Kent is well-known for hops and oysters, the Channel Tunnel and Chatham Dockyard – but sandwiched between these are towns and villages that each have a story to tell. The A-Z of Curious Kent takes you off the beaten track, to a world of daddlums and hufflers, gavelkind and grotters. While kings and queens travelled the highways on their way to and from the continent, the people of Kent quietly defined the new order, defended the nation and left teasing reminders of a past that may never be fully understood. SUSAN McGOWAN was a school librarian for 20 years and has had 14 books published, 4 of which are about local history. She studied at the Dorset Institute of Higher Education before being awarded a BA at Southampton University. She now devotes her time to reading, researching and writing, and lives in Chartham, Kent.