Staplehurst

Staplehurst is a large village and civil parish, situated south of Maidstone in Kent, England. The name Staplehurst comes from the Saxon words staple (meaning post) and hurst (meaning wood or clearing in a forest). The village lies on the route of a Roman road, which is now incorporated into the course of the A229.

There are 2500 households and 6000 residents, a population that brings the village on par with some small towns. However, Staplehurst lacks the large facilities, like a supermarket and leisure centre, that would enable it to be classified as a town. There are a number of local shops at The Parade, which lies roughly at the centre of the village. A number of public houses are situated in the village including The Railway Tavern, The King's Head, The Bell Inn and The Pride of Kent. The village also has a small library and a newly built two million pound medical centre which contains multiple doctors and in the dentists. The building of the medical centre on the school field enabled the school to have a large sports hall built.

Staplehurst is governed by Staplehurst Parish Council, Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council. The parish church, All Saints' Church, Staplehurst, is located at the highest point in the village. The village also has a United Reformed Church and a Free church. The village primary school located near the town centre shops. The school was originally housed in the stone buildings off the A229 and moved to the new site when the population of the village grew in the 1980s. The old school then became the village community centre.

Staplehurst railway station is a busy station and is well used by commuters working in London. The station is on the main line from Ashford International railway station to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street, via Tonbridge. It is also the main station for commuters from Cranbrook, Hawkhurst, Sissinghurst and other nearby villages. Before the completion of High Speed 1 the line was also used by Eurostar trains.

The Staplehurst rail crash, in 1865, is a significant event in the history of the village. Charles Dickens, who was on board, was affected by the incident for the rest of his life. In 2003, Staplehurst won the Kent Village of the Year Competition. Staplehurst was also the centre of police investigations following the Securitas depot robbery in 2006.

Professional wrestler Desmond Wolfe (formerly Nigel McGuinness) is a former resident of Staplehurst.