East Farleigh
| East Farleigh | |
|---|---|
East Farleigh Location within Kent | |
| Population | 1,500 (2011 Census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TQ7335051225 |
| • London | 32 miles (51 km) |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Maidstone |
| Postcode district | ME15 |
| Dialling code | 01622 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | East Farleigh Parish Council |
East Farleigh (Great Farleigh in some older reference works[3]) is a village and civil parish[4] in the local government district of Maidstone, Kent, England. The village is located on the south side of the River Medway about two miles (3.2 km) upstream from the town of Maidstone.[5]
Heritage
The Grade I listed East Farleigh Bridge crossing the river here was built in the 14th century and is considered one of the oldest in Kent. It is too narrow to suit modern traffic conditions. It provided the crossing point for the Parliamentary forces in the Battle of Maidstone during the Civil War.[6]
The population of the village expanded from 642 people in 1801 to 1,668 in 1881. The population growth occurred in parallel with an increase in hop production, which the tithe map of 1841 show covering a quarter of all land in the parish, 40 years before peak production was reached. Hops are no longer grown in the parish. The last oast house in the village ceased working in 1977.[7]
East Farleigh appears in the Domesday Book as Ferlaga from the Saxon words referring to a passage (over the river in this case). The nearby village of West Farleigh has the same roots.[8] The 12th-century church is dedicated to St Mary and is a listed building.[9] East Farleigh House was the home of the noted artist Donald Maxwell from 1930 to 1936, and he is buried in the churchyard.
Amenities
There are three public houses in the parish: The Bull Inn in the centre of the village, as well as The Horseshoes on Dean Street and the Walnut Tree on Forge Lane.[10] The East Farleigh Social Club is also near the centre of the village.[11]
East Farleigh railway station (across the River Medway and so technically in the parish of Barming) is on the Medway Valley Line. Trains run north to Maidstone Barracks and Maidstone West, and then on to Strood (with a connection to High Speed 1); and south to Paddock Wood and Tonbridge (with a connection to the South Eastern Main Line).
Notable residents
- Reynold Pympe, 15th century MP
- Two sons of William Wilberforce, both of whom were vicars of East Farleigh, are buried in St Mary's churchyard. William Wilberforce himself stayed at The Old Rectory shortly before he died.[7]
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East Farleigh Church
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East Farleigh Church and Bridge
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The Victoria
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Heath Road
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The medieval bridge
References
- ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- ^ "Location of Weald of Kent". parliament.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "Maidstone Part 1: St Mary's Church, East Farleigh". Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ^ "East Farleigh Parish Council". Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ Pictures and notes on the village Archived 2008-01-23 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Royle, Trevor (2004) Civil War - The Wars of the Three Kingdoms 1638-1660 ISBN 0-316-86125-1
- ^ a b "Farleighs' History Society - History of East Farleigh". www.eastfarleigh.net. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
- ^ British History on Line: Edward Hasted 1798 notes on the village
- ^ 1
- ^ Pubs & Clubs around East Farleigh
- ^ Pubs & Clubs around East Farleigh