Tonbridge is a town in West Kent, in South-East England.

Understand

Tonbridge Castle

Big Bridge Tonbridge High Street

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

By car

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

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

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

Get around

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

Arriva is the bus company that operates in Tonbridge. Timetables and fares are available on their website [1]. Buy your ticket from the driver when you board the bus.

By taxi

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:

• Kent Chauffeurs
• Streamline: +44 1732 505050 [2]

See

1 Tonbridge Castle.  

2 Ightham Mote, Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, TN15 0NT (6 miles north of Tonbridge), ☏ +44 1732 810378, ighthammote@nationaltrust.org.uk.  

Do

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, info@thehopfarm.co.uk. 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. (updated Oct 2021)

• Hire a boat and potter about on the Medway
• Take a walk or go fishing at the lakes in Hayesden Country Park

Buy

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

Drink

The Chequers Inn - geograph.org.uk

The Humphrey Bean (on the high street) or the wharf are good places to drink.

1 The Cardinals Error, Lodge Oak Ln, TN9 2EP. (updated Jul 2021)

2 Foresters Arms, 52 Quarry Hill Rd, TN9 2RT. -11PM. (updated Oct 2021)

3 Fuggles Beer Cafe, 165 High St, TN9 1BX, ☏ +44 1732 666 071. (updated Jul 2021)

4 The Humphrey Bean, 94 High St, TN9 1AP, ☏ +44 1732 773 850. Weatherspoons in the old Post Office (updated Jul 2021)

5 The Ivy House, 199 High St, TN9 1BW. noon-11PM (closed M Tu). (updated Oct 2021)

6 The Nelson Arms, 19 Cromer St,TN9 1UP, ☏ +44 1732 358 284, hello@thenelsonarms.com. A community [owned] pub with 3 distinct bars. (updated Jul 2021)

7 The Punch & Judy, 11 St Stephen's St, TN9 2AB. (updated Jul 2021)

8 Ye Olde Chequers Inn, 122 High St, TN9 1AS, ☏ +44 1732 358 957. (updated Jul 2021)

Sleep

1 Rose and Crown Hotel (in the centre of Tonbridge). An obvious, if expensive place to stay.  

• Langley Hotel (A mile from the north-west of the town, along the B245 towards Hildenborough). 

The town is also served by two Premier Travel Inns, both of which are about one mile from the town centre. One is attached to the Vauxhall Inn (at the A21/A26 junction to the south) and the other to the Hilden Manor (B245 towards Hildenborough to the north-west).

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

1 Public Toilets, New Wharf Rd, TN9. (updated Jul 2021)

Go next

• South to Tunbridge Wells 5 mi (8.0 km) on A26
• South to Hastings 33.6 mi (54.1 km) on A21
• East to Maidstone 14 mi (23 km) on A26

Routes through Tonbridge

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