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market town in Kent, England
Europe > Britain and Ireland > United Kingdom > England > South East England > Kent > Tonbridge

Tonbridge is a town of 41,000 people (2019) on the River Medway in West Kent, in South-East England.

Understand

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Tonbridge Castle
Big Bridge Tonbridge High Street

History

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Situated on the banks of the river Medway, Tonbridge has been a market town since the Earl of Gloucester was granted the right to hold a weekly market in 1259. A castle was built there in the 11th century by Richard Fitzgilbert, a nobleman in William the Conqueror's invading army, and rebuilt in the 13th century.

The town and its surrounding areas became famous for the production of finely inlaid wooden cabinets, boxes and other objects, which were called "Tunbridgeware".

Tonbridge was spelt "Tunbridge" until 1870, but the spelling of the name was changed in an effort to avoid confusion with nearby Tunbridge Wells, a larger, but considerably newer, town about five miles to the south.

Get in

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Tonbridge is 4 miles (6 km) north of Royal Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles (19 km) south west of Maidstone and 29 miles (47 km) south east of London.

By car

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The main roads into Tonbridge are the A21, which runs from the M25 down to Hastings, the A26, which goes south to Brighton and north to Maidstone and the A227 which also goes north to Gravesend.

By train

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1 Tonbridge station is very near the centre of town and has trains from London Charing Cross, Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Redhill, Ashford and East Kent. Additionally there are services to London Cannon St via London Bridge. London is served by four services per hour and the journey takes 30-45 minutes. Tickets cost about £10.

By bus

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There are local buses to Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks (route 402) and Maidstone (routes 6 and 7), and other towns.

Get around

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The centre of Tonbridge is fairly small, and can easily be travelled on foot. As with most other towns in England, the town is well served by buses and taxis.

By bus

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Arriva is the bus company that operates in Tonbridge. Timetables and fares are available on their website . Buy your ticket from the driver when you board the bus.

By taxi

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The main taxi rank is at the train station, although you can order a taxi by telephone to pick you up from anywhere.

For booked journeys try:

Oast House Theatre - geograph.org.uk
  • 1 Clip N Climb, Unit 4, Tonbridge Business Park, 2- 8 Morley Rd, TN9 1RA, ☏ +44 1732 753 330. 9AM-7PM. A climbing wall experience. (updated Oct 2021)
  • 2 Hop Farm Country Park (World of Activities at The Hop Farm), Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 6PY, ☏ +44 1622 872068, . Daily 10AM–5PM, except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Once a working hop farm, it now offers a wide variety of attractions and events. Admission £7.50 for adults, £6.50 for children. 
  • 3 The Oast Theatre, Tonbridge, London Rd, Tonbridge TN10 3AN, ☏ +44 1732 363 849. Produces one play each month. Oast Theatre (Q15263241) on Wikidata Oast Theatre, Tonbridge on Wikipedia (updated Nov 2024)
  • Hire a boat and potter about on the Medway
  • Take a walk or go fishing at the lakes in Hayesden Country Park
  • 4 River Walk Music, River Walk. There is live music on the riverside on Friday nights from late July to early September. (updated Nov 2024)

Tonbridge High Street offers the standard blend of chain and grocery stores. Unusually good charity shops.

Tonbridge has numerous cafes and ethnic restaurants around the High Street, with a cluster just north of the river.

  • 1 Indi18, 18 Avebury Avenue. Good quality Indian restaurant. (updated Nov 2024)
  • 2 65mm Coffee, River Walk. Popular brunch and coffee spot overlooking the castle and river. (updated Nov 2024)

Drink

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As is typical in the UK, some of the pubs below also serve food.

The Chequers Inn - geograph.org.uk

Sleep

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  • 1 Rose and Crown Hotel (in the centre of Tonbridge). An obvious, if expensive place to stay. The Rose And Crown Hotel (Q26323449) on Wikidata 
  • There are two Premier Inns, both about one mile from the town centre. One is the Vauxhall Inn (at the A21/A26 junction to the south) and the other is the Hilden Manor (B245 towards Hildenborough).
  • 2 Starborough Manor, Moor Lane, Marsh Green, Edenbridge TN8 5QY, ☏ +44 1732 862152. 4 swish rooms B&B in this upscale mansion, Georgian going on Victorian. No dogs. B&B double £140. (updated Jun 2020)

Cope

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  • 1 Public Toilets, New Wharf Rd, TN9. There are also toilets opposite Lidl and on Castle Street. (updated Nov 2024)

Go next

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Routes through Tonbridge
London ← Sevenoaks ←  NW  SE  → Robertsbridge → Hastings
Brighton ← Tunbridge Wells ←  SW  NE  → Maidstone/Rochester


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