Kennington: Countryside, Sport and Architectural History

Kennington combines a country park, sports facilities and historic architecture. When planning your trip, it is worth considering these aspects of the area separately: Conningbrook Lakes Country Park represents the gradual transformation of a former quarry site; sports pitches, a play area and historic buildings each add their own character. This gives you a clear overview of whether countryside, sport or architectural history will influence your choice of where to stay.

Countryside and leisure

Conningbrook Lakes Country Park in Kennington is being gradually transformed into a country park on a former quarry site around the existing lakes. The existing lakes are therefore part of the park’s character, alongside the ongoing transformation of the former extraction site. For travellers who want to take the surrounding landscape into account when choosing where to stay, this transformation offers a distinct focus alongside the sports facilities and historic buildings.

At Spearpoint Pavilion (The Ridge) in Kennington, Ashford, there are five unlit grass football pitches available for hire. Their number, grass surface and lack of lighting are specific features you can take into account when planning. If you are considering hiring a pitch, check the rental terms in advance, as they may change. Spearpoint Recreation Ground in Kennington has a play area. The football pitches and play area are two distinct points of interest for planning your trip.

Historic architecture

The Church of St Mary is largely a 15th-century building made of rubble stone. Kennington Lodge is a former stable building that probably dates from the 17th century. It is built of red brick and has grey lintels. A lintel is a horizontal structural element above an opening. Even these two buildings differ in both their materials and their dates.

Kennington Hall is a large, square, 18th-century manor house with three storeys and a red-brick façade. Home Farmhouse dates from the 18th century or earlier: red-brick walls define the ground floor, while the upper floor is clad in tiles. The Mill House also dates from the 18th century or earlier. The two-storey house has an L-shaped plan and is built of red brick. The comparison highlights the manor house’s square shape and three storeys, the change in exterior material between floors at Home Farmhouse, and the L-shape of the Mill House.

The Old House is a 16th-century timber-framed building that apparently once consisted of two cottages. Yeoman Cottages is also a 16th-century timber-framed house; its façade is made of painted brick, while the side walls are tile-hung. Temple House offers a different emphasis in terms of materials: built in the mid-19th century, the building is rendered in colour and has a hipped slate roof.

Anyone interested in architectural history can compare the examples by material and form: rubble stone at the church, timber framing at the 16th-century houses, brick at several buildings, and render and slate at Temple House. The buildings also differ in form, from the square manor house to the L-shaped Mill House. The architectural impression is not limited to the dates of the buildings: their materials, façades and basic shapes offer different clues for understanding them.

Discover more destinations: Herne Bay, Aylesford, Barham, Paddock Wood, Edenbridge, Littlestone-On-Sea, Newington, Worth

For the full travel overview: Kent.