Local information for Sittingbourne, Faversham, Sheerness, Queenborough and Minster-on-Sea
Swale is a borough in north Kent covering Sittingbourne, Faversham and the Isle of Sheppey. The borough takes its name from the Swale, the channel of water that separates Sheppey from the mainland. Around 152,000 people live across this mix of market towns, coastal settlements and low-lying marshland.
Faversham holds the distinction of being Kent's oldest market town and is home to Shepherd Neame, Britain's oldest brewer. On Sheppey, Sheerness developed around a Royal Navy dockyard positioned at the mouth of the Medway. The borough's marshes and coastline hold international importance for wading birds and wildfowl, drawing birdwatchers throughout the year.
Railway stations in the area include Sittingbourne, Faversham, Sheerness-on-Sea, Queenborough, Kemsley, Newington, Teynham. Sittingbourne and Faversham are on the north Kent main line, with high-speed services to London St Pancras; a branch line runs to Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey.
The main roads serving Swale are the M2, A2 and A249 (the Sheppey Crossing).
Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital provides community services; the nearest emergency department is at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham.
Medway · Maidstone · Canterbury · Ashford
Kent News Hub’s local news coverage for Swale is in development. This page will grow to carry Swale reporting alongside the reference information above. See all Kent areas.