During the years following the Second World War, towns and cities across the UK began creating formal links with twin towns and sister cities across Europe, reaching out with a desire to rebuild relationships shattered by the terrible conflict which had raged across the continent and around the world.

For decades since, these relationships have helped foster links between communities here and abroad. But how much do you know about the towns and cities who have extended the hand of friendship to Kent? Here are the stories behind some of the county's twin towns.

Ashford twin town Bad Münstereifel

Although the town has formal links with three sister cities, it is probably the link with Bad Münstereifel that is best known. Not least because the German town gives it's name to the A2070 running through Ashford.

According to the borough council, Ashford has had links with Bad Münstereifel stretching back to the first half of the last century, although a formal twinning did not take place until August 1964.

The German twin is a historical spa town, home to around 17,000 people and situated in the far southeast of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Visitors to Bad Münstereifel can keep an eye open for an iconic red telephone booth and Royal Mail post box in the pedestrian area of the town, which are symbols of the friendship that exists between the two communities.

In addition to the German sister city, Ashford also maintains a formal association with Fougères in France, and Hopewell in the US state of Virginia.

Did you know? For German towns, being 'bad' is actually a good thing. The word is used to denote the place in question is a spa town.

Broadstairs twin town Wattignies

Broadstairs & St Peter's has been twinned with the French town of Wattignies since 1982, when the then Mayor of Broadstairs and his Gallic counterpart signed a charter between the two towns. This pledge of friendship is renewed every two years.

The link between the Thanet town and the commune in the Nord department of France came about because the deputy mayor of Wattignies at the time of the initial declaration had been friends of a family from Broadstairs since he was a child.

Wattignies is a relatively small town of around 15,000 people and is situated on the outskirts of the city of Lille.

Since the twinning, many groups and schools from Kent have visited Wattignies and a number of lasting friendships have been forged through the years.

Canterbury twin town Rheims

Mention Rheims to someone from Canterbury, and they'd be forgiven for thinking of ring-road traffic jams rather than an ancient city in the north east of France.

But mention Rheims to the wine connoisseur in your life, and they are just as likely to tell you that - along with Épernay and Ay - this former site of the coronation of French kings is now a key centre in the lucrative Champagne trade.

The two cities have enjoyed a relationship for more than 60 years, and one of the main reasons for the association was the fact the French city lay on a key route of pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome, the Via Francigina, which only became officially recognised in 2004.

Nick Eden-Green, a former Lord Mayor of Canterbury who has been involved with the twinning association for more than two decades, said: "Like other twinning associations, it found its origin in the aftermath of the Second World War and the desire to see a united Europe and to promote the interchange of people from one city and one country to another.

"At that time international travel was relatively uncommon and outside the budget of many. Thus families often exchanged, which was a much cheaper way of enjoying a Continental holiday."

Did you know? Joan of Arc's liberation of the cathedral in Rheims paved the way for Charles VII to be crowned king of France.

Dover twin town Split

Our county's frontline town has two formal twinning relationships - and it's hardly surprising that one is with the town of Calais, sat just across the Channel. The other, however, is with the Croatian city of Split.

The two communities have enjoyed a close bond since they were first twinned in 1956 as Europe was still rebuilding following the devastation of the Second World War, an echo of which was felt in the 1990s during the violence that engulfed the states of the former Yugoslavia.

Civic representatives of Dover and Split remain in regular contact, while Astor College has been particularly active in cultivating relationships between the young people of the twinned towns.

Did you know? Much like Dover, Split grew because of its coastal position. It was first founded as a Greek colony and was later part of the Venetian empire.

Faversham twin town Hazebrouck

Our famous brewery town of Faversham, home to Shepherd Neame, has been twinned with the French town of Hazebrouck since the charter linking the two was signed in 1961.

Previously a Flemish town, Hazebrouck was incorporated into France following the 1678 Treaties of Nijmegen. It's importance grew with the coming of the railways, and the strategic importance of its location close the the border with Belgium meant it, like much of Flanders, saw heavy fighting in both world wars.

Did you know? Like Faversham, Flanders has a long and proud beer history, giving its name to a style of sour ale.

