Saltwood

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.0806
longitude=1.0776
official_name=Saltwood
population =
shire_district= Shepway
shire_county = Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Folkestone and Hythe
post_town=
postcode_district =
postcode_area=
dial_code=
os_grid_reference=

Saltwood is a village and civil parish [ [http://www.saltwoodpc.kentparishes.gov.uk/default.cfm Saltwood Parish Council] ] in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Within the parish are two other settlements: Pedlinge and Sandling; both being small hamlets.

Geography

Saltwood is located immediately to the north of Hythe on the high land looking over the Romney Marsh. It is served by Sandling railway station on the South Eastern Main Line.

altwood Castle

Saltwood Castle [ [http://www.saltwoodcastle.com Saltwood Castle] ] , once a possession of the Archbishops of Canterbury, [ [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03299b.htm this article at Catholic Encyclopedia] quotes "The archbishop owned more than twenty manors in Kent alone, including the castle of Saltwood."] is located here, having been assigned to them by a deed of 1026 (now in the British Museum) signed by such leading figures as King Canute and Earl Godwin. [See historical summary at [http://www.saltwoodcastle.com/Brief%20Historyof%20Saltwood.htm Saltwood Castle's history page] ] . More recently this castle (now privately owned) has been home to Lord Clark of Saltwood and then his son Alan Clark MP. It is located about a mile to the north of the cinque port of Hythe, although the parish boundaries of Saltwood come very much closer to Hythe town centre.

Religious buildings

The Norman parish church is dedicated to St Peter & St Paul) [ [http://www.saltwoodchurch.org Saltwood Parish Church] ] . There is also an Anglican Chapel of ease at Pedlinge. The residents of Sandling Park, the estate and their estate employees traditionally worship at the latter, which is served by the parish priest (rector) of Saltwood.

chools

There is a large primary school, [ [http://www.saltwood.kent.sch.uk Saltwood Primary School] ] , and a major secondary high school (Brockhill Park Performing Arts College), [ [http://www.brockhill.kent.sch.uk Brockhill Park Performing Arts College] ] located in the parish.

Leisure

Brockhill Country Park is located here. Saltwood also has a Cricket team [ [http://www.saltwoodcc.com Saltwood Cricket Club] ] which plays in the Kent Village League's Second Division, and has a ground and pavilion in the village at Kiln Corner, on the top of Tanners Hill.

Until 1987 Saltwood attracted visitors to a historical point of interest, the Saltwood Miniature Railway, which was the oldest miniature railway in the world, still extant. [See discussion at 7.25" Gauge Society homepage, or at the [http://www.angelfire.com/magic/saltwood Saltwood Miniature Railway] official website.] However, in 1987 this railway closed and has since been broken up and its component parts sold.

References

Further reading

* "Saltwood Castle". Derby: English Life Publications, 1975. ISBN 0851010398