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The Medway region
Medway is a vibrant and bustling area with lots of things to see and do. Students are eligible for concessions at many of Medway Council’s leisure centres, entertainment venues and attractions. There are six gyms, five leisure centres, and a fantastic soccer centre, Kicks, which has thirdgeneration astroturf – the best possible artificial surface. There are exciting arts programmes at The Brook and The Central entertainment venues, which are less than ten minutes from the campus. The Brook also hosts a monthly comedy club. There is an annual arts festival and a variety of other festivals are held throughout the year.
Culture and leisure
Kent’s Medway campus is part of Chatham Maritime, on the mouth of the river Medway, and it is next to Chatham Historic Dockyard. The Chatham Maritime area has received a huge investment in recent years and includes a multiplex cinema, a large retail outlet and a number of bars and restaurants, all within walking distance of the main campus.
back to topHistory
Medway has a rich and fascinating history. Rochester Castle was one of the first large stone keeps built by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest, while Rochester Cathedral – where Kent holds its Medway graduation ceremonies – is more than 1,400 years old, making it the second oldest cathedral in the United Kingdom.
Medway also has a long and distinguished naval history. For instance, the first ship built at Chatham’s Dockyard took part in the defeat of the Armada; Lord Horatio Nelson joined his first ship at Chatham; and his famous flagship, The Victory, was built here.
One of Medway’s most famous inhabitants was Charles Dickens, who lived in Chatham as a child, and later at Gadshill Place in Rochester for 14 years until his death. The Medway region also features in many Dickens novels and every year the Dickens Festival celebrates his legacy. The £62 million Dickens World tourist attraction is located at Chatham Maritime and has been used as a location for music videos and various BBC programmes. It is a multi-purpose venue, hosting special events such as Jongleurs comedy and theme nights.
back to topTransport links
Did you know…
the new high-speed rail link to London and the continent is just 30 minutes from the Medway campus.
Medway has excellent road and rail links and is well served by the M2, M20 and M25 motorways. Heathrow and Gatwick airports, the Channel ports of Dover and Ramsgate and the Channel Tunnel are all about an hour’s drive from the campus. There are direct rail links to London Victoria and Charing Cross – approximately 45 minutes’ journey time. Ebbsfleet International Eurostar station is just 30 minutes from the campus, and from there you can be in London in just 17 minutes and Paris or Brussels in just over two hours.
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