Kent Coast Walk - Rainham to Lower Halstow!

[@394pjo]

Lost my virginity in the back of a Cortina in 1978 in Motney Hill. In fact you stood almost in the spot where it happened. Great memories.

[@robertscollick3382]

As a kid I used to walk from Newington where I lived to Lower Halstow for a swim when the tide was in. I used to see the Sailing Barges loading Bricks at Eastwoods Brick Works. They used to put the Roughstuff , London’s burnt rubbish into the Brick Earth as a Firing, and make an extremely hard yellow brick called Kentish Stocks. The ones in the centre of the kiln, where it was the hottest , used to fuse together in a miss shaped solid clump , and were known as Burrs. Perfect for walls , as they were indestructible. At Newington there was another Brickfield, but owned by the Dean family, where my father worked. Colonel Dean, won the VC in the First World War. Here they made a Red Brick, very clean and sharpe, and perfect for houses and ornamental work where looks were everything. Many grand buildings in London are built with Newington Reds. Not as hard wearing as Eastwoods Kentish Stocks, but Handmade in wood moulds. When Brickmaking you was paid by how many you made, and not by the hour. Later my father became Chief Burner, in charge of the Kilns which were fed by coal. Deans also owned a Jam Making Factory in Sittingbourne, which was converted from a large Oast House where Hops were roasted for brewing beer.

[@karlwishart6928]

Really enjoying these videos as they remind me of growing up in Kent (Sittingbourne, to be precise).

[@ChrisWoutdoors]

Little tip, take a couple of carrier bags in your pack for unexpected puddles saves getting wet socks.. another good video...

[@robertkerry5531]

Did this walk on 23rd July, no mud or puddles as everything was baked dry and hard. The name Brickfields is a nod to the past as Lower Halstow was a big brickmaking area, the dock next to the church was used for barges bringing rough stuff from London and taking bricks out. Otter-ham we've always pronounced as Otterum.

[@SiddersS]

Ah, I imagine it was much easier in the dry weather haha Hope you enjoyed your walk 😄 Thanks for the information about this area, that's really interesting to learn about! 😮

[@ianrobert6239]

Another great video, thanks.

[@SiddersS]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching 😄

[@Adam-Gates-Mudlark]

Have you been on the Saxon shore yet ?

[@SiddersS]

I have indeed 😄 Quite a lot of the Kent Coast Walk follows the same path as the Saxon Shore Way