Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Tunbridge Wells (United Kingdom). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Scotney Castle, Dunorlan Park, and Church of King Charles the Martyr. Also, be sure to include Trinity Theatre in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Tunbridge Wells (England).
Table of Contents
Scotney Castle
Castle in England. Scotney Castle is an English country house with formal gardens south-east of Lamberhurst in the valley of the River Bewl in Kent, England. It belongs to the National Trust.
The gardens, which are a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a celebrated example of the Picturesque style, are open to the public. The central feature is the ruins of a medieval, moated manor house, Scotney Old Castle, which is on an island on a small lake. The lake is surrounded by sloping, wooded gardens with fine collections of rhododendrons, azaleas and kalmia for spring colour, summer wisteria and roses, and spectacular autumn colour.
At the top of the garden stands a house which was built to replace the Old Castle between 1835 and 1843. This is known as Scotney New Castle, or simply Scotney Castle, and was designed by Anthony Salvin. It is an early and unusually restrained example of Tudor Revival architectural style in 19th-century Britain. Following the death of the resident, Elizabeth Hussey, in 2006, this house was opened to the public for the first time on 6 June 2007.[1]
Address: The Estate Office Scotney Castle 2169B Office Scotney Castle, TN3 8JN Lamberhurst
Dunorlan Park
Park in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England. Dunorlan Park is a park and grounds in Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK.
Totalling approximately 78 acres (32 ha) and containing a 6-acre (2.4 ha) lake, the grounds were landscaped by Robert Marnock for Henry Reed, the merchant and philanthropist who owned the estate and the now-demolished house that once overlooked it.[2]
Address: Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells
Church of King Charles the Martyr
Church in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England. The Church of King Charles the Martyr is a Church of England parish church in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. It is a Grade I listed building.[3]
Address: 3 Warwick Park, TN2 5TA Tunbridge Wells
Trinity Theatre
Theatre in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England. Trinity Theatre is a theatre and arts centre, located in the former Holy Trinity Church in the centre of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent.[4]
Address: Tunbridge Wells, Church Road
Assembly Hall Theatre
Theatre in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England. The Assembly Hall Theatre is a theatre in Tunbridge Wells seating 1,020 people. The theatre hosts a variety of popular music, comedy, family, dance, drama, classical music and variety events, as well as an annual pantomime.
Since 1967, the Assembly Hall has been home to the Tunbridge Wells Operatic and Dramatic Society. Their first performance was Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers.
Past performers have included Shane Filan of Westlife, Coolio, Let Loose and The Stranglers.[5]
Address: Crescent Road, TN1 2LU Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells Town Hall
Tunbridge Wells Town Hall is a municipal building in Mount Pleasant Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. The town hall, which is the headquarters of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, is a Grade II listed building.[6]
St Paul's Church
Church in England. St Paul's Church is a Church of England parish church in Rusthall, Kent, England. It is a Grade II listed building.[7]
Hilbert Woods
Nature preserve in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England. Hilbert Woods is a 14.3-hectare Local Nature Reserve in Tunbridge Wells in Kent. It is owned by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and managed by Kent High Weald Project and the Friends of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park.
This gently sloping wood has oak, hazel and beech on the dry upper slopes, and alder on lower and wetter areas running down to a stream. The insect fauna is rich and diverse, including rare species.
There is access by a footpath from Sandhurst Park.[8]
The Forum
Live music venue in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England. The Forum is an independent music venue in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, with a standing capacity of 250. The venue opened in 1993, the building having previously been a public toilet.[9]
Address: The Common, TN4 8YU Tunbridge Wells
Bewl Water
Reservoir in England. Bewl Water is a reservoir in the valley of the River Bewl, straddling the boundary between Kent and East Sussex in England. It is about 2 miles south of Lamberhurst, Kent. The reservoir was part of a project to increase supplies of water in the area. It supplies Southern Water’s customers in the Medway towns, Thanet and Hastings.
Work began to construct the reservoir in 1973 by damming and then flooding a valley. It was completed in 1975 having been filled with over 31,300 million litres of water. The project cost £11 million to build. It is now the largest body of inland water in south east England.
In winter, when the flow in the River Medway exceeds 275 million litres per day, river water is pumped to storage in the reservoir. There is an outline plan to raise the water level by a further 3m to increase the yield by up to 30% to help with the growing water demand in south-east England. This will however put further demands on the River Medway to supply the additional water required with the potential for environmental degradation in the river and the eco-systems that it supports.
The reservoir in common with most large clean water lakes, is host to a large variety of wildlife.[10]
Barnett's Wood
Barnett's Wood is a 12.4-hectare Local Nature Reserve in Southborough, on the northern outskirts of Tunbridge Wells in Kent. It is owned by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and managed by Kent High Weald Project and the Friends of Barnett’s Wood.
This site has ancient, semi-natural woodland and unimproved grassland. The meadows are grazed by cattle, and wildflowers include bird's-foot trefoil, common spotted orchid, cuckooflower, sneezewort, oxeye daisy and common knapweed.
There is access from Juniper Close.[11]