Gillingham is a town in the unitary authority of Medway, Kent, in the south-east of England, sitting on the south bank of the River Medway and forming one of the Medway towns alongside Chatham and Rochester. It grew markedly in the 19th century to house workers for the nearby Chatham Dockyard and still shows those maritime links; economically it now combines retail and service sectors, light industry, healthcare centred on Medway Maritime Hospital and a significant commuter population travelling to London.
On the cultural and social side, sport is important locally - Gillingham Football Club plays at Priestfield Stadium - and the town benefits from proximity to the heritage and festivals of Rochester. Recent riverside and housing regeneration has aimed to strengthen local amenities and create a mixed, diverse community with good rail and road connections across Kent and beyond.
Postcode districts covering Gillingham
Most populated places nearby
- Southend-on-Sea 13.7 miles22.1 km
- Bexley 19.7 miles31.7 km
- Basildon 14.4 miles23.1 km
- Maidstone 7.5 miles12 km
- Grays 13.1 miles21 km
- Chatham 2.2 miles3.5 km
- Royal Tunbridge Wells 21.1 miles33.9 km
- Ashford 20.4 miles32.9 km
- Barking and Dagenham 23.1 miles37.2 km
- Dartford 16.4 miles26.4 km
- Canterbury 23.1 miles37.1 km
- Gravesend 9.2 miles14.8 km
Neighbouring places
- Twydall Ward 0.2 miles0.3 km
- Watling Ward 0.6 miles0.9 km
- Rainham North Ward 1.2 miles1.9 km
- Rainham South West Ward 1.2 miles1.9 km
- Gillingham South Ward 1.5 miles2.4 km
- Gillingham North Ward 1.5 miles2.5 km
- Hempstead & Wigmore Ward 1.5 miles2.5 km
- Luton Ward 1.6 miles2.5 km
- Rainham South East Ward 2.1 miles3.3 km
- Ham Green Built-up area 2.1 miles3.4 km
- Chatham Central & Brompton Ward 2.1 miles3.4 km
- Princes Park Ward 2.1 miles3.5 km
Example postcodes in Gillingham
ME8 0AJ, ME8 7LS, ME7 2BZ, ME7 3PY, ME8 8LF, ME7 5AX, ME8 0HE, ME4 4BF, ME7 5BP … See all
Transport links
- London Southend Airport 14.6 miles23.5 km
- London City Airport 24.3 miles39.1 km
- Rainham Railway Station 1.5 miles2.4 km
- Gillingham Railway Station 1.5 miles2.5 km
Hotels near Gillingham Ad
- King Charles Hotel 3 2.2 miles3.6 km
- The Black Horse Inn 4 5.7 miles9.1 km
- Holiday Inn Rochester Chatham 4 3.5 miles5.7 km
- Tonge Barn 4 8.8 miles14.2 km
- Trivelles Rochester 2 3.8 miles6 km
- Hempstead House Hotel & Restaurant 4 8.8 miles14.2 km
- The Potting Shed Maidstone 9.5 miles15.4 km
- Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa 4 3.7 miles5.9 km
- Delta Hotels by Marriott Tudor Park Country Club 4 7.3 miles11.8 km
- Orida Maidstone Hotel 4 6.3 miles10.1 km
Schools in Gillingham
- Barnsole Primary School Primary
- Brompton Academy Secondary
- Brompton-Westbrook Primary School Primary
- Burnt Oak Primary School Primary
- Byron Primary School Primary
- Danecourt School Special
- Deanwood Primary School Primary
- Fairview Community Primary School Primary
- Featherby Infant and Nursery School Primary
- Featherby Junior School Primary
- Hempstead Infant School Primary
- Hempstead Junior School Primary
- Hospital and Medical Tuition Service All ages
- MidKent College Further education
- Miers Court Primary School Primary
- Napier Community Primary and Nursery Academy Primary
- Oasis Academy Skinner Street Primary
- Parkwood Primary School Primary
- Rainham Mark Grammar School Secondary
- … See all
Local points of interest
- Priestfield Stadium Stadium 1.1 miles1.8 km
- MidKent College - Medway College 2.1 miles3.3 km
- Spotlites at Kings Theatre Theatre 2.1 miles3.4 km
- University of Greenwich - Medway University 2.4 miles3.9 km
- University for the Creative Arts - Rochester University 2.8 miles4.5 km
- Boxley Hills Hill 4.5 miles7.2 km
- Boxley Abbey Historic site 5.5 miles8.9 km
- University for the Creative Arts - Maidstone University 7.8 miles12.6 km
- Yantlet beach Beach 8 miles12.9 km
- Sheerness Harbour Harbour 8.5 miles13.7 km
- Canvey Island Heritage Centre & Museum Museum 10.2 miles16.5 km
- Boughton Place Estate 11 miles17.7 km