Dartford
Holy Trinity Church, Dartford High Street
Dartford shown within Kent
Population	85,911 (2001)
OS grid reference	TQ538739
- London	18.8 mi (30.3 km)
District	Dartford
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DARTFORD
Postcode district	DA
Dialling code	01322
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
European Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Dartford
List of places: UK • England • Kent

Coordinates: 51°27′50″N 0°15′14″E / 51.464, 0.254 Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Red_pog2. ... For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... Dartford is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of English administrative division used for the purposes of local government. ... For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... // Constituent country is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a historical, currently non-legally officially recognised country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged, gives an overview of states around the world with information on the extent of their sovereignty. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The DA postcode area, also known as the Dartford postcode area[2], is a group of 18 postal districts in south east Greater London and north west Kent which are subdivisions of 11 post towns. ... +44 redirects here. ... There are a number of policing agencies in the United Kingdom. ... Kent Police is the police force covering Kent in England, including the unitary authority of Medway. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... Kent Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Kent covering a geographical area south of London, to the coast and including major shipping routes via the Thames and Medway rivers. ... As of 1st July the NHS Ambulance Services Trusts of Kent, Surrey and Sussex are being joined together to form a new South East Coast Ambulance Service . ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... The constituency within England. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... Dartford is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... This is a list of cities, towns and villages in the ceremonial county of Kent, England. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (25 km) east south-east of central London. Dartford is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. ... For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Central London is a much-used but unofficial and vaguely defined term for the most inner part of London, the capital of England. ...

The town centre is situated in a valley through which the River Darent flows, and where the old road from London to Dover crossed: hence the name, from Darent + ford. . Dartford became a market town in medieval times; and, although today it is principally a commuter town for Greater London it has a long history of religious, industrial and cultural importance. It is an important rail hub; the main through-road now avoids the town itself. The confluence of the River Darent (left) and the River Cray (right) on Crayford Marshes. ... , Dover is a major channel port in the English county of Kent. ... The market town is a medieval phenomenon. ... Commuters waiting for the morning train in Maplewood, New Jersey to travel to New York City A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commute out of the community to earn their livelihood. ... Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. ...

Geology and geography

The quarry at Bluewater, showing the underlying Chalk

Further information: Geography of Kent

Dartford lies within the area known as the London Basin. The low-lying marsh to the north of the town consists of London Clay, and the alluvium brought down by the two rivers - the Darent and the Cray - whose confluence is in this area. The higher land on which the town stands, and through which the narrow Darent valley runs, consists of chalk surmounted by the Blackheath Beds of sand and gravel. Bluewater Shopping Centre is a large out-of-town shopping mall located in Greenhithe in the borough of Dartford, just outside London in north-west Kent. ... Geography of the county of Kent in South East England. ... The London Clay is a marine deposit which is well known for the fossils it contains. ... The confluence of the River Darent (left) and the River Cray (right) on Crayford Marshes. ... The confluence of the River Darent (left) and the River Cray (right) on Crayford Marshes. ... For other uses, see Chalk (disambiguation). ...

As a human settlement, Dartford became established as a river crossing-point with the coming of the Romans; and as a focal point between two routes - that from west to east being part of the main route connecting London with the Continent; and the southerly route following the Darent valley. As a result the town's main road pattern makes the shape of letter 'T'. The Dartford Marshes to the north, and the proximity of Crayford in the London Borough of Bexley to the west, mean that the town's growth is to the south and east. Wilmington is to all intents and purposes part of the town to the south; whilst the almost continuous Thames Gateway development means that there is little to show the town boundary in an easterly direction. For other uses, see Crayford (disambiguation). ... The London Borough of Bexley is a London borough in south east Greater London which forms, with other boroughs, part of Outer London. ... Wilmington is a village in Kent, England, in the Borough of Dartford. ... The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching 40 miles eastwards from East London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. ...

Within the town boundaries there are several distinct areas: the town centre around the parish church and along the High Street; the Joyce Green area; Temple Hill estate constructed in 1927; the Brent; Fleet Downs; as well as two important areas of open space and several industrial estates. The open spaces are Central Park alongside the river; and Dartford Heath (see below). Dartford Brent was an extensive area of common land on the outskirts of Dartford in Kent. ...

History

The Library and Museum with the war memorial in front

In the prehistory period the first people appeared in the Dartford area around 250,000 years ago, a tribe of prehistoric hunters whose exemplar is called Swanscombe Man. Many other archaeological investigations have revealed the picture of occupation of the district: there have been finds from the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Stonehenge, England, erected by Neolithic peoples ca. ... Stone Age fishing hook. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ...

