Murston

According to Edward Hasted in 1798, it was once called 'Muston'. The parish contains about 1000 acres of land, of which about 30 are used as woodland. North of the village are salt marshes that suffer from winter fogs and are foul-smelling.{{cite journal |last=Hasted |first=Edward |date=1798 |title=Parishes |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62950 |journal=The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |volume=6 |pages=143–150|accessdate=3 March 2014}}

In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales, referred to Murston having a post office (under Sittingbourne control) and a quay and several docks on the creek. It also comprised 1,317 acres of land, and 145 acres of water. The population in 1851 was 191 and then in 1861, it rose to 572. There was a ferry over the Swale to Elmley.{{cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/6288 |title=Murston, Kent|website=visionofbritain.org.uk|accessdate=7 March 2014}} In 1921 the civil parish had a population of 1603.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10223179/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics Murston CP/AP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=21 April 2024}} On 31 March 1930 the parish was abolished to form Sittingbourne and Milton, part also went to Luddenham.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10223179|title=Relationships and changes Murston CP/AP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=21 April 2024}} It is now in the unparished area of Sittingbourne and Milton.

The older records, mention the Manor of 'Herst Hall'. King Richard I, while at the Siege of Acon in Palestine, was assisted by 'Bartholomew de Murston' of the manor. Later, John de Murston became owner of the manor, during the reign of Edward III. Sir Edward Hales, 1st Baronet was another manor owner. The widow of Sir Roger Twisden, 6th Baronet was the owner in 1798.

Also within the parish is East Hall, which also had a manorship. It has passed through many hands, including the St. Leger family in 1377. It now is a Grade II listed building.{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-175802-east-hall-kent |title=East Hall, Sittingbourne |website=www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=4 March 2014}}

Also in the parish is the estate of Mere Court (named from the closeness to the marshes). It has passed through many hands, including Sir Arnold Savage's father in 1374. It now is a Grade II listed building.{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-175803-meres-court-with-cottage-attached-kent |title=Meres Court, with Cottage Attached, Sittingbourne |website=www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=4 March 2014}}

The village also has (the Grade II listed) Church of All Saints,{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-175720-church-of-all-saints-kent |title=Church of All Saints, Sittingbourne |website=www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk |accessdate=4 March 2014}} which is in the diocese of Canterbury, and deanery of Sittingborne. It also now acts as a branch of Kent Savers Credit Union.{{cite web |last=Robinson |first=Hayley |date=8 January 2014 |title=Church-based Kent Savers Credit Union at All Saints in Murston will take on payday lenders after call by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby |url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/sittingbourne_messenger/news/church-credit-10977/ |publisher=kentonline.co.uk |accessdate=7 March 2014}}

Then, in 1990, Central Park Stadium was built for Sittingbourne F.C. but it is now used by Kent Kings.

The former brickworks have been replaced by a large industrial estate (called the Eurolink Industrial Estate),{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-588000-162000/page/12|title=EUROLINK INDUSTRIAL ESTATE|website=bbc.co.uk |date=1986|accessdate=5 March 2014}} including the Bayford Meadows Kart Circuit.[http://www.uk-go-karting.com/tracks/kent/bayford-meadows Bayford Meadows]

On the northern boundary of the parish, the Swale Way (a bypass route called the 'Sittingbourne Northern Relief road' (which was built in 2010/11)) passes over the Milton Creek heads from the A249 road (past Kemsley) towards the Eurolink Industrial estate and towards the East Hall Farm residential development.{{cite news |url=http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/sittingbourne_northern_relief_road_opens_1_1154696 |title=Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road opens |publisher=kentnews.co.uk |date=15 December 2011 |accessdate=5 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918224703/http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/sittingbourne_northern_relief_road_opens_1_1154696 |archivedate=18 September 2015 }} Plans were to extend it past Bapchild to the Kent Science Park near Highsted,{{cite news | url=http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/science_park_growth_plans_1_1940025 | title=Kent Science Park eyes successful 2012 | publisher=kentnews.co.uk | date=10 January 2012 | accessdate=5 March 2014 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306002633/http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/science_park_growth_plans_1_1940025 | archivedate=6 March 2014 }} before joining the M2 Motorway. However, they were put on hold by cost and planning issues.{{cite news |url=http://www.courier.co.uk/Final-stage-bypass-shelved/story-12016988-detail/story.html |title=Final stage of Northern Relief Road bypass is shelved |publisher=courier.co.uk |date=16 March 2011 |accessdate=5 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306012840/http://www.courier.co.uk/Final-stage-bypass-shelved/story-12016988-detail/story.html |archivedate=6 March 2014 }}

