A blue plaque trail around a village where a war hero and Victoria Cross recipient lived aims to celebrate its heritage and “show residents today how it used to be”.

Halling Historical Society is organising the creation of 13 blue plaques to celebrate the village’s past.

The 13 signs will be placed on buildings of historic importance and the group intends to create a trail for visitors to follow and learn about the area.

Among the locations commemorated are the St Lawrence Chapel, which was built around 1200, The Pilgrim’s Rest pub which was built in 1840, and the old Halling Primary School which opened in 1876.

Three of the plaques are to be installed on listed buildings and so require permission from Medway Council, which the society applied for last week.

It has already made agreements with most of the occupiers and owners of the buildings about the installation of the plaques.

After all have been agreed and the planning permission approved by the council, the society will commission the creation of the plaques.

All 13 will cost a total of £1,200, £400 of which will be provided by the historical society.

The creation of the plaques and the trail has been a multi-year project of researching the past of the buildings included.

It began because the society wanted to honour the memory of a Halling man who received the Victoria Cross during the First World War.

Sergeant Thomas Harris lived in Halling and joined the army in 1914 after war was declared.

He was injured twice, once being sent back to England to recuperate, but returned to the front and served until he was killed in August 1918 - less than 100 days before the end of the war.

He was part of a charge which seized two German gun placements, but while attempting to take a third he was killed.

The society unveiled a plaque on Harris’ home in Halling in August 2021 and began to consider other notable buildings in the village worthy of a plaque.

Philip Badman, secretary of the Halling Historical Society, says every homeowner they’ve approached has been excited to be part of the project.

“It’s about celebrating the heritage of the village.

“The village is such a different place from how it was in the past, when it was heavily industrial, with cement and lime works.

“It’s important to show residents today how the village used to be, and learn the history.”

He adds due to the enthusiasm of villagers for the initiative, the society is looking at more buildings which may be added and given a blue plaque.

The society consists entirely of volunteers, with 45 members, who provide talks on local history twice a month and work to preserve the past of their village.

Next year, the society will celebrate its 40th anniversary and hopes to have the plaques in place in time for the start of the year.

Medway Council’s planning officers are currently considering the three applications for plaques to be installed on listed buildings.

Once they have been approved the society will look to the Parish Council and other supporters to help fund the plaques and their installation.