Wet and windy Windmill Hill

I leave Northfleet and head to Gravesend. After I applied for the residency it turned out that I know a few people who live there and I’m off to meet Hannah for a lunchtime walk. Hannah and her wife Elise are part of a big, warm, loving friendship group that I am on the edge of. We’ve met a festivals and parties over the years and it’s always been joyous. The sort of acquaintances that you find yourself wishing you had more time to nurture a friendship with.  I hadn’t realised they lived in Gravesend and so it’s a treat to be able catch up. I’ve come from Northfleet and it’s raining. It’s a little discombobulating and I find myself feeling gently nervous. We’ve messaged over social media but it’s probably close to two years since we actually met in person.


Starting from their home, Hannah wants to show me Windmill Hill, which is great. It was on my list of places I wanted to visit. She wants to take me to show me her favourite streets and houses and we walk and catch up. Hannah’s started a new career since we last met, and it’s interesting to hear about the experience and what is next for her. We make it halfway up a road of Hannah’s favourite houses, a mixture of Victorian houses and maybe some 1920s houses – big family homes, when she realises I’ve never been to the cemetery.


With that we head back down the hill and past Hannah’s favourite tree – a very fine monkey puzzle tree that I’ve spotted on my drive in. The cemetery is huge, it’s a favourite running spot for Hannah. We only have time for a short loop but I’m glad I came. Growing up my Mum would always visit old graveyards, she’s fascinated with history and you can tell a lot about a place and its history from the graveyard. I spot some more anchors, some really old and very grand gravestones – it all tells a story of maritime affluence. Another place I’d like to return to and explore.


We head back to Windmill Hill, passing the collection of buildings and streets named after Tivoli – we wonder about the Italian community that must have bought these names here. It’s the first time I’ve encountered this and resolve to google it.


There’s no windmill anymore but there are the most incredible views across the town, the river and beyond. We stand next to a beacon, that ancient method of communicating and sharing and information and I soak it all in. This moment helps so much with my sense of the place, with getting my bearings. From the big windmills in Tilbury to the roof of the Gurdwara, somewhere that Elise has volunteered with the cooking. The estuary seems vast from up here.


This place was also a pleasure garden, a recurring them of the area – and an idea that sticks with me. We continue our walk along Rouge Lane – it’s Hannah’s favourite place name and we imagine why it could have got this name, hinting at more sensuous pleasures. This would certainly be somewhere to bring a lover, to gaze out over the estuary and imagine bolder futures.


We wind our way down through beautiful old houses, including the listed Constitution Crescent that wouldn’t look out of place in Bath or Cheltenham.  Hannah points out a more modest but very lovely house that recently came up for sale. It has a huge, steep secret garden, somewhere Hannah could imagine herself.  


I get the lowdown on more great pubs, The Windmill, with excellent pizzas and a gin cellar t. It’s a real community pub that is a lovely stroll on a summers evening. The Three Daws is Hannah’s local, and she’s looking forward to the re-opening. We talk about food, it’s seems strange to get recommendations for places that won’t be open while I’m here. 


As our walk draws to a close I let Hannah know about the Estuary Festival programme. We’ve talked throughout how the pandemic has changed things, rather than commuting to London every day Hannah will be working from home most of the time. Allowing more time and energy to discover, and enjoy culture in Gravesend. I wonder how the pandemic will change our relationship to places – lots of people who previously commuted will now be more present in the places they live. This feels like a real opportunity to enrich places. Simply because people will be less knackered from travel and have more disposable time and income, they’ll also be more likely to find local to home things to do.  Big cities are great but they can be a little like black holes – pulling all into their centre and denuding the places around them. Will the next few years see this shift?


In a rainy carpark we say a socially distant goodbye – we would usually hug. It’s the most awkward I feel. Also a little sad about when we’ll be able to dance and hug again.  I’m really looking forward to coming back to Gravesend and catching up again over a pint (or two)  So I head off to the final stop of the day – Meopham.


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