contact number and number of people to 07702287147.

Of course you are wondering who Vicky and Fritz are, and the role they played in local and European history. Well come and find out!

Free but donations welcome.

2 Forge Lane, ME3 7AS

Enjoy an illustrated talk with lunch revealing some of the surprises hidden in this part of the Medway Valley, adjoining Gravesham.

Booking essential - 01474 823337 or sarahluchgardenersarms@gmail.com

£18 per head.

Post Office Collection Office, The Grove, Gravesend

Join Christoph Bull for a short guided tour with supper afterwards.

Join local historian Christoph Bull for a short distance guided tour of St George's Church and churchyard and find out many historical facts about Gravesend including Pocahontas, General Gordon, slums and Irish invasion.

Car parking is free after 6pm in Gravesham Borough Council car parks - but not St George's Shopping Centre.

Booking essential - Three Daws Public House - 01474 566869

Cost £28 inclusive of guided tour, church donation and supper at the Three Daws.

Luddesdown Vineyards, Silverhand Estates, DA13 0XE

We are delighted to welcome you on a guided walk around the vineyards of Luddesdown, finishing off with a glass of English bubbles.

Get to know the picturesque location of Luddesdown and its meadows and vineyards.

A guide will walk you around the estate, giving you a brief history of the area, the grape varieties we planted and how we grow and process them. You will also get to enjoy the surrounding meadows and learn about the flowers and animals that call these vineyards their home. You will learn about their roles on the vineyard, as well as the conservation work we are undertaking around the site.

We will end the tour at one of the UK's oldest inhabited residences; Luddesdown Court, and enjoy the exquisite gardens whilst sampling wines produced by the Silverhand Estate.

Duration of the tour: 2 hours 30 minutes.

Please dress for the weather. The tour will go ahead come rain or shine.

It will be a moderate walk, with some steep climbs, so please wear appropriate footwear and bring your cameras as there will be plenty of photo opportunities!

Luddesdown Vineyards, Silverhand Estates, DA13 0XE

We are delighted to welcome you on a guided walk around the vineyards of Luddesdown, finishing off with a glass of English bubbles.

Get to know the picturesque location of Luddesdown and its meadows and vineyards.

A guide will walk you around the estate, giving you a brief history of the area, the grape varieties we planted and how we grow and process them. You will also get to enjoy the surrounding meadows and learn about the flowers and animals that call these vineyards their home. You will learn about their roles on the vineyard, as well as the conservation work we are undertaking around the site.

We will end the tour at one of the UK's oldest inhabited residences; Luddesdown Court, and enjoy the exquisite gardens whilst sampling wines produced by the Silverhand Estate.

Duration of the tour: 2 hours 30 minutes.

Please dress for the weather. The tour will go ahead come rain or shine.

It will be a moderate walk, with some steep climbs, so please wear appropriate footwear and bring your cameras as there will be plenty of photo opportunities!