 Stodmarsh, near Canterbury, at night, lit up by the rising moon as the Milky Way quickly departs.

Also available as a [greetings card](https://rstanger.co.uk/image/536).

Stodmarsh Milky Way Tree in Colour

   Milky Way at night over a calm Stour Lake, near to Canterbury.

Since 1928 The Canterbury and District Angling Association has been managing extensive fisheries in the Stour Valley below Canterbury, offering first class lake and river fishing for a variety of species. The historic and famous stretch of the River Stour, which the Association leases from the Fordwich United Charities, reaches downstream from Fordwich Bridge as far as Plucks Gutter. Fordwich trout were referred to in Izaak Waltons The Compleat Angler, their descendants are still running up the river to spawn, when the conditions are right for them.

The fisheries between Fordwich and Grove Ferry are in surroundings of great natural beauty and are part of an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), recently upgraded to an International RAMSAR site. Fishery management in the SSSI is subject to an agreement between the Association and English Nature.

Stour Lake, Fordwich, Milky Way

Reculver Towers at night, near Herne Bay...Too much cloud for star chasing, but just right to capture the glow from Herne Bay, with The Plough just bursting through.

Reculver Towers are a striking pair of 12th-century church towers built within a Roman fort on the very edge of the Wantsum Channel. The towers, known as 'The Two Sisters', were erected on the foundation of a 7th-century Saxon church. The 12th-century church is gone now, the victim of erosion from the constant wear and tear of waves on this seaside location.


Reculver Towers Stars And Cloud 2x1

Swalecliffe breakwater, looking towards Long Rock and Whitstable at sunset.

Swalecliffe Hole In Breakwater, looking towards Whitstable

Fordwich Pano 

The sun 'balanced' on The Cathedral's tower, reminiscent of the Eye of Mordor.
Canterbury Cathedral on a misty morning as the sun rises, take from several miles away near to The Water Tower. This was after several failed attempts, with cloud and fog hampering my efforts.

From wiki...Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury.

Founded in 597, the cathedral was completely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077. The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the 12th century and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174, with significant eastward extensions to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170. The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late 14th century when they were demolished to make way for the present structures.

Before the English Reformation the cathedral was part of a Benedictine monastic community known as Christ Church, Canterbury, as well as being the seat of the archbishop.

Cathedral Sunrise Portrait 3 X 2

Grove Ferry Misty Night on the River Stour (Kent).
Some nice reflections from The Grove Ferry Inn and the moored boats on to the river, with thisk mist/fog rising all around.


The Grove Ferry Public House took its name from a hand drawn ferry that crossed the River Stour in front of the building. The pub was also known as Grove Ferry Inn. A road bridge replaced the old ferry in 1963.

Grove Ferry Boat Club was founded in 1964. The clubhouse, dating from the early seventies, is on the south bank of the river, just below the Grove Ferry Bridge

Kent County Council renovated the bridge in September 2000.





Grove Ferry Misty Night on the River Stour 1

Sunset at Reculver, looking west towards Beltinge and Herne Bay.

Reculver looking towards Herne Bay

 Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks over Reculver Towers before the clouds moved in.

Reculver and Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks

A long exposure panorama of Folkestone's Rotunda Beach just after sunset.

Folkestone Beach pano.

A night scene including The Milky Way Core over Ramsgate Harbour Arm, taken from alongside Port Control on The East Pier. The orange glow of France, way off across the sea tries its best to 'eat' the bottom of the nights sky.

Ramsgate Milky Way 

A stunning rainbow at sea, next to Reculver Towers near Herne Bay. Taken from Bishopstone Cliffs.

Reculver Towers are a striking pair of 12th-century church towers built within a Roman fort on the very edge of the Wantsum Channel. The towers, known as 'The Two Sisters', were erected on the foundation of a 7th-century Saxon church. The 12th-century church is gone now, the victim of erosion from the constant wear and tear of waves on this seaside location.

Reculver Rainbow 

Deal Pier in the fog January 2022 

Deal's present pier was built in 1954 but there have been two previous constructions at the same site.

The first pier appeared in 1838 and the original plans by engineer J. Rennie indicated that the structure was to be 445 feet long. A budget of £21,000 was awarded to the Deal Pier Company, by the government, to finance the project. After completing 250ft of the main structure, at a cost of £12,000, the company ran into financial difficulties and construction came to a halt. The unfinished pier was consequently opened and used as a docking point for steamers. Over the next 20 years storms and sandworms played a major part in the decay of the structure and a large storm in 1857 threw the pier onto the beach where it was later sold as scrap for £50.

In 1861 the Deal & Walmer Pier Company commissioned Eugenius Birch to design a new pier and work began in the Spring of 1863.

Stone from the ruined Sandown Castle was used for the abutment and the pier itself was built of wrought and cast iron. The full length of the structure was 1100ft and included a 3 deck pier head and a steamer landing stage. Seating ran the full length and a tramway was provided for conveying goods and luggage whilst two attractive toll houses were built at the entrance.

Deal's second pier was officially opened on 8 November 1864 but the pier company once again discovered that they were unable to meet the full cost of construction and the pier was handed over to the contractors. The addition of a pavilion on the pier head led to the pier becoming a popular venue for concerts as well as angling.

On 19 January 1873 the barque Merle hit the pier during a storm causing extensive damage. Repairs were carried out but on 26 January 1884 the schooner Alliance also ran into the pier during a storm leading to further major repairs. Despite these two incidents the pier remained a significant local amenity and it was purchased by Deal Town Council for £10,000 in 1920.

Disaster struck with the coming of the second World War, when, in 1940, the Dutch vessel Nora struck a fatal blow.

The Nora was anchored a mile off shore when a drifting magnetic mine struck the stern of the vessel. Damage was extensive and after evacuating the crew the Nora was towed to the beach, south of the pier. Local fishermen warned the authorities of the dangers that the vessel presented being left on the shore but the warnings were left unheeded. Partially submerged, the rising tide lifted the Nora from the beach and continually smashed her against the pier. The old structure withstood the battering for sometime but eventually the Nora was driven through the pier and brought some 200ft of the wrought ironwork onto her decks. A visiting Winston Churchill surveyed the devastation and gave the army consent to demolish the broken pier to allow coastal guns a clear line of fire. All that was left were the toll houses on the foreshore.

Strong local pressure came to bear after the war and in 1954 the old toll houses were removed and work began on Deal's third and existing pier. The new pier took 3 years to build and was formally opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 19 November 1957. The pier was the first seaside pleasure pier of any size to be built since 1910 and was designed by Sir W Halcrow and Partners. Constructed of reinforced concrete the structure is 1026ft long and steel piles surrounded by a concrete case make up the main supports. The pier head originally had 3 levels but a miscalculation of the tides has led to the lower deck being permanently covered by the sea.

