Detling

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Detling is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone, Kent, England. It sits on the slope of the North Downs, about 4 miles northeast of Maidstone along the Pilgrims’ Way. In 2011 the parish had a population of 796.

History and landmarks: The Cock Horse Inn was once used to stable extra horses for heavy coaches climbing Detling Hill. The village is now bypassed by the A249, which opened in 1962. Jade’s Crossing, a footbridge just west of the village, opened in 2002 after a local resident, Jade Hobbs, was killed trying to cross the road. The village church is Grade I listed and dedicated to Martin of Tours. At the top of the hill stood a Royal Navy Air Station in World War I and an RAF station in World War II; it was bombed by the Luftwaffe, with significant loss of life.

Today the airfield’s area has been divided: some parts are used for light industry, some are farmland, and a large section is used by the Kent Showground, which hosts events such as the Kent County Show and the Detling Summer Conference for evangelical Christians. There is a memorial in Detling village for the service personnel from the airfield.

Other features: Detling has a Tudor gateway dating from Henry VIII’s time. Detling Cricket Club plays on Pilgrims’ Way, with matches on Saturdays and Sundays in summer and Tuesday evenings for practice, competing in the Kent Village League.