Beyond the Swale Way, the area towards the Swale is still marshland. The Murston Lakes connected to the Swale and were initially constructed for earlier brickworks, were later used for oyster rearing and are now part of 'Little Murston Nature Reserve'. They are designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA).{{cite web|url=https://shareweb.kent.gov.uk/Documents/environment-and-planning/planning-and-land-use/SA%20Topic%20reports/Topic%20Paper%2014%20Water.pdf |title=Kent Minerals and Waste Development Framework SA Scoping Report |website=kent.gov.uk |date=2010 |accessdate=7 March 2014}} Passing along the Swale along the Milton Creek towards Sittingbourne is the Saxon Shore Way (a long-distance path around most of Kent).[http://macadder.net/walking/saxon_shore_way/stage06.html The Saxon Shore Way,Stage 6: Sittingbourne to Faversham]

Murston was a centre for brickmaking.{{cite web|title=Milton Creek Memories {{!}} Milton Creek Sittingbourne Kent {{!}} » Bricks|url=http://miltoncreekmemories.co.uk/bricks/|website=miltoncreekmemories.co.uk|accessdate=25 May 2018}}

{{anchor|George Smeed}}Between 1830 and 1870, brick making employed over 50% of the local population. George Smeed (1812-1881) was a local entrepreneur who developed the extractive industries and the related enterprises. In 1846, he started making bricks at Murston. These were Kentish yellows known as stock bricks, permeable bricks with the distinctive yellow ochre colour, that would form an impermeable glaze when exposed to sulphur dioxide. These need a slurry of 64% brick earth (the local subsoil), 25% town ash, and 11% chalk. In 1848, he produced 30 million bricks. In 1850, he established a Roman Cement Mill and later a second one. The ran a fleet of Thames sailing barges, and started constructing them. He built a gasworks at Murston in 1863, and leased land to the Burnham, Brick, Lime and Cement company, who built two cement bottle kilns at Murston.

During the 1860 he built 150 houses for his Murston workers. By 1880, his company Smeed Dean produced 50 million bricks. The company was sold to the Dunstable Cement Company in 1926, which is now part of Blue Circle Industries.

• Murston Brickfields: George Smeed started making bricks here in 1846, and by 1860 he had acquired many other brickfield, such as the three below.

:* Muggleton’s Brickfield (1835-1850); Adelaide Dock up to the Golden Ball orchard. The field was taken over by George Smeed in 1860.

:* McKenzie Brickfield: 1840-1845 – was halfway along the old Moat Road, about where the go-cart track is now. This field was taken over by George Smeed in 1860.

:* Ashington Brickfield: 1843-1845 – was where the present All Saints Church was built. The field extended North East to the now Dolphin Road and Westward on the other side of Church Road. The field was taken over by George Smeed in 1860.

• Huggens Brickfield 1830.
• Wills and Packhams: 1870, they ceased brick making during the 1960s
• Burleys brickfields: (1875-1945). They also had a large field and a wharf on the Creek
• Gransden's brickfield: between Milton workhouse and the creek which closed in the 1900s
• Wood's was between Gransden's and Burleys. It closed 1928
• Cornfords brickfield: closed about 1914

The 1930s maps show a brickmaking works near Mere Court Farm. They had moved closer to the Milton Creek in the 1940s.

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Category:Villages in Kent

Category:Sittingbourne

Category:Former civil parishes in Kent