When the Romans engineered the Dover to London road (afterwards named Watling Street) it was necessary to cross the River Darent by ford: giving the settlement its name. Roman villas were built along the Darent valley, and at Noviomagus (Crayford), close by. The Saxons may well have established the first settlement where Dartford now stands. Dartford manor is mentioned in the Domesday Book, written after the Norman invasion in 1086: it was owned by the king. , Dover is a major channel port in the English county of Kent. ... The modern Watling Street crossing the Medway at Rochester near the Roman and Celt crossings Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. ... The confluence of the River Darent (left) and the River Cray (right) on Crayford Marshes. ... A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman Empire. ... For other uses, see Crayford (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Saxon (disambiguation). ... A line drawing entitled Domesday Book from Andrew Williamss Historic Byways and Highways of Old England. ... Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest was the conquest of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ...

During the medieval period Dartford, because of its strategic position en route for the Continent, but also since it was the on route taken by many pilgrims, became one of the sites in England where various religious orders established themselves. In the 12th century the Knights Templar had possession of the manor of Dartford.^[1] The National Trust property at Sutton-at-Hone, to the south of the town, is a remaining piece of that history. In the 14th century, a priory was established here, and two groups of friars—the Domicans and the Franciscans—built hospitals here for the care of the sick. At this time the town became a small, but important, market town. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Monument to pilgrims in Burgos, Spain This article is on religious pilgrims. ... For other uses, see Knights Templar (disambiguation). ... Look up manor in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Many countries have an organisation called The National Trust or something similar. ... Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley is a civil parish within Dartford Borough. ... A priory is an ecclesiastical circumscription run by a prior. ... “Dominicans” redirects here. ... Franciscans is the common name used to designate a variety of mendicant religious orders of men or women tracing their origin to Francis of Assisi and following the Rule of St. ... The market town is a medieval phenomenon. ...

Wat Tyler, of the Peasants' Revolt fame, might well have been a local hero, although three other towns in Kent all claim the same, and there are various reasons to doubt the strength of Tyler's connection to the town.^[2] However, the existence of the public house named after him in the town nevertheless gives a little credence to Dartford's claim. This article is about the revolt leader Wat Tyler. ... The end of the revolt: Wat Tyler killed by Walworth while Richard II watches, and a second image of Richard addressing the crowd The Peasants Revolt, Tyler’s Rebellion or Great Rising of 1381 was one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe and is a major... Pub redirects here. ...

The gatehouse of Henry VIII 's Royal Manor

In the 15th century, two kings of England became part of the town's history. Henry V marched through the town with his troops prior to fighting the French at the Battle of Agincourt in November 1415; in 1422 Henry V's body was taken to Holy Trinity Church by Edmund Lacey, the Bishop of Exeter, who performed a funeral. In March 1452, Richard the Duke of York camped on the Brent with ten thousand men, waiting for a confrontation with King Henry VI. The Duke surrendered to the King in Dartford. The place of the camp is marked today by York Road. Henry V of England (16 September 1387 – 31 August 1422) was one of the great English warrior kings of the Middle Ages. ... Combatants Kingdom of England Kingdom of France Commanders Henry V of England Charles dAlbret Strength About 6,000 (but see Modern re-assessment). ... Edmund Lacey (or Edmund Lacy) was a medieval Bishop of Hereford and Bishop of Exeter. ... The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. ... Richard, Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460) was a member of the English royal family, who served in senior positions in France at the end of the Hundred Years War, and in England during Henry VIs madness. ... HRH The Prince Andrew, the current Duke of York For the nursery rhyme see The Grand Old Duke of York. ... Dartford Brent was an extensive area of common land on the outskirts of Dartford in Kent. ... Henry VI (December 6, 1421 – May 21, 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471, and King of France from 1422 to 1453. ...

The sixteenth century saw significant changes in the hitherto agricultural basis of the market in Dartford, as new industries began to take shape (see below). The priory was destroyed in 1538 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and a new manor house constructed by King Henry VIII. In 1576 Dartford Grammar School was founded, part of the Tudor emphasis on education for ordinary people. For other uses of the term dissolution see Dissolution. ... Henry VIII redirects here. ... For the girls grammar school see Dartford Grammar School for Girls Dartford Grammar School is a selective secondary (ages 11–18) foundation school for boys in Dartford, Kent, England, which admits girls to its sixth form (ages 16–18). ... Allegory of the Tudor dynasty (detail), attributed to Lucas de Heere, c. ...

Many Protestants were executed during the reigns of Queen Mary (1553–1554) and Philip and Mary (1554–1558), including Christopher Waid, a Dartford linen-weaver burnt to death at the stake in front of thousands of spectators on Dartford Brent in 1555. The Martyrs Memorial on East Hill commemorates Waid and other Kentish Martyrs. Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 6 July 1553 (de facto) or 19 July 1553 (de jure) until her death on 17 November 1558. ... Philip II (Spanish: ; Portuguese: ) (May 21, 1527 – September 13, 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598, King of Naples from 1554 until 1598, king consort of England (as husband of Mary I) from 1554 to 1558, Lord of the Seventeen Provinces (holding various titles for the individual territories...

