Charing, Kent

Charing is a village and civil parish in the Ashford district of Kent, nestled at the foot of the North Downs. It includes the settlements of Charing Heath and Westwell Leacon. The village lies on the historic Pilgrims’ Way from London to Canterbury, making it a notable stop for walkers and history enthusiasts.

The village is home to the Church of St Peter and St Paul, a Grade I listed building with a 14th-century west tower and memorials to the Dering family. Adjacent to the church are the remains of the Archbishop’s Palace, once a residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury and visited by King Henry VIII. This ancient building has served as a farmhouse for the last 300 years.

Charing’s milling heritage includes four mills: two watermills on the Upper Great Stour and two windmills. Notably, Charing Mill, a smock mill built in the early 19th century, has been converted into a house. The village also features independent shops, a primary school, a library, and traditional pubs such as The Bowl and The Wagon & Horses.

Transport links are strong, with the M20 motorway nearby and Charing railway station providing direct services to London Victoria and Ashford International via Maidstone East. Bus services are limited, mainly serving school routes.

Community life thrives with clubs, a youth centre, cricket and bowls teams, and a skate park. The Kent County Crematorium in Charing is the resting place of notable figures including author Charles Hamilton and Archbishops William Temple and Cosmo Gordon Lang. Scenes from the 2020 film Ammonite were also filmed in the village.