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Dartford: A Comprehensive Guide to the Town’s History

ByMagdalena Marsden

‘Dirty Dartford; peculiar people. They bury their dead above the steeple’!

What a strange way of starting a blog post about a Dartford history, but like many an old saying there’s a grain of truth in the dig at the folk of this corner of North West Kent. The cemetery at East Hill is above the Church at St.Edmunds Burial Ground but there’s never been a steeple.

Brush away the ‘dirt’ and you’ll find all sorts of people – peculiar or otherwise – have been crossing Dartford since time immemorial. Indeed, the town’s very name comes from the ford – or bridge – at the crossing of the river Darenth.

Nowadays the words ‘Dartford Crossing’ mean something very different to the thousands of motorists who daily drive across into Essex and beyond racing past the recently de-commissioned toll booths.

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Introduction to Dartford

Dartford Holy Trinity Church is a probably the most prominent landmark in the town of Dartford, located in the southeastern region of Kent. With a population of over 51,000 people, Dartford is the main town in the Borough of Dartford and is situated just 18 miles southeast of Central London.

The town has a pretty fascinating history dating back to medieval times, and was once an important religious, industrial, and cultural center. Today, it is mainly a commuter town for those working in London, with excellent rail connections and easy access to the main through-road. Despite its modernization, Dartford still retains much of its historic charm and there are surprisingly many places that are worth exploring in Dartford.

Early history of Dartford

In the prehistoric landscape of Dartford, the earliest human presence dates back to approximately 250,000 years ago. This era was characterized by a group of hunter-gatherers, epitomized by the discovery of the Swanscombe Man. Extensive archaeological research has painted a detailed picture of human activity in the area, with significant discoveries from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age.

Nestled in Dartford is the Royal Oak Pub, a historic establishment with its roots tracing back to the 17th century. The strategic location of Dartford along the ancient Roman route, later known as Watling Street, necessitated the construction of a ford across the River Darent—hence the town’s name.

The Romans also constructed villas throughout the Darent Valley and around Noviomagus (present-day Crayford), indicating the area’s importance. Following the Romans, it is believed that the Saxons may have founded the initial settlement of what is now Dartford. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record from 1086 following the Norman Conquest, mentions Dartford manor as a royal possession.

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Medieval Dartford history

Throughout the medieval era, Dartford served as a crucial stopover for pilgrims and travelers on their journey to Canterbury and beyond to Europe.

The town’s strategic location attracted various religious orders. By the 12th century, the Knights Templar held the Dartford manor; remnants of their presence can be seen at the National Trust property in Sutton-at-Hone, situated to the town’s south.

The 14th century saw the establishment of a priory in Dartford, and during this period, two mendicant orders, the Dominicans and the Franciscans, founded hospitals to tend to the ill, reflecting the town’s growing role as a center of care and looking after your health.

The Peasant’s Revolt and Wat Tyler

Dartford’s market town status flourished in the same century, marking it as a hub of economic activity. The town is also linked, albeit tenuously, to Wat Tyler, the renowned leader of the Peasants’ Revolt.

While other towns in Kent also lay claim to Tyler as a local figure, Dartford’s connection is debated. Nonetheless, the presence of a town center pub named in his honor suggests some local association, although such establishments bearing his name are not unique to Dartford.

Dartford likely played a pivotal role at the outset of the Peasants’ Revolt, serving as a strategic rallying point. In early June 1381, Essex insurgents journeyed southward to join forces with their Kentish counterparts in Dartford.

Together, they advanced towards Rochester and Canterbury in the rebellion’s initial days. While the Kentish contingent lacked a formal leader, they gathered in Dartford around June 5, driven by a shared sense of injustice over the treatment of Robert Belling, a man whom Sir Simon Burley claimed as a serf.

Exploiting his connections within the royal court, Burley had Belling arrested. Despite the bailiffs of Gravesend offering a compromise, Burley persisted in his demand for an exorbitant ransom of £300 of silver for Belling’s release. Departing for Rochester and Canterbury on June 5, the rebels’ numbers swelled as they returned through Dartford a week later, on June 12, now en route to London, their ranks bolstered by local support and indignation.

English Kings & Queens in Darford

During the 15th century, Dartford was graced by the presence of two English monarchs, leaving an indelible mark on its history. In the aftermath of the Battle of Agincourt, Henry V led his troops through Dartford in November 1415.

Following his death in 1422, his body was brought to the Holy Trinity Church in Dartford, where Edmund Lacey, the Bishop of Exeter, presided over his funeral. In a dramatic turn of events in March 1452, Richard, Duke of York, and his formidable force of approximately ten thousand men made camp at the Brent, poised for a clash with King Henry VI. The conflict was averted when the Duke surrendered to the king right there in Dartford, an event commemorated by the present-day York Road.