Industry

Dartford's industrial history

The earliest industries were those connected with agriculture, such as the brewing of traditional beers and ales. Lime-burning and chalk-mining also had their place. Fulling was another: the cleansing of the wool needed a great deal of available water, which the river could provide. This led to other water-based industries, using the power of the water to operate machinery. This article is about beer. ... For other uses, see Beer (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ale (disambiguation). ... Agricultural lime is a soil additive made from pulverized limestone or chalk. ... Fulling is a step in clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth (particularly wool) to get rid of oils, dirt, and other impurities. ...

Sir John Spilman set up the first paper mill in England at Dartford in 1588 on a site near Powder Mill Lane, and soon some 600 employees worked there, providing an invaluable source of local employment. Iron-making on the Weald was in full operation at this time, and iron ingots were sent to Dartford, to England's first iron-slitting mill, set up on the Darent at Dartford Creek in 1595 by Godfrey Box, an immigrant from the Low Countries. In 1785, a blacksmith from Lowfield Street began to make engines, boilers and machinery. Some of that machinery was for the local gunpowder factory run by Miles Peter Andrews and the Pigou family. In 1785, the firm of J&E Hall was set up, specialising in heavy engineering; later into refrigerating equipment; and by 1906 into vehicle production. International Paper Companys Kraft paper mill in Georgetown, South Carolina. ... The Wealden iron industry is the result of a combination of the natural materials being available for the making of iron. ... For information about the confusion between the Low Countries and the Netherlands, see Netherlands (terminology). ... A modern black powder substitute for muzzleloading rifles in FFG size Gunpowder (also called black powder) is a pyrotechnic composition, an explosive mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre or saltpeter) that burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot solids and gases which can be used as... Miles Peter Andrews (1742-18 July 1814) was an eighteenth century English playwright, gunpowder manufacturer and a member of the British House of Commons representing Bewdley from 1796-1814. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria. ...

From those beginnings in the 18th century were to come the industrial base on which the growth and prosperity of Dartford were to follow.

In 1840 the mustard factory of Saunders & Harrison was described as being 'perhaps the largest in the kingdom'.^[3] Dartford Paper Mills were built in 1862, when excise duty on paper was abolished. Between 1844-1939 the fabric printing works of Augustus Applegath were in being in Bullace Lane: again a firm using the waters of the river. Fabric may mean: Cloth, a flexible artificial material made up of a network of natural or artificial fibres Fabric (club), a London dance club Fibre Channel fabric, a network of Fibre Channel devices enabled by a Fibre Channel switch using the FC-SW topology This is a disambiguation page, a... Often appears mis-spelt as Augustus Applegarth Augustus Applegath (1788-1871) was the inventor of the vertical printing-press. ...

The demand created by World War I meant that output at the local Vickers factory multiplied, with a positive effect on the local economy. Burroughs-Wellcome chemical works (now called GlaxoSmithKline) made Dartford a centre for pharmaceutical industry. During the war, many Belgian refugees arrived in the town. Unable to house them all, many people were housed with volunteers.^{[citation needed]} “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 2004. ... GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE: GSK NYSE: GSK) is a United Kingdom based pharmaceutical, biological, and healthcare company. ... This is a list of pharmaceutical and biotech companies that are major manufacturers on global or national markets : Abbott Laboratories Able Laboratories Akzo Nobel Allergan Almirall Prodesfarma Alphapharm Altana (previously Byk Gulden) ALZA, part of Johnson & Johnson Amgen AstraZeneca, formed from the merger of Astra AB and Zeneca Group PLC...

Dartford Civic Centre

There has been a large power station on the Thames at Littlebrook to the north of the town since 1939. The current station, which has one of the tallest chimneys in the UK, dates from the early 1980s. Littlebrook Power Station is a power station at Dartford, Kent. ...

Industrial estates

Dartford, like many other similar-sized towns, has a periphery of estates, both housing and industrial. The latter comprise the following, listed in clockwise order:

• Riverside Industrial Estate - beside the Darenth to the north of the town
• Crossways Business Park. This large development over the last few years lies on either side of the extended A206 road. Within it the areas are:
  • Admirals Park; Masthead; and Newton Court
  • Dartford Internationa Ferry Terminal (Thames Europort)
• Orbit One Industrial Estate, on the Green Street Green road
• Questor Industrial Estate off Hawley Road
• Four estates off the erstwhile A206 to the NW:
  • Victoria Industral Park
  • Burnham Trading Estate
  • Miilside Industrial Estate
  • Swan Business Park

In early 2006 the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) purchased a 2.6 hectare site on the edge of the town which had been used by Unwins, an off-license chain, which went into administration in 2005. They also purchased the neighbouring Matrix Business Centre to protect its future. They intend to develop the site as 'Dartford Northern Gateway', with a mixture of retail and other businesses and housing. The numbering zones for A-roads in Great Britain List of A roads beginning with 2 in Great Britain starting south of the River Thames and east of the A3. ... SEEDA, more officially the South East England Development Agency, is one of a number of Regional Development Agencies in the UK. It was set up in 1999 to promote the region and to enable a number of more difficult regeneration projects which otherwise might not take place. ...

