One of the most charming towns of the South, it has a broad High Street lined with Trees, Shops and dwellings nearly all with their original facades dating from Elizabethan to Georgian times.

The Georgian predominates, with most of the houses being built between 1720 and 1760. The town also has many fine old inns. Please see the Eating pages.

The tower of the parish church of St Mildreds dominates the town.

Built in the 15th century, it rises more than 100ft above the ground, and from the top on a clear day it is possible to see right across the Weald to the Channel coast. It is even possible to see shipping on the channel and the French Coast.

A fine view indeed. The tower is open only at certain times of the year.
Tenterden is an associate member of the the Cinque Ports, a confederation of Southern towns who organised themselves into a navy, to defend themselves against invaders from the continent.

Caxton, William (c. 1422-1491)

The first English printer, William Caxton was reputed to have been born in Tenterden. In fact there is a pub in the town dedicated to him. Caxton was apprenticed to a London cloth dealer in 1438, and set up his own business in Bruges 1441-70. From Bruges, he went to Cologne in 1471, where he learned the art of printing. He returned to Bruges and set up his own press in partnership with Colard Mansion, a calligrapher, where he produced the first book printed in English, his own version of a French romance, Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye 1474. Returning to London in 1476, he produced the first book printed in England, Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres 1477.
The books from Caxton's press in Westminster included editions of the poets; Chaucer, John Gower, and John Lydgate (c. 1370-1449). He also translated many texts from French and Latin and revised some English ones, such as Malory's Morte d'Arthur.
Altogether he printed about 100 books.

The Kent & East Sussex Steam Railway

A fully working restored steam train service. Trains run most of the year from Tenterden to Northiam. Many specials including "Santa Special" and featuring the "Wealden Pullman" for Saturday Dinner, Sunday Lunch and tea. The line extended to Bodiam. A great trip indeed.

Telephone 01580 765155

Tenterden & District Museum
 

Station Rd, Tenterden. TN30 6NH
01580 764 310

Click logo for museum information

Ellen Terry Museum @ Smallhythe (National Trust)
Early 16th-century half-timbered house, museum and Barn Theatre.
 

Smallhythe, Tenterden, TN30 7NG.
Tel 01580 76 2334.