Deal Pier continues to be a significant local landmark and public amenity. It is internationally recognised as an angling venue and Dover District Council has recently undertaken exciting new developments. A new look cafe-bar designed by renowned architects Niall McLaughlin was opened in 2009.

Deal Pier In Fog landscape


Leonard Prebble's old fishing boat at night on Dungeness beach and The Milky Way.
The new lighthouse can be seen on the far right of the picture.

Dungeness is a headland on the coast of Kent, England, formed largely of a shingle beach in the form of a cuspate foreland. It shelters a large area of low-lying land, Romney Marsh. Dungeness spans Dungeness Nuclear Power Station, the hamlet of Dungeness, and an ecological site at the same location. It lies within the civil parish of Lydd.

Dungeness Lighthouse on the Dungeness Headland started operation on 20 November 1961. Its construction was prompted by the building of Dungeness nuclear power station, which obscured the light of its predecessor (dating from 1904) which, though decommissioned, remains standing. The new lighthouse (the fifth on the site) is constructed of precast concrete rings; its pattern of black and white bands is impregnated into the concrete. It remains in use today, monitored and controlled from the Trinity House Operations and Planning Centre at Harwich, Essex.

Also available as a [greetings card](https://rstanger.co.uk/image/532).



Dungeness 3 X 2 

Moonrise at Chillenden Mill, between Canterbury and Deal.

Chillenden windmill is a grade II* listed open-trestle post mill north of Chillenden, Kent, England. It is the last post mill built in Kent.

Chillenden windmill is a white open-trestle post mill with four spring sails carried on a cast-iron windshaft. The windshaft carries a cast-iron brake wheel with a wooden rim. The brake wheel has fifty wooden cogs, driving a cast-iron wallower on a cast-iron upright shaft. This carries a cast-iron great spur wheel which drives two pairs of underdrift millstones in the head of the mill. The mill formerly had a maize kibbler, but this was removed when the mill was restored in 1958. The mill is winded by a tailpole.

Chillenden Mill Moonrise 

Sunset on The River Stour in Kent at Grove Ferry, near to Canterbury.

Grove Ferry Boathouse Sunset Landscape 

A frosty morning at Chislet Gaps, just upstream of Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh at sunrise.

Chislet Gaps Frosty

Hersden Chislet Gaps Sunset pano

A pair of kingfishers on the river Stour, near Canterbury, Kent.

Kingfishers on the Stour

Sunrise at Folkestone Pier.

From Folkestoneseafront.com...The Pier Head Lighthouse was built between 1897 and 1904 as part of the widening and extension of the Outer Pier (the Harbour Arm) to allow larger boats to dock outside the shallow harbour.

It is not the first signalling device to have graced the harbour. Before the pier’s extension, a lighthouse built in 1847 had stood at what was then the head of the pier. In addition to the lighthouse, ships were also advised of harbour and water conditions by the flying of flags from a flagpole on the south pier at the harbour entrance.

The Pier Head lighthouse is a simple, pale granite tower two storeys high, raised on a low granite plinth, topped with a metal and glazed lantern and a weather vane. In 2008 it was selected for Grade II listing by Historic England who noted its ‘elegant design’, ‘quality of materials and craftsmanship’, ‘prominent use of polished granite’, and ‘largely intact exterior and setting’. The listing also comments that it ‘compares well with other listed examples of late-C19 lighthouses’.

The lighthouse is tucked into the pier wall at the base of a curved flight of granite steps. Here a polished red granite plaque commemorates the founding of the lighthouse: ‘This pier was commenced by the South Eastern Railway Company on 28th January 1897 and completed by the South East and Chatham Railway Company on 12th July 1904, Coode Son and Matthews Engineers, William Rigby Contractors.’


Folkestone sun in lighthouse

Herne Bay Aurora Northern Lights 

Part 2 of an incredible night on Dunmore Head on The Dingle Peninsula.
I was taking some wide angle Milky Way shots and on inspecting the camera screen there were some very odd colours creeping in to the edge of the picture. I quickly looked to the north and low and behold there was the start of a weak Northern Lights display. From then on my thoughts were only on The Aurora. For the next hour it intensified to become an incredible sight and most unexpected, especially considering my southerly location.

Ireland Dunmore Head Northern Lights 

The Milky Way arching over The Goodwin Sands , from Dover to Thanet. 
This was taken at Walmer, behind the RNLI lifeboat station and features a few fishing boats including Sapphire (DR161)
A night/early morning picture, made up of 30 images to create the panorama.

Walmer Milky Way portrait

The yacht Island Girl, in Margate Harbour, looking resplendent at low tide at night.
The Plough can be seen in the sky above.



Margate Harbour The Plough Rising 

Sunrise over Chislet Gaps, just upstream of Stodmarsh and Grove Ferry.

Hersden Gaps Sunrise 

Sunrise over Chislet Gaps (flood lake), just upstream of Stodmarsh and Grove Ferry.

Hersden Chislet Gaps First Light

Chislet Gaps (flood lake) just after sunset and a stunning sky reflected in the flood water to create an eye.
Upstream of Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh.

Hersden Chislet Panorama Last Light 1

Moon over Dover Harbour, Town and Castle.
This was The Wolf Moon which did its best to hide away behind clouds for the best part of the evening.

Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England, a title also claimed by Windsor Castle.

Dover Harbour and Castle Moonrise 3 X 2 

4:1 
Please contact for size and price, ignore price group, this is 4:1 not 3:1

Moon over Dover Harbour, Town and Castle.
This was The Wolf Moon in January 2020, which did its best to hide away behind clouds for the best part of the evening.

The bright lights of France can clearly been seen over The Channel.

Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England, a title also claimed by Windsor Castle.

Dover Moonrise pano. 4:1

Bough Beech Boat Sunrise 

A gate to nowhere...
Panorama of the flooded marshes upstream of Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh, with some lovely sunset reflections on the calm water.

Hersden Chislet Gaps Sunset Panorama

Big wave from Storm Ciara over The Pier and Lighthouse at Folkestone.

From Folkestoneseafront.com...The Pier Head Lighthouse was built between 1897 and 1904 as part of the widening and extension of the Outer Pier (the Harbour Arm) to allow larger boats to dock outside the shallow harbour.

It is not the first signalling device to have graced the harbour. Before the pier’s extension, a lighthouse built in 1847 had stood at what was then the head of the pier. In addition to the lighthouse, ships were also advised of harbour and water conditions by the flying of flags from a flagpole on the south pier at the harbour entrance.

The Pier Head lighthouse is a simple, pale granite tower two storeys high, raised on a low granite plinth, topped with a metal and glazed lantern and a weather vane. In 2008 it was selected for Grade II listing by Historic England who noted its ‘elegant design’, ‘quality of materials and craftsmanship’, ‘prominent use of polished granite’, and ‘largely intact exterior and setting’. The listing also comments that it ‘compares well with other listed examples of late-C19 lighthouses’.

