St Nicholas-at-Wade
village in Kent, England, UK
St Nicholas-at-Wade (or St Nicholas) is both a village and a civil parish in the Thanet District of Kent, England. The parish had a recorded population of 782 at the 2001 Census, increasing to 852 at the 2011 census. The village of Sarre is part of the civil parish.
The village is best known locally for the local custom of Hoodening, a type of mumming, as well as for its prolific potato production. The village continues to play host to several folk groups, including Offcumduns Border Morris Dancers.
History
The name derives from its location on the western border of the Isle of Thanet (originally separated from the Kent mainland). Before the channels of the River Wantsum and River Stour silted up, one would have been able to 'wade' at this point, over a ford. In Roman times the channel was navigable and the site likely very busy with the Saxon Shore forts of Regulbium (Reculver) and Rutupiae (Richborough) both close by. Remains of Roman shipbuilding yards are said to have been found between St. Nicholas-at-Wade and the nearby village of Sarre
Village
The village can be entered from either the A299 (Thanet Way) or the A28 (Canterbury Road).
The public source identifies “St Nicholas-at-Wade” as village in Kent, England, UK. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Nicholas-at-Wade, village and Kent.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “St Nicholas-at-Wade”, the useful work is to connect “village in Kent, England, UK” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Feb 7, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2133814. VIAF identifies the subject as 140969489. The Library of Congress control number is nb2004302618. Authority coordinates are 51.355, 1.249. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2001 and 2011.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “St Nicholas-at-Wade”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow St Nicholas-at-Wade primary sources, St Nicholas-at-Wade archive and Nicholas-at-Wade research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “St Nicholas-at-Wade”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “St Nicholas-at-Wade” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.