Otford
Coordinates: 51°18′35″N 0°11′12″E / 51.30969°N 0.18657°E
| Otford | |
 Otford
Otford shown within Kent |
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| Population | 3,528 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | TQ525590 |
| District | Sevenoaks |
| Shire county | Kent |
| Region | South East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Sevenoaks |
| Postcode district | TN14 |
| Dialling code | 01959 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Sevenoaks |
Otford is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent known for its classically English (Kentish) countryside. The village is located on the River Darent, flowing north down its valley from its source on the North Downs. The name is a contraction of Otterford, possibly derived from Offa, the King of Mercia who fought a battle at Otford against the Kentish Saxons in 776 at the Battle of Otford.
Notable landmarks are the Archbishop's Palace, the duck-pond roundabout, and the scale model of the Solar System which claims to be "the largest scale model in the world".
The Anglican parish church of Otford is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew. Otford Methodist Church, Otford Evangelical Free Church and the Roman Catholic Church of the Most Holy Trinity also serve the village;[1] the buildings were registered for marriages in 1936,[2] 1959[3] and 1981[4] respectively.
According to the 2001 Census, the population of the Otford and Shoreham ward was 4,381, Otford's population being 3,528.
Otford was elected "Village of the year" in 2006.
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Communications [edit]
- Road
Otford lies on the A225, a main road between Dartford and Sevenoaks. The presence of the site of a Roman villa, in addition to the remains of an ancient trackway, suggests that this road has a long history. The M26 motorway uses the valley here as part of its route.
- Rail
Otford railway station is on the commuter line between London Victoria and Ashford, and is a junction for the branch line to Sevenoaks.
- Footpaths
The village is a key stopping-off point on the North Downs Way which runs through the village as it crosses the Darent Valley, intersecting the Darent Valley Path.
- Pilgrims' Way
Passing through Otford is the Pilgrims' Way, the historic route supposed to have been taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.
Leisure [edit]
Sevenoaks Information[5] provides a comprehensive What's On events diary for Otford and surrounding area.
See also [edit]
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Otford |
- The Otford Village Information Website. What's On Interactive Calendar, Organisations and News.
- The Otford Society: includes historical information
- Otford Parish Council and Heritage Centre
- St. Bartholomew's Church, Otford
- Otford's Scale Model of the Solar System
- Shops in Otford: including news
References [edit]
- ^ "Places of Worship" (PDF). Sevenoaks District Council. 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ The London Gazette: no. 34314. p. 5356. 14 August 1936. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ The London Gazette: no. 41697. p. 2864. 1 May 1959. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- ^ The London Gazette: no. 48556. p. 3896. 18 March 1981. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ Sevenoaks Information
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