Marden Kent - a wool town

Marden in Kent not far from Maidstone was a wool town. Today it is a pretty village and on the commuter run with the rail line passing close by.  We decided to take a quiet stroll around the place and hope to re-visit for a much longer walk when the weather will allow easier walking in and around the village on the public footpaths.  In the meantime first impressions suggest that there is much to enjoy in this weald town that still offers the stocks outside the church.

The sign proudly declaring Marden is set in the centre of the village on a triangular island on which stands a building now used as a farm shop.  You could say this is the village square and on this Saturday we found the place was quiet with the occasional bus and a few vehicles driving through.

We parked close to the Library and walked west along the road past the church and the railway station to return the same way.  Sister D was suffering from a recent bout of the lurgi so we allowed ourselves the luxury of a casual and careful walk to allow for the chill although it was a sunny day.  We stopped for a drink and a light lunch in the West End Tavern which from the outside did not appear to be anymore than a local pub. Surprisingly the place turned out to be a combination of local pub and pleasant restaurant wirth a friendly Saturday afternoon atmosphere that was most welcome. 

The locals in Marden seemed to be friendly and willing to make conversation.  The picture of the Old House showing a ladder leaning against a window from which a man was working was one such experience.  We chatted about how the house was to have a former extension replaced and how the work to restore the rest was progressing.  Such things make the trips worthwhile apart from the pleasure of walking and exploring our county.  (And drinking the local beer)

The Church is unusual in that it has a wooden top to the tower and from research the church was begun at the time of Bill the Conker's invasion ( that man gets everywhere)   although I think the set of stocks shown were given to the village in 1882 - the local gentry apparantly liking age old traditions. 

We will return to Marden later in the year as there is much in the area to explore and perhaps we will combine some of the exploration with river walks.  Whatever we do it would be a treat to return to a place we have only glanced at.