Rainham(/ˈreɪnəm/RAY-nəm) is a town in theunitary authorityarea ofMedway,in the ceremonial county ofKent,England. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring townsChatham,Rochester,StroodandGillingham.
| Rainham | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 St. Margaret's Church, Rainham | |
  Rainham Location withinKent | |
| Population | 34,088 (2011 census, Rainham North, Central and South wards)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TQ815655 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GILLINGHAM |
| Postcode district | ME7, ME8 |
| Dialling code | 01634 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | |
History
editHistorically, Rainham was a separate village. In 1921 thecivil parishhad a population of 4335.[2]On 1 April 1929 the parish was abolished and merged with Gillingham[3]and became part of theMunicipal Borough of Gillingham,which was originally created in 1903 and was grouped into the latter's built-up area in analysis of the 2011 census by the Office for National Statistics.[4]It became part of the Medway authority when Gillingham was incorporated with the other towns to form Medway Unitary Authority in 1998. It is now in theunparished areaof Gillingham.
Geography
editRainham occupies a large stretch of land from thedip slopeof a moderate rise of theNorth Downsof about 125 m (410 ft) above sea level, descending to a frontage on theRiver Medway's natural harbour to the north.
London is approximately 39 miles (63 km) to the west.
Three roads cross the town. TheM2 motorwayruns along its southern edge, two miles (3.2 km) from the town centre. The main road through the town, theA2,follows the ancientWatling Street,theRoman roadbetween London andCanterbury.The most northerly road runs close to the southern bank of the river. TheChatham Main Linehas arailway stationhere andNational Cycle Route 1runs through the town.
ThePark Woodestate to the south of Rainham was built mainly during the 1960s and 1970s. Building this estate required the destruction of one of the last large areas of relict woodland in North Kent. The area towardsGillinghamis known asRainham Mark,named after an old ecclesiastical boundary: andMacklandsis an older part of the town to the north. The Macklands Arms public house was named after Macklands Manor House. The (now Grade II listed,[5]) manor house was home to members of the Mackay family, who owned a printing company inChatham.The company building is now part of CPi Books.[6]Lower Rainham,once a separate village, is now also a part of the town.
Demographics
edit
Rainham was originally a linear settlement along the main road. The population in 1801 was 422;[7]two centuries later it is well over thirty thousand. Part of the reason for this huge growth can be attributed to the railway. When the railway came in 1858 it brought an almost immediate increase in the size of the village; when theChatham Main Linewas electrified in 1959, as with all the places served by it, town growth began again. One of the results was the building of Parkwood estate (see above).
Amenities
edit
The parish church is dedicated to St Margaret; theRoman Catholicchurch to St Thomas of Canterbury.
Facilities
editRainham has a small shopping area, including theRainham Shopping Centreprecinct, with a few major shops. The precinct was built in the 1970s after the old church school building was demolished. The school originally opened in 1846 it was a community centre for the last few years of its life. The school (St Margaret's) had moved to the old senior school building in Orchard Street in 1967.[8]
Rainham is home to the first everoast housetheatre,[9][10]where theRainham Theatrical Society(RaTS) puts on regular performances.[11]
Local media
editNewspapers
editLocal newspapers for Rainham include theMedway Messenger,published by theKM Group.The area also has free newspapers in theMedway Extra(KM Group) andyourmedway(KOS Media).
In 2011Medway NewsandMedway Standard,both published by Kent Regional News and Media were closed.
Television
editLocal news and television programmes are provided byBBC South EastandITV Meridian.Television signals are received from theBluebell HillTV transmitter.[12]
Radio
editThe local commercial radio station for Rainham isKMFM Medway,owned by the KM Group. Medway is also served by community radio stationRadio Sunlight.The area can also receive the county wide stationsBBC Radio Kent,HeartandSmooth.
Education
editRainham has four secondary schools:
- The Howard School:a selective and secondary school for boys
- Rainham Mark Grammar School:selective school for which the Medway Test has to be taken, open to both boys and girls
- Rainham School for Girls:a comprehensive school for girls
- Leigh Academy Rainham:a comprehensive school for girls and boys
For a full list of schools serving Rainham visitList of schools in Medway
Open spaces
edit
TheRiverside Country Park,which fronts on to the river Medway at RainhamCreek,includes the promontory ofHorrid Hill.Berengrave Local Nature Reserve(a disused chalk pit) is located on the Lower Rainham Road.[13]
There are also a number of parks and recreational grounds around Rainham.
References
edit- ^"Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics".
- ^"Population statistics Rainham CP/AP through time".A Vision of Britain through Time.Retrieved21 April2024.
- ^"Relationships and changes Rainham CP/AP through time".A Vision of Britain through Time.Retrieved21 April2024.
- ^Medway Council – Local history: Medway in the 20th century 1901 – 2000Archived9 March 2009 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Macklands, Gillingham, Medway".britishlistedbuildings.co.uk.Retrieved22 July2022.
- ^"CPI Print | Home | Uk's leading Book printing company".cpi-print.co.uk.Retrieved22 July2022.
- ^How Was Berengrave Lane So NamedArchived20 February 2008 at theWayback Machine
- ^"History of Rainham Kent, Old Photos and Life in Bygone Times".Rainham History.Retrieved27 July2022.
- ^"Oasthouses and Theatre, Gillingham, Medway".
- ^The First Oasthouse Theatre in the World: The History of The Rainham Theatrical Society: RATS.Meresborough Books. 25 April 2014.ISBN978-0948193897.
- ^"About Us".Archived fromthe originalon 11 April 2010.Retrieved6 July2011.
- ^"Full Freeview on the Bluebell Hill (Medway, England) transmitter".UK Free TV.1 May 2004.Retrieved27 September2023.
- ^"Berengrave Nature Reserve".Woodland Trust.Retrieved22 July2022.