insideKENT Magazine Issue 22 - January 2014 | Page 102

COVERSTORY

Fascinating Kent
80 INTRIGUING FACTS ABOUT ENGLAND’S OLDEST COUNTY
Historic River Tours, Canterbury

Hever Castle, Nr. Edenbridge
Eastwell Manor Lawns & Terrace

Canterbury Cathedral

Countryside and Coast
1. Kent has two beautiful Areas of Outstanding
Natural Beauty: the Kent Downs (878 sq
km/339 sq miles) and the High Weald (371 sq
km/89 sq miles), each of which stretch across
approximately one third of the county.
2. The county is known as the Garden of England
because of its wealth of farming and crops,
including fruit and hops.
3. Some 67% is agricultural.
4. Kent has the largest area of semi-natural
woodland of any county in Great Britain.
5. In the Elham Valley around 40 different wild
flower species grow per square metre.
6. Some 7,100 km (4,400 miles) of public rights
of way criss-cross the rural landscape, making
Kent a wonderful place for walking, riding and
cycling.
7. Dungeness is the largest shingle beach in
Europe.
8. You can find around one third of all UK plant
species growing amongst the pebbles of
Dungeness.
9. It took 80 million years to form the White Cliffs
of Dover from billions of crushed shells, seadwelling plants and animals.
10. The White Cliffs are a designated Site of
Special Scientific Interest; home to many
species of birds, wildlife and flora, including
a unique type of sea cabbage.

Chapel Down Winery, Tenterden Vineyard

11. There are six wetland sites that are important
to bird life along the coast of the Thames
estuary to Thanet.
12. Kent has more conservation areas than any
other county in England.
13. Over 500 sites of interest for nature
conservation account for 9% of the land.
14. You can take time out at more than 200
country parks, picnic sites, nature reserves
and public woodlands.

Town and City Heritage
15. Kent is the oldest county in England.
16