Decline

Low cost shopping units in the Priory shopping centre

Some of Dartford's most prominent industries suffered extreme decline in the 20th century, causing redundancies and unemployment.^{[citation needed]} Brewing, paper-making, flour milling and the manufacture of cement were the main industries to suffer extinction or significant decline.^{[citation needed]} Nearby Swanscombe Cement Works (now redeveloped into Bluewater shopping centre) was closed by Blue Circle in 1990. This industry had brought great prosperity to the companies involved in cement manufacture,^{[citation needed]} but left a legacy locally of despoiled derelict land and pollution.^{[citation needed]} In 1990 Dartford contained some 1,700 acres (6.9 km²) of spoiled land resulting from extractive industries.^{[citation needed]} Cement-dust pollution from local cement works was a regular subject of complaint in the local press throughout the 20th century.^{[citation needed]} , Bluewater interior This article is about a shopping mall. ... Blue Circle Industries was a British public company manufacturing cement. ...

Since the closure of Dartford's major employers: Seagers, J. & E. Hall, Vickers and Burroughs Wellcome (now GlaxoSmithKline), and the re-development of nearby Bexleyheath as a shopping town in the 1970's (and the more recent development of the Bluewater Shopping Centre), Dartford lost a significant number of its rising Generation X demographic to more economically viable jobs, towns and cities.^{[citation needed]} This has been reflected in the sharp decline of the number of visible household brands in Dartford's High Street and its two shopping centres.^{[citation needed]} At its peak in the 1980's Dartford was home to major brands such as Sainsbury's, W.H. Smiths, Topman, Boots, Marks & Spencer and HMV, but some of these high street names closed down during the early 1990's leaving cheaper brands such as Primark and Wilkinson to take over the empty premises.^{[citation needed]} Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 2004. ... GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE: GSK NYSE: GSK) is a United Kingdom based pharmaceutical, biological, and healthcare company. ... Bexleyheath, formerly known as Bexley New Town, part of the London Borough of Bexley, consists of a suburban development located 12 miles (19. ... , Bluewater interior This article is about a shopping mall. ... For other uses, see Generation X (disambiguation). ... This article is about the supermarket business. ... This article is about the bookshop chain; for the businessman and politician of that name, see William Henry Smith. ... Topshop is a clothing retailer in the United Kingdom. ... This article is about a former British company which has now merged to form Alliance Boots, as a result, information on this page may be out of date. ... Marks & Spencer (also M&S, Marks and Sparks and Marks) is a British retailer, with 760 stores in more than 30 countries around the world. ... His Masters Voice, often abbreviated to HMV, is a famous trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record company. ... Penneys redirects here. ... Wilkinson (or Wilko, as it is known colloquially) is a British high-street hardware store. ...

Resurgence

Orchards and Waitrose

In 2007 Dartford saw an increase in the number of visible household brands in its environs as B&Q, Marks & Spencer, TK Maxx and asda living opened new outlet stores on the outer edges of the town centre. Before this Safeway had taken part in the development of Dartford's second shopping centre, The Orchards, located next to the Orchard Theatre. The Safeway's site was eventually taken over by Waitrose and continues to be only one of a few major brands visible in the town.^{[citation needed]} The historical and once bustling main High Street and adjacent shopping centre, The Priory, continue to fall into a decline.^{[citation needed]} B&Q is a British retailer of DIY and home improvement tools and supplies. ... Marks & Spencer (also M&S, Marks and Sparks and Marks) is a British retailer, with 760 stores in more than 30 countries around the world. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the supermarket chain. ... Safeway is a chain of supermarkets and convenience stores in the UK, owned by Wm Morrison Supermarkets. ... Waitrose is the supermarket division of the John Lewis Partnership, with 187 branches as of May 2008. ...

Population

In 1801, Dartford’s population was c.2400; by the 2001 census it had increased to 85,911. 2001 census figures for Dartford Much of this growth can be apportioned to the fact that Dartford became, for some time in its existence, an industrial town. Unemployment levels, taken from the 2001 census, were at 3.8%. By 2006 this had decreased to 2.2%, somewhat below the national average. 1

Culture

The Orchard Theatre, seen from the footbridge over the A226

Dartford has two major buildings concerned with performance art. The Orchard Theatre, located in the town centre, is a fully professional theatre, providing audiences with a large range of drama, dance, music and entertainment. The Mick Jagger Centre (built in the grounds of Dartford Grammar School) in Shepherds Lane was completed in 2000 and provides facilities for community arts across a wide region. The local museum in Market Street is housed in the same building as the library. This article is about Performance art. ... The Mick Jagger Centre is an arena-type forum located in Dartford, England that holds live performances. ... For the girls grammar school see Dartford Grammar School for Girls Dartford Grammar School is a selective secondary (ages 11–18) foundation school for boys in Dartford, Kent, England, which admits girls to its sixth form (ages 16–18). ...

