The population of the village is included in the civil parish of Temple Ewell.

Much like the adjoining villages of River and Temple Ewell, it is effectively a suburb of the town.

If an area can be defined as Kearsney it is the rectangle of Kearsney Avenue forming two sides and the London Road and Sandwich Roads forming the other two.

It is situated on the River Dour, more a large stream than river, but big enough to sustain flour mills and paper mills along its path, like Crabble Mill, which is a couple of miles downstream in River.

The community of Kearsney grew around the Railway Bell Hotel which was on the main Dover to London road.