This locale sits at the southern section of Dartford, and spans the areas to the west and east of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. The area is a popular suburb amongst families looking for quiet village life outside of London. They’re especially drawn to the number of top schools in the area, like the Wilmington Grammar Schools and Wilmington Academy. While there aren’t many homes in the area, those residential pockets that do exist offer affordable family homes - many of which have their own driveways and gardens. For residents who might not be lucky enough to have a garden, there is still a great amount of recreational space in the neighbourhood. From the Darenth Lake which offers fishing resources, to Hawley Meadows, it’s easy to enjoy the serenity that this area has to offer. For times when residents want a bit more liveliness, they often head to Chequers or The Papermarkers Arms for a pint or two. Seeing all that it has to offer, this Dartford neighbourhood is surely worth the visit!

This neighbourhood of Dartford, known by some as Wilmington, dates back to the 19th century. At this time, the land was a part of a manor. The manor belonged to both Warwick the Kingmaker and Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Salisbury. At the time, most of the land consisted of farmland and orchards. Today, the area remains a small village, but offers more to residents than just an abundance of farmland and a local church.

Famous inventor, Sir Hiram Maxim, once lived in this area of Dartford. A commemorative plaque exists for him at the current Maypole Primary School. He is most famous for inventing the portable automatic machine gun, the curling iron, and the mousetrap.

This area of Dartford ranks in within the 20% most deprived areas in England with regards to the crime dimension. Fortunately though, all other deprivation dimensions measure quite well in the neighbourhood. Furthermore, many residents feel extremely safe in the area.

Developers seem to be more interested in Land to Darford’s North and East, specifically in Stone, leaving South Dartford and Darenth relatively safe from new construction. Near to the area, Taylor Wimpey announced its ambitious plans for 775 homes in Stone, just off of Watling Street. The site, called Stone Pit II, is expected to provide 24% of the homes – which is up to 186 of the properties – as affordable housing. Community areas will also be built, including children’s play areas and an on-site healthcare facility.