River, Kent
| River | |
|---|---|
 Church of St Peter & St Paul, River |
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 River
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| River shown within Kent | |
| Population | 3,876 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TR295435 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Dover |
| Postcode district | CT17 |
| Dialling code | 01304 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
River is a village and civil parish in Kent, England, situated between the historic town of Dover and the neighbouring village of Temple Ewell. "Village" is a somewhat loose term for River; it is a community of several thousand and is probably more usefully regarded as a suburb of Dover. After a period of rapid housing development in the 1960s and 1970s, the size and population of River have largely stabilised in recent decades, and little new development is now seen. This is partly because River lies in a steep chalk valley which affords little scope for further expansion. However, it is also true that the Dover area is historically not in the vanguard of high economic growth, being tied almost exclusively to the cross-channel port and various support industries, which have witnessed a gradual decline since the opening of the Channel Tunnel. In transport terms River is well connected, being close to the A2 and A20 trunk routes, having a railway station at Kearsney with direct services to London, and of course being only 3 miles (5 km) from the Port of Dover itself.
Geographically speaking, River is situated in a steep wooded valley formed by the River Dour. At its north-west (upstream) end the valley splits into the Dour Valley, in which Temple Ewell lies, and the Alkham Valley, which for much of the time is dry but which contains the Drellingore, a highly seasonal stream characteristic of chalk downland (another example being the nearby Nailbourne). The confluence of the Dour and Drellingore rivers is situated in Kearsney Abbey near its Lower Road entrance.
At the valley floor, River is on average about 100 feet (30 m) above sea level (there is a mark on the playground wall of River Primary School, Lewisham Road, to indicate the 100 feet level). Along the axis of the Dour, the land slopes gradually down towards the sea about 3 miles (5 km) distant. In valley cross-section, the land slopes steeply updwards and is heavily wooded. The common land areas above Kearsney Abbey afford excellent views down towards Dover and its historic castle, and much of the area consists of rare and delicate chalk grassland.
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Wikipedia