Kent Landscape That Inspired Dickens Declared New Nature Reserve

 

A beautiful landscape that once inspired Charles Dickens, featuring ancient woodlands, wildflower meadows, and chalk grasslands, has now been declared a national nature reserve.

Great news for anyone thinking of buying or selling property in Kent! Along with our coastline being recognised with more Blue Flag Beaches last month, there's another fantastic reason to feel good about living here.

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Natural England, which provides advice to the government on environmental issues, has announced the creation of the North Kent Woods and Downs national nature reserve. This 800-acre area near Snodland is now a key focus for conservation and nature restoration. It's the eighth reserve in the King's Series—an initiative aimed at establishing 25 large national nature reserves across England by 2027, marking King Charles' coronation.

The North Kent Woods and Downs is a haven for species like Man and Lady orchids, the Maidstone mining bee, the Hazel dormouse, and skylarks. It also features around 1,700 ancient and veteran trees, along with the Silverhand Estate, one of the UK's largest organic vineyards.

Dickens' deep connection with Kent shaped his life and writings. He grew up in Chatham and Rochester, and later lived at Gad's Hill Place in Higham, where he wrote classics like "Great Expectations" and "A Tale of Two Cities."

Natural England is collaborating with partners like the National Trust, Woodland Trust, and Kent County Council to support conservation beyond the reserve's borders, targeting an additional 1,100 hectares for coordinated nature recovery.

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Thinking Of Buying A Home In Kent?

Kent has it all – beautiful, unspoilt countryside, nearly 350km of serene coastline, pretty villages, and bustling towns and cities. Explore our wonderful county by browsing our Kent area guides, or contact us to receive the latest properties for sale and rent directly to your inbox!

Contact the Quealy & Co. team on 01795 429836 or email hello@quealy.co.uk.

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