More of Swale's heritage assets protected

Ninety landmarks will have additional protections after local people asked for them to be added to a list of Swale’s heritage assets.

Swale Borough Council asked people to help find and catalogue structures, green spaces, monuments, landscapes and more, that are important to Swale’s local heritage.

The council’s Policy and Resources Committee agreed to add ninety new sites which were shown to be valued by local communities and contribute to the unique character of their area.

These additions include the Prospect Villa in Minster - once visited by Charles Dickens - a memorial statue for the Short Brothers in Leysdown, the Victorian red brick Sheerness Conservative Club building and the Kingsferry Bridge.

While in Faversham, the Eastlea and Westlea Oast houses, Joyce Field - a community allotment in Faversham that has been in use for over 120 years - and an old stable block and barn in Macknade Farm have been included.

Also added to the list is a henge dating back to the neolithic period in Iwade, a large ancient moat and enclosed green space in Bayford Court, and an old water fountain on Milton High Street.

The criteria for assets to be added to the list include their age and integrity, as well as their historic and architectural interest, with a particular local emphasis.

The sites on the list are given the status of non-designated heritage assets, making their conservation a material consideration in any planning applications and local planning.

The list is currently made up of more than 240 sites and highlights the positive contribution these assets make to the unique and special character of the borough.

Cllr Mike Baldock, Swale Borough Council’s heritage champion, said:

“Thank you to everyone who shared their local hidden gems with us, it was incredible to see so many historically and architecturally important assets that our residents so clearly cherish.

“Adding these assets to the list not only helps us catalogue, create awareness for and promote our unique sites that make Swale such a special place, it also offers them a special heritage status.

“This status needs to be taken into consideration when assessing planning applications, giving us an additional tool to protect our local history and heritage from unsympathetic development.

“You probably walk past some of these assets each day without realising their importance, so please read through the heritage list and see if you can spot some of these incredible historical golden nuggets that are scattered across Swale.”

Find out more about Swale’s Heritage List here and you can explore the full list here.

Some of highlights of the growing list includes:

In Sittingbourne the art deco cinema building on the high street and the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, which dates back to 1862, have been included on the list.

A World War I pill box near Bobbing, which formed an important part of the local defence network, and the Hartlip Endowed C of E Primary School, which is believed to be one of the oldest existing voluntary aided schools in the country founded in 1678, are also on the list.

Sheerness’s Water Tower on Trinity Road, built in 1860 and used as a water pumping station, and the small Bethel Congregational Church is a part of the heritage list.

The Pavilion Building, which serves as the Island's information centre, an Arts Award centre and a community radio station, has also received recognition for its heritage importance.

Faversham’s pool, the post office - with its unique copper roofing - and the Edwardian red brick-built police station are amongst the important landmarks on the list in Faversham.

The remains of the entry arrangement to the Oare Gunpowder Works, now a country park, are also a part of the heritage list.

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