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The Constituency
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Dartford The modern, bustling town of Dartford can trace its roots back far before the Roman invasion of England. The first proper farming communities appear to have been established in the area over 5,500 years ago during the New Stone Age. Archaeologists have discovered finely worked arrowheads close to what is now the modern centre of Dartford. Dartford Heath has also given up a wealth of evidence that humans were settled in the area in the shape of gold brooches and bronze axes which date from the Bronze Age.However, it is following the Roman invasion that the shape of Dartford began to take place. It appears highly likely that a settlement was established mainly due to the presence of the Roman road from London to the Kent coast, which crossed the River Darent by means of a ford. The town of Dartford has since grown up around this crossing. Dartford and the surrounding villages such as Darenth, became the hub of some of the most important Roman activity in the South of England and the rich historical remains in the area pay testament to this. Whilst the Roman Empire slowly collapsed, the small town of Dartford continued to thrive, as its Roman occupants were gradually replaced by Saxon and Frankish people from Germany, Northern France and Belgium. The Domesday Book entry for Dartford records the town as being named Tarentfort, a community which supported around 150 families. The next five hundred years would see Dartford continue to expand, again owing much to its location on the Roman road. It location meant that it became a regular stop off point for religious travellers paying their pilgrimages to the shrines at Rochester and Canterbury. The town also became part of the diocese of Rochester, housed England’s only community of Dominican nuns and provided one of the venues for the bishop of Rochester’s consistory court. Given Dartford’s increasing reliance on religion to power its economy, it is perhaps unsurprising that the actions of Henry VIII would be felt profoundly. His efforts to prevent pilgrimages meant visitors were reduced whilst the dissolution of Dartford Priory removed an important source of prestige and status. However, some of this loss was counterbalanced by Henry’s decision to build a royal manor house in the town. Whilst Dartford would begin to attract new industry through entrepreneurs such as Sir Martin Frobisher who developed a smelting works and Sir John Spilman’s paper mill, the town’s population grew at a relatively slow rate remaining below 2,500 until well into the 19th century, and the majority of these people continued to rely upon agriculture for their economic survival. Whilst the industrial revolution may have been slow to arrive in Dartford, once it took hold, the town and surrounding areas would become one of the most productive in Kent. Key local industries included gun powder, pharmaceuticals, paper making and brewers. Whilst the heavy industry which had dominated the town during the 20th century had gradually retreated into decline by the 1980s, the town’s location has once again ensured that new industries have finally begun to replace it. The establishment of a large industrial trading park close the Dartford Crossing, the construction of Europe’s largest retail park and the impending opening of the Ebbsfleet high speed rail station should ensure that the economy of Dartford continues to expand in the future. |
© 2008 Dr Howard Stoate - Member of Parliament for Dartford
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