Guess the Place

[stuartwaters]

For information, it's a common misperception that the Romans built Watling Street. Watling Street is the name of the ancient route from Dover to the Isle of Anglesey, now known as the A2 (the Dover to London stretch) and the A5 (the rest of it).

The route was already there when the Romans arrived, all they did was straighten it and pave it (and built bridges over rivers which were previously forded).

[stuartwaters]

Thank you CAT, that was unexpected and has caught me on the hop somewhat. I've cropped this quite radically, but should be fairly straightforward.

Where is this magnificent plaque? For additional House Points, who was the subject of it and what became of him?

[MartinR]

Camera location:

• Nat Grid:                   TR182542 / TR1828054216
  
• Nearest Post Code:   CT4 5LB
  
• Co-ords (WGS84):     51°14'43"N,001°07'34"E or 51.24533,1.12612
  

BTW, has anyone else noted a change in the forum?  When I click on the bullet list it displays the markdown code BBC (incorrectly) whereas not so long back it showed WYSIWYG.

[CAT]

It is indeed the village of Bridge. The main route being the old A2, itself created along the Roman Watling Street between Dover and London, and beyond via Canterbury. The ‘bridge in question was built in the eighteenth century with a double arch and still survives beneath the widened roadway. How the village got its name has been suggested by a Roman bridge crossing the Nailbourne Stream, though this is unlikely as the stream was only shallow, and seasonal, which could easily be forded when wet.

Over to you stuartwaters

[stuartwaters]

Okay, for the sake of keeping this one alive, would the village name be Bridge by any chance?

[CAT]

I'm more than happy for any takers with this just to keep it going forwards.

Quick clue for those that don't already know this place: The name of the village is the same at a road feature seen in the pic, which despite still surviving has been encapsulated beneath a new one when the road was widened.

[John Walker]

Doesn't look like we're going to get any new participants.  Very disappointing considering the number of forum members.

[CAT]

I'm almost sure its been on here before, possibly even myself whom posted it. As its on a former main route to the coast I'd thought it might assist others in having a go. Strange to think this was once one of the principal Kentish highways from at least the Roman period.   

[Beachbum]

I remember guessing this one before, so will pass.

[MartinR]

I'm sure we've had this one before, the trees and the bridge look familiar.  Doesn't help though, I can't remember where!

[John Walker]

My route to work for over twenty years so it wouldn't be a guess.  Should be a good one for newcomers to have a go at.

Note to newcomers.

Take a guess - doesn't matter if you're wrong.  The rest of us are wrong more times than right  .

If you are the first with a correct guess then enter a photo of your own for others to guess, This keeps the thread going.  It's good fun and a great source of knowledge about Kent history.

Please don't make guesses if you don't have a photo of your own to add.

[grandarog]

Drove through there many times in the 1980,s. Pass for now.

[johnfilmer]

I’ve seen this photo before, is it one of a pair or series?

Either way I’ll keep out for the moment.

[CAT]

Many thanks Beachbum.

It's a fountain I remember from my own childhood wonderings around the Wear Bay Road area between the 'Sands' and the Warren. Nearly forgot about it until seeing your pic.

My offering is an East Kent village once on a main route, but now bypassed, not that the traffic isn't still an issue with more than the single car in my pic to contend with.

[Beachbum]

Well done CAT, you are spot on with the Sidney Cooper Weston Memorial Fountain.

Originally sited on the Leas Promenade in 1897, but moved to Wear Bay in 1920.

So a Local Pensioner+Historian (Robert Mouland) became frustrated with the decay of the Fountain, and started to paint it himself in 2020. The Council served him with an ASBO. After a Public outcry, the Council decided to work with him.

https://memorialdrinkingfountains.wordpress.com/2016/12/02/sidney-cooper-weston-fountain/