Tenterden, Kent: The Jewel of the Weald, History & Things to Do

Tenterden is a small market town on a ridge of the Kentish Weald, between Ashford and Rye. Its broad High Street, lined with grass verges and trees, is full of weatherboarded and tile-hung houses, and the great tower of St Mildred's church rises over the roofs.

Why Tenterden Is Special

Tenterden is often called the Jewel of the Weald, and its High Street is one of the most handsome in Kent, with independent shops, tea rooms and old inns set back behind the green verges.

It is also a town of surprises: a member of the Cinque Ports, though miles from the sea, and the home of a heritage steam railway.

The History of Tenterden

Tenterden is a member of the Cinque Ports Confederation, as a limb of Rye. Its port was at Smallhythe, on a creek of the River Rother, where ships were built in the Middle Ages, but changes to the coast over the centuries left the town far inland.

St Mildred's church, standing majestically on high ground, is a Grade I listed building, and its tall tower can be seen for miles across the Weald.

In 1634 Nathaniel Tilden, a former mayor of Tenterden who had been baptised in St Mildred's, sailed on The Hercules with his family and settled in Scituate, Massachusetts. The Kent & East Sussex Railway, a heritage steam line, now runs from Tenterden through the Rother valley to Bodiam.

Things to Do in Tenterden

Walk the High Street, browse its shops, and climb St Mildred's tower when it is open for the view over the Weald. Then take a steam train on the Kent & East Sussex Railway to Bodiam, with its moated castle.

Visit Smallhythe Place, the home of the actress Ellen Terry, cared for by the National Trust, at the old port of Smallhythe.

Gardens, Countryside & Antiques near Tenterden

For gardens, Sissinghurst Castle Garden is a few miles west and Great Dixter is just over the border at Northiam. The Millbrook Garden Company Staplehurst is near Sissinghurst.

In the town, Blossom Home sells interiors, and Rye is half an hour south; see our guide to Rye.

Tenterden Through the Seasons

Spring brings blossom to the Kentish orchards. Summer is the season of the steam railway and garden visits. Autumn colours the Wealden woods, and at Christmas the High Street is lit and festive.

Getting to Tenterden

The nearest main-line stations are Headcorn and Ashford International, with buses to the town. There are car parks just off the High Street.

Tenterden: Questions & Answers

Why is Tenterden a Cinque Port?

Tenterden is a member of the Cinque Ports as a limb of Rye. Its port was at Smallhythe, on a creek of the Rother, before the coast changed.

Where does the Kent & East Sussex Railway go?

The heritage steam railway runs from Tenterden through the Rother valley to Bodiam, with its castle.

Our Advice

Our advice: Spend the morning on the High Street, take the steam train to Bodiam for lunch and the castle, and visit Sissinghurst on your way home.