Ebbsfleet Valley

Infobox UK place
country= England
region= South East England
shire_county= Kent
shire_district= Dartford
shire_district1= Gravesham
civil_parish= Swanscombe and Greenhithe
official_name= Ebbsfleet Valley
post_town= SWANSCOMBE
postcode_area= DA
postcode_district=DA10
dial_code= 01987 [Ofcom - [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/ebbsfleet/main.pdf Telephone Numbering - Proposals to accommodate geographic number demand in the Ebbsfleet region] ]
os_grid_reference=TQ597730
latitude= 51.434322
longitude= 0.297071

Ebbsfleet Valley is a new town and redevelopment area in Kent, South East England; and part of the Thames Gateway. It is named from the valley of the Ebbsfleet River, which it straddles, with the eastern part of the site in the borough of Gravesham and with the portion west of the river in the borough of Dartford. It is located south west of the Gravesend urban conurbation.

Redevelopment

Much of the land is brownfield and was formerly used by industry; having been previously owned by the APCM, Blue Circle and most recently by Lafarge. The new community is planned to have a population of 40,000. Ebbsfleet International railway station was opened in November 2007 and provides services to Continental Europe on High Speed 1. Domestic services to London are planned to be operated by Southeastern. [Southeastern - [http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/main.php?page_id=353 Southeastern's high-speed trains] ] There will be a trial by BT of a fibre network in the Ebbsfleet valley, potentially offering the highest speed internet connection to home users in the United Kingdom. [" [http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39292056,00.htm BT fibre trial to start in August] "]

Archaeology

The Ebbsfleet River is of great historical importance in English history and prehistory, and much archaeological excavation has taken place here over the years. Quarrying here has revealed signs of extensive occupation some 100,000 years ago: flint knapping was carried out here, the remains of a straight-tusked elephant have been found. Distinctive pottery from the Neolithic age has been discovered; such pots give their name to an important sub-culture of the period ["The Book of Gravesham", Sidney Harker, 1979, Barracuda Books Ltd ISBN 0 86023 091 0] [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22097 British History Online: The Neolithic Age] ] .

Belgic Britons, in the late Iron Age have left behind traces of their culture. Prior to the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in this area, archaeological work undertaken at Ebbsfleet found an Anglo-Saxon mill. The river, which is fed by eight natural springs, was held sacred by the Celts who settled in the area around 100 BC. [" [http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/projects/kent/ctrl/springhead/temples.html Springhead: the temple complex] "] . They were followed by the Romans; their Watling Street passes through the site, and a villa has been excavated.

Civic identity

The football team Gravesend and Northfleet FC changed their name to Ebbsfleet United F.C. in the summer of 2007. Another move to promote a sense of identity in the new town is a planned landmark, which when built will be 50 metres high (twice as high as the Angel of the North) and is intended to be visible from road, rail and air. This sculpture, informally known as the Angel of the South, is currently being commissioned. [BBC News - " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7214801.stm Sculpture 'will be icon of South'] "] [BBC News - " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7215206.stm There is no Ebbsfleet' ] "] [BBC News - " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7387267.stm £2m sculpture designs revealed' ] "] [Guardian - " [http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/gallery/2008/may/07/ebbsfleetlandmark?picture=333981526 Images of the shortlisted designs] "]

References

External links

*BBC - [http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2007/01/10/thames_gateway_facts_eastern_quarry_feature.shtml Ebbsfleet Valley]
* [http://www.ebbsfleetvalley.com/ Ebbsfleet Valley]