The lighthouse is tucked into the pier wall at the base of a curved flight of granite steps. Here a polished red granite plaque commemorates the founding of the lighthouse: ‘This pier was commenced by the South Eastern Railway Company on 28th January 1897 and completed by the South East and Chatham Railway Company on 12th July 1904, Coode Son and Matthews Engineers, William Rigby Contractors.’


Folkestone Rough Sea 

Chilham Mill Lake in the late autumn sun.
A carp syndicate now run by Vince Leader.
Chilham Mill Estate.



Chilham Mill Lake

Canterbury nightscape, with Cathedral lit up.

From wiki...Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Its formal title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury.

Founded in 597, the cathedral was completely rebuilt between 1070 and 1077. The east end was greatly enlarged at the beginning of the 12th century and largely rebuilt in the Gothic style following a fire in 1174, with significant eastward extensions to accommodate the flow of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Thomas Becket, the archbishop who was murdered in the cathedral in 1170. The Norman nave and transepts survived until the late 14th century when they were demolished to make way for the present structures.

Before the English Reformation the cathedral was part of a Benedictine monastic community known as Christ Church, Canterbury, as well as being the seat of the archbishop.


Canterbury And Cathedral Night 



Big wave from Storm Ciara over The Pier and Lighthouse at Folkestone.

From Folkestoneseafront.com...The Pier Head Lighthouse was built between 1897 and 1904 as part of the widening and extension of the Outer Pier (the Harbour Arm) to allow larger boats to dock outside the shallow harbour.

It is not the first signalling device to have graced the harbour. Before the pier’s extension, a lighthouse built in 1847 had stood at what was then the head of the pier. In addition to the lighthouse, ships were also advised of harbour and water conditions by the flying of flags from a flagpole on the south pier at the harbour entrance.

The Pier Head lighthouse is a simple, pale granite tower two storeys high, raised on a low granite plinth, topped with a metal and glazed lantern and a weather vane. In 2008 it was selected for Grade II listing by Historic England who noted its ‘elegant design’, ‘quality of materials and craftsmanship’, ‘prominent use of polished granite’, and ‘largely intact exterior and setting’. The listing also comments that it ‘compares well with other listed examples of late-C19 lighthouses’.

The lighthouse is tucked into the pier wall at the base of a curved flight of granite steps. Here a polished red granite plaque commemorates the founding of the lighthouse: ‘This pier was commenced by the South Eastern Railway Company on 28th January 1897 and completed by the South East and Chatham Railway Company on 12th July 1904, Coode Son and Matthews Engineers, William Rigby Contractors.’


 

Folkestone LighthStorm Ciara and Lighthouse

Big wave crashing over Folkestone Pier and Lighthouse in the aftermath of Storm Ciara.



From Folkestoneseafront.com...The Pier Head Lighthouse was built between 1897 and 1904 as part of the widening and extension of the Outer Pier (the Harbour Arm) to allow larger boats to dock outside the shallow harbour.

It is not the first signalling device to have graced the harbour. Before the pier’s extension, a lighthouse built in 1847 had stood at what was then the head of the pier. In addition to the lighthouse, ships were also advised of harbour and water conditions by the flying of flags from a flagpole on the south pier at the harbour entrance.

The Pier Head lighthouse is a simple, pale granite tower two storeys high, raised on a low granite plinth, topped with a metal and glazed lantern and a weather vane. In 2008 it was selected for Grade II listing by Historic England who noted its ‘elegant design’, ‘quality of materials and craftsmanship’, ‘prominent use of polished granite’, and ‘largely intact exterior and setting’. The listing also comments that it ‘compares well with other listed examples of late-C19 lighthouses’.

The lighthouse is tucked into the pier wall at the base of a curved flight of granite steps. Here a polished red granite plaque commemorates the founding of the lighthouse: ‘This pier was commenced by the South Eastern Railway Company on 28th January 1897 and completed by the South East and Chatham Railway Company on 12th July 1904, Coode Son and Matthews Engineers, William Rigby Contractors.’

Folkestone Lighthouse Big Wave Portrait

A large wave hits Folkestone Rotunda Beach in the aftermath of Storm Ciara.
A glimpse of The Pier and Lighthouse can just be seen through the wave.

From Folkestoneseafront.com...The Pier Head Lighthouse was built between 1897 and 1904 as part of the widening and extension of the Outer Pier (the Harbour Arm) to allow larger boats to dock outside the shallow harbour.

It is not the first signalling device to have graced the harbour. Before the pier’s extension, a lighthouse built in 1847 had stood at what was then the head of the pier. In addition to the lighthouse, ships were also advised of harbour and water conditions by the flying of flags from a flagpole on the south pier at the harbour entrance.

The Pier Head lighthouse is a simple, pale granite tower two storeys high, raised on a low granite plinth, topped with a metal and glazed lantern and a weather vane. In 2008 it was selected for Grade II listing by Historic England who noted its ‘elegant design’, ‘quality of materials and craftsmanship’, ‘prominent use of polished granite’, and ‘largely intact exterior and setting’. The listing also comments that it ‘compares well with other listed examples of late-C19 lighthouses’.

The lighthouse is tucked into the pier wall at the base of a curved flight of granite steps. Here a polished red granite plaque commemorates the founding of the lighthouse: ‘This pier was commenced by the South Eastern Railway Company on 28th January 1897 and completed by the South East and Chatham Railway Company on 12th July 1904, Coode Son and Matthews Engineers, William Rigby Contractors.’

Folkestone Splosh 



Reculver Towers at night, near Herne Bay...Too much cloud for star chasing, but just right to capture the glow from Herne Bay, with The Plough just bursting through.

Reculver Towers are a striking pair of 12th-century church towers built within a Roman fort on the very edge of the Wantsum Channel. The towers, known as 'The Two Sisters', were erected on the foundation of a 7th-century Saxon church. The 12th-century church is gone now, the victim of erosion from the constant wear and tear of waves on this seaside location.

Reculver Towers Stars And Clouds

Price group 1

Looking toward Whitstable at sunset through the rocks at the end of Hampton Pier, near Herne Bay.

Hampton Sunset Through the Rocks 

Sunset at Dover Castle and a view that has remained virtually unchanged for 800 years.

Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England.

Dover Castle Sunset Close Up 

Price Group 1

A social carp session on Fordwich  lake after a bit of a clear up. A warm bonfire and the stars are out at night.

Since 1928 The Canterbury and District Angling Association has been managing extensive fisheries in the Stour Valley below Canterbury, offering first class lake and river fishing for a variety of species. The historic and famous stretch of the River Stour, which the Association leases from the Fordwich United Charities, reaches downstream from Fordwich Bridge as far as Plucks Gutter. Fordwich trout were referred to in Izaak Waltons The Compleat Angler, their descendants are still running up the river to spawn, when the conditions are right for them.

