Explore the wonderful Faversham with the ‘Footsteps of Romans and Royalty’ walk
Location: Faversham
Distance: 6.25 miles (10.06km)
Time: allow 3 hours
OS Explorer Map: 149
Terrain: Pathways, fields and hills suitable for most abilities
Parking: Parking available all around the start of the walk so please be considerate to the locals.
Public transport: For local bus and train services in Kent, to Faversham, take a look at Kent Connected www.kentconnected.org.
Faversham, first mentioned in the royal charter in 811AD, was described as the “King’s town”. This fascinating walk will help you relish in its history with the chance to see things like Ospringe Church and the Cathedral of Philanthropy. The colourful landscapes along this beautiful and unique walk, sets the scene for what the walk has for you, stunning buildings, a royal stop-over, fine manor houses and a hoppers’ inn are just a few things to experience. Partnering the landscapes are some gorgeous gardens, woodlands, orchards, hamlets and even a Victorian manor house along the way to help bring to life the history of what happened in Faversham and just how much time has changed in this wonderful town.
Start at the market place, where the imposing Guildhall is the focal point. On Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, there is a fabulous market serving all your shopping needs from vegetables to flowers and wonderful fresh local produce. Turn onto West street and catch a glimpse of the Barkaways butcher, be sure to stop and check out their famous Game Pie if you have time. As you continue the route, don’t miss the wonderful Alms houses, built in the Victorian era of 1863, they are still one of the largest in the country so grab a picture of them in this wonderful location.
After your trip to the alms-houses there is an abundance of places for you to visit. If you take a short detour from Water Lane, you can see the historic hops owned by Faversham’s Shepherd Neame brewery where you can even stop off for a tour at the end of your walk but be sure to book in advance!
Once you reach the medieval Maison Dieu, once a Royal ‘stop over’ between Dover and London, you’ll see another Royal connection, Queens Court, part of the endowment for the mediaeval Queens of England. There is a chance to see Ospringe Church, who put on a wonderful Sunday service, and Lorenden Manor which has been modernised and is now a preparatory school for young children.
Opposite the school is Pawley Farm, a place where traditional Kentish cider has been made for many years using the farms own delicious apples. Faversham monks used to use the Faversham Abbey, established in 1147, as a brewery before the dissolution of the Abbey in 1538.
Once you reach the Alma Pub, be sure to stop and take a break from your walk as they serve some scrumptious food and delightful drinks perfect for a quick stop before completing your walk. This part of your walk is now much more rural with beautiful panoramic views over the fields, a chance to venture through the extensive orchards with their beautiful interwoven branches and the subtle sound of birds tweeting. After the orchards, you’ll reach the wonderful Brogdale Farm where they have nearly 4000 varieties of fruit tree including Kentish cobnuts, strawberries and the unique Quince.
After Brogdale, you are on the final stretch! Be sure to take in the last of these glorious views before you return to the Market place. Just before the end of the walk there is a beautiful restaurant named the Provenance Restaurant, they source all their food ethically and even collect supplies on a Tuk Tuk, an original Indian Bajaj.
Overall this walk is great to do as it helps give you a sense of the history surrounding this wonderful town and how the times have changed from Victorian era to the more modern urban era we now live in.
What’s next?
For more information about this route and more in Kent, or for information about walking and parks in Kent, visit www.explorekent.org
