Hawkinge
| Hawkinge | |
|---|---|
 The Kent Battle of Britain Museum in Hawkinge |
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 Hawkinge
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| Hawkinge shown within Kent | |
| Population | 8,002 (2011) |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | FOLKESTONE |
| Postcode district | CT18 |
| Dialling code | 01303 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Hawkinge (/ˈhɔːkɪndʒ/ HAW-kinj) is now a town and civil parish in the Shepway 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 (roughly 51° 6'55.14"N, 1°11'2.00"E); the modern, much larger, village of Hawkinge was formed by the merging of Hawkinge and Uphill. Walking south from the village past it is possible to see stunning views of Cheriton, Folkestone and the Channel Tunnel complex.
During World War II, RAF Hawkinge was the closest operational airfield to France and was used during the Battle of Britain. The airfield is now the site of extensive residential development, which has expanded Hawkinge's population to 9,000. Depending on further building, the population is still expected to grow to 11,000. The construction of the houses was hampered by the discovery of several pipe bombs, put there in the event of a German invasion to render the airfield useless to enemy airplanes. There are several reminders of the war in and near the site of the original village; the Kent Battle of Britain Museum and various pillboxes are scattered amongst the farms.
Hawkinge Cemetery is near the site of the aerodrome and most of the 95 Second World War casualties buried there were airmen. About a quarter were killed during the Battle of Britain. Most of the war graves are in a special plot east of the chapel, including 59 German graves, which are together in a group at the south-eastern corner.
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Wikipedia