. ▁The ▁first ▁church ▁building ▁was ▁purchased ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁and ▁the ▁old ▁Village ▁Hall ▁was ▁purchased ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁The ▁church ▁was ▁demol ished ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁to ▁make ▁way ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁building ▁which ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁Education ▁St ap le h urst ▁School , ▁the ▁village ▁primary ▁school , ▁is ▁located ▁on ▁Gy bb on ▁R ise , ▁near ▁the ▁town ▁centre ▁sh ops . ▁Ar ound ▁ 4 4 0 ▁pup ils ▁are ▁taught ▁in ▁ 1 8 ▁class rooms . ▁The ▁school ▁was ▁originally ▁hous ed ▁in ▁the ▁stone ▁buildings ▁off ▁the ▁A 2 2 9 ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁site ▁when ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁village ▁grew ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁The ▁old ▁school ▁then ▁became ▁the ▁village ▁community ▁centre . ▁ ▁Transport ▁St ap le h urst ▁railway ▁station ▁is ▁well - used ▁by ▁commut ers ▁working ▁in ▁London . ▁The ▁station ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁main ▁line ▁from ▁Ash ford ▁International ▁railway ▁station ▁to ▁London ▁Char ing ▁Cross ▁and ▁London ▁C annon ▁Street , ▁via ▁Ton bridge . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁main ▁station ▁for ▁commut ers ▁from ▁C ran bro ok , ▁Haw kh urst , ▁S iss ing h urst ▁and ▁other ▁nearby ▁villages . ▁Before ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁High ▁Speed ▁ 1 , ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁also ▁used ▁by ▁Euro star ▁trains . ▁ ▁Notable ▁people ▁Regin ald ▁Po