The dissolution of monasteries

The 16th century brought about a profound shift in Dartford’s economic landscape, as the traditional agrarian market gave way to the emergence of new industries. This period also witnessed the destruction of the priory in 1538 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, followed by the construction of a new manor house under the auspices of King Henry VIII.

Dartford assumed national significance in 1545 when Henry convened a series of meetings with his Privy Council in the town, culminating in Dartford serving as the seat of the national government from 21 to 25 June 1545. Notably, Anne of Cleves, Henry’s fourth wife, resided at the new priory for four years until her passing in 1557, adding a royal connection to Dartford’s history.

The Protestants uprising and Christopher Wade

The religious turmoil of the time saw the execution of numerous Protestants during the reigns of Queen Mary (1553–1554) and Philip and Mary (1554–1558). Among them was Christopher Wade, a Dartford linen-weaver who met a tragic fate, being burnt at the stake on the Brent in 1555.

Their sacrifice is commemorated by the Martyrs’ Memorial on East Hill, honoring Wade and other Kentish Martyrs. As a testament to the Tudor era’s focus on education for the common populace, Dartford Grammar School was established in 1576, reflecting a broader emphasis on educational opportunities for ordinary people.

The beginnings of industrialisation

The early industries in Dartford were primarily linked to agriculture, encompassing activities such as traditional beer and ale brewing. Lime-burning and chalk-mining also held significance within the local economy.

Another prominent industry was fulling, a process essential for cleansing wool that required ample water, readily supplied by the river. This in turn paved the way for the development of other water-dependent industries, leveraging hydropower to drive machinery.

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Paper Mills Industry

Upon his return from Frobisher Bay in the Canadian Arctic in 1578, Sir Martin Frobisher arranged for the refining of a purported cargo of gold-bearing ore on Powder Mill Lane in Dartford. Regrettably, the ore proved to be of little value and was repurposed for road surfacing.

Subsequently, in 1588, Sir John Spielman established the first paper mill in England at Dartford, near Powder Mill Lane, providing employment for approximately 600 individuals and becoming an invaluable local economic asset.

Dartford Paper Mills were built in 1862, when excise duty on paper was abolished. Between 1844 and 1939, the fabric printing works of Augustus Applegath were in being in Bullace Lane: again a firm using the waters of the river.

Iron Mill, Gunpowder factory and other early industries

Iron production in the Weald was thriving, with iron ingots being transported to Dartford for processing at England’s inaugural iron-slitting mill. This mill was founded by Godfrey Box, an immigrant from the Low Countries, at Dartford Creek in 1595.

From those humble beginnings in the 18th century was to come the industrial base on which the growth and prosperity of Dartford were founded. In 1840, the mustard factory of Saunders & Harrison was described as being “perhaps the largest in the kingdom.”

J & E Hall – machinery company

In 1785, John Hall, a millwright, set up a workshop in Lowfield Street and began to make engines, boilers, and machinery, marking the foundation of J & E Hall, an engineering firm specializing in heavy engineering, and later refrigerating equipment, and, for 20 years from 1906, vehicle production, plus lifts and escalators.

Some of this machinery was used by the local gunpowder factory operated by Miles Peter Andrews and the Pigou family.

RAF Joyce Green, Vickers Factory & Power station

RAF Joyce Green, at Long Reach, near Dartford, was one of the first Royal Flying Corps airfields, established in 1911 by Vickers Limited, the aircraft, and weapons manufacturer, who used it as an airfield and testing ground. It was superseded by Biggin Hill and closed in 1919.

The demand created by World War I meant that output at the local Vickers factory multiplied, with a positive effect on the local economy. Burroughs-Wellcome chemical works (later incorporated into GlaxoSmithKline) made Dartford a center for the pharmaceutical industry.

There had been a large power station at Littlebrook on the Thames, to the north of the town, from 1939 until its closure in 2015. The station, including one of the tallest chimneys in the UK, was completely demolished in 2019.

The historic Lowfield Street

I’ve been always intrigued by Lowfield Street as the street looks like a little time capsule for years standing without any change. Unfortunately, there is a sad story behind this, as I discovered from the local news.

The long-standing butcher shop Richardson & Sons, located on Lowfield Street in Dartford, closed down in 2014 after over a century of operation. Established in 1908, Richardson & Sons stood as the oldest independent business still trading in Dartford until its closure.

This ended the shop’s 106-year run, as it made way for the proposed Lowfield centre superstore development. However, obtaining planning permission for this retail development and associated residential units encountered obstacles, compounded by the recession.

