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Rainham, Kent

Rainham
Rainham is located in Kent
Rainham
Rainham
Rainham shown within Kent
Population 6,394 (2001)
OS grid reference TQ815655
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town GILLINGHAM
Postcode district ME7, ME8
Dialling code 01634
Police Kent
Fire Kent
Ambulance South East Coast
EU Parliament South East England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Kent
51°21′34″N 0°36′29″E / 51.359465°N 0.607947°E / 51.359465; 0.607947Coordinates: 51°21′34″N 0°36′29″E / 51.359465°N 0.607947°E / 51.359465; 0.607947

The town of Rainham is a part of the Medway Towns conurbation, under the unitary authority of Medway, in South East England, and part of the ceremonial county of Kent. Historically, Rainham was a separate village until, in 1928, it was added to the Municipal Borough of Gillingham, which had itself been created in 1903. It became part of the Medway authority when Gillingham was incorporated with the other towns to form Medway Unitary Authority in 1998.

Rainham is located on the dip slope of the North Downs where it descends to the River Medway; its maximum height is about 125m above sea level. There are three roads crossing the town. The M2 motorway runs along its southern edge, two miles (6 km) from the town centre. The main road through the town, the A2, follows the ancient Watling Street, the Roman road between London and Canterbury. The most northerly road runs close to the southern bank of the river. The Chatham Main Line has a railway station here and National Cycle Route 1 runs through the town. London is approximately 39 miles (62.4 km) to the west.

Parkwood estate, in the south of Rainham, was built mainly during the 1960s and 70s. Building this estate required the destruction of one of the last large areas of relict woodland in North Kent. The area towards Gillingham is known as Rainham Mark, named after an old ecclesiastical boundary: and Macklands is an older part of the town to the north. The Macklands Arms public house was named after Macklands Manor House. The manor house was home to members of the Mackay family, who owned a printing company in Chatham. Lower Rainham, once a separate village, is now also a part of the town.


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