Detling

The village of Detling, just four miles north east of the Kentish town of Maidstone, and located along the Pilgrim's Way route which winds through the Kentish countryside, remains significantly influenced by its past; even in the twenty first century Detling's historical ties span from the early Norman period, during which the village parish church was first built, to the second world war, which saw Detling transformed into an important airfield and army base for British troops. Although the history of Detling has come to form an important element of the village's identity, this has not left Detling and its inhabitants dwelling on the past. Far from it. The historical importance of the village has influenced many cultural and social events that are revered and celebrated by its modern inhabitants and visitors to the area alike.

In comparison to some of the other villages in Kent, Detling is relatively small, with a population of just over seven hundred. Earlier the village was directly connected to its neighbouring principle town of Maidstone, since the A249 out of Maidstone used to pass directly through the village. However, more recently changes have been made to local road systems and this main road now completely bypasses the village. This is all thanks to the new dual carriage way system, which links the south side of the North Downs to the north side without forcing the traffic through the tiny village of Detling. This factor certainly contributes to the creation of a much more "local village" feel, surprising considering Detling's close proximity to Maidstone itself.

As is the case for many country villages, the local parish is a central feature and focus of life in Detling. The church of St Martin of Tours was originally built during the Norman era. It claims to have the oldest and most ornamental fourteenth century carved oak lectern of its kind. The village pub is also an integral part of local life, and Detling proves no exception to the rule. The Cock Inn was formally called The Cock Horse Inn, since it used to serve as a stable for additional horses that were often required to help transport the heavy loads of over-laden coaches up the steep hill that passes through the village.

Both World War One and World War Two had a far reaching influence on Detling. The first conflict saw the establishment of two army camps and a Royal Flying Corps airfield and airbase. The airfield, which was located at the very top Detling Hill continued to serve the British military into the second world war. Due to its military importance, Detling was obviously a natural target for the enemy. In fact the Luftwaffe bombed the village and surrounding area several times in both 1940 and 1944, which resulted in extensive damage to Detling itself as well as a considerable loss of life. The RAF finally decided to disband the airfield in 1959, but the site is now in the hands of the Kent County Agricultural Society. A memorial in the village commemorates the staff and personnel of the airfield and nowadays it is uses as the grounds for the Kent County Show, as well as The Detling Summer Conference, which is a musical and religious event for evangelical Christians. However, military activity within the area has not been completely brought to a halt. Relatively close to the old world war two base is the isolated military base as "Cold Blow", which to this day acts as one of Britain's early warning base network. A further example of how Detling's past has come to shape its present and future.