The fisheries between Fordwich and Grove Ferry are in surroundings of great natural beauty and are part of an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), recently upgraded to an International RAMSAR site. Fishery management in the SSSI is subject to an agreement between the Association and English Nature.


Fordwich Carp Life 2

Oslofjord sunset, clouds, rain  and yachts.

Oslofjord 2

A stunning surf at Gowlane in Brandon Bay. 

Brandon Bay is a large open bay on the west coast of Ireland situated between Brandon Point and the extremity of a sandy peninsula that separates it from Tralee Bay, Co. Kerry. The beautiful bay, set at the foot of Brandon Mountain on one side and translucent waters surrounding the Magharees on the other, provides the best anchoring point off the pier at Brandon village. Amazing surfing opportunities as well as bass fishing.

Stradbaly Surfs Up Black and White

The Skerry Belle fishing boat entering Ramsgate Harbour entrance past The Lighthouse.


Ramsgate Skerry Belle 3 X 2 

Canterbury By Night Dec 2023 

Sorry but I have no idea what type of mushroom this is, all I know is it looks good when lit by my torch.
Stodmarsh woods, near to Grove Ferry in the autumn.

mushrooms 3

Sun setting between the boats at Plucks Gutter on the Kent River Stour.

Plucks Gutter is a hamlet in the civil parish of Stourmouth, Kent, England. The hamlet is situated where the Little Stour and Great Stour rivers meet (just at the far end of the boats on the left).


Plucks Gutter sunset Portrait    


Sun setting between the boats at Plucks Gutter on the Kent River Stour.

Plucks Gutter is a hamlet in the civil parish of Stourmouth, Kent, England. The hamlet is situated where the Little Stour and Great Stour rivers meet (just at the far end of the boats on the left).


Plucks Gutter Sunset Landscape 

   'Away from the madding crowd'....Christmas eve, peace and tranquility at Wye.

Wye Downs is a stretch of chalk downland and woodland located on the North Downs near the village of Wye in Kent. The site is a National Nature Reserve owned and managed by Natural England and comprises a chalk escarpment dissected by several coombes, which were formed by frost weathering in the period following the last ice age. The most spectacular coombe is known as the Devil's Kneading Trough. The field containing Wye Crown is also within the NNR and is owned by Imperial College London. Originally the Crown was carved in the chalk but is now made of painted stones enclosed in wire cages.

The Downs are part of Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Wye and Crundale Downs Site of Special Scientific Interest. 

Devils Kneading Trough 

Sunset at the end of Trenley Lake, Fordwich, near to Canterbury.

Since 1928 The Canterbury and District Angling Association has been managing extensive fisheries in the Stour Valley below Canterbury, offering first class lake and river fishing for a variety of species. The historic and famous stretch of the River Stour, which the Association leases from the Fordwich United Charities, reaches downstream from Fordwich Bridge as far as Plucks Gutter. Fordwich trout were referred to in Izaak Waltons The Compleat Angler, their descendants are still running up the river to spawn, when the conditions are right for them.

The fisheries between Fordwich and Grove Ferry are in surroundings of great natural beauty and are part of an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), recently upgraded to an International RAMSAR site. Fishery management in the SSSI is subject to an agreement between the Association and English Nature.

Trenley Sluice portrait

I feed the carp, I sometimes feed the tench too, It gives me a sense of enormous well-being, CARPLIFE.

Fishing Fordwich Lake, near Canterbury, at night.

Since 1928 The Canterbury and District Angling Association has been managing extensive fisheries in the Stour Valley below Canterbury, offering first class lake and river fishing for a variety of species. The historic and famous stretch of the River Stour, which the Association leases from the Fordwich United Charities, reaches downstream from Fordwich Bridge as far as Plucks Gutter. Fordwich trout were referred to in Izaak Waltons The Compleat Angler, their descendants are still running up the river to spawn, when the conditions are right for them.


The fisheries between Fordwich and Grove Ferry are in surroundings of great natural beauty and are part of an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), recently upgraded to an International RAMSAR site. Fishery management in the SSSI is subject to an agreement between the Association and English Nature.

Fordwich Carp Life  

 Ramsgate lighthouse lit up by the sun at the entrance of Ramsgate Harbour.



Ramsgate Sun In Lighthouse 4 X 3 

Chilham Mill, anticipation....... the air is cooling quickly and Autumn is upon us.
Wildfowling in the autumn on a still lake near to Canterbury.

Chilham Mill Anticipation 

Chilham Mill Lake, just outside Canterbury on the way to Ashford. 
The autumn sun setting and reflecting on the still water.

Chilham Mill and boat

The last of the sun on a stunning autumn day in the woods at Stodmarsh, near to Grove Ferry and Canterbury.

Stodmarsh Autumn Gold 

Sunny autumnal Stour lake, Fordwich, near Canterbury.
Clouds reflecting beautifully on the calm water.

Since 1928 The Canterbury and District Angling Association has been managing extensive fisheries in the Stour Valley below Canterbury, offering first class lake and river fishing for a variety of species. The historic and famous stretch of the River Stour, which the Association leases from the Fordwich United Charities, reaches downstream from Fordwich Bridge as far as Plucks Gutter. Fordwich trout were referred to in Izaak Waltons The Compleat Angler, their descendants are still running up the river to spawn, when the conditions are right for them.

The fisheries between Fordwich and Grove Ferry are in surroundings of great natural beauty and are part of an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), recently upgraded to an International RAMSAR site. Fishery management in the SSSI is subject to an agreement between the Association and English Nature.




Stour Lake Panorama

Sunrise at Grove Ferry between the boats and The Grove Ferry Inn.
The clouds and sun reflecting nicely on the River Stour (Kentish Stour).


The Grove Ferry Public House took its name from a hand drawn ferry that crossed the River Stour in front of the building. The pub was also known as Grove Ferry Inn. A road bridge replaced the old ferry in 1963.

Grove Ferry Boat Club was founded in 1964. The clubhouse, dating from the early seventies, is on the south bank of the river, just below the Grove Ferry Bridge

Kent County Council renovated the bridge in September 2000.

Grove Ferry Bridge Sunrise Portrait


Abbey Island sunrise on the Iveragh Peninsula, Kerry, Ireland.

Abbey Island Through The Arch Window 

A tranquil scene, between the boats, at night on The River Stour at Grove Ferry.
Pleiades (Seven Sisters) can be clearly seen.

The Grove Ferry Public House took its name from a hand drawn ferry that crossed the River Stour in front of the building. The pub was also known as Grove Ferry Inn. A road bridge replaced the old ferry in 1963.

Grove Ferry Boat Club was founded in 1964. The clubhouse, dating from the early seventies, is on the south bank of the river, just below the Grove Ferry Bridge

Kent County Council renovated the bridge in September 2000.



Grove Ferry Night  

Price group 1

Abbey Island sunrise on the Iveragh Peninsula, Kerry, Ireland.

