Facts about Kent
History
Following the withdrawal of the Romans, large numbers of Germanic speakers from the continent settled in Kent, bringing their language, Old English. While they expelled the native Romano-British population, some likely remained in the area, eventually assimilating with the newcomers. Of the invading tribes, the Jutes were the most prominent, and the area became a Jutish kingdom recorded as Cantia in about 730 and Cent in 835. The early medieval inhabitants of the county were referred to as the Cantwara, or Kentish people.
In the 11th century, the people of Kent adopted the motto Invicta, meaning “undefeated” or “unconquered”. This naming followed the invasion of Britain by William of Normandy as he was unable to subdue the county and they negotiated favourable terms. The continued resistance of the Kentish people against the Normans led to Kent’s designation as a semi-autonomous county palatine in 1067. Under the nominal rule of William’s half-brother Odo of Bayeux, the county was granted similar powers to those granted in the areas bordering Wales and Scotland.
General Info
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west. The county also shares borders with Essex along the estuary of the River Thames, and with the French department of Pas-de-Calais through the Channel Tunnel. The county town is Maidstone.
Kent was one of the first British territories to be settled by Germanic tribes, most notably the Jutes, following the withdrawal of the Romans. Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, the oldest cathedral in England, has been the seat of the Archbishops of Canterbury since the conversion of England to Christianity that began in the 6th century with Saint Augustine. Rochester Cathedral in Medway is England’s second-oldest cathedral.
