Many parts of Britain are renowned for the 'chocolate box' quality of their pretty villages, but rarely do people include Swale in North Kent, a delightful rural area known as the Garden of England. Swale extends from Rainham in the west to Faversham in the east, Maidstone in the south to the Isle of Sheppey in the north, covering an area of some 280 square miles. It takes its name from the waterway which separates the Isle of Sheppey from mainland Kent. This book highlights many of the small villages, hamlets and settlements that are scattered throughout this area, which was once renowned for its diverse agricultural practices. But this traditional 'village life' lifestyle is fast disappearing. Swale's villages, like others all over the country, are now but a shadow of their former selves due to changes in agricultural practices. This book offers a taste of how country life once was, compared with how it looks today.

John Clancy is a keen local historian and avid postcard collector. He is a member of several organisations including the Kent Archaeological Society, the Friends of Canterbury Archaeological Trust and the Sittingbourne Heritage Museum. He is also a founder member of the Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne and edits their monthly magazine The Archive. Brought up in Milton Regis John now lives in Sittingbourne.