Faversham

Faversham is a North Kent market town with over 400 listed buildings, a medieval guildhall, a covered market and a tidal creek that was once a hub for gunpowder production and boatbuilding. The town functions as a working place rather than a heritage piece: the market operates, the pubs serve local beer and the creek has working boats at its quays.

The brewery is the specific draw. Shepherd Neame, established in 1698 and claiming the title of Britain's oldest brewer, operates in the centre of the medieval town and runs guided tours that take in the brewing vessels, historic delivery vehicles and a tutored tasting. The creek at Standard Quay, 10 minutes' walk from the town centre, is a separate layer of the town that most visitors do not reach: 18th-century granary buildings, working boats and a tidal path that follows the water toward the Swale estuary.

The town works year-round. September brings the surrounding hop harvest, which puts the raw material of Shepherd Neame's beers into the fields immediately around the town. December has a Christmas market. The Tuesday and Saturday covered market is the most immediate way to understand the town as a functioning place rather than a visitor destination.