Detling
{{Short description|Village in Kent, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Detling
| country = England
| region = South East England
| static_image_name = West Court Oast, The Street, Detling, Kent - geograph.org.uk - 1377473.jpg
| static_image_caption = West Court Oast
| population = 796
| os_grid_reference = TQ7958
| coordinates = {{coord|51.296|0.571|display=inline,title}}
| post_town = MAIDSTONE
| postcode_area = ME
| postcode_district = ME14
| dial_code = 01622
| constituency_westminster = Faversham and Mid Kent
| civil_parish = Detling
| shire_district = Maidstone
| shire_county = Kent
}}
Detling is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone in Kent, England. The parish is located on the slope of the North Downs, {{convert|4|mi|km}} northeast of Maidstone, and on the Pilgrims' Way.
History and features
The Cock Horse Inn was used to stable additional horses when required to take heavily laden coaches and wagons on the steep route up Detling Hill. The village is now bypassed by the A249 road, which opened in 1962.{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1961/jul/12/road-programme-schemes#S5CV0644P0_19610712_CWA_40|title=Road Programme (Schemes)|work=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)|date=12 July 1961|access-date=13 November 2013}} Jade's Crossing, a footbridge to the west of the village, opened in 2002 after a local resident, Jade Hobbs, was killed trying to cross the road.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/southeast/series7/jades-crossing.shtml|title=Jade's Crossing|work=BBC Inside Out|publisher=BBC|date=14 February 2005|access-date=13 November 2013}}
The Grade I listed village church is dedicated to Martin of Tours.{{cite web|title=Church of St Martin of Tours|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1086225|website=Historic England|access-date=15 October 2015}}
The former airfield at the top of the hill was a Royal Navy Air Station during World War One, and an RAF station during World War Two.{{cite web|last1=Trueman|first1=Chris|title=RAF Detling|url=http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/world-war-two-in-western-europe/battle-of-britain/raf-detling/|website=History Learning Site|access-date=15 October 2015}} It was bombed by the Luftwaffe several times, with considerable loss of life. Its original area has been divided with some of the original hardstandings being used in a light industrial units area, part of the airfield is now farm land, and a significant part used by the Kent Showground – which hosts several annual events, such as the Kent County Show and the Detling Summer Conference, an event for evangelical Christians. A memorial in Detling Village commemorates the service personnel from the airfield. See RAF Detling for more details.
The village is also home to a Tudor gateway that has stood since the time of Henry VIII.
Detling Cricket Club have a ground on the Pilgrims' Way. They play on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer and hold practice sessions on Tuesday evenings. The team plays in the Kent Village League.
File:St Martin of Tours Church, The Street, Detling, Kent - geograph.org.uk - 1377470.jpg]]
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Detling}}
- [http://www.detlingparish.co.uk/ Detling Parish Council]
- [http://www.detlingvillagehall.co.uk/ Detling Village Hall]
{{Geographic location
|Centre = Detling
|North = Bredhurst
|Northeast = Stockbury
|East = Thurnham
|Southeast = Hollingbourne
|South = Bearsted
|Southwest = Maidstone
|West = Boxley
|Northwest = Walderslade
}}
{{Maidstone}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Civil parishes in Kent
{{Kent-geo-stub}}