Barming, Kent

Barming is a civil parish in Kent, situated to the west of Maidstone, with the River Medway marking its southern boundary. The parish blends rural landscapes with the eastern end forming part of Maidstone’s built-up area. Barming’s history stretches back to the Domesday Book, where it was divided into East and West, the latter known as Little Barming, which had its own church until the 16th century.

St. Margaret’s Church stands surrounded by fields and dates from the Norman period in the 12th century. It features a distinctive triangle of east windows and a perpendicular-style tower. The church is Grade II* listed, with some gravestones holding Grade I status. Inside, visitors can find three bench ends crafted in Germany around 1300, while the churchyard contains a 19th-century mounting block with four stone steps for riders.

Transport links include the nearby Barming railway station on the Maidstone East line, though it lies outside the parish boundary. Within Barming, the East Farleigh station sits on the Medway Valley Line near the River Medway. The A26 road crosses the parish, which has experienced disruption from sinkholes in recent years.

A local tradition once saw Morris dancers, known as Kettle Bridge Clogs, perform on Barming Bridge over the River Medway each May, marking the start of their season. Though this custom has lapsed, it remains part of the village’s cultural heritage. The name “barming” or “barmy,” meaning mad or crazy, is often linked—though apocryphally—to the psychiatric hospital once located in the area.