Abbey on Abbey Island 

Abbey Island sunrise on the Iveragh Peninsula, Kerry, Ireland.

Abbey Island 

Herne Bay with a sunset that only Herne Bay can produce.
The Harbour with Neptune's Arm and Pier with the last light reflecting off the mud/sand.

Herne Bay Pier was the third pier to be built at Herne Bay, Kent for passenger steamers. It was notable for its length of 3,787 feet (1,154 m) and for appearing in the opening sequence of Ken Russell's first feature film French Dressing.[1] It was destroyed in a storm in 1978 and dismantled in 1980, leaving a stub with sports centre at the landward end, and part of the landing stage isolated at sea. It was preceded by two piers: a wooden deep-sea pier designed by Thomas Rhodes, assistant of Thomas Telford, and a second shorter iron version by Wilkinson & Smith.

Also available as a [greetings card](https://rstanger.co.uk/image/538).

Herne Bay Yacht 

The Milky Way Core over Leonard Prebble's old fishing boat on the famous shingle at Dungeness, during a late night/early morning in My 2019. 


Dungeness is a headland on the coast of Kent, England, formed largely of a shingle beach in the form of a cuspate foreland. It shelters a large area of low-lying land, Romney Marsh. Dungeness spans Dungeness Nuclear Power Station, the hamlet of Dungeness, and an ecological site at the same location. It lies within the civil parish of Lydd.



Dungeness Leonard Prebbles Boat Milky Way Portrait

Looking towards Whitstable/
Plans of capturing the big harvest moon rise were scuppered yesterday evening by low cloud, just at the wrong time....ho hum. I did however manage to see the sun go down over Whitstable and Tankerton Slopes beach huts, which were lit up beautifully.
I took the picture from Hampton, several miles away, so a bit of a unique image.

Hampton Sunset 3 X 2 2

 Sunflowers and rainbow......so after a hard days graft fencing, it was in, sit down for a minute and then out with the camera in a hope that it would be a nice sunset. 
Heavy rain and cloud eventually broke just in time for the sun to produce a stunning rainbow over the sunflowers.

Hoath Rainbow 

Glæsibæjarkirkja church, north of Akureyri, Iceland, lit up by the last throughs of the sun.

Iceland Mountains And Church In Sunlight 

Mushrooms 2 

Beautiful sunflowers between Hersden and Hoath near Canterbury in full bloom at sunset.

Also available as a [greetings card](https://rstanger.co.uk/image/533).

Hoath Sunflowers 3 X 2 3

Beautiful sunflowers between Hersden and Hoath near Canterbury in full bloom and the sun trying to burst through the clouds at sunset.

Hoath Sunflowers Oast 3

Beautiful sunflowers between Hersden and Hoath near Canterbury in full bloom and the sun trying to burst through.

Hoath Sunflowers Close Up 3 X 2 3

Fordwich lake, near Canterbury, in the snow.
Sunset by the sluice, with some nice reflections in the still water.

Since 1928 The Canterbury and District Angling Association has been managing extensive fisheries in the Stour Valley below Canterbury, offering first class lake and river fishing for a variety of species. The historic and famous stretch of the River Stour, which the Association leases from the Fordwich United Charities, reaches downstream from Fordwich Bridge as far as Plucks Gutter. Fordwich trout were referred to in Izaak Waltons The Compleat Angler, their descendants are still running up the river to spawn, when the conditions are right for them.

The fisheries between Fordwich and Grove Ferry are in surroundings of great natural beauty and are part of an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), recently upgraded to an International RAMSAR site. Fishery management in the SSSI is subject to an agreement between the Association and English Nature.

Fordwich Sluice In Snow 2 X 1 

The moon rising alongside the old Wickhambreaux Mill, Kent

mill was a large corn mill, with a brick base and four storeys clad in weatherboarding. The mill has been converted into flats, and retains its breast shot waterwheel.

Seaton Mill, Wickhambreaux
TR 226 586 51°16′59″N 1°11′28″E

Seaton mill was a large mill, with tarred weatherboarding. It had a breastshot waterwheel and a steam engine. The building survives, converted to residential use.

Wickhambreaux Moonrise


The aftermath of Storm Ciara at Folkestone Pier and Lighthouse.

From Folkestoneseafront.com...The Pier Head Lighthouse was built between 1897 and 1904 as part of the widening and extension of the Outer Pier (the Harbour Arm) to allow larger boats to dock outside the shallow harbour.

It is not the first signalling device to have graced the harbour. Before the pier’s extension, a lighthouse built in 1847 had stood at what was then the head of the pier. In addition to the lighthouse, ships were also advised of harbour and water conditions by the flying of flags from a flagpole on the south pier at the harbour entrance.

The Pier Head lighthouse is a simple, pale granite tower two storeys high, raised on a low granite plinth, topped with a metal and glazed lantern and a weather vane. In 2008 it was selected for Grade II listing by Historic England who noted its ‘elegant design’, ‘quality of materials and craftsmanship’, ‘prominent use of polished granite’, and ‘largely intact exterior and setting’. The listing also comments that it ‘compares well with other listed examples of late-C19 lighthouses’.

The lighthouse is tucked into the pier wall at the base of a curved flight of granite steps. Here a polished red granite plaque commemorates the founding of the lighthouse: ‘This pier was commenced by the South Eastern Railway Company on 28th January 1897 and completed by the South East and Chatham Railway Company on 12th July 1904, Coode Son and Matthews Engineers, William Rigby Contractors.’

Folkestone Storm

Price group 4

Tankerton  Slopes beach huts lit up from the Whitstable skyglow and the stars. Orion rising at the end of the path.

Tankerton Beach Huts Night 2 X 1

Tankerton Slopes beach huts lit up from the Whitstable skyglow and the stars. Orion rising at the end of the path.

Also available as a [greetings card](https://rstanger.co.uk/image/539).

Tankerton Beach Huts At Night 3 X 2


Long exposure just after sundown under Deal Pier, Kent in February.
A freaky blue light, emitted from the back of the Pier entrance, making for some pretty odd colouring, whilst the bright lights of Dunkirk light up the sky to the right of The Pier.


Deal's present pier was built in 1954 but there have been two previous constructions at the same site.

The first pier appeared in 1838 and the original plans by engineer J. Rennie indicated that the structure was to be 445 feet long. A budget of £21,000 was awarded to the Deal Pier Company, by the government, to finance the project. After completing 250ft of the main structure, at a cost of £12,000, the company ran into financial difficulties and construction came to a halt. The unfinished pier was consequently opened and used as a docking point for steamers. Over the next 20 years storms and sandworms played a major part in the decay of the structure and a large storm in 1857 threw the pier onto the beach where it was later sold as scrap for £50.

In 1861 the Deal & Walmer Pier Company commissioned Eugenius Birch to design a new pier and work began in the Spring of 1863.

