DARTFORD, (Kent) 12 cm. 16 mm. from London, and 11 from Rochester, is properly called Darentford, from its situation on the Darent, which runs through it, and falls not far off into the Thames. It was disgraced by being the first T. in the rebellion of Wat Tyler and Jack Straw, but has been since honoured, by giving title of Visc. to the Earl of Jersey. The first paper-mill in England was erected on this r. by Sir John Spilman, to whom K. Cha. I. granted a patent, with 200 l. a year to encourage the mf. On this r. was also the first mill for slitting iron bars to make wire. In Jan. 1738, a powder- mill was blown up here, (for the 4th time in 8 years) when, tho' all the servants were at their duty, not one was hurt. Here are 2 church-yards, one about the Ch. the other on the top of the hill towards Northfleet, which is so steep, that it overlooks the tower of the Ch. The T. is finely watered with 2 or 3 very good springs, and full of inns and other publick- houses, by reason of its being a great thoroughfare from London to Canterbury and Dover; and it has a harbour for barges. Its Mt. which is on S. is chiefly for corn, and its Fair July 22. K. Edw. III. at his return once from France, had a general tournament performed here by his nobles; and he founded a nunnery here, whose abbess and nuns were elected for most part out of the noblest families of the nation; but K, Hen. VIII. turned it into a palace. In the R. of Hen. VI. an almsh. was founded here in honour of the Trinity, (to which the Ch. is dedicated) for the perpetual vicar and Ch.-wardens, and for 5 poor decrepid men, of which the vicar and wardens were to be perpetual master and a body corporate, having a common seal, and a licence to assign lands and rents to the hos. of 20 l. a year value.