Dartford is the home of one football club, Dartford F.C., who play home matches at Princes Park Stadium and compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division after winning promotion as champions from the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2007-08 season. Dartford F.C. are a football club based in Dartford, Kent, (England). ... Princes Park logo Computer-generated image of inside the main stadium Princes Park is a football stadium in Dartford, Kent, due to open on November 11, 2006. ... The Premier Division is the top division of the Isthmian League. ... The Isthmian League First Division North was a football division of the Isthmian League in the UK for two seasons from 2002-03 till 2003-04. ...

Transport

Roads

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge forms the southbound lane of the Dartford Crossing

Since the time of the Romans, Dartford has always been of importance to road transport. The construction of what has become known as Watling Street, which passed through town and forded the river, was of great importance to the communications of the Roman Empire, connecting London to Dover and the continent. Even when the Romans left Britain, it was still maintained in good order and continued in use,although the introduction of stagecoach services increased the amount of traffic on the road so that, by the 18th century it had become necessary to control the upkeep of such heavily-used roads. Turnpike Trusts were set up by Act of Parliament. Dartford was served by two: that for Watling Street; and the road south to Sevenoaks, both brought into being between 1750 and 1780. The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (A282) was built at Dartford to expand the Thames river crossing capacity between sections of the M25 motorway. ... , The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge The Dartford Crossing joins Dartford and Thurrock across the River Thames, to the east of London. ... The modern Watling Street crossing the Medway at Rochester near the Roman and Celt crossings Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. ... Stagecoach in Switzerland A stagecoach is a type of four-wheeled enclosed passenger and/or mail coach, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, widely used before the introduction of railway transport. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... An Act of Parliament or Act is law enacted by the parliament (see legislation). ... For other uses, see Seven Oaks (disambiguation). ...

The coming of the railways brought an end to the turnpikes, and road improvement came almost to a standstill. In the first quarter of the 20th century, which also saw the beginning of motor transport, tarmacadam was developed. In 1925 the building of what was to become the A2 main road took traffic away from Dartford town centre since it included a bypass to the town (Princes Way). Today the original main road trough the town is the A226. The erstwhile turnpike road south to Sevenoaks is now the A225). A newer by-pass is the A206, which skirts the town to the north. Its prime purpose is to carry traffic from the riverside industrial developments on to the Dartford Crossing from both west and east. Tarmac, short for tar-penetration macadam, is a type of highway pavement no longer commonly used. ... Not to be confused with A2 road (Northern Ireland). ... The numbering zones for A-roads in Great Britain List of A roads beginning with 2 in Great Britain starting south of the River Thames and east of the A3. ... The numbering zones for A-roads in Great Britain List of A roads beginning with 2 in Great Britain starting south of the River Thames and east of the A3. ... The numbering zones for A-roads in Great Britain List of A roads beginning with 2 in Great Britain starting south of the River Thames and east of the A3. ... , The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge The Dartford Crossing joins Dartford and Thurrock across the River Thames, to the east of London. ...

Dartford is perhaps most well-known for the latter, the main mode of crossing the River Thames to the east of London, where the southbound A282 (part of the London Orbital) crosses the river via the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge toll bridge, opened in 1991. The northbound carriageway crosses via the twin bore Dartford Tunnel. The first tunnel was opened in 1963, its twin in 1980 [1]. This article is about the River Thames in southern England. ... The A282 is a road linking the two ends of the M25 at Dartford and Thurrock, via the Dartford Crossing. ... The M25 motorway looking south between junctions 14 and 15, near Heathrow Airport. ... The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (A282) was built at Dartford to expand the Thames river crossing capacity between sections of the M25 motorway. ... The Dartford Crossing joins Dartford and Thurrock across the River Thames. ...

A recent innovation is Fastrack, an express bus system connecting the Kent Thameside area. The system is still (2007) being developed. Arriva Southern Counties is a bus operator in London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent in England. ...

Railways

Two 'Networker' trains in Dartford Station

The first railway from London to reach Dartford was the North Kent Line via Woolwich in 1849, connecting at Gravesend with the line through to the Medway Towns. Later two more lines were built: Dartford station is a railway station at Dartford in North-West Kent, on the North Kent line. ... London Charing Cross Hungerford Bridge over Thames Former link to SWML across Waterloos concourse Waterloo SWML to the South West Waterloo East for Waterloo and Southwark Blackfriars Road Thameslink to Blackfriars BML, CML and Thameslink Southwark Depot Borough Market Junction to Cannon Street London Bridge Spa Road Closed 1915... , Woolwich town hall dates from when this was a borough in its own right. ... Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. ...