The economic downturn created persistent delays in the regeneration of the Lowfield Street site. After years of setbacks, it was finally announced on January 8, 2015 that the plans for a Tesco superstore were to be abandoned altogether and the street was left as it was.

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Richard Trevithick steam powered locomotive

Dartford can truly claim to have a first class carriage to itself as the early inventor of steam engines, Richard Trevithick lived, worked and died in the town.

A pioneer of steam whose fortunes rose and fell with the regularity of one of his engine pumps, he died a pauper and was buried in the cemetery. At the time Trevithick was lodging in the Bull public house which still stands in the centre of the town and his body was carried up the hill. Penniless at his death he was interred in an unmarked grave.

Today a plaque marks the approximate spot. A giant of a man for his time, in height as well as vision, so in death, he looks out over the town and indeed the railway station. It’s there that a series of plaques to commentate the development of the train records Trevithick’s ‘Catch me who Can’ 1808 early steam powered locomotive.

Darenth Valley Path

In honour of Trevithick, I caught the train to Dartford and crossed the bridge by the Orchard Theatre and the space recently vacated by Waitrose and descended into the town. The bridge across the river Darenth is not far away. Sir Edmund Spencer’s epic Elizabethan poem Faerie Queen records the river as ‘the silver Darenth, in those waters, cleane, ten thousand fishes play’.

Today, you can follow its course southwards through the park behind the public library and museum via the Darenth Valley Path. About five miles down river is Lullingstone Castle and the Roman Villa which is owned by English Heritage and makes for a pleasant summer walk.

Holy Trinity Church

But back to the town. Holy Trinity church on the western side of the river is an impressive flint and stone building with a compact square tower. Originally built in the 9th century, the church has undergone several renovations and now features Norman additions. The choristers of the church are entitled to wear scarlet cassocks, a tradition that dates back to a royal wedding celebrated there in the 13th century.

Inside there’s a monument to Sir John Spilman, who started a paper mill nearby, a traditional industry associated with the town and nearby Horton Kirby. The coat of arms of his wife, reveals a man dressed in a jester’s cap, which also appears on their tomb. The story is that this may be the original of the term ‘foolscap’?

Dartford Churches

Other places of worship in Dartford include Brent Methodist Church, Brethren’s Meeting Room, Dartford Methodist Church, Highfield Road Baptist Church, Net Church, St Alban’s Church, St Andrew’s United Reformed Church, Christ Church Dartford, Grace Outreach Church, and Zion Strict Baptist Chapel. Each of these institutions contributes to the town’s diverse religious landscape.

Despite its religious significance, the graveyard at St Edmund’s Pleasance has been the subject of a traditional and derogatory rhyme among Dartford’s people. However, the church itself has no steeple, but instead features a tower with a ring of eight bells.

Dartford Pubs

Apart from the Bull, the other notable pub is the half timbered Wat Tyler, on the corner of Bullace Lane. Tradition has it as a stopping point for Tyler and his band of rebels on their way to London and a parley with the young King Richard II.

The museum and public library

The museum and public library are impressive examples of civic buildings and stand next to the entrance to Central Park. The park opens out into an expanse of walk ways and a newly renovated tea house. At the end is an athletic track – the home of one of Dartford’s two running clubs not to mention a Triathlon club.

My own memories of the park are more of a running than a walking nature as it forms the last leg (very appropriately) of the local Dartford half marathon which I’ve run several times. By the time I’ve reached the park, I’ve had more steam coming out of me than a Trevithick loco although fortunately I’ve not broken down quite so many times.

I’ve also taken part in the Dartford Bridge 10k (although not actually over the Bridge) and the Dartford 10m race which starts from the town’s football club.

Throughout the centuries Dartford has always been at the hub of history. And with Goodman’s Dance Hall, opposite the park, owned by the Chief Judge from Strictly, it can even claim to dance to the march of time. So whether it be road, rail, river or running, Dartford’s always on the move.

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The hospitals and asylums

Dartford has a rich history in healthcare, with 11 hospitals providing 10,000 hospital beds between 1877 and 1903, when the town’s population was just over 20,000. Today, many of these hospitals have closed, with Darent Valley Hospital being the most prominent.

One of the best-known hospitals in the area is Stone House Hospital, which was opened in 1866 as the “City of London Lunatic Asylum.” It was a large castellated structure built in spacious grounds and remained under the direct administration of the City of London until 1948, when it was transferred to the National Health Service (NHS).

The facility managed regional healthcare delivery and was home to a nursing school, Livingstone Hospital, on East Hill. The main buildings of this facility are now closed and have been turned into luxury flats.