Stone from the ruined Sandown Castle was used for the abutment and the pier itself was built of wrought and cast iron. The full length of the structure was 1100ft and included a 3 deck pier head and a steamer landing stage. Seating ran the full length and a tramway was provided for conveying goods and luggage whilst two attractive toll houses were built at the entrance.

Deal's second pier was officially opened on 8 November 1864 but the pier company once again discovered that they were unable to meet the full cost of construction and the pier was handed over to the contractors. The addition of a pavilion on the pier head led to the pier becoming a popular venue for concerts as well as angling.

On 19 January 1873 the barque Merle hit the pier during a storm causing extensive damage. Repairs were carried out but on 26 January 1884 the schooner Alliance also ran into the pier during a storm leading to further major repairs. Despite these two incidents the pier remained a significant local amenity and it was purchased by Deal Town Council for £10,000 in 1920.

Disaster struck with the coming of the second World War, when, in 1940, the Dutch vessel Nora struck a fatal blow.

The Nora was anchored a mile off shore when a drifting magnetic mine struck the stern of the vessel. Damage was extensive and after evacuating the crew the Nora was towed to the beach, south of the pier. Local fishermen warned the authorities of the dangers that the vessel presented being left on the shore but the warnings were left unheeded. Partially submerged, the rising tide lifted the Nora from the beach and continually smashed her against the pier. The old structure withstood the battering for sometime but eventually the Nora was driven through the pier and brought some 200ft of the wrought ironwork onto her decks. A visiting Winston Churchill surveyed the devastation and gave the army consent to demolish the broken pier to allow coastal guns a clear line of fire. All that was left were the toll houses on the foreshore.

Strong local pressure came to bear after the war and in 1954 the old toll houses were removed and work began on Deal's third and existing pier. The new pier took 3 years to build and was formally opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 19 November 1957. The pier was the first seaside pleasure pier of any size to be built since 1910 and was designed by Sir W Halcrow and Partners. Constructed of reinforced concrete the structure is 1026ft long and steel piles surrounded by a concrete case make up the main supports. The pier head originally had 3 levels but a miscalculation of the tides has led to the lower deck being permanently covered by the sea.

Deal Pier continues to be a significant local landmark and public amenity. It is internationally recognised as an angling venue and Dover District Council has recently undertaken exciting new developments. A new look cafe-bar designed by renowned architects Niall McLaughlin was opened in 2009.

Also available as a [greetings card](https://rstanger.co.uk/image/540).


Deal Pier At Night   


The Plough rising over Lady Irene on Deal Beach, Kent.
Lady Irene was one of the Dunkirk small ships that rescued many British and Allied troops from Dunkirk.
The Lady Irene was built in 1906 as a trip boat to take holiday-makers on short trips out to sea.  She was similar to but smaller than the Deal luggers.  She is clinker-built and has  and had a lute stern.   She was gaff-rigged with a loose-footed mainsail.  She was later fitted with an engine.

Deal Lady Irene And Morning Haze  at night, with The Plough Rising

Lady Irene, Rudi and Morning Haze on Deal Beach, Kent at night.
Lady Irene was one of the Dunkirk small ships that rescued many British and Allied troops from Dunkirk.
The Lady Irene was built in 1906 as a trip boat to take holiday-makers on short trips out to sea.  She was similar to but smaller than the Deal luggers.  She is clinker-built and has  and had a lute stern.   She was gaff-rigged with a loose-footed mainsail.  She was later fitted with an engine.

Deal Morning Haze, Rudi  and Lady Irene Night Pano   3x2

The Plough rising over Lady Irene on Deal Beach, Kent.
Lady Irene was one of the Dunkirk small ships that rescued many British and Allied troops from Dunkirk.
The Lady Irene was built in 1906 as a trip boat to take holiday-makers on short trips out to sea.  She was similar to but smaller than the Deal luggers.  She is clinker-built and has  and had a lute stern.   She was gaff-rigged with a loose-footed mainsail.  She was later fitted with an engine.

Deal Lady Irene Plough Rising  Portrait

Orion over Lady Irene and Rudi on Deal Beach.

Lady Irene was one of the Dunkirk small ships that rescued many British and Allied troops from Dunkirk.
The Lady Irene was built in 1906 as a trip boat to take holiday-makers on short trips out to sea.  She was similar to but smaller than the Deal luggers.  She is clinker-built and has  and had a lute stern.   She was gaff-rigged with a loose-footed mainsail.  She was later fitted with an engine.


Deal Lady Irene, Rudi and Orion

Just as the sun dips over the horizon at Deal Pier.

Deal's present pier was built in 1954 but there have been two previous constructions at the same site.

The first pier appeared in 1838 and the original plans by engineer J. Rennie indicated that the structure was to be 445 feet long. A budget of £21,000 was awarded to the Deal Pier Company, by the government, to finance the project. After completing 250ft of the main structure, at a cost of £12,000, the company ran into financial difficulties and construction came to a halt. The unfinished pier was consequently opened and used as a docking point for steamers. Over the next 20 years storms and sandworms played a major part in the decay of the structure and a large storm in 1857 threw the pier onto the beach where it was later sold as scrap for £50.

In 1861 the Deal & Walmer Pier Company commissioned Eugenius Birch to design a new pier and work began in the Spring of 1863.

Stone from the ruined Sandown Castle was used for the abutment and the pier itself was built of wrought and cast iron. The full length of the structure was 1100ft and included a 3 deck pier head and a steamer landing stage. Seating ran the full length and a tramway was provided for conveying goods and luggage whilst two attractive toll houses were built at the entrance.

Deal's second pier was officially opened on 8 November 1864 but the pier company once again discovered that they were unable to meet the full cost of construction and the pier was handed over to the contractors. The addition of a pavilion on the pier head led to the pier becoming a popular venue for concerts as well as angling.

On 19 January 1873 the barque Merle hit the pier during a storm causing extensive damage. Repairs were carried out but on 26 January 1884 the schooner Alliance also ran into the pier during a storm leading to further major repairs. Despite these two incidents the pier remained a significant local amenity and it was purchased by Deal Town Council for £10,000 in 1920.

Disaster struck with the coming of the second World War, when, in 1940, the Dutch vessel Nora struck a fatal blow.

The Nora was anchored a mile off shore when a drifting magnetic mine struck the stern of the vessel. Damage was extensive and after evacuating the crew the Nora was towed to the beach, south of the pier. Local fishermen warned the authorities of the dangers that the vessel presented being left on the shore but the warnings were left unheeded. Partially submerged, the rising tide lifted the Nora from the beach and continually smashed her against the pier. The old structure withstood the battering for sometime but eventually the Nora was driven through the pier and brought some 200ft of the wrought ironwork onto her decks. A visiting Winston Churchill surveyed the devastation and gave the army consent to demolish the broken pier to allow coastal guns a clear line of fire. All that was left were the toll houses on the foreshore.

