The River Darent

The River Darent (River Darenth) is a Kentish tributary of the River Thames. Its name is believed to be derived from the Celtic word derva, meaning oak, and thus 'the river where oak-trees grow'.

The Darent is about 40 km (25 miles) in length. It rises in several springs around the village of Westerham in Kent. It flows firstly to the east, then cuts northwards through the chalk hills to the Thames estuary for its final journey to the sea.

The total area of the drainage basin of the Darent is about 400 square km (144 square miles).