Dartford City Map Poster

About Dartford

The name of Dartford originates from the Old English "dært ford" (meaning 'deep ford') and was first recorded as "Darfort" in 1235. The Domesday Book lists Dartford as a small hamlet; by 1568, this had become a market town with the main trades being corn milling, tanning and wool trading. In 1606 it became home to one of England's first waterworks. Dartford grew considerably during the 19th century after the construction of two railways: one south-north from London to Dover (the North Kent Line) via Woolwich Arsenal railway station in 1849; another east-west running between Gravesend and Canterbury via Swanley Junction railway station also opened that year which provided access to London Victoria Station by rail rather than road or canal boat on what is now called National Rail's Chatham Main Line).