▁Kent , ▁England , ▁ ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Ma id stone . ▁The ▁name ▁St ap le h urst ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁Sax on ▁words ▁map le ▁( mean ing ▁sub way ) ▁and ▁hur st ▁( mean ing ▁wood ▁or ▁clear ing ▁in ▁a ▁forest ). ▁The ▁village ▁lies ▁on ▁the ▁route ▁of ▁a ▁Roman ▁road , ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁A 2 2 9 . ▁ ▁Size ▁and ▁situation ▁There ▁are ▁approximately ▁ 2 , 6 0 0 ▁households ▁and ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁residents , ▁a ▁population ▁similar ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁some ▁small ▁towns . ▁It ▁includes ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Haw ken bury . ▁However , ▁St ap le h urst ▁la cks ▁the ▁feel ▁of ▁a ▁town ▁and ▁urban ▁facilities ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁le is ure ▁centre ▁or ▁a ▁super market , ▁although ▁planning ▁permission ▁has ▁been ▁granted ▁for ▁the ▁latter . ▁There ▁are ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁local ▁sh ops ▁in ▁the ▁Par ade , ▁roughly ▁at ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁village , ▁and ▁one ▁public ▁house , ▁the ▁King ' s ▁Head . ▁It ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁small ▁library ▁and ▁a ▁newly ▁built ▁two - mill ion - p ound ▁medical ▁centre ▁for ▁do ctors ▁and ▁dent ists . ▁The ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁medical ▁centre ▁on ▁a ▁school ▁field ▁enabled ▁the ▁school ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁large ▁sports ▁hall ▁built . ▁ ▁In ▁recent ▁years ▁H ush ▁He ath ▁Est ate ▁has ▁gained ▁ren own ▁for ▁award - win