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The railways at Dartford

Dartford railway station, located in the town centre, is connected to London via three National Rail routes. The first London to Dartford connection by rail was the North Kent Line via Woolwich Arsenal in 1849, connecting at Gravesend with the line to the Medway Towns.

Later, two more lines were built: the Dartford Loop Line through Sidcup, which opened in 1866, and the Bexleyheath Line, which opened in 1895. All the lines were electrified on 6 June 1926.

Famous people born or lived in Dartford

It’s quite surprising how many famous people have lived or been born in Dartford. Dartford has been home to many notable individuals, including musicians, athletes, actors, and historical figures. Here are some of the most notable people from Dartford:

  • Doreen Allen, a militant suffragette who was born in Dartford in 1879.
  • Malcolm Allison, a former football player and manager who was born in Dartford in 1927.
  • Andrea Arnold, an Oscar and BAFTA winning film director who was born in Dartford in 1961.
  • George Barton, a Sussex cricketer who lived in Dartford and played for the town’s cricket club in the 1850s.
  • Martina Bergman-Österberg, a physical education pioneer and founder of Dartford College, who lived in Dartford from 1875 until her death in 1915.
  • Peter Blake, a pop artist known for his work with The Beatles and other musicians, who was born in Dartford in 1932.
  • Edward Brander, a cricketer who played for Kent in the 1870s and lived in Dartford.
  • Richard Cant, an actor who was born in Dartford in 1964.
  • Dave Charnley, a British Lightweight Champion boxer from 1957 to 1963 who was born in Dartford in 1935.
  • Ron Cooper, a bicycle frame builder who was born in Dartford in 1932.
  • Mackenzie Crook, an actor who was born in Maidstone and grew up in Dartford.
  • Graham Dilley, a Kent and England cricketer who was born in Dartford in 1959.
  • Peter Glaze, a comedian who was born in London and lived in Dartford until his death in 1983.
  • Len Goodman, an English dance expert who was born in Bethnal Green and grew up in Blackfen, near Dartford.
  • Ivor Gurney, a composer and poet who was born in Gloucester and lived in Dartford in the early 1920s.
  • John Hall, the founder of engineering business J & E Hall, which is based in Dartford.
  • Laura Hamilton, a TV presenter known for her work on A Place in the Sun, who attended Dartford Grammar School for Girls.
  • Paul Hartnoll and Phil Hartnoll, electronic musicians and members of the band Orbital, who grew up in Dartford.
  • Henry Havelock, a military general who was born in Sunderland and lived in Dartford from 1844 to 1850.
  • Jimmy Havoc, a professional wrestler who was born in Dartford in 1984.
  • Barry Hawkins, a professional snooker player who was born in Ditton, near Dartford, in 1979.
  • Terry Hollands, a strongman who was born in Dartford in 1979 and won the Britain’s Strongest Man competition in 2007.
  • Henry Ambrose Hunt, a meteorologist who was born in London and lived in Dartford from 1904 until his death in 1946.
  • Mick Jagger, the vocalist and songwriter for The Rolling Stones, who grew up in Dartford and attended Dartford Grammar School for Boys.
  • Thomas Walter Jennings, the founder of Jennings Musical Instruments (JMI) Ltd. (Vox Amplifiers) in Dartford.
  • Diane Keen, an actress who was born in London and grew up in Dartford.
  • Sidney Keyes, a war poet who was born in Dartford in 1922.
  • John Latham, an ornithologist who was born in Dartford in 1743.
  • Nick Lee, a cricketer who was born in Dartford in 1983.
  • Phil May, a vocalist for The Pretty Things who was born in Dartford in 1944.
  • Patrick Mackay, a serial killer who was born in Dartford in 1952.
  • Matt Morgan, a comedy writer who was born in Dartford in 1977 and wrote for the TV show The Original Victim.
  • Topsy Ojo, a London Irish and England rugby union full-back who attended Dartford Grammar School.
  • Min Patel, a Kent and England cricketer who was born in Dartford in 1970.
  • Keith Richards, the guitarist and songwriter for The Rolling Stones, who was born in Dartford in 1943.
  • Steve Rider, a TV sports presenter who was born in Dartford in 1950.
  • David Russell, a golfer who was born in Dartford in 1957.
  • Paul Samson, a rock guitarist who was born in Southend-on-Sea and lived in Dartford.
  • Jeffrey Snowden, a former cricketer who was born in Dartford in 1973.
  • Alfred Sturge, a pastor and missionary who was born in Dartford in 1816.
  • Dick Taylor

This blog post was originally published on 2 January 2015 and last updated on 13 January 2024

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