Staplehurst, Kent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Staplehurst ['stei.pəl,hɜst][*] is a large village and civil parish, situated south of Maidstone in Kent, England. The name Staplehurst comes from the Saxon words staple (meaning post) and hurst (meaning wood or clearing in a forest). The village lies on the route of a Roman road, which is now incorporated into the course of the A229.
There are 2500 households and 6000 residents, a population that brings the village on par with some small towns. However, Staplehurst lacks the large facilities, like a supermarket and leisure centre, that would enable it to be classified as a town. Staplehurst has a number of local shops at The Parade, which lies roughly at the centre of the village.
Staplehurst is governed by Staplehurst Parish Council, Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council. The parish church, All Saints' is lcated at the highest point in the village. Staplehurst also has a United Reformed Church and a Free church. The village primary school located near the town centre shops. The school was originally housed in the stone buildings off the A229 and moved to the new site when the population of the village grew in the 1980s. The old school then became the village community centre. There are a number of public houses in the village including The Railway Tavern, The King's Head, The Bell, The Pride of Kent and The Lord Raglan. The village also has a small library.
Staplehurst railway station is a busy station and is well used by commuters working in London. The station is on the main line from Ashford International railway station to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street, via Tonbridge. Staplehurst is also the main station for commuters from Cranbrook, Hawkhurst, Sissinghurst and other nearby villages. Before the completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link the line was also used by Eurostar trains.
The Staplehurst rail crash, in 1865, is a significant event in the history of Staplehurst. Charles Dickens, who was on board, was affected by the incident for the rest of his life. Staplehurst was also the centre of police investigations following the Securitas depot robbery in 2006.
It is believed that Beatrix Potter stayed in a large house in Staplehurst in which she came up with the idea of her most famous character Peter Rabbit.
[edit] External links
- Staplehurst Parish Council Web Site
- Staplehurst Free Church Web Site
- All Saints' Church Staplehurst Web Site
[edit] Notes
- [*] The missing symbol [ɜ] is an open-mid central unrounded vowel.
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with the surrounding suburbs, villages, towns and parishes: |
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Allington • Barming • Bearsted • Bedmonton • Bicknor • Boughton Malherbe • Boughton Monchelsea • Boxley • Bredhurst • Broomfield • Caring • Chart Sutton • Chegworth • Collier Street • Coxheath • Detling • Downswood • East Barming • East Farleigh • East Sutton • Fairbourne • Frinsted • Grove Green • Harrietsham • Headcorn • Hollingbourne • Hucking • Hunton • Kingswood • Kit's Coty • Ladingford • Langley • Leeds • Lenham • Linton • Loose • Lordswood • Marden • Marley • Nettlestead • Nettlestead Green • Otham • Park Wood • Pollhill • Sandling • Shepway • Sutton Valence • Staplehurst • Stockbury • Teston • Thurnham • Tovil • Ulcombe • Weavering • West Farleigh • Wormshill • Yalding |
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| The borough of Maidstone List of places in Kent |
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