Otford means literally 'Otta's ford', in this case over the River Darent, and was first recorded as long ago as 832AD in the form Otteford. The name Otford seems to have been used as early as 800AD and may be associated with the battle that Offa, King of Mercia, fought in the district against the Kentishmen about the year 776.
The church is dedicated to St Bartholomew, and was constructed in 1060, ad replaced an earlier Saxon building. The tower was not added until 1175. Although originally built in the 11th Century the church was added to over the years, most notably by the Tudors and the Victorians.
St Thomas a Becket was Chaplain to St Bartholomew's and later, as Archbishop resided at Otford Palace. There is much local tradition associated with the martyr including tales, such as that on finding his house needed a well, he struck the ground with his staff (like Moses) and water issued forth. The well is in Castle Farm grounds and was resorted to for its healing qualities as late as 1914. In 1228, a leper colony was founded around the well, and many miracle healings were claimed from the waters. The saint is also said to have banished all nightingales from the area, because their sweet songs disrupted his prayer.
The Archbishop's Palace was in existence as early as 1150. Archbishop Winchelsea often entertained King Edward I at Otford, and in 1313, he died there. In 1514, Archbishop Warham spent £33 rebuilding the Palace, which was larger than the first Hampton Court. A tower was added at that time. Warham entertained King Henry VII and Henry VIII at Otford - Henry VIII liked it so much that he took it from Archbishop Cranmer in 1538. He also camped at Otford with his Spanish wife Catherine of Aragon and an army of five thousand men on his way to the Field of the Cloth of Gold. At the end of the Tudor period, the Palace fell into gradual ruin.
The railway station was a fairly late addition to the original Bat & Ball route, not opening until 2nd June 1862 as a single-track branch. This doubled in 1863, an eastward extension to Maidstone was conceived in 1874, the first trains running to the county town on 1st June of that month.
