Charing - Village Life

Village Life

The village has a Church of England Primary School; a library; a doctors' surgery and a number of traditional shops. The village has three pubs, 'The Oak', which in addition to the traditional bar also offers very pleasant 4* accommodation and restaurant facilities open 7 days a week. 'The Bowl' and 'The Wagon & Horses' are in the rural areas of the village, the former also offering 4* accommodation. 'The Swan' on the outskirts of the main village also provides restaurant facilities, and a very pleasant traditional Kentish Tea Room is available on the main High Street. The village is still surrounded by farmland, but it also boasts good transport links provided by the A20 London to Dover road, and direct train services to Ashford International and London Victoria via Maidstone East. Housing development since the 1960s has also led to the area becoming a popular commuter village for people employed in London. The village has a strong community life, and the inhabitants organise regular community and charity events and fairs. There is a recently revived Youth Club and cricket team using new sports facilities. The addition of a set of skate-board ramps is just a start. A Community Warden, a recent addition to many rural areas of Kent, is having the effect of connecting an active Parish Council to the young of the area. This connection, it is hoped, will grow and improve the facilies that are made available to the young, and that in turn will bring the community closer together, as the Parish grows, with new housing developments, and increased nearby industry.