Early urban growth
A survey undertaken in 1566 showed there to be 93 houses in Sittingbourne and 136 in Milton. Both were now recognized as separate towns, each with their own different economy. Throughout the fifteenth century Watling Street continued to be maintained in good order and there is evidence that bequests for its upkeep were often included in the wills of wealthy locals. By the eighteenth century the town’s unique geographical position still dominated the town’s economy and despite the introduction of faster stage coaches, cutting the journey time from London to the Channel ports, there was still the need for a mid-way point overnight stop. The growth of Sittingbourne as a coaching centre continued throughout the eighteenth century and by now many of the innkeepers had become local gentry or businessmen who could supply all that their inns needed from their farms.Continued