• the Dartford Loop Line through Sidcup opened in 1866
• the Bexleyheath Line opened in 1895

The three routes make Dartford a very busy junction. All the lines were electrified on 6 June 1926. The Dartford Loop Line is one of three lines linking London with Dartford in Kent, England. ... For the 8th Earl of Sidcup, a fictional character created by P. G. Wodehouse, see Roderick Spode. ... The Bexleyheath Line is last of the three rail routes created between the outskirts of London and Dartford in Kent. ... Dartford station is a railway station at Dartford in North-West Kent, on the North Kent line. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Education

Further information: List of schools in Kent#Dartford

Dartford houses several secondary schools : List of primary schools, middle schools, secondary schools, special schools, further education colleges and universities in Kent, England. ...

• Dartford Grammar School
• Dartford Grammar School for Girls
• Wilmington Grammar School for Boys
• The Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington
• Wilmington Enterprise College
• Dartford Technology College
• Leigh Technology Academy
• North West Kent College

For the girls grammar school see Dartford Grammar School for Girls Dartford Grammar School is a selective secondary (ages 11–18) foundation school for boys in Dartford, Kent, England, which admits girls to its sixth form (ages 16–18). ... Dartford Grammar for Girls is a girls secondary school situated on Shepherds Lane, Dartford, Kent, England. ... Wilmington Grammar School for Boys is a secondary grammar school in Wilmington, Kent. ... The Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington is a secondary grammar school in Wilmington, Kent, England. ... Wilmington Enterprise College is a mixed secondary comprehensive school located in Wilmington, Kent. ... Dartford Technology College is a secondary comprehensive school in Dartford, Kent, United Kingdom. ... North West Kent College is a college of Further and Higher Education. ...

Places of Worship

• Church of England
  • Christ Church, Cross Road
  • Holy Trinity, High St
  • St Albans, St Albans Road
  • St Edmunds, Temple Hill
  • St Michaels, Church Hill
• Roman Catholic
  • St Anselms, West Hill
  • St Vincent's, Temple Hill
• Baptist
  • Temple Hill Baptist, St Edmunds Road
  • Baptist Chapel, Highfield Road - Established by Alfred Sturge
• Methodist
  • Dartford Methodist, Spital Street
  • Brent Methodist, Brent Lane
• Other denominations
  • St Andrews United Reformed Church, Watling Street
  • The Salvation Army, Hythe Street
  • Dartford Community Church (Dartford Christian Fellowship), Dartford Road
  • Emanuel Pentecostal Church, East Hill
  • Quaker Society of Friends, Holmesdale Gr
  • One With Grace Church, Hawley Road

// Ancestry and Early Life Alfred Sturge was born in London in 1816. ...

The parish church

The ford, now Dartford Bridge over the River Darent, and Holy Trinity Church

The Parish Church, Holy Trinity, is situated on the western bank of the River Darent, from where a hermit would conduct travellers across the ford. The church was originally a 9th century Saxon structure, but gained later Norman additions. In the 13th century a Royal Wedding was celebrated there, thus today the choristers are entitled to wear scarlet cassocks. Also on display within the church is a brass plaque commemorating the work of Richard Trevithick, the pioneer of steam propulsion, who lived, worked and died in the town. The confluence of the River Darent (left) and the River Cray (right) on Crayford Marshes. ... Richard Trevithick (born April 13, 1771 in Cornwall - died April 22, 1833 in Kent) was a British inventor, mining engineer and builder of the first working railway steam locomotive. ...

The graveyard is situated in St Edmund's Pleasance on the summit of East Hill, which gave rise to a traditional and derogatory rhyme about the people of Dartford being '...buried above the steeple'. The church actually has no steeple; it has a tower featuring a ring of eight bells.

Health

There are, or have been, many hospital buildings in Dartford, the majority of which have been closed since the opening of Darent Valley Hospital. One of the best-known, Stone House Hospital, in Cotton Lane to the east of the town, was opened on 16 April 1866 as the "City of London Lunatic Asylum". It was, and still is, a large castellated structure built in spacious grounds. It remained under the direct administration of the City of London until 1948, when it was transferred to the National Health Service (NHS). It remains one of the largest and most visible structures in Dartford, and was until recently operated by the NHS to manage regional health care delivery, and was also home to a nursing school, Livingstone Hospital on East Hill. The main buildings of this facility are now closed, and are slated to be turned into luxury flats.^[4] is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Motto: Domine dirige nos Latin: Lord, guide us Shown within Greater London Sovereign state Constituent country Region Greater London Status City and Ceremonial County Admin HQ Guildhall Government  - Leadership see text  - Mayor David Lewis  - MP Mark Field  - London Assembly John Biggs Area  - Total 1. ... NHS redirects here. ...

