GRAVENEY

 The meaning of 'the graven river' was originally given to the stream which ran through a broad ditch.

I must admit, Graveney is a tiny place on one of my favourite rides, but I have never stopped to explore it. The road I use passes right by the parish church, and it's an easy place to stop and use the church as background for a picture I fully intend to investigate it further though 

The church commenced life in Norman times, but the majority of it is 14th. century. 

In 1970, when improvement works were being undertaken by Kent River Authority to drainage channels (Hammond Drain and White Drain) in Graveness, an Anglo-Saxon clinker-built boat was found in the mudflats. The boat was carefully removed by the National Maritime Museum to be conserved and stabilised by the Mary Rose Trust.

It was a cross-channel cargo vessel, reconstructed as some 13.6 m (45 ft) long and 3.4 m (11 ft) wide and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in draught. Later studies, including dendrochronology determined that it was built from oak, in the mid-890s. It was abandoned in the mud in 950AD. It was also found that one of the last cargos it carried was hops. Other remains include fragments of quern-stones made from Mayen lava, located in the Rhineland, Germany.

The Battle of Graveney Marsh was the last ground level battle fought on British soil; there were no fatalities and one flesh wound. It was fought on 28 September 1940 and the participants were the crew of Ju88 twin engine bomber that had been forced to crash land and London Irish Rifles who had been billeted in nearby Seasalter. 

The marshes are the homes to many wildlife species, including lapwing, brent goose, golden plover and marsh harrier.

See? I thought it might be an interesting place to learn about!