The parish of High Halstow lies on the north side of the Hoo Peninsula. Its landscape encompasses area of marsh and farmland. Unlike other parishes on the peninsula more strongly affected by the industrialisation of the Thames and Medway region during the 19th and 20th centuries, its character remains predominantly rural, with a number of dispersed farmsteads. The largest settlement remains the historic village of High Halstow, which until the mid 20th century was a modestly sized community, similar in character to neighbouring villages, but which thereafter experienced considerable growth. Settlement has also occurred along the A228 in a ribbon-like pattern with origins in two clusters of farmsteads, known as Sharnal Street and Fenn Street, and a similar alignment has also developed along Clinch Street, to the west of the village. Although land was acquired for military use in the 20th century, no major facility was situated here and defensive structures and earthworks constructed during both world wars have left few visible remains. This Historic Area Assessment provides an overview of the historical development and architectural character of the administrative parish, which is coterminous with the island. It forms a component of the larger Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project.