Strong local pressure came to bear after the war and in 1954 the old toll houses were removed and work began on Deal's third and existing pier. The new pier took 3 years to build and was formally opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 19 November 1957. The pier was the first seaside pleasure pier of any size to be built since 1910 and was designed by Sir W Halcrow and Partners. Constructed of reinforced concrete the structure is 1026ft long and steel piles surrounded by a concrete case make up the main supports. The pier head originally had 3 levels but a miscalculation of the tides has led to the lower deck being permanently covered by the sea.

Deal Pier continues to be a significant local landmark and public amenity. It is internationally recognised as an angling venue and Dover District Council has recently undertaken exciting new developments. A new look cafe-bar designed by renowned architects Niall McLaughlin was opened in 2009.


Deal Pier last light  

Evening lights on Deal Pier, Kent, reflecting on the sea. 

Deal's present pier was built in 1954 but there have been two previous constructions at the same site.

The first pier appeared in 1838 and the original plans by engineer J. Rennie indicated that the structure was to be 445 feet long. A budget of £21,000 was awarded to the Deal Pier Company, by the government, to finance the project. After completing 250ft of the main structure, at a cost of £12,000, the company ran into financial difficulties and construction came to a halt. The unfinished pier was consequently opened and used as a docking point for steamers. Over the next 20 years storms and sandworms played a major part in the decay of the structure and a large storm in 1857 threw the pier onto the beach where it was later sold as scrap for £50.

In 1861 the Deal & Walmer Pier Company commissioned Eugenius Birch to design a new pier and work began in the Spring of 1863.

Stone from the ruined Sandown Castle was used for the abutment and the pier itself was built of wrought and cast iron. The full length of the structure was 1100ft and included a 3 deck pier head and a steamer landing stage. Seating ran the full length and a tramway was provided for conveying goods and luggage whilst two attractive toll houses were built at the entrance.

Deal's second pier was officially opened on 8 November 1864 but the pier company once again discovered that they were unable to meet the full cost of construction and the pier was handed over to the contractors. The addition of a pavilion on the pier head led to the pier becoming a popular venue for concerts as well as angling.

On 19 January 1873 the barque Merle hit the pier during a storm causing extensive damage. Repairs were carried out but on 26 January 1884 the schooner Alliance also ran into the pier during a storm leading to further major repairs. Despite these two incidents the pier remained a significant local amenity and it was purchased by Deal Town Council for £10,000 in 1920.

Disaster struck with the coming of the second World War, when, in 1940, the Dutch vessel Nora struck a fatal blow.

The Nora was anchored a mile off shore when a drifting magnetic mine struck the stern of the vessel. Damage was extensive and after evacuating the crew the Nora was towed to the beach, south of the pier. Local fishermen warned the authorities of the dangers that the vessel presented being left on the shore but the warnings were left unheeded. Partially submerged, the rising tide lifted the Nora from the beach and continually smashed her against the pier. The old structure withstood the battering for sometime but eventually the Nora was driven through the pier and brought some 200ft of the wrought ironwork onto her decks. A visiting Winston Churchill surveyed the devastation and gave the army consent to demolish the broken pier to allow coastal guns a clear line of fire. All that was left were the toll houses on the foreshore.

Strong local pressure came to bear after the war and in 1954 the old toll houses were removed and work began on Deal's third and existing pier. The new pier took 3 years to build and was formally opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 19 November 1957. The pier was the first seaside pleasure pier of any size to be built since 1910 and was designed by Sir W Halcrow and Partners. Constructed of reinforced concrete the structure is 1026ft long and steel piles surrounded by a concrete case make up the main supports. The pier head originally had 3 levels but a miscalculation of the tides has led to the lower deck being permanently covered by the sea.

Deal Pier continues to be a significant local landmark and public amenity. It is internationally recognised as an angling venue and Dover District Council has recently undertaken exciting new developments. A new look cafe-bar designed by renowned architects Niall McLaughlin was opened in 2009.


Deal Pier Evening Lights

Greeting card A5 size including envelope.

Blank inside.

If looking to purchase multiple cards, consider buying [the bundle](https://rstanger.co.uk/image/549) instead.

[Original image](https://rstanger.co.uk/image/328)

South Foreland Lighthouse and Poppies greetings card



Dark skies above the last remaining building from the Chislet Colliery, The Pump House.

From wiki...The Kent Coalfield was a coalfield located in the eastern part of the English county of Kent. The Coalfields Trust defines the Kent Coalfield as the wards of Barnham Downs and Marshside in the Canterbury district, and the wards of Aylesham, Eastry, Eythorne & Shepherdswell, Middle Deal & Sholden, Mill Hill and North Deal in the Dover district.[1]

Coal was discovered in the area in 1890 while borings for an early Channel Tunnel project were taking place and the resultant Shakespeare colliery lasted until 1915. In 1911, investigation into whether there was coal or not was planned. Six ‘bore holes’ were put down in search of coal (the locations were Rushbourne, Hoads Wood in Sturry, Herne Bay, Reculver, Chitty (which is near Chislet) and Chislet Park – which is near the future site of Hersden). In the early years many collieries were sunk but failed and the East Kent Light Railway was built to exploit the anticipated business.

Extensive plans had been drawn up by 1914 for major coal exploitation in east Kent, and the coalfield expanded rapidly in the late 1920s and early 1930s, with its maximum output reached in 1936.[2] The outbreak of war and disappointing test results eventually resulted in only four collieries surviving: Betteshanger, Chislet, Snowdown and Tilmanstone. Had coal been more easily accessible, the open, rural landscape of east Kent could have changed beyond recognition.

Hersden Chislet Pump House Black and White

Orion over Dover Castle at night Kent, in February 2020.

Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England, a title also claimed by Windsor Castle.

Dover Castle Orion portrait


By The Pump House, between the railway and the flooded meadow, just as the sun was going down.

Hersden Chislet Sunstars Portrait


Print of Painting...acrylics on card.
Fordwich church, as viewed from The Kentish Stour (looking upstream).

The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a redundant Anglican church in the small town of Fordwich, Kent, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church stands near to the centre of Fordwich, some 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Canterbury.

Fordwich Church Painting    

Morning Haze on Deal beach at night with The Plough rising.

Deal Morning Haze Night Plough Rising

Hersden Fog 1

Sunrise through the trees, alongside the River Stour, upstream of Stodmarsh and Grove Ferry and on the way to Canterbury.

 River Stour Sunrise Chislet

Swans at sunrise, as the mist rises, upstream of Grove Ferry and Stodmarsh.


Swans at dawn at Grove Ferry 

The fabulous Lady Irene looking resplendent under The Milky Way , during May 2020.