Open spaces

Central Park

The River Darent, from Central Park

As its name suggests this quite formal park is in the town centre. It comprises 26 acres of land. The annual Dartford Festival is held here in July.

Dartford Heath

This area to the south-west of Dartford covers some 314 acres (125ha) of open space. Historically it has always been of importance: prehistoric barrows and Bronze Age artefacts having been discovered here. The first recorded cricket match took place here in 1723; and the Society of Royal Kentish Bowman were briefly established here between 1785-1802. The nearby area is still known as Bowmans. A tumulus (plural tumuli, from the Latin word for mound or small hill, from the root to bulge, swell also found in ) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... This article is about the sport. ...

The Heath is an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It contains three ponds (Donkey Pond, Woodland Pond and North Pond) and a variety of habitats: including acid grassland, broadleaved semi-natural woodland, heather and gorse, as well as other plantlife.^[5]It is common land and therefore escaped being enclosed during the late 18th and the early 19th centuries. It is also the original source for the name of the Dartford Warbler.(A picture). An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government... Commons redirects here. ... Binomial name Sylvia undata (Boddaert, 1783) The Dartford Warbler, Sylvia undata, is an Old World warbler which breeds in the warmer parts of south west Europe and northwest Africa. ...

Notable people

The following have, or had, some connection with Dartford:

• Malcolm Allison (1927- ), football player and manager
• Anne of Cleves (1515-1557), fourth wife of Henry VIII, who lived in Dartford after their divorce
• Andrea Arnold (1961- ), film producer, 2004 Oscar winner and 2007 BAFTA winner
• Simon Beale (1972- ), Heart 106.2 radio presenter
• Peter Blake (1932- ), pop artist.
• Brian Cant (1933- ), British children's entertainer, who lived in the town for many years
• Dave Charnley (The Dartford Destroyer) (1935- ), undefeated British Lightweight Boxing Champion
• Cobra (1963- ), TV personality (Gladiators)
• Graham Dilley (1959- ), Kent and England cricketer
• Andy Fordham (1962- ), World Darts Champion 2004, was landlord of The Rose public house in Dartford
• Len Goodman (1942- ), Professional dance judge and celebrity star of the BBC television series Strictly Come Dancing
• Ivor Gurney (1890-1937), composer and poet
• Henry Havelock (1795-1857), British general
• Mark Homer, actor
• Henry Ambrose Hunt (1866-1946), meteorologist
• Mick Jagger (1943- ), vocalist of The Rolling Stones
• Keith Richards (1943- ), guitarist of The Rolling Stones
• Glen Johnson (1984–), Footballer
• Sidney Keyes (1922-1943), war poet
• John Latham (1743-1837), ornithologist
• Matt Morgan (1977- ), comedy writer and DJ
• Topsy Ojo (1985- ), London Irish and England rugby union full-back
• Min Patel (1970- ), Kent and England cricketer
• Chris Pearson, BFBS Radio DJ
• Michael Pearson (1936- ), horology historian and author
• John Rushby, computer scientist
• Paul Samson (1953-2002), rock guitarist
• Alec Stock (1917-2001), football player and manager
• Alfred Sturge (1816-1901), Pastor and missionary
• Margaret Thatcher (1925- ), former British Prime Minister, ran for the Dartford parliamentary seat in 1950 and 1951
• Pete Tong, BBC Radio 1 DJ
• Richard Trevithick (1771-1833), inventor and mining engineer
• William James Erasmus Wilson (1809-1884), surgeon

