England: Top 5 Towns to Visit in Kent
With so many destinations to choose from in England, the choice for a holiday can sometimes seem overwhelming. The county of Kent – known as the ‘Garden of England’ owing to its proliferation of fields, gardens and orchards – is an easy journey from London, and contains many historic towns that are worth visiting.
This article suggests five towns that will give you an idea of the county’s history – Canterbury, Dover, Maidstone, Royal Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks. If you need an airport transfer from or to any location in Kent then visit Airport Transfers UK here today for great low fares and service.
1 Canterbury
Canterbury is home to a university and art college but the main draw for tourists is the historic cathedral, one of the most significant places of worship in the UK. Canterbury Cathedral has a fascinating history; its origins go back to 1070 when the first Norman archbishop built a new cathedral over the remnants of an older structure. The cathedral is an example of various types of medieval architecture as parts of the original building have been amended over the centuries. King Henry II’s Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, is closely associated with Canterbury Cathedral – he had a close friendship with Henry but when it soured, Becket was murdered in the cathedral by Henry’s henchmen, making him England’s most celebrated religious martyr. Becket’s shrine is in the northwest transept of the cathedral and is marked by the Altar of Sword’s Point. Other important sites in Canterbury include the ruins of St Augustine’s Abbey, built outside the ancient walls, St Pancras, the remains of a seventh century church, and Greyfriars Friary which dates from the 13th century mission of the Franciscan monks to England.
2 Dover
Owing to its decimation at the hands of German bombs during the Second World War Blitz, Dover has been disfavoured with grim development and is now somewhere tourists hurry through on their way into or out of England – hence its nickname, the ‘Gateway to England’. But to miss the historic features of this ancient town would be a mistake – it’s a key Kent destination for several reasons. Dover Castle, which dates from 1180 and which looks down at the town from its lofty spot on a hill, has seen significant historic events over the centuries, the most notable of which was its besieging by French forces in 1216. The French, who had been invited to invade by English barons fed up with King John’s reign, were about to seize the castle when news arrived that John had died and been succeeded by Henry III. The barons threw their allegiance behind their new king, leaving the French empty-handed. Dover is also home to secret wartime tunnels cut into Dover’s white cliffs; they’ve been reconstructed and opened to the public. The Roman Painted House in New Street is ‘Britain’s Pompeii’; it features mortar floors and wall paintings as well as Roman relics found in the area.
3 Maidstone
The so-called county town (or capital) of Kent is a much-maligned destination which is routinely left out of well-known travel guides but which nonetheless boasts some of the most important architectural landmarks in the county. Once home to John Jenkins, the earliest English composer of instrumental music (1592-1678), Maidstone – which means ‘the people’s stone’ – is located on the River Medway. The most notable buildings include the Elizabethan-era Chillington Manor which houses a museum and art gallery, the Museum of Carriage, located in converted palace stables and now home to a collection of horse-drawn carriages, and the Archbishop’s Palace, built in the 14th century but much altered over the centuries. The palace – which in appearance is more of a manor – has an Elizabethan fa?ade and was once used as a country retreat by the archbishops of Canterbury. One of the most evocative images of urban Kent in summer can be derived from sitting on the banks of the willow-fringed Medway, opposite the palace, on a sunny day.
4 Royal Tunbridge Wells
Some call it the ‘Harrogate of the South’ owing to its similarity to the elegant spa resort in Yorkshire, but Royal Tunbridge Wells (or simply Tunbridge Wells to locals) is in many ways distinct from Harrogate. Founded by Lord North in 1606 after the discovery of a bubbling spring, the town (often confused with the smaller town of Tonbridge to the north) became particularly popular during the Regency period when it attracted royal patronage. A bath house was built in 1804 for the spa’s wealthier patrons; fortunately, the house’s fa?ade survives, along with the original spring.? Today, the business (northern) end of Royal Tunbridge Wells features malls, restaurants and various shops, but the southern end, near the train station, is where tourists should head. Here, in a beautifully colonnaded line of shops collectively known as the Pantiles, is where the original Chalybeate Spring is located; the water’s unique iron-rich taste was said to cure a range of ills, including a ‘moist brain’. But it wasn’t the water that health tourists paid for – it was the costumed ‘dipper’ who served them. Even now, tourists can partake of this experience, although the spring is open only between Easter and September.
5 Sevenoaks
Although Sevenoaks is regarded as a commuter town (it is only 25 minutes from London Bridge by train, hence its popularity with London workers), there’s more to it than meets the eye. Located at the apex of a steep hill in the picturesque Weald of Kent, this market town was founded in Saxon times and is named for seven local oak trees that date from about 950. The trees have been replaced over time, and sometimes there have been less than seven, notably after the Great Storm of 1987 when only one was left standing, but they remain an important part of Sevenoaks’ heritage. The town is home to a prestigious school (once attended by Princess Diana), Knole House, a stately manor gifted by Queen Elizabeth I to her cousin Thomas Sackville, a historic cricket ground known as the Vine, which is possibly the oldest one in the UK, and a sprawling park populated by a herd of fallow deer, the descendants of those used for hunting in Tudor times.