Wye
From Freepedia
This article describes the village in England, for other places and uses see: Wye (disambiguation)
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Population: | 2,300 |
| Ordnance Survey | |
| OS grid reference: | Maps for TR055466 |
| Administration | |
| District: | Ashford |
| County: | Kent |
| Region: | South East England |
| Nation: | England |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial county: | Kent |
| Traditional county: | Kent |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | ASHFORD |
| Postcode: | TN25 |
| Dialling code: | 01233 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | Ashford |
| European Parliament: | South East England |
| Image:England flag large.png | |
Wye is an historic village in Kent, England, located some 12 miles from Canterbury. Its modern population is about 2,300 but is expanded by an additional 900 students at the Agricultural College of Imperial College London.
Wye is located at an ancient ford of the River Stour, and a Roman camp and villa stood at the site.
The college was founded in 1497 as a Latin school and seminary by John Cardinal Kempe, Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor. It has been part of London University since 1902. On the Downs east of the village is a crown carved in the chalk by students in 1902 to commemorate the coronation of Edward VII.
There was once a racecourse here: the first race was run on 29 May 1849, the last 2 May 1974. It is described as being "Less than one mile round, and more suited to a greyhound track than a racecourse, Wye could not be entirely classed as the ideal preparation for a tilt at the Champion Hurdle".
Changing patterns of transport in the 19th century reduced its importance, and left today's historic village and agricultural centre. There is a railway station here, built when the line from Ashford to Margate was opened on 1 December 1846 by the South Eastern Railway.
A farmers market is held in Wye on the first and third Saturday of every month.
