Willesborough

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Willesborough
latitude= 51.1386
longitude= 0.8957
population = 7,800 (2005) [cite web | title = 2005 Ward Level Population Estimates | publisher = Kent County Council | url = http://www.kent.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E503169D-C06B-498F-BD0A-678EE22B4D37/6841/sae108.pdf |month=September | year=2006| accessdate = 2007-08-20 |format=PDF]
civil_parish=
shire_district= Ashford
shire_county= Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Ashford
post_town= ashford
postcode_district = TN24
postcode_area= TN
dial_code= 01233
os_grid_reference= TR025417

Willesborough is a suburb of Ashford, Kent, UK. The area has schools, post offices, shops and other local resources, it is mainly residential but as Ashford expands there is more and more commercial activity around Willesborough.

The Area

The South Willesborough Dykes area is on the west bank of the East Stour river is an area of sheep fields drained by dykes. The area is designated as the South Willesborough Dykes Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI). The dykes continue on the east side of the East Stour river and amongst the residential areas, and a tributary stream (Aylesford Stream) runs between Newtown and South Willesborough and into the East Stour. The smallest ditches dry up completely in summer. [ [http://www.noodles99.freeserve.co.uk/rivers.htm SWANEG] (South Willesborough and Newtown Environmental Group)]

The South Willesborough Dykes have limited access to the public but are nonetheless important in terms of the geology of the area, being in the river floodplain and in supporting neutral, wet grassland species, along with Willesborough's Aylesford Green and Boys Hall forming part of the Ashford Green Corridor. [ [http://www.ashfordgreencorridor.org.uk/sites_s_w'boro_dykes.htm Ashford Green Corridor] ] .

Ashford Borough Council has a project to create the Willesborough Dykes Country Park.

There are a number of schools in and around the Willesborough area.

History

.

English international cricketers Mark Ealham and Richard Ellison were born in Willesborough.

There is also a very popular scout group in willesborough called 1st Willesborough and it caters from the ages of 5 to 18.

Commerce

William Harvey Hospital

The major hospital based here, covering a large part of Kent is the William Harvey Hospital, named after the famous doctor, William Harvey (1578–1657), who discovered the blood circulatory system. There is a statue of [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/harvey_william.shtml William Harvey] at the Hospital and an older damaged statue of him, from the hospital, in the garden at the William Harvey Public House, "Church Road" in Willesborough.

Industry

Norman Cycles was a bicycle, autocycle, moped, and motorcycle manufacturer based in Ashford, Kent. The "Norman Cycles Club" is based at Willesborough Windmill and The Norman Museum is located in the Windmill's barn, where they have some mopeds and bicycles on display.

Industry around Willesborough is thriving with a number of "Business Parks" in the area.

References