Isle of Grain - History

History

The following extract is taken from the Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland by John Gorton, 1833:

Graine, Isle of

A parish in the Hundred of Hoo, lathe of Aylesford, opposite to Sheppey at the mouth of the Thames; it is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) broad and is formed by Yantlet Creek running from the Medway to the Thames. The Creek was filled up, and had a road across it for 40 years until 1823, when the Lord Mayor ordered it to be again reopened, so as to give about eight feet navigation for barges at spring tide; thus saving a distance of fourteen miles (21 km) into the Medway, and avoiding the danger of going round by the Nore.

The closure of the road caused considerable anger among the residents of the Island and it was later reopened. The need to reach London by a less circuitous route was later to be addressed by the Thames and Medway Canal, although this plan, too, was not a success.

In 1855, as part of military defences guarding the Thames, Grain Tower, a fort, was built. It remained in use until 1946, having been used during both World Wars. In earlier times the incidence of marsh fever (Malaria) was extremely high. 1918 saw Britain's last recorded outbreak of the disease.

Yantlet Creek was the downstream limit of the City of London's ownership of the bed of the River Thames. It is marked by a London Stone beside the mouth of the creek.