CRANBROOK – Quite often referred to as a Village but Cranbrook is a small Town situated about 6 miles south of Staplehurst. It is known for the Magnificent Union Mill which is a Grade I listed Smock Mill, having been restored to full working order and is the tallest Smock Mill in the United Kingdom.
Cranbrook also has the Imposing St Dunstan’s Church, known as the Cathedral of the Weald, dating back to the late 13th Century.
The Very Pretty High Street is made up of a variety of Grade 1 Listed properties. There are many independent retail outlets including several Coffee shops and eating houses along with Boutiques, Gift shops and the wonderful Cranbrook Bakery offering delicious cakes and bakes.
The George Hotel dating back to 1300’s is one of Cranbrook’s most historic buildings having played host to King Edward 1 in 1299 and queen Elizabeth1 in 1573. Another regular visitor in the 50’s & 60’s was The “Queen of Hollywood” Elizabeth Taylor.
SISSINGHURST – A little Village which forms part of the Parish of Cranbrook and most famous for the Historic Sissinghurst Castle. Sissinghurst is an ancient site. A stone manor house surrounded by a moat was built here in the Middle Ages. In the reign of Elizabeth, I it was replaced by a splendid mansion built by the Baker family, who subsequently lost their fortune in the Civil War. Sissinghurst gradually fell into a ruinous state with the condition of the buildings so derelict that parts had to be demolished. Such were the conditions when Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson bought the estate in 1930. They embarked upon a project to restore the house and to design the now World-Famous gardens which are laid out as a series of themed outdoor rooms.
The Milk House is a village pub at the heart of the community. A former 16th century hall house, with timber beams and a Tudor fireplace, the bar is popular with loyal locals, along with visitors from further afield, offering cask ales from Kentish breweries and a wide selection of wines that include offerings from the area’s renowned vineyards. The Milk House prides itself on its food offering a menu that changes with the seasons and uses only the freshest produce from local suppliers.
HEADCORN – Situated just over 3 miles to the East of Staplehurst with a small but pretty High Street. There is a small Airfield located on the outskirts, where there is an Aviation Museum and a parachuting centre. Headcorn Parachute Club is the only skydiving club in Kent and is home to national champions and world-record holders.
Headcorn Railway Station is on the South Eastern Rail line between London and Dover. It was opened on 31st August 1842. On 1 December the same year, the South Eastern Railway opened the second section of its main line onward to Ashford. By 1844, trains were running from London to Dover.
In June 1865 Charles Dickens was involved in a serious railway accident to the west of the village in Staplehurst on a bridge over the River Beult.
MARDEN – The Village of Marden is approximately 4 miles from Staplehurst and has its own Railway Station on the South Eastern Main Line.
The village has a parish church, dedicated to St Michaels and All Angels, and was built at the end of the 12th century. In February 2007, Ann Widdecombe the local MP, opened the Marden Heritage Centre in Marden Library which houses archives from Marden’s 1000-year history.
To the east of the village is Marden Meadows, three meadows which are cut annually for hay and then grazed. Since 1981, these have been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. They are managed by the Kent Trust for Nature Conservation (Kent Wildlife Trust). The meadows contain several scarce species including Ophioglossum, Green Winged Orchid, Meadow Saxifraga, Oxeye Daisy, Yellow Rattle) and within a pond in one of the meadows, two scarce plants, water violet and bladder-sedge) are also found.
Marden Cricket & Hockey Club (hockey also known as Marden Russets) are based at Days Sport Field. There is also a youth football side. There is a village club. Founded in 1971 is the Marden Bowls Club.
