Paddlesworth is a hamlet and parish located about 3 miles (4.8 km) NNW of
Folkestone in
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, England, near
Hawkinge
Hawkinge ( ) is a town and civil parish in the Folkestone and Hythe district of Kent, England. The original village of Hawkinge is actually just less than a mile (c. 1.3 km) due east of the present village centre; the village of Hawkinge ...
.
Paddlesworth was a sighting-point for the
Anglo-French Survey (1784–1790)
The Anglo-French Survey (1784–1790) was the geodetic survey to measure the relative position of Greenwich Observatory and the Paris Observatory via triangulation. The English operations, executed by William Roy, consisted of the measureme ...
linking the
Royal Greenwich Observatory with the
Paris Observatory, undertaken by General
William Roy
Major-General William Roy (4 May 17261 July 1790) was a Scottish military engineer, surveyor, and antiquarian. He was an innovator who applied new scientific discoveries and newly emerging technologies to the accurate geodetic mapping of ...
. A chain of readings was made from high points between the two observatories, including locally from
Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the ...
,
St Peter's Church, Swingfield, and
Aldington Knoll.
The
Early Norman Anglican parish church is dedicated to St Oswald. It was built in the 11th century or earlier but underwent alteration in the 13th and
restoration
Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to:
* Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
** Audio restoration
** Film restoration
** Image restoration
** Textile restoration
* Restoration ecology
...
in the 19th century. It has been designated as a Grade I
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.
It is said of Paddlesworth that it has the "Highest Church, Lowest Steeple, Poorest Parish, Fewest People". These words can be seen carved in a circle round the edge of the
village sign
In many parts of England, an ornamental village sign is erected to announce the village name to those entering the village. They are typically placed on the principal road entrance or in a prominent location such as a village green. The design ...
, as seen in the photo above right.
The
public house
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and wa ...
is 'The Cat and Custard Pot', two elements illustrated on the village sign.
From September to December 2010 a group of writers and artists created the Paddlesworth Press, a "mixed-media, collaborative online novel" based on Paddlesworth with fictional characters and events in a spoof newspaper.
References
External links
Village website
Villages in Kent
Civil parishes in Kent
Folkestone and Hythe District
{{Kent-geo-stub