East Farleigh
Encyclopedia
East Farleigh is a village and civil parish
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 of the town of Maidstone
. The bridge crossing the river here was built in the 14th century and is considered to be one of the oldest in Kent; although it is not particularly suitable for modern traffic conditions, owing to its narrowness. It provided the crossing point for the Parliamentary forces in the Battle of Maidstone
during the Civil War
.
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. The 12th century church is dedicated to St Mary . East Farleigh House was the home of the noted artist Donald Maxwell
from 1930 to 1936, and he is buried in the churchyard. There are four public house
s in the parish: The Bull in the centre of the village; and The Horseshoes, The Victoria and the Walnut Tree.
East Farleigh railway station
(due to a boundary quirk, technically in Barming
) is on the Medway Valley Line
.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the local government district of Maidstone
Maidstone (borough)
Maidstone is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its administrative centre is Maidstone which is also the County town of Kent...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The village is located on the south side of the River Medway
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
about two miles (3.2 km) upstream of the town of Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
. The bridge crossing the river here was built in the 14th century and is considered to be one of the oldest in Kent; although it is not particularly suitable for modern traffic conditions, owing to its narrowness. It provided the crossing point for the Parliamentary forces in the Battle of Maidstone
Battle of Maidstone
The Battle of Maidstone was fought in the Second English Civil War and was a victory for the attacking parliamentarian troops over the defending Royalist forces.- Background :...
during the Civil War
Second English Civil War
The Second English Civil War was the second of three wars known as the English Civil War which refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1652 and also include the First English Civil War and the...
.
East Farleigh appears in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Ferlaga from the Saxon words referring to a passage (over the river in this case). The nearby village of West Farleigh
West Farleigh
West Farleigh is a village and civil parish four miles southwest of Maidstone in the county of Kent. The parish has a population of approximately 450, and is bounded by the civil parishes of East Farleigh, Hunton, Yalding, and over the River Medway by Wateringbury, Teston and Barming. The village...
has the same roots. The 12th century church is dedicated to St Mary . East Farleigh House was the home of the noted artist Donald Maxwell
Donald Maxwell
Donald Maxwell was a British writer and illustrator.-Life and family:Donald Maxwell was the son of Dr Frederick Charles Maxwell, a Methodist clergyman and schoolmaster, and his wife Lucilla, also an illustrator...
from 1930 to 1936, and he is buried in the churchyard. There are four public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s in the parish: The Bull in the centre of the village; and The Horseshoes, The Victoria and the Walnut Tree.
East Farleigh railway station
East Farleigh railway station
East Farleigh railway station is located to the south-west of Maidstone, Kent, on the Medway Valley Line. Although closer to the village of East Farleigh, on the opposite bank of the River Medway, the station is actually located in Barming Parish...
(due to a boundary quirk, technically in Barming
Barming
Barming is a civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. It lies to the west of Maidstone, the county town, and had a population of 2234 persons . The eastern end of the parish is part of the built-up area of Maidstone, although the remainder is much more rural...
) is on the Medway Valley Line
Medway Valley Line
The Medway Valley Line is the name given to the railway line linking and the Medway Towns with and onward to , and London St Pancras International...
.