East Malling and Larkfield
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
East Malling and Larkfield is a civil parish in the district of Tonbridge and Malling, Kent, England. It is about 3.9 km (2.4 mi) southeast of West Malling, 8.5 km (5.5 mi) northwest of Maidstone, and 18.3 km (11.4 mi) SSW of Rochester. It has railway stations at East Malling (services to Maidstone, Ashford & London) & New Hythe (Larkfield) (with services to Paddock Wood and the Medway towns). The estimated population of the registration district of Malling in 2001 was 12,700.
In 1962, the parish was formed from two smaller ancient ecclesiastical parishes, East Malling and Larkfield. Covering 10.78 square kilometres, the parish is in the heart of the hop fields and fruit-growing region, and has an expanding residential area. There are two parish churches within 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, and there is a junction at Leybourne. East Malling has a much more village feel about it. As well as the roads East Malling railway station, serves the village.
The name of Larkfield is literal and descriptive - it refers to the large numbers of skylarks 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 currently being completed on 'the lakes' - dis-used gravel pits that were turned into man-made lakes some years ago. 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 two main primary schools on neighbouring sites - Lunsford County Primary and Brookfield's County Primary. There is a main shopping area called Martin Square that provides such everyday shops as bakers, chemists, bookmakers, takeaway restaurants and a video/DVD rental store. At this site there is also a library and retirement home. In addition to this there are two major supermarkets.
Larkfield has been of some historical interest throughout recent times, with a number of archeological discoveries in the area.
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with its suburbs, villages, towns and parishes: |
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Addington • Aylesford • Beltring • Birling • Blue Bell Hill • Borough Green • Burham • Ditton • East Malling • East Malling and Larkfield • East Peckham • Eccles • Golden Green • Hadlow • Hildenborough • Ightham • Kings Hill • Larkfield • Lenham• Leybourne • Mereworth • Offham • Platt • Plaxtol • Ryarsh • Shipbourne • Snodland • Stansted • Tonbridge • Trottiscliffe • Walderslade • Wateringbury • West Malling • West Peckham • Wrotham • Wrotham Heath |
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| The borough of Tonbridge and Malling List of places in Kent |
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