Strood

See also Strood (river) for the creek in Essex.

Stroud
OS Grid Reference:	Template:Gbmappingsmall
Administration
Borough:	Medway
Region:	South East England
Nation:	England
Other
Ceremonial County:	Kent
Traditional County:	Kent
Post Office and Telephone
Post town:	ROCHESTER
Postcode:	ME2
Dialling Code:	01634

Template:GBdot Strood is the part of Rochester in Kent to the west of the River Medway. It is mostly housing and industry. The council offices beside Rochester Bridge are in the former factory buildings of Aveling & Porter, an engineering firm which made traction engines and road rollers.

The name "Strood" refers to a marshy place, and is derived from the same source as Stroud in Gloucestershire.

Strades, or Stroud, is long associated with the old city, but also remains part of the Hundred of Sharnel, which during the reign of Henry III was owned by the Knights Templar. Temple Manor House, now hidden within an industrial estate near the river, testifies to this history, but for a number of years had been used as a farmhouse.

From 1769 a toll gate at Strood to pay for improvements to the parish was instituted on the Watling Street leading to Rochester bridge into the old city. Some local opinion recommends a reinstatement of this toll to divert traffic from historic Rochester over the recently widened Medway by-pass (the motorway M2) and through the new Medway Tunnel at Frindsbury near Strood.

An annual fair was instituted during the 7th year of the reign of King John, to the priory of Rochester, to be held on the 26th of August, which continued well into the 18th century (Hasted). It was traditionally held over three days, and associated with Christian celebration of the Assumption. Today's market is held on a Tuesday, and Saturday, and a boot fair is held on a Sunday, so this tradition can be assumed in some fashion to continue to this day. No significant market or festival is held in Strood in August today, however.

Hasted, in his study of Kent, said Strood's inhabitants were chiefly seafaring or fishermen, and engaged in the dredging of oysters.

Strood was possessed by the Rochester monastery from the 18th year of the reign of Edward III, until the dissolution under Henry VIII, after which time as part of the Hundred of Sharnel which included Cobham, it was passed to George Brooke, Lord Cobham, whose grandson Henry Brooke lost his estates to James I in 1603 through a false charge of treason, although he escaped with his life.

The manor there after was granted to Sir Robert Cecil, the Earl of Salisbury (son of William, Lord Burleigh), who later became Lord Treasurer of England under Queen Elizabeth, and married Elizabeth, the sister of Henry, Lord Cobham.

Gilbert de Glanvill, Bishop of Rochester, early during the reign of Richard I founded a hospital in Strood, east of the church, which was afterwards called the Newark or Stroud Hospital. The Yoke or North Yoke being a mall manor in Strood. Corruption in the finances of the institution set in and worsened until reforms were put in place formally in 1330 by the bishop of Rochester Hamo de Hethe. John Wylbore was the last master of the hospital, during the 31st year of the reign of Henry VIII.

Even today Newark House, a modern collection of tenement homes, remains of this legacy, and is can be found next to a Salvation Army shop and chapel, although this is now closed. Opposite is the town's health centre.

Near the church, some time after the Newark hospital had been replaced, a workhouse was built, funded by the Watts charity in 1721.

Anne Pratt, the botanist, was born at Strood. She wrote several books in the 19th century covering a wide range of botanical subjects. She was so well respected for her knowledge of wild flowers that she was granted an allowance from the Civil List. A portrait of her was placed in the Rochester museum.

Kelly Brook is also from this Kentish town.