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Kentish words & sayings

Man of Kent or Kentish Man? A light-hearted guide to the words, sayings and traditions you'll come across in the Garden of England, and how (not) to use them on a date.

Kentish words and sayings

Man of Kent
Someone born east of the River Medway. An old Kent tradition, and people still care which side they're from.
In dating: A good first question. Just don't get it wrong on the second date.
Kentish Man
Someone born west of the Medway, the other half of the Men of Kent tradition. Women are Maids of Kent or Kentish Maids.
In dating: Mixed marriages across the Medway have been known to work out.
Invicta
"Unconquered", Kent's motto, carried under the white horse on the county flag.
In dating: A fine word for anyone brave enough to send the first message.
The Garden of England
Kent's nickname, thanks to centuries of orchards, hop gardens and market gardens.
In dating: Every good garden needs someone to share it with.
Oast
An oast house, the kiln with a pointed cowl where hops were dried. Most are homes now.
In dating: If they live in an oast house, the second date is already sorted.
Hopping
Hop picking. For generations, families came down from London every September to pick Kent's hops.
In dating: A lot of Kent love stories started in the hop gardens. It's a proud tradition.
Bine
The long climbing stem of the hop plant.
In dating: Some things are worth growing slowly. Relationships included.
Twitten
A narrow path or alleyway between buildings, used in Kent and Sussex.
In dating: A shortcut through a twitten is fine. A shortcut through the getting-to-know-you bit isn't.
Shaw
An old Kent and Sussex word for a small wood or strip of trees between fields.
In dating: A walk along a shaw on a spring day makes a lovely, low-key date.
Housen
The old Kentish plural of house, still heard from the older generation.
In dating: Whether it's houses or housen, it's the company inside that counts.
Up London
Going to London. Kent has always kept one eye on the capital.
In dating: A day up London makes a great third date. Start closer to home.

Kent traditions and local lore

Bat and trap
A pub game played mainly in east Kent, a bit like a cross between cricket and rounders, played in pub gardens in summer.
In dating: An evening of bat and trap in a pub garden is a brilliant icebreaker.
Huffkin
A soft, flat Kentish bread roll with a dimple in the middle.
In dating: Sharing a warm huffkin beats splitting the bill any day.
Gypsy tart
A very sweet Kentish pudding made with evaporated milk and brown sugar, a school-dinner favourite.
In dating: If they still get excited about gypsy tart, you've found a Kent native.
Kentish cobnut
A cultivated hazelnut grown in Kent, sold fresh from late summer.
In dating: A bag of cobnuts on an autumn walk is about as Kent as a date gets.
Hooden horse
A carved wooden horse's head on a pole, carried round east Kent villages at Christmas in an old folk custom.
In dating: If you see one in a pub at Christmas, it's tradition, not a bad first date.
Kentish ragstone
The grey local limestone used in churches, castles and old walls across the county.
In dating: Solid, dependable and built to last. Not a bad quality in a partner.
Gavelkind
An old Kentish custom of dividing land equally between sons, which lasted in Kent for centuries.
In dating: Splitting things fairly is still a good rule for dessert.
Ness
A headland. It's the "-ness" in Dungeness and Sheerness.
In dating: A walk out on the shingle at Dungeness is a date nobody forgets.
Downs
The chalk hills that run across Kent, the North Downs, with the North Downs Way along the top.
In dating: "Fancy a walk on the Downs?" is a lovely way to ask someone out.

Old Kentish words are rarer than they used to be, and what you hear in Thanet isn't always what you hear in the Weald. Got a favourite we've missed? Tell us when you join.

Invicta. Go and meet someone.

Put a few of these to use with singles who'll know exactly what you mean.

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