East Malling and Larkfield
Encyclopedia
East Malling and Larkfield is a civil parish in the district of Tonbridge and Malling
, Kent
, England. It is about 2.4 miles (3.9 km) southeast of West Malling
, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) northwest of Maidstone
, and 11.4 miles (18.3 km) SSW of Rochester.
In 1962, the parish was formed from two smaller ancient ecclesiastical parishes, East Malling and Larkfield. Covering 4.16 square miles (10.77 km²), the parish is in the heart of the hop
fields and fruit
-growing region, and has an expanding residential area. The distinct hamlet
of East Malling Heath is in the parish. There are two parish churches in the parish. The church at East Malling is dedicated to St James the Great; that at Larkfield to Holy Trinity. There is also a Methodist church in Larkfield.
Of the two parts of the parish, Larkfield is much more built-up, lying on the main A20 road, and is part of greater Maidstone. The M20 motorway
also passes through, with junction 4 residing at the centre of Leybourne
on the A228
. East Malling has a much more village feel about it. As well as the roads East Malling railway station
, serves the village.
There is a railway station at East Malling
(services to Maidstone, Ashford & London) and another nearby at New Hythe
(Larkfield) (with services to Maidstone, Paddock Wood and the Medway towns). The estimated population of the registration district of Malling in 2001 was 12,700.
The name of Larkfield is literal and descriptive - it refers to the large numbers of skylark
s found in the fields; its first recorded instance is in Domesday Book
as Lavrochesfel.
The village has expanded rapidly since the M20 motorway was constructed in the 1970s and it continues to grow, with new housing developments being built. These are The Lakes in Leybourne, on disused gravel pits that were turned into man-made lakes. The decision to build on this area was unpopular with some residents, but the remaining lakes were turned into a country park and nature reserve to offset the impact of the new housing.
Larkfield has three schools on a campus site - Brookfield Infants, Brookfield Juniors, and Lunsford Primary. There is a small local shopping area at Martin Square, which also provides a library, a retirement home and a modern Health Centre, Thornhills Medical Practice.
The "Tree"(shared with the Parish of Ditton
) and "Bird" estates are part of a popular residential area in Larkfield. Tonbridge and Malling borough council applied to purchase this area of land in 1947, as part of the Medway Gap development plan. In 1961 planning permission was given to build what is now two estates, where the majority of the roads are named after species of trees and birds. There is also another estate, known as the "Poets" just to the North of the M20 where all the roadas are named after famous poets.
A large Tesco
supermarket sits to the North end of the Parish, near the country park. There is also another supermarket, built originally as part of the Safeway
chain, which stands on the corner of New Hythe Lane and the London road. Following the demise of Safeway in 2004, it changed several times in quick succession, becoming first a Morrisons
for a short time, as part of that company's purchase of the bulk of the Safeway estate, before being sold to Somerfield
, and in 2009, re-opening, fully refurbished, once again as a Morrison's.
In the neighbouring area of Aylesford there is a J.Sainsbury's. Also located on New Hythe Lane is Larkfield Leisure Centre, built in the 1980s.
Larkfield has been of some historical interest throughout recent times, with a number of archeological discoveries in the area.
Much of the location filming for the 1960s BBC
comedy programme "Mr Pastry" took place in the countryside around East Malling. Richard Hearne
who starred had lived in a neighbouring village, St Mary Platt, and knew the area well.
Close to the main crossroads on the A20, Larkfield Priory Hotel
, built in 1890, is allegedly haunted.
Tonbridge and Malling
Tonbridge and Malling is a local government district and borough in the English county of Kent.Tonbridge and Malling borough covers an area from the North Downs at Burham and Snodland in the north to the town of Tonbridge in the south...
, 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. It is about 2.4 miles (3.9 km) southeast of West Malling
West Malling
West Malling is a historic market town in the Tonbridge and Malling district of Kent, England. It has a population of about 3000-5000.-Landmarks:...
, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) northwest 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...
, and 11.4 miles (18.3 km) SSW of Rochester.
In 1962, the parish was formed from two smaller ancient ecclesiastical parishes, East Malling and Larkfield. Covering 4.16 square miles (10.77 km²), the parish is in the heart of the hop
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
fields and fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
-growing region, and has an expanding residential area. The distinct hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of East Malling Heath is in the parish. There are two parish churches in the parish. The church at East Malling is dedicated to St James the Great; that at Larkfield to Holy Trinity. There is also a Methodist church in Larkfield.
Of the two parts of the parish, Larkfield is much more built-up, lying on the main A20 road, and is part of greater Maidstone. The M20 motorway
M20 motorway
The M20 is a motorway in Kent, England. It runs from the M25 motorway to Folkestone, providing a link to the Channel Tunnel and the ports at Dover. It is long...
also passes through, with junction 4 residing at the centre of Leybourne
Leybourne
Leybourne is a small village in Kent, England situated off Junction 4 of the M20 Motorway. Leybourne is adjacent to Larkfield and West Malling....
on the A228
A228 road
The A228 road is an important transport artery in Kent, England. It begins at the Isle of Grain and runs in a south-westerly direction to connect eventually with the A21 trunk road at Pembury. It serves existing communities and new and proposed housing developments and commercial enterprises...
