Hamstreet

Hamstreet
Population	1,777
OS grid reference	TR005335
Civil parish	Orlestone and Warehorne
District	Ashford
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Ashford
Postcode district	TN26
Dialling code	01233
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Ashford

Hamstreet is a village in Kent, in South East England.

The village is located six miles (10 km) south of Ashford on the A2070, the main road between Ashford and Hastings. The majority of the village is in the parish of Orlestone, named after a much older hamlet located 1 mile north of Hamstreet on the ridge of hills; however, part of the village falls within the parish of Warehorne, giving a total population of 1,777 and a loose claim to having three pubs (the Duke's Head is located at the village centre and there are two rural pubs within Warehorne parish).

The parish church, dedicated to the Good Shepherd [1], is now a shared Anglican/Methodist building, and the parish churches of Orlestone, Snave (now a redundant church), Ruckinge, Warehorne and Kenardington are all within the traditional benefice which was expanded to form the new Saxon Shore benefice along with Bilsington, Bonnington, Aldington and Lympne.

History

Parts of the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, Orlestone date back to the 11th century. Until the coming of the railway in 1853, Hamstreet was just a hamlet known as 'Ham' based around the village centre which contains many buildings in the traditional Kentish weatherboard style. The village expanded rapidly during the 20th century and had its moment of fame in 1991, when maps of Hamstreet at various stages in history were used on a series of postage stamps to mark 200 years of the Ordnance Survey – this chance arose because the Hamstreet area was the first to be mapped in this way. An episode of BBC TV's Countryfile was also devoted to the occasion. The village also featured in a mountaineering spoof in Blue Peter to raise money for charity.

The village is twinned with the village of Thérouanne in northern France.

Countryside

Two large areas of public woodland surround the village, namely Ham Street Woods and Orlestone Forest, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Both are remnants of the ancient forest that once covered the whole of the Weald of Kent. The Royal Military Canal, the UK's third longest defensive structure, passes by ½ mile to the south. Three long distance footpaths also run through the parish:

• The Saxon Shore Way
• Greensand Way (which begins at the main crossroads and runs for 110 miles (177 km) to Haslemere, Surrey)
• The Royal Military Canal Path

The area is also popular with cyclists, as Romney Marsh to the south is completely flat.

Amenities

Hamstreet has:

• A railway station on the Marshlink Line
• A bus service to Ashford and Lydd / New Romney
• Post office/general store
• A variety of local shops and services
• A village primary school
• A dental clinic
• A doctor's surgery
• Village hall
• Public house
• Indian restaurant
• Sports facilities

The village has festival of transport every June, as well as other community events throughout the year.

External links

• Orlestone Parish Website, which covers Hamstreet.
• Hamstreet, Kent - Smugglers, stamps and the Saxon Shore is a private site which provides further historical info and related links

Media related to Hamstreet at Wikimedia Commons