Bethersden

infobox UK place

country = England
official_name= Bethersden
latitude= 51.1290
longitude= 0.7533
population = 1,443
shire_district= Ashford
shire_county = Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Ashford
post_town= ASHFORD
postcode_district = TN26
postcode_area= TN |dial_code= 01233
os_grid_reference= TQ927402

Bethersden is a small village and civil parish five miles (8km) west of Ashford, Kent.

The village has three public houses – The Royal Spice, The Bull and The George. It has a beautiful church (St Margaret's), built in the early 15th century, and a baptist church (Union Chapel).

Bethersden formerly well-known for producing Marble and was a centre of the Kentish wool trade.Lovelace Place in Bethersden was the birthplace of 17th-century poet Richard Lovelace.

Several successful business have operated from the village — The Stevenson Brothers, who produce high quality hand made rocking horses, W & D Cole, who make iron gates and raillings and the former Colt Houses, who sold pre fabricated timber homes.

The village has a football team and a cricket team, and a small primary school.

The Bethersden Parish Records Society holds the original parish register, maps, books, photographs and other records relating to the village.

External links

* [http://www.digiserve.com/peter/beth.htm St Margaret's church]
* [http://www.ashford.gov.uk/about_the_borough/towns_and_villages/bethersden.aspx Bethersden page of Ashford Council web site]
* [http://www.bethersden.kent.sch.uk/index.asp Bethersden School]
* [http://www.bethersdentennis.org.uk/ Bethersden Tennis Club]
* [http://www.bethersdenpc.kentparishes.gov.uk/ Bethersden Parish Council]
* [http://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/pubs/pubs.php/bull_ashford The Bull Inn]
* [http://www.rockinghorses.uk.net/ Stephenson Brothers]
* [http://www.bethersden.kent.sch.uk/index.asp]
* [http://www.unionchapel.co.uk Union Chapel]