Malcolm Alexander Allison (born Dartford 5 September 1927) is a former English footballer and football manager. ... Anne of Cleves (22 September 1515 – 16 July 1557) was the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... Andrea Arnold is a filmmaker and one time actor from Britain, who made her feature length directorial debut in 2006 with Red Road. Early TV Work Andrea Arnold first came to prominence as an actor and television presenter alongside Sandi Toksvig, Nick Staverson and Neil Buchanan in the childrens... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... BAFTA Award The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ... Simon Wicksy Wicks (né Beale) was a fictional character in the British BBC soap opera EastEnders. ... Heart 106. ... Blakes album cover Sir Peter Thomas Blake (born June 25, 1932, in Dartford, Kent) is an English pop artist, best known for his design of the sleeve for The Beatles album Sgt. ... Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing? (1956) is one of the earliest works to be considered pop art. ... Brian Cant (Born 12 July 1933 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England) is an actor, television presenter and writer. ... Dave Charnley (born October 10, 1935 in Dartford, England) was an English lightweight boxer. ... For other meanings of these words, see boxing (disambiguation) or boxer. ... Michael Willson is best known for his role as Cobra on Gladiators from 1992-2000. ... For other uses, see Gladiator (disambiguation). ... Graham Roy Dilley (born 18 May 1959 in Dartford, Kent) was an English cricketer whose main role was as a fast bowler. ... This article is about the sport. ... Andy Fordham (born February 2, 1962 in London) is an English darts player, also known by his nickname, The Viking. ... For the British doo-wop revival band of the 1970s and 1980s, see Darts (band). ... Pub redirects here. ... Len Goodman is a professional dance judge who also teaches ballroom and Latin dancing at the school he runs in Dartford, Kent, UK. Born in Bethnal Green in April 1944, he started dancing around the age of 20 after a short time as an engineering apprentice. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. ... The grave of Ivor Gurney at Twigworth, Gloucestershire Ivor Gurney (August 28, 1890 - December 26, 1937) was an English composer and poet. ... Major-General Sir Henry Havelock (April 5, 1795 – November 29, 1857) was a British general who is particularly associated with India. ... Mark Homer is a British actor of stage, television and film. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Sir Michael Phillip Mick Jagger (born July 26, 1943) is a English rock musician, actor, songwriter, record and film producer and businessman. ... Rolling Stones redirects here. ... Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English guitarist, songwriter, singer, producer and founding member of The Rolling Stones. ... Rolling Stones redirects here. ... People with the name Glen Johnson include: Glen Johnson (boxer), Jamaican boxer Glen Johnson (footballer), English footballer Glen Johnson (musician) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Sidney Keyes (1922-1943) was an English poet of World War II. Like his contemporary, Keith Douglas, he was born in Kent, and had his Oxford career curtailed by the outbreak of war. ... John Latham John Latham (June 27, 1740 - February 4, 1837) was an English physician, naturalist and author. ... Matthew Matt Morgan (born August 10, 1977 in Dartford, Kent, England) is an English comedian, writer, DJ and a radio presenter. ... Topsy Ojo (born 28 July 1985) is a rugby union player currently playing for London Irish. ... Official website www. ... First international (also the worlds first) Scotland 4–1 England (27 March 1871) Largest win England 134–0 Romania (17 November 2001) Worst defeat Australia 76–0 England (6 June 1998) World Cup Appearances 6 (First in 1987) Best result Champions, 2003 The England national rugby union team represents... Minal Mahesh Patel (born July 7, 1970) is an Indian-born English cricketer. ... Chris Pearson was born in Dartford, Kent and is a radio presenter on the worldwide BFBS radio network. ... The British Forces Broadcasting Service was established by the British War Office (now Ministry of Defence) in 1943, and today provides radio and television programming for HM Forces, and their dependents worldwide, in Germany, Cyprus, Belize, Canada, Bosnia, Kosovo and the Middle East. ... Michael Pearson (born 1936) is a renowned expert on clocks and clock-making. ... Horology is the study of the science and art of timekeeping devices. ... John Rusby is a computer scientist. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Alec Stock (30 March 1917 - 16 April 2001) was an English footballer and manager. ... // Ancestry and Early Life Alfred Sturge was born in London in 1816. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and only woman to hold either post. ... Peter Pete Tong (born July 30, 1960) is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. ... BBC Radio 1 (commonly referred to as just Radio 1) is a British national radio station operated by the BBC, specialising in popular music and speech and is aimed primarily at the 14-29[1] age group. ... Richard Trevithick (born April 13, 1771 in Cornwall - died April 22, 1833 in Kent) was a British inventor, mining engineer and builder of the first working railway steam locomotive. ... 1881 caricature from Punch Sir William James Erasmus Wilson (25 November 1809 - 7 August 1884), generally known as Sir Erasmus Wilson, was born in London, studied at Dartford Grammar School before St Bartholomews Hospital in London, and at Aberdeen, and early in life became known as a skilful surgeon...

International links

Twin towns

• Hanau, Germany (Hesse)
• Capelle, Netherlands (Holland) since 1989
• Tallinn, Estonia since 1992

Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... , Hanau is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. ... Location Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country NUTS Region DE7 Capital Wiesbaden Largest city Frankfurt Minister-President Roland Koch (Acting) (CDU) Votes in Bundesrat 5 (of 69) Basic statistics Area  21,100 km² (8,147 sq mi) Population 6,073,000 (09/2007)[1]  - Density 288 /km... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... Capelle aan den IJssel (population: 65,605 in 2005) is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. ... This article is about a region in the Netherlands. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Estonia. ... County Area 159. ...

Associated towns

• Gravelines, France since 1992

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Canal of Gravelines, Georges Seurat, 1890. ...

References

• ‘’Kent History Illustrated’’ - Frank W Jessup (KCC, 1966)
• ‘’Railways of the Southern Region’’ - Geoffrey Body (PSL Field Guide 1989)
• Local History - Mark Chatwin (1997)

is the 339th day of the year (340th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Dartford, Kent

• The Dartford Community Website
• The Dartford town archive
• Dartford Local History
• Two maps of the area c.1800