Swanscombe
Swanscombe is a village in the District of Dartford in Kent, England. It lies east of Dartford and also north-west of Gravesend, in the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe. At the 2001 UK census, the Swanscombe electoral ward had a population of 6,418. Swanscombe was essential in the early history of concrete. The very first cement manufacturing works near Swanscombe were opened at Northfleet by James Parker, around 1792, making "Roman concrete" from concrete stone brought from the Isle of Sheppey. James Frost opened up a works at Swanscombe in 1825, making use of chalk from Galley Hill, having actually patented a brand-new cement called British Cement. The Swanscombe plant was consequently obtained by John Bazley White & Co, which became the largest component of Blue Circle Industries when it created in 1900. It ultimately closed down in 1990. Between 1840 and also 1930 it was the largest concrete plant in Britain. By 1882 several cement manufacturers were operating across the north Kent area, but the resulting dust contamination drove the people of Swanscombe to take legal action against the neighborhood cement works. Despite different technological developments, the issue continued into the 1950s, with telegraph lines over an inch thick in white dirt. Modern cement kilns in Kent utilizing chimneys 170 m (550 feet) in elevation are now claimed to be the cleanest worldwide. However, the neighbouring Medway towns are reported to be the most polluted inhabited area in the UK, and also the cement industry adds to acid rain in Scandinavia.