Folkestone twin town Étaples-sur-Mer

Today Folkestone is twinned with the small French town of Étaples, which sits a short drive from Calais on the estuary of the River Canche, which flows into the Channel nearby.

Previously Folkestone enjoyed a link with the Dutch city of Middleburg, but according to the Folkestone Twinning Association this tie was severed and the relationship with the French fishing community of Étaples took its place.

The new twins formally instigated the association between the towns with the signing of a charter, which took place in Folkestone in August 2009 and in Étaples in January 2010.

Did you know? During the First World War, Étaples was a transit camp for the British Expeditionary Force in France and Étaples Military Cemetery is resting place to more than 11,000 British and Allied soldiers.

Gravesham twin town Jalandhar

The twinning between Gravesham and this city in the Indian state of Punjab is another of the more recent alliances on this list, being formally instigated in 2012.

It recognises the fact that many people in this part of Kent have roots in the Jalandhar district of the Punjab, which is situated in the north-west of India, and there has been a flow of people between the communities as a result.

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, a former mayor of Gravesham who went on to become an MP, played a key role in bringing the twinning about. This was recognised when he appeared in a music video - in full mayoral regalia - for a track by Punjabi singer Pammi Bai.

Did you know? Jalandhar is the birth place of Harbhajan Singh, the first Indian bowler to take a hat trick in Test cricket.

Maidstone twin town Beauvais

Our county town Maidstone is twinned with the French city of Beauvais, which is situated in the region of Hauts-de-France. The two communities have been linked formally since 1961.

Although little known today, the French city give its name to the Beauvais Agreement which was signed by the various Allied Governments during the First World War, with the Allies agreeing to place their forces under the unitary command of the French Marshal, Ferndinand Foch.

In 2018, to mark the centenary of the accord, a delegation from Maidstone visited Beauvais and took part in a ceremony in the very room in which it was signed.

Did you know? Launched in the 1950s, there was once a regular air link between Beauvais and Lympne Airport, near Folkestone.

Medway Towns twin town Foshan

The Medway Towns of Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham and Strood enjoy twinning relations with a number of places around the world, including one of the oldest twin town accords in the UK between it and Valenciennes in France.

However the most recent link is with Foshan, a city in central Guangdong Province in China, which was instigated in the years prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games as a way of building connections between Medway and China.

In 2008, headteachers from eight schools in Medway travelled to China to gain ideas for promoting the teaching of Chinese languages in the areas schools.

Did you know? Foshan is regarded as the home of Cantonese opera, a genre of Chinese opera, and was also well known for its ceramics since the Ming dynasty.

Royal Tunbridge Wells twin town Wiesbaden

Our Kentish spa town of Tunbridge Wells is twinned with Wiesbaden, a German spa town situated between the river Rhine and the foothills of the Taunus Mountains.

The relationship between the two towns stretches back to 1960 when four ex-servicemen from Kent travelled to Germany to meet their counterparts in Wiesbaden. This led to the signing a partner agreement in 1961, a ‘Treaty of Friendship’ in 1971 and a formal twinning charter in 1989.

Tunbridge Wells Twinning & Friendship Association was led by its President, ex-Royal Marine Commando Tom MacAndrew, until his death in 2010. He had been part of the original delegation which had travelled to Germany to extend the hand of friendship half a century before.

Did you know? Sometimes called the 'Nice of the North' after the French resort, at one time Wiesbaden boasted 26 hot springs.

Sittingbourne (former) twin town Ypres

We end with one twin town relationship which has come to an end as the movement struggles to recruit new blood in the 21st century.

In 2011 Sittingbourne and Milton Twinning Association decided to call an end to the town's association with the Belgium city of Ypres after more than 45 years of ties between the two communities.

Speaking at the time, Malcolm Moore, outgoing chairman of the association, said: "Many people in the town have worked hard over the years to foster a strong and enduring relationship with our friends in Ypres.

"But we have to be realistic. The younger generation does not seem to have the same aspirations as the older generation and we have not been successful in interesting them in twinning activities."

It may have been the end for this particular twinning, but as we have seen, there are still plenty of links between Kent and people around the world.

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