| Otford |
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At the centre of the village is a very picturesque spring-filled pond which is the location of the smallest listed building in England - a duckhouse. The attractive village green is surrounded by historic buildings including Chantry Cottage and St Bartholomew's Church. The village has a variety of housing and a number of Bed and Breakfast accommodations. Just a few minutes out of Otford on the Sevenoaks Road, there is a large Supermarket, a couple of do-it-yourself stores and a Macdonald's Restaurant. Otford has a main line station which has trains to London (Victoria & Blackfriars) approximately every half hour (more frequently during the rush-hours) - the journey time being about 40 minutes. It also has direct lines to Sevenoaks, Swanley, Bromley South, Canterbury West, Maidstone East, West Malling and Ashford International. St Michael's School There are two private prep schools in the area: St Michael's School which takes children from age 2 to 13, and Russell House School. The History  The name "Otford" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon, Ottanford, meaning Otta's ford. There have been two battles at Otford: one in AD 775 when the men of Kent held off a Mercian army under King Offa which attacked the Kentish Kingdom; and one in 1016 when the Danes under Canute were defeated by King Edmund Ironside. Hundreds of skeletons have been found all over Otford and suggest a great slaughter at this battle. St Bartholmew's, Otford St Bartholomew's Church was constructed in 1060 and the tower was added in 1175. St Thomas a Becket was Chaplain to St Bartholomew's and later, as Archbishop resided at Otford Palace. There is much local tradition associated with the martyr including tales, such as that on finding his house needed a well, he struck the ground with his staff (like Moses) and water issued forth. The well is in Castle Farm grounds and was resorted to for its healing qualities as late as 1914. In 1228 a leper colony was founded around the well, and many miracle healings were claimed from the waters. The saint is also said to have banished all nightingales from the area, because their sweet songs disrupted his prayer.  The Chantry, Otford The Archbishop's Palace was in existence as early as 1150. Archbishop Winchelsea often entertained King Edward I at Otford and in 1313 he died there. From 1514, Archbishop Warham spent thirty-three pounds on rebuilding the Palace, which was larger than the first Hampton Court. The existing tower dates from this period. Warham entertained King Henry VII and Henry VII at Otford - Henry VIII liked it so much that he took it from Archbishop Cranmer in 1538. He also camped at Otford with his Spanish wife Catherine of Aragon and an army of five thousand men on his way to the Field of the Cloth of Gold. At the end of the Tudor period, the Palace fell into gradual ruin. |
Otford is a very attractive village situated about 3 miles from the centre of Sevenoaks. | < Prev | Next > |
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