Staplehurst, is a large village on the outside of the old
Roman road from Rochester to Hastings, now the A229. The Parish Church of All
Saints is in Early English, Decorated and later styles, with a perpendicular
tower.
The south door is renowned for its very early ironwork.
The parish register dates from 1538, one of the earliest in the country, and
is unusual in being on paper rather than parchment.
Charles Dickens 1865 Train Disaster
The Martyrs Memorial, standing at Cuckold's corner
commemorates the death of those burned during the Marian persecution. Charles
Dickens was involved in a serious railway accident to the east of the village
in 1865, where the line crosses the River Beult and he alludes to this in a
postscript to 'Our Mutual Friend'.
Visit Staplehurst. Nestling in the Weald of Kent, just
nine miles south of Maidstone, we are a growing community within easy reach of
London one way, and Dover into Europe the other way. Lying on a Roman road,
our village is surrounded by fields of hops, corn, vine and wheat.
