Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Dartford (United Kingdom). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Eynsford Castle, Our Lady of the Angels Church, and The Mick Jagger Centre. Also, be sure to include Bexley Civic Offices in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Dartford (England).
Table of Contents
Eynsford Castle
Castle in Eynsford, England. Eynsford Castle is a ruined medieval fortification in Eynsford, Kent. Built on the site of an earlier Anglo-Saxon stone burh, the castle was constructed by William de Enysford, probably between 1085 and 1087, to protect the lands of Lanfranc, the Archbishop of Canterbury, from Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux. It comprised an inner and an outer bailey, the former protected by a stone curtain wall. In 1130 the defences were improved, and a large stone hall built in the inner bailey. The de Enysford family held the castle until their male line died out in 1261, when it was divided equally between the Heringaud and de Criol families. A royal judge, William Inge, purchased half of the castle in 1307, and arguments ensued between him and his co-owner, Nicholas de Criol, who ransacked Eynsford in 1312. The castle was never reoccupied and fell into ruins, and in the 18th century it was used to hold hunting kennels and stables. The ruins began to be restored after 1897, work intensifying after 1948 when the Ministry of Works took over the running of the castle. In the 21st century, Eynsford Castle is managed by English Heritage and is open to visitors.[1]
Address: Gibson Place, DA4 0AA Eynsford
Our Lady of the Angels Church
Our Lady of the Angels Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in Erith, London. It was built in 1963 by the Capuchins who have been in the area since 1867. It is located on the corner of Bexley Road and Carlton Road. It is the only Catholic Church in London served by Capuchin priests and Historic England said that its "classical styling of the tall entrance arches and the landmark campanile are powerful features in the street scene."[2]
The Mick Jagger Centre
Theatre in Dartford, England. The Mick Jagger Centre is a performing arts venue in Dartford, Kent, England, UK, within the grounds of Dartford Grammar School. It is named after the Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, who was a pupil at the school. It has two main stages and holds theatre workshops in the summer.[3]
Address: Shepherds Lane, DA1 2JZ Dartford
Bexley Civic Offices
The Bexley Civic Offices is a municipal facility in Watling Street, Bexleyheath, London. It is the headquarters of the Bexley London Borough Council.[4]
Beacon Wood Country Park
Park in Bean, England. Beacon Wood Country Park is a public woodland in Bean near Dartford, in Kent, England. It was previously an industrial claypit then re-claimed as woodland park open to the public, currently owned by Lafarge.[5]
Address: Southfleet Road, DA2 8BS Dartford
Orchard Theatre
Theatre in Dartford, England. The Orchard Theatre is a 1025-seat receiving theatre in the centre of Dartford, Kent. It was built by Dartford Borough Council and opened by The Duke of Kent on Thursday 14 April 1983. The theatre hosts a range of popular music, comedy, family, dance, drama, classical music and variety events, as well as an annual pantomime.
It has been run by HQ Theatres & Hospitality, part of Qdos Entertainment, since 2008.[6]
Address: Home Gardens, DA1 1ED Dartford
Dartford Library
Library in Dartford, England. Dartford Central Library and Museum is a library in the town centre of Dartford, Kent, England.
The library was opened on 1 January 1916 by A. W. Smale, Chairman of the Dartford Urban District Council, and W. A. Ward, the Chairman of the Library Committee. Its first browsers were soldiers in World War I who were staying nearby in military hospitals, recovering from wounds received while serving in the trenches. Dartford Central Library was constructed with the aid of a grant from the philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. It was designed by Thomas E. Tiffin AMICE, the then-Dartford Urban District Council surveyor, and built in Bath by Messrs H. Friday and Sons and Ling, using Portland and York stone.
In 1937 the library was expanded over what was once the Dartford tin works. During the Second World War its cupola dome served as an air raid watchpost.
In 2016 the library had a major refit and internal access created between it and Dartford Museum. The library also opened the Peter Blake Gallery for the display of works by local artists.
Today, Dartford Library is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00, with these limited hours as a result of the pandemic. It is run by Kent County Council.[7]
Address: 18-20 Market St, DA1 1EU Dartford
What If Gallery
Gift shop, Shopping, Museum
Address: 67 High St, DA1 1DJ Dartford
Dartford Heath
Dartford Heath Common is an area of open heathland situated to the south-west of Dartford, Kent, England, covering around 314 acres of open space. Dartford Heath is classified as lowland heath and is one of only two substantial heathland blocks remaining in Kent. The heath supports a number of rare plants and invertebrates, as well as reptiles, including the common lizard and slow-worm, and rabbits.[8]
Thamesmead
Thamesmead is an area of south-east London, England, straddling the border between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley. It is located 11 miles east of Charing Cross, north-east of Woolwich and west of Erith. It mainly consists of social housing built from the mid-1960s onwards on former marshland on the south bank of the River Thames.[9]
Barnes Cray
Barnes Cray is an area in south-east London within the London Borough of Bexley. It is located on the Greater London border with Kent, bordering the Dartford Borough. It is located north west of Dartford.[10]