Lady Irene sits on Deal beach and is one of the Dunkirk Little Ships, used to rescue British and Allied troops.
The Lady Irene was built in 1906 as a trip boat to take holiday-makers on short trips out to sea.  She was similar to but smaller than the Deal luggers.  She is clinker-built and has  and had a lute stern.   She was gaff-rigged with a loose-footed mainsail.  She was later fitted with an engine.

Deal Lady Irene Under Milky Way 1

Sunrise to the right of Deal Pier, from the beach, with wooden clinker boat Rudi in the foreground, all ready to launch.

Deal Beach And Rudi Sunrise

A 22 degree moon halo over some pine trees in Akureyri, Northern Iceland

Iceland Moon Halo Trees

Rainbow from Jack the Hersden Miner's helmet. 
Hersden Chislet Colliery and Kent coalfields.

The Kent Coalfield was a coalfield located in the eastern part of the English county of Kent. The Coalfields Trust defines the Kent Coalfield as the wards of Barnham Downs and Marshside in the Canterbury district, and the wards of Aylesham, Eastry, Eythorne & Shepherdswell, Middle Deal & Sholden, Mill Hill and North Deal in the Dover district.[1]

Coal was discovered in the area in 1890 while borings for an early Channel Tunnel project were taking place and the resultant Shakespeare colliery lasted until 1915. In 1911, investigation into whether there was coal or not was planned. Six ‘bore holes’ were put down in search of coal (the locations were Rushbourne, Hoads Wood in Sturry, Herne Bay, Reculver, Chitty (which is near Chislet) and Chislet Park – which is near the future site of Hersden). In the early years many collieries were sunk but failed and the East Kent Light Railway was built to exploit the anticipated business.

Extensive plans had been drawn up by 1914 for major coal exploitation in east Kent, and the coalfield expanded rapidly in the late 1920s and early 1930s, with its maximum output reached in 1936.[2] The outbreak of war and disappointing test results eventually resulted in only four collieries surviving: Betteshanger, Chislet, Snowdown and Tilmanstone. Had coal been more easily accessible, the open, rural landscape of east Kent could have changed beyond recognition.

Jack the Hersden Miner.

Dover Castle and Harbour under stormy skies, as viewed from The Coastguard.

Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is the largest castle in England.

Dover Castle And Harbour From Coastguard 

Night at Reculver Towers, near Herne Bay, with stars, cloud and a glow from Thanet.

Reculver Towers are a striking pair of 12th-century church towers built within a Roman fort on the very edge of the Wantsum Channel. The towers, known as 'The Two Sisters', were erected on the foundation of a 7th-century Saxon church. The 12th-century church is gone now, the victim of erosion from the constant wear and tear of waves on this seaside location.

Reculver Towers West Stars And Clouds From The West Side




Full moon (Flower Moon) rising over Stodmarsh Nature Reserve and Stodmarsh in May 2020.
The new tower hide can be clearly seen on the far left, by the lakeside, lit by the very last rays of the setting sun behind me.

From wiki....Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve lies in the valley of the Great Stour river, between Westbere and Grove Ferry, in the county of Kent, and forms part of the extensive Stodmarsh SSSI[2] area that includes the adjacent Westbere Marshes.

The reserve consists of a number of different habitats that are important for wildlife:

A large area of open water at Stodmarsh
Flooded gravel pits at Westbere
Extensive reedbeds
Alder woodland and carr
Water meadows and rough grazing at Grove Ferry
Stodmarsh is designated as one of only 35 "spotlight reserves" in England by Natural England in the list of national nature reserves in England. This is not strictly speaking a "natural" habitat – the area around Grove Ferry has been restored to wetland habitat by English Nature (now Natural England) and the areas of open water came about as a result of the flooding of areas used for gravel extraction or undermined by mining subsidence.

The Stodmarsh NNR and the area around Grove Ferry have become famous for attracting rare and endangered bird species. A species list can be found on the website of the Kent Ornithological Society. 

The Stodmarsh NNR now forms a central and ecologically important feature in the Kentish Stour Countryside Project  and is an important site for the protection and encouragement of critically endangered aquatic mammal species such as the European otter and the water vole.

Stodmarsh Moonrise landscape

Full moon (Flower Moon) rising over Stodmarsh Nature Reserve and Stodmarsh in May 2020.
The new tower hide can be clearly seen on the far left, by the lakeside, lit by the very last rays of the setting sun behind me.

From wiki....Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve lies in the valley of the Great Stour river, between Westbere and Grove Ferry, in the county of Kent, and forms part of the extensive Stodmarsh SSSI[2] area that includes the adjacent Westbere Marshes.

The reserve consists of a number of different habitats that are important for wildlife:

A large area of open water at Stodmarsh
Flooded gravel pits at Westbere
Extensive reedbeds
Alder woodland and carr
Water meadows and rough grazing at Grove Ferry
Stodmarsh is designated as one of only 35 "spotlight reserves" in England by Natural England in the list of national nature reserves in England. This is not strictly speaking a "natural" habitat – the area around Grove Ferry has been restored to wetland habitat by English Nature (now Natural England) and the areas of open water came about as a result of the flooding of areas used for gravel extraction or undermined by mining subsidence.

The Stodmarsh NNR and the area around Grove Ferry have become famous for attracting rare and endangered bird species. A species list can be found on the website of the Kent Ornithological Society. 

The Stodmarsh NNR now forms a central and ecologically important feature in the Kentish Stour Countryside Project [4] and is an important site for the protection and encouragement of critically endangered aquatic mammal species such as the European otter and the water vole.

Stodmarsh Moonrise Portrait

Dawn alongside the River Stour, upstream of Stodmarsh and Grove Ferry and on the way to Canterbury.
The Chislet Colliery Pumphouse. 

From wiki...The Kent Coalfield was a coalfield located in the eastern part of the English county of Kent. The Coalfields Trust defines the Kent Coalfield as the wards of Barnham Downs and Marshside in the Canterbury district, and the wards of Aylesham, Eastry, Eythorne & Shepherdswell, Middle Deal & Sholden, Mill Hill and North Deal in the Dover district.[1]

Coal was discovered in the area in 1890 while borings for an early Channel Tunnel project were taking place and the resultant Shakespeare colliery lasted until 1915. In 1911, investigation into whether there was coal or not was planned. Six ‘bore holes’ were put down in search of coal (the locations were Rushbourne, Hoads Wood in Sturry, Herne Bay, Reculver, Chitty (which is near Chislet) and Chislet Park – which is near the future site of Hersden). In the early years many collieries were sunk but failed and the East Kent Light Railway was built to exploit the anticipated business.

Extensive plans had been drawn up by 1914 for major coal exploitation in east Kent, and the coalfield expanded rapidly in the late 1920s and early 1930s, with its maximum output reached in 1936.[2] The outbreak of war and disappointing test results eventually resulted in only four collieries surviving: Betteshanger, Chislet, Snowdown and Tilmanstone. Had coal been more easily accessible, the open, rural landscape of east Kent could have changed beyond recognition. 