Shepherdswell: Walking, Railway and History

Shepherdswell brings together several distinct highlights to consider when planning a trip: walks along the North Downs Way, rides on the East Kent Railway, and local architectural and commemorative history. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Shepherdswell, distinguishing between these highlights can help you organise your outings around the focus you prefer. For example, you can choose between walking routes, the railway and historic buildings according to your own travel interests.

Walking routes and wayfinding

The 9-mile walking route from Shepherdswell to Dover follows the North Downs Way and passes through the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It also follows the Via Francigena. These two route references describe the same walking route to Dover.

Section 12 of the North Downs Way is a different route: this linear walk runs from Canterbury to Shepherdswell and is 10 miles (16 km) long. The two route descriptions therefore have different endpoints: Dover marks the route south from Shepherdswell, while Canterbury marks the section to Shepherdswell. The North Downs Way Gateway sign on Mill Lane, beside the Village Green, is a specific wayfinding point. The section of the North Downs Way with the nearby Monumenta Romana sculpture starts at Shepherdswell station or the Village Green.

Monumenta Romana is an open dome made of reused wood, with an octagonal wooden seat and a 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape. This makes it a stop on the walking itinerary that combines a distinctive art form with views of the landscape. When comparing different routes, the stated endpoints and distances help you tell them apart.

East Kent Railway and woodland walk

Restored electric and diesel locomotives carry passengers from Shepherdswell to Eythorne on the East Kent Railway. If you are planning a ride for a particular travel date, it is worth checking the timetable. The site also includes a walking path through a 350-year-old woodland area. The East Kent Railway therefore offers two distinct activities: a ride on the restored locomotives and a walk through the ancient woodland.

Buildings and commemorative history

Shepherdswell War Memorial stands on The Green and is a Celtic-style memorial cross. The structure is listed as Grade II. Twenty men from Shepherdswell died during the First World War.

Shepherds Well signal box still has its original 23-lever signal frame. It is the only surviving example of a signal box built to the London, Chatham & Dover Railway’s own design.

St Andrew’s Church in Shepherdswell is built of local flint, with Bath stone dressings. The combination of these two building materials is a distinct architectural feature alongside the memorial cross and signal box.

Early references to the village and its surroundings

A church in Shepherdswell, also known by the old name Sibertswold, is first recorded in 944. This provides an early chronological reference for the history of the village. Nearby Shepherdswell is the ringwork at Coldred Court, a Scheduled Monument. It survives as an early medieval Norman earthwork with a bailey, or outer enclosure. Its designation and surviving form offer two different points of reference for understanding this archaeological monument.

Discover more destinations: Walmer, Dymchurch, Deal, Coldred, Romney Marsh, Warehorne, Sandhurst, West Farleigh.

For the broader travel overview: Kent.