Thurs 21st Sept Afternoon – Cement, Bricks and Paper alongside Europe’s finest Gurdwara – Gravesend
Walk Route
Walk Description – Afternoon
The world’s shipping still passes the town’s front door. The long-established industrial foreshore was once the site of the earliest known cement kiln and continues to be the site of paper mills that once drew the Sikh community to settle here.
A six-mile walk along the foreshore and into the picturesque town centre through the old, newly restored covered market and a visit to the truly spectacular Sikh temple, before boarding LV21, the lightship moored at the riverfront for an early evening spoken word performance.
Please book separately for the morning event if you would like to take part in the full 6 mile walk.
Please note, this walk is generally suitable for all. There are some steps and inclines that may cause difficulty e.g. Windmill Hill. The pace will be moderate to ensure the timetable is achieved.
Distance: 6.22 miles (morning and afternoon walks combined, as per map)
Schedule
13:00 Town & Riverside walk starting at the Pocahontas statue at St George’s Church Church Street, Gravesend, DA11 0DJ and taking in the Market and Puji statue; St Andrews Art Centre for an exhibition and school performance, The Port of London Authority choir and views of the river, including (hopefully) a tug display, followed by a walk taking in the clock tower and Windmill Hill.
15.30 A tour of Gravesend’s Gurdwara, Saddington St, Gravesend DA12 1AG; the largest Gurdwara complex outside India. Please note, no alcohol must have been consumed prior to the visit and no tobacco product should be present. Please see http://gurunanakdarbar.org/visitors-guide/
16.30 Riverside walk taking in the Promenade, a performance by the Rock Choir on the bandstand, an exhibition and reception at LV21 on St Andrews Quay, Royal Pier Rd, Gravesend DA12 2BD, ending at 19.00.
The ten community walks are part of a series of longer ‘link’ walks that will see the flags carried from Kew to Southend using only boots or boats. These longer walks range from six miles to 23 miles. They have been planned with the London branch of the Long Distance Walkers Association, a Silk River partner, and are designed for experienced walkers only. For more information visit https://www.ldwa.org.uk/London/W/4662/2017.html
Please read the Disclaimer covering the walks HERE
Special thanks go to Kent County Council, Gravesham Borough Council, their staff and partners for the planning and facilitation of today’s walk.
Kent County Council provided funding, and Gravesham Borough Council worked with the following organisations for Silk River:
- Port of London Authority
- Woodville Theatre
- Gravesham Art Salon
- The Gr@nd
- LV21 – Boat
- Guru Nanak Darbar Gudwara
- Kent Equality Cohesion Council
Gravesend is a very diverse town with a significant history of migration stemming from the 1950’s when the Indian community settled in this Riverside borough. Gravesend is steeped in history, having been recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, the writing place where Charles Dickens penned Great Expectations, having one of the oldest surviving markets in the country and being the final resting place of Princess Pocahontas to name just a few.
Through this project, we will share some of that history, culture and vibrancy and celebrate our significant links with India and the river.
The Gurdwara is testament to Gravesend’s thriving Sikh community who first began settling in the riverside town at the turn of the 20th Century. Its 5 elaborate domes and design are inspired by the Golden Temple at Amritsa.
The walk from industrial Northfleet through to the picturesque views from Windmill Hill identifies the history of Gravesend and its ability to shape and shift with each passing incarnation.
Photos from the Silk River Gravesend Walk 21st Sept by Mike Johnston.