. East Malling has a much more village feel about it. As well as the roads East Malling railway station
East Malling railway station
East Malling railway station serves the village of East Malling in Kent, and is close to Ditton, Larkfield and Leybourne. The station, and most trains serving it, are operated by Southeastern....
, serves the village.
There is a railway station at East Malling
East Malling railway station
East Malling railway station serves the village of East Malling in Kent, and is close to Ditton, Larkfield and Leybourne. The station, and most trains serving it, are operated by Southeastern....
(services to Maidstone, Ashford & London) and another nearby at New Hythe
New Hythe railway station
New Hythe railway station is on the Medway Valley Line in Kent, and serves New Hythe. The APTIS-equipped ticket office, in an imposing 1930s building on the northbound platform, closed in Sept 1989 and subsequently became derelict...
(Larkfield) (with services to Maidstone, Paddock Wood and the Medway towns). The estimated population of the registration district of Malling in 2001 was 12,700.
The name of Larkfield is literal and descriptive - it refers to the large numbers of skylark
Skylark
The Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,...
s found in the fields; its first recorded instance is in 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 Lavrochesfel.
The village has expanded rapidly since the M20 motorway was constructed in the 1970s and it continues to grow, with new housing developments being built. These are The Lakes in Leybourne, on disused gravel pits that were turned into man-made lakes. The decision to build on this area was unpopular with some residents, but the remaining lakes were turned into a country park and nature reserve to offset the impact of the new housing.
Larkfield has three schools on a campus site - Brookfield Infants, Brookfield Juniors, and Lunsford Primary. There is a small local shopping area at Martin Square, which also provides a library, a retirement home and a modern Health Centre, Thornhills Medical Practice.
The "Tree"(shared with the Parish of Ditton
Ditton
-Places:In the United Kingdom:*Ditton, Halton, Cheshire*Ditton, Kent*Ditton, Slough*Ditton Green, Suffolk*Ditton Priors, Shropshire*Thames Ditton, Surrey...
) and "Bird" estates are part of a popular residential area in Larkfield. Tonbridge and Malling borough council applied to purchase this area of land in 1947, as part of the Medway Gap development plan. In 1961 planning permission was given to build what is now two estates, where the majority of the roads are named after species of trees and birds. There is also another estate, known as the "Poets" just to the North of the M20 where all the roadas are named after famous poets.
A large Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
supermarket sits to the North end of the Parish, near the country park. There is also another supermarket, built originally as part of the Safeway
Safeway (UK)
Safeway was a chain of supermarkets and convenience stores in the United Kingdom. It started as a subsidiary of the American Safeway Inc., before being sold off in 1987....
chain, which stands on the corner of New Hythe Lane and the London road. Following the demise of Safeway in 2004, it changed several times in quick succession, becoming first a Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
for a short time, as part of that company's purchase of the bulk of the Safeway estate, before being sold to Somerfield
Somerfield
Somerfield was a chain of small to medium sized supermarkets operating in the United Kingdom. The company was taken over by the Co-operative Group on 2 March 2009 in a £1.57 billion deal, creating the UK's fifth largest food retailer. The name is currently being phased out and replaced by the...
, and in 2009, re-opening, fully refurbished, once again as a Morrison's.
In the neighbouring area of Aylesford there is a J.Sainsbury's. Also located on New Hythe Lane is Larkfield Leisure Centre, built in the 1980s.
Larkfield has been of some historical interest throughout recent times, with a number of archeological discoveries in the area.
Much of the location filming for the 1960s BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy programme "Mr Pastry" took place in the countryside around East Malling. Richard Hearne
Richard Hearne
Richard Lewis Hearne, OBE was an English actor, comedian, producer and writer. He was famous for his stage and television character Mr Pastry.-Career:...
who starred had lived in a neighbouring village, St Mary Platt, and knew the area well.
Close to the main crossroads on the A20, Larkfield Priory Hotel
Larkfield Priory Hotel
Larkfield Priory Hotel, now known as Hamlets Hotel and Restaurant, is an independent hotel in Larkfield, on the A20 London Road, 4 miles north west of Maidstone, Kent.-History:...
, built in 1890, is allegedly haunted.
See also
- West MallingWest MallingWest Malling is a historic market town in the Tonbridge and Malling district of Kent, England. It has a population of about 3000-5000.-Landmarks:...
- East Malling Research
- East Malling Enterprise Centre
- Bradbourne HouseBradbourne HouseBradbourne House is a Grade 1 listed building set in of parkland, close to the village of East Malling in Kent, England. The house was originally built in Tudor times but was extended and altered in the early 18th century by Sir Thomas Twysden Bt to become the building you see today.The house was...
- East Malling StreamEast Malling StreamThe East Malling Stream, known locally as "The Stream", rises at Well Street, East Malling, Kent, and flows in a generally easterly direction to join the River Medway at Mill Hall, Aylesford. It powered six watermills...