10 good reasons to visit Otford
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1. History
Visitors who love their Kentish history will have a field day in Otford. The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon, Ottanford (Otta’s ford, after a local chieftain who first established the settlement which grew into the village we know today). There have been two battles here: one in AD 775, when the men of Kent held off a Mercian army under King Offa, which defeated the Kentish Kingdom; and one on 1016, when the Danes under Canute were defeated by King Edmund Ironside. Hundreds of skeletons have been found all over Otford and suggest a great slaughter at this battle.
2. Conservation Area
Otford lies at the junction of the Darenth Valley and Holmesdale, between the North Downs scarp and southerly Sevenoaks ridge, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The Otford conservation area covers some 16 hectares and contains about 40 listed buildings and part of the scheduled monument of the Archbishops’ Palace (see below). The focal point is the pond and a small surrounding green, but the boundaries also include the historic High Street down to the little bridge over the Darent beyond Broughton Manor. The Green Belt, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Special Landscape Designations surround this quaintly pretty village, which lies about three miles from the centre of Sevenoaks.
3. Listed duckhouse
Unique in Briain as a ‘listed building’ or rather ‘water containment area’. Otford pond has been in the guardianship of the parish council since 1951 and often appears on calendars and in glossy magazines. At one time, the stream from the picturesque pond, today surrounded by weeping willows, ran down the surface of the High Street to the River Darent and the houses on the north side had bridges across it to access their front doors. The pond’s ducks, whose ventures across the road regularly bring traffic to a halt, get a food allowance from the parish council.
4. High Street
Otford has a long, narrow High Street (the prehistoric trackway, known today as the Pilgrims Way), which offers an eclectic mix of independent shops, historic houses, four pubs (three with restaurants), a church (see below), library, heritage centre, the village primary school and nursery; a recreation ground and playground, as well as two halls which host events and club meetings (see below). Note the very welcome large, and free, car park next to the memorial hall.
5. Shopping
There is plenty to entice the shopper in search of something that little bit different, from the Otford Antiques and Collectors Centre and a tiny shop selling ‘collectables, bygones, curios and memorabilia’ to the Mad Hatters Emporium, for cards and lovely things for the home. Talking of hats, don’t miss Mille Fleurs for ‘bespoke and ready-to-wear’ offerings, and if you are after some very unusual, colourful jewellery, both the Bill Skinner Studio and The Studio (which also offers paintings and ornaments) have an excellent and unusual selection. Add in a designer florist, an upmarket interiors shop, Nicola’s of Otford for all your fashion needs, a local independent pharmacy with a large Georgian brick fireplace – and a family butcher, and what more could you want?
6. Eating and drinking
Originally known as Morys House, The Bull pub was originally a private residence of note dating back to 1500 (a rear wind still survives) and the present Victorian exterior encases a 17th-century residence. It boasts magnificent fireplaces, brought there from the ruined Otford Palace, impressive ceiling beams and 17th-century wall panelling. Its large garden makes it a popular choice for al fresco dining. Modern alterations at the Horns pub, formerly three Tudor cottages, are masked by an 18th-century brick and tile-hung exterior; similarly, the attractive Forge restaurant was originally three 17th-century timber-framed cottages where the village blacksmith lived. The 16th-century Crown pub opposite the pond is enjoying a new lease of life under its new owners, while nearly next door, The Woodman has been a public house since around 1861, prior to which it was the site of a wheelwright’s business.
7. St Bartholomew’s Church
St Bartholomew’s Church was probably founded on the site by st Dunstan (Archbishop of Canterbury) in the mid 10th century. The present building originated about a century later, while the masonry of the nave’s north and west walls dates from the time of the Norman Conquest. Many additions and alterations have occurred over the centuries, and of particular interest are the Easter Sepulchre (1520-27), one of the finest in Kent; and two murals to great-grandsons of Oliver Cromwell, one a splendid example of English rococo.
8. The Archbishop’s Palace
Dating from Anglo-Saxon times until l1537, this was one of the chain of houses of the Archbishops of Canterbury as lords of the manor of Otford. It was rebuilt around 1515 by Archbishop Warham, rivalling the palatial scale of Wolsey’s Hampton Court, built just afterwards. Henry VIII forced Archbishop Cramner to surrender the Palace in 1537 and after Henry’s death, the Crown lost interest and it fell into decay. The principal surviving structures are the North-West Tower, the lower storey of an adjoining gallery and a fragment of the Great Gatehouse. Further remains exist on private land, and the entire site of about four acres is a scheduled ancient monument.
9. The Otford Solar System
If you want as walk with a difference, then the Otford Solar System enables you to take a leisurely stroll around the village visiting every planet in order of its proximity to the Sun. Built as part of Otford Parish Council’s Millennium celebrations, the ‘planets’ are marked by pillars and your ‘mission’ begins at the Sun and takes around one hour and 45 minutes (with stops). The position of the pillars reflects the position of the planets at midnight on 1 January 2000.
Otford Parish Coincil and Heritage Centre houses 3D scale models of all the planets at: 21 High Street, tel: 01959 524808.
10. Clubs and societies
Otford, which was voted Kent and South East England Village of the Year in 2002, boasts more than 40 clubs, groups and societies – despite having a population of just 3,282 (1991 census). These range from allotments, gardening and historical societies to the 1940s Society, a Wine Club, lawn tennis, cricket, rugby, football, shortmat bowls and boule, a Folk Dance Club, RADIO (Residents Against Development in Otford), Cubs, Beavers, Scouts, Venture Scouts, Brownies, Guides – and four Women’s Institutes.
A new award, the Otford Young Achiever Award, has been introduced this year to celebrate youngsters up to 16 years old who are making a difference in the village, showing respect for those around them, standing out from the crowd and caring about their village. The winner will be presented with a shield and vouchers at the Parish Council meeting in December.
Related links:
Otford homepage
St Bartholomew’s Church
Otford Solar System
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