Marden, Kent

Marden (/ˈmɑːrdən/ or /mɑːrˈdɛn/) is a village and civil parish in the Kent borough of Maidstone approximately 8 miles (13 km) south of Maidstone. The civil parish is located on the flood plain of the River Beult, and also includes Chainhurst and the hamlet of Wanshurst Green.

The village is associated with apple growing and from 1933 to 1991 hosted a nationally recognised fruit show.

The dense woodland and marshes of the Weald of Kent were littered with acorns and beech mast in autumn making ideal seasonal foraging ground for pigs. The grants by Saxon kings for rights to these pannage areas were known as dens which later came to refer to the herders' camps and ultimately the settlements that grew up there. Maer referred to barren areas of marsh alongside the forest. In time the dens developed into permanent settlements such a Maer den, or clearing beside the marsh.

By 1066 the settlement was recorded as Maere Denn; in 1170, Maeredaen; 1235, Mereden; 1283, Merdenne, and from about 1635 by its present name.

Marden Parish Council covered over a well opposite the village's Maidstone Road junction in 1899 and erected a pump. In 1907, it had to be locked, and then removed, because of contamination of the water by ammonia, nitrates, chlorides and organic matter. The parish pump is depicted on the village sign.

George Rootes, a relative of the Rootes Group founders, operated Rootes' Forge at West End, and the West End Tavern next door.

A Mr Bourne ran Bourne's Forge in the High Street. After it was demolished, Sutton's shop was built on the site and later new housing, the present Sutton Forge.

On 10 February 1930, a Farman F.63 Goliath crashed at Pagehurst emergency landing ground whilst attempting an emergency landing following structural failure of the starboard tailplane. Two of the six people on board were killed.