West Farleigh | |
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All Saints Church |
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West Farleigh shown within Kent | |
Population | 474 (2011 Census) |
OS grid reference | TQ715534 |
District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | Maidstone |
Postcode district | ME15 0xx |
Dialling code | 01622 |
Police | Kent |
Fire | Kent |
Ambulance | South East Coast |
EU Parliament | South East England |
UK Parliament | |
West Farleigh is a village and civil parish {{convert|4|mi}] southwest of Maidstone in the county of Kent. The parish has a population of approximately 450, and is bounded by the civil parishes of East Farleigh, Hunton, Yalding, and over the River Medway by Wateringbury, Teston and Barming. The village boasts three pubs; the White House, The Tickled Trout and The Good Intent. Adjacent to the church is the village cricket ground. The village is twinned with the northern German village of Ringstedt, near Bremerhaven.
The sports club runs a football section involving two senior Saturday sides, a veterans' side, and five junior sides which plays their home games at Elmscroft Park, Charlton Lane. An annual tour that was once mainly between the village football teams and that of Ringstedt, but now includes many from the wider community; this has been an ongoing event, and ever flourishing, since 1988. The cricket section of the sports club runs two senior teams, mainly on Saturdays, one playing in the Kent County Village League.
The primary school, that had one classroom, closed in 1976. One of its two teachers at the time, was Miss Whittle, the daughter of Sir Frank Whittle, co-inventor of the jet engine. The village's post office and only stores closed in 1986.
All Saints church dates back to the 11th century. West Farleigh Hall dates from 1719. Both buildings are Grade I listed buildings. One of the treasures of the church is a cross, of bronze, brass and wood with emblems of the evangelists; it was buried nearby, probably by the last pre-Reformation vicar to save it from confiscation, and was not found for nearly 300 years. It is now in the British Museum but there is a painting in the chancel.