Kent

Industries.

Among the earliest industries of Kent were the iron-mining in the Weald, and the salt industry, which flourished along the coast in the loth century. The Domesday survey, be sides testifying to the agricultural activity of the county, men tions over i oo salt-works and numerous valuable fisheries, vines at Chart Sutton and Leeds, and cheese at Milton. The Hundred Rolls of the reign of Edward I. frequently refer to wool, and Flemish weavers settled in the Weald in the time of Edward III. Tiles were manufactured at Wye in the 14th century. Valuable timber was afforded by the vast forest of the Weald, but the restrictions imposed on the felling of wood for fuel did serious detriment to the iron-trade, and after the statute of 1558 forbid ding the felling of timber for iron-smelting within 14 m. of the coast the industry steadily declined. Cherries are said to have been imported from Flanders and first planted in Kent by Henry VIII., and from this period the culture of fruits (especially apples and cherries) and of hops spread rapidly over the county. Thread making at Maidstone and silk-weaving at Canterbury existed in the 16th century, and before 1590 one of the first paper-mills in England was set up at Dartford. The statute of 163o forbid ding the exportation of wool followed by the plague of 1665, led to a serious trade depression, while the former enactment resulted in the vast smuggling trade.

The total acreage under crops and grass in 1926 was and of this 299,199 ac. was arable land. Wheat and oats each occupied over 37,00o ac., and barley nearly two-thirds as much, potatoes and root crops each half as much, while over 21,000 ac. of clover and rotation grasses were kept for hay. The orchards, found chiefly in the valleys of the Darent and Medway, and on the Tertiary soils between Rochester and Canterbury, had an acre age of 55,760; small fruit occupied 17,864 ac. and hops 15,696 acres. Market gardening is extensively practised in the districts abutting on London. Much of the Weald, which originally was occupied by a forest, is still densely wooded with oaks and beeches. A large extent of woodland consists of ash and chestnut planta tions, maintained for the growth of hop poles. Cattle are grazed in considerable numbers on the marsh lands, and dairy farms are numerous in the neighbourhood of London. For the rearing of sheep Kent is one of the chief counties in England. A breed peculiar to the district, known as Kents, is grazed on Romney marsh, but Southdowns are the principal breed raised on the uplands. Bee-keeping is extensively practised. Among the prin cipal modern industries are paper-making, carried on on the banks of the Darent, Medway, Cray and neighbouring streams; engin eering, chemical and other works along the Thames; manufac tures of bricks, tiles, pottery and cement, especially on the lower Medway and the Swale. A variety of industries is connected with the Government establishments at Chatham and Sheerness. Shipbuilding is prosecuted here, at Gravesend, Dover and other ports. Gunpowder is manufactured near Erith and Faversham.

Deep-sea fishing is largely prosecuted all round the coast. Shrimps, soles and flounders are taken in great numbers along the north coast and off Ramsgate. The principal oyster beds, some of which were known in Roman times, are near Whitstable, Faversham, Milton, Queenborough and Rochester, some being worked by ancient companies or guilds of fishermen. The exist ence of coal deposits beneath the secondary rocks has been known for a long time, but it was only after the World War that ex tensive operations were commenced. The area over which coal can be economically worked runs inland from south of Ramsgate to near Canterbury, and thence southward to the coast again east of Folkestone. The development of the coal field is likely to

utilize the workable iron deposits of the region, while a market for the coal is at hand in London. The coal field has been carefully surveyed from an economic, historical and social point of view, and a scheme of regional development suggested, by which it is hoped to develop the region industrially, while at the same time preserving its traditional associations and natural beauty.

Communications.

The county is served by the Southern railway, whose lines radiate from London, one to Tunbridge Wells, another to Maidstone and Folkestone, and a network along the north coast to Rochester and on to Canterbury, which is a junction for Thanet and Dover. All these lines are linked up by other cross county lines. Dover, Folkestone and Queenborough are ports for traffic with the Continent. All around the coast are a number of seaside resorts, and Tunbridge Wells is an inland watering place.

The influence of London in converting villages into outer resi dential suburbs is to be observed at many points, whether seaside, along the Thames or inland. The county is practically without inland water communications, excluding the Thames. The Royal military canal which runs along the inland border of Romney marsh, and connects the Rother with Hythe, was constructed in 1807 as part of a scheme of defence in connection with the mar tello towers or small forts along the coast.

Administration.--The

area of the administrative county and associated county borough is 975,965 acres; pop. 1,218,565. The municipal boroughs are Bromley, Canterbury (a city and county borough), Chatham, Deal, Dover, Faversham, Folkestone, Gilling ham, Gravesend, Hythe, Lydd, Maidstone, Margate, New Romney, Queenborough, Ramsgate, Rochester (a city), Royal Tunbridge Wells and Sandwich. The county is in the south-eastern circuit and has two courts of quarter sessions. The central criminal court has jurisdiction over certain parishes adjacent to London. All those civil parishes within the county of Kent of which any part is within 12 m. of, or of which no part is more than 15 m. from, Charing Cross, are within the metropolitan police district. Kent is mainly in the diocese of Canterbury, but has parts in those of Rochester, Southwark and Chichester. The county (extra-metro politan) is divided into i 1 parliamentary divisions, viz., Ashford, Canterbury, Chislehurst, Dartford, Dover, Faversham, Gravesend, Isle of Thanet, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, each returning one member ; while the parliamentary boroughs of Bromley and Hythe return one member each and Rochester two.

See W. Lambarde, Perambulation of Kent (1576, 1826) ; R. Kilburn, Topographic or Survey of the County of Kent (1659) ; J. and T. Philipot, Vinare Cantianum (1659, 1776) ; J. Harris, History of Kent (1719) ; E. Hasted, History and Topographical Survey of Kent (4 vols., Canterbury, 1778-99; 2nd ed., 12 vols., Canterbury, 1797 1801) ; W. H. Ireland, History of the County of Kent (1828-30) ; C. Sandys, Consuetudines Kantiae (1851) ; A. Hussey, Notes on the Churches of Kent (1852); L. B. Larking, The Domesday Book of Kent (1869) ; R. Furley, History of the Weald of Kent (Ashford, 1871-74) ; W. A. Scott Robertson, Kentish Archaeology (1876-84) ; Sir S. R. Glynne, Notes on Churches of Kent, edit. W. H. Gladstone (1887) ; Victoria County History, "Kent." See also Archaeologia Cantiana (trans. of the Kent Archaeological Society, London, from i858). (X.)