Snodland: A Guide to the Historic Town in Kent

Snodland is a town located in Kent, South East England. It lies on the River Medway and is situated between Rochester and Maidstone, approximately 27 miles (43 km) from central London. At the time of the 2011 Census, the population of Snodland was 10,211.

I always thought that the name was a bit funny, but the history as you are going to find out is as interesting as any other wonderful village in Kent.

Snodland Name

Snoddingland, as it was originally called, was first mentioned in a charter of 838 when King Egbert of Wessex granted “four ploughlands in the place called Snoddingland and Holanbeorge” to Beornmod, the Bishop of Rochester.

The name “Snoddingland” is believed to derive from the personal name “Snodd” or “Snodda” and refers to cultivated land connected to that person. The Domesday Book in 1086 referred to the area as “Esnoiland”.

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Snodland History

During the Roman conquest of Britain, it is believed that the first Roman advance may have crossed the River Medway near Snodland, although there are other possible locations. A memorial now marks the supposed crossing place on the opposite side of the river from Snodland, close to Burham. A ferry later carried pilgrims bound for Canterbury along the Pilgrims’ Way.

In the late 11th century, Bishop Gundulph built a palace at Halling, which was used by his successors until the 16th century.

Lime working had been carried out at Snodland for centuries, but it expanded dramatically in the 19th century due to increased building. The firm of Poynder and Medlicott began quarrying on the Snodland-Halling border in the early 19th century, and the company was taken over by William Lee in 1846. Others followed, and the last one was built in 1923 by W. L. H. Roberts at Holborough. Lime from the area was used to build Waterloo and other London bridges.

The paper-making industry came to Snodland around 1740 when the May family built a mill that was later taken over by the Hook family in 1854. New manufacturing techniques and the arrival of the railway in the 1850s led to improved paper production, and Snodland’s population doubled between 1840 and 1857.

After the Medway Valley railway opened on 18 June 1856, the village grew threefold between 1861 and 1881. As a result, the parish boundary was re-aligned in 1898 and again in 1988, both changes absorbing areas of Birling parish, known locally as “Lower Birling”.

Today, Snodland is undergoing a 10-year development plan by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council to redevelop and expand the Holborough part of Snodland. In 2005, Berkeley Homes began construction of around 1,200 houses on the former Holborough Quarry.

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Historic Places to see in Snodland

Woodlands Farmhouse, located on Constitution Hill, is a Grade II* listed building that dates back to the early to mid-15th century. Another hall house can be found at 72 Holborough Road.

The Mulberry Cottages, situated on the High Street, were originally a classical Wealden hall house dating back to c. 1450.

The south of the water company headquarters on the High Street features a mock ruin built around 1850, which is one of the more recent listed structures.

The Roman Villa

The Roman villa in Church Field has been partially excavated and is still in good condition, but sadly not open to the public. The villa was spacious and with a lot of outbuildings, which ment that it was owned by a very high powered owner – possibly a Roman soldier.

In the summer of 2006, during excavation work on the site of a former sports field near the Snodland Roman villa, workers uncovered a hoard of almost 3600 Roman coins, leading to a large-scale archaeological investigation of the area.

This western edge of the villa complex revealed a series of field systems, pits, and a distinctive concentric building with masonry foundations, timber buildings, and a small cemetery.

The excavation produced significant assemblages of material culture and ecofacts, including Neronian building material likely from an unlocated bath house on the site. This archaeological investigation provided new insights into the layout and use of the Snodland villa complex in the Roman times.

You can see some of the excavations in the Snoodland Millenium Museum, which is in the centre of village and open usually on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Religious Sites

The town of Holborough has a rich history of religious sites, with several buildings dating back to the 12th century. All Saints Church, which was built in the 12th century, is a Grade I listed building that still stands today. The Norman-style St Benedict’s Church, located about a mile west of the town on the Pilgrim’s Way, is another historical building that dates back to the early 12th century.

In addition to these historic churches, there are also several newer religious buildings in the town. Christ Church, located in the south of the town, was built in the 19th century to accommodate the growing population. It was designed in the Early English Gothic Revival style by Percy Monkton. The Kingdom Hall on Church Field is used by local Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Several former religious buildings have been repurposed over the years. The Grand Picture Palace cinema on Holborough Road was converted into the Catholic Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury in the late 1940s, but it was closed in 2007 and redeveloped.

The Primitive Methodist Chapel on Chapel Road closed in 1976 and is now a car showroom. The Swedenborgian Church of the New Jerusalem on the High Street, which was used until the 1980s, is now a private house called Church House.

Unfortunately, the United Church on the High Street closed in 2011 due to structural issues. However, the cemetery, which was opened in 1896, still remains and was designed by Hubert Bensted of Maidstone.

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Snodland Famous People

Snodland has been home to some notable people throughout history. One such person is Thomas Fletcher Waghorn, a pioneer in the postal industry who shortened the mail route to India by going through the Egyptian desert. He is buried in the churchyard.

Another notable figure is Judge Dread, a white reggae singer whose real name was Alex Hughes. He lived in Snodland, and now has a street named after him. Some of his popular songs, such as “Belle of Snodland Town” and “Last Tango in Snodland,” reference the town.

This blog post was originally published on 15 January 2024 and last updated on 15 January 2024