Farningham and Its Mill - the History of Farningham, a Unique Kentish Village

Farningham Kent: Wadard Books, 2005 Farningham's history includes tales of treason, murder, scandal and highway robbery, wills, deeds, inventories and the work and lives of local people, up to the present day. Nineteen miles from London, Farningham is situated on the River Darent at the crossroads between London to Maidstone and Dartford to Sevenoaks. The village High Street is a conservation area, and has many interesting buildings including two old coaching inns and a Georgian 'folly' bridge. At the heart of the village is a fine Georgian water-mill which has belonged to the same family for 270 years. This mill is the focal point of a comprehensive village history which includes stone age artefacts, an iron age settlement, three villas and three farms of the Roman period, a Saxon burial, four Domesday manors, a 13th century castle, and a medieval market and fair with a colony of Jewish money lenders. The church is mainly 13th century and has a rare seven sacrament font. The 17th century Lord of the Manor was Anthony Roper, grandson of Thomas More. Other residents of note include Marianne Farningham, Victorian writer, Admiral Bligh of Bounty fame, Walter Wilson, co-inventor of the tank and Graham Sutherland renowned for his controversial portrait of Winston Churchill. The author has been a Farningham resident for 50 years and the book has been 30 years in the writing. 352pp. well illustrated throughout with archive and photographic material.