insideKENT Magazine Issue 32 - November 2014 | Page 109

TOWNSPOTLIGHT Tonbridge Castle S P O T L I G H T O N TONBRIDGE Tonbridge, the pretty, vibrant market town in the gorgeous Kent countryside has a lot going for it. There is history going back centuries, and a future that is looking bright and exciting. With one of Kent’s busiest railway stations (around 3.8 million people pass through it every year), a fantastic position for motorways and major A roads, and a range of shops, schools, and attractions, Tonbridge is an ideal place for visiting or setting up home. BY LISAMARIE LAMB history in brief Tonbridge (or Tunbridge as it was known historically, which explains its pronunciation) burst into life in the late 11th century. It grew up on a hard, high piece of ground above the River Medway. Known to this day as Quarry Hill, this area is where Tonbridge began to be built, with our ancestors understanding that they needed to be away from the lower ground that was prone to flooding. There is not much information recorded about the area before 1070 when Richard of Tonbridge (lord of the manor in Hadlow) is mentioned. Tonbridge was excluded from the Domesday Book because the area was a ‘lowry’, a gift from William the Conqueror to one of his companions, and was therefore exempt from having to provide information regarding its population and income, unlike other towns that are recorded in the Domesday Book. We do know that the castle was built at the end of the 11th century, and that within just a few short years there was a thriving town around it; in fact, it had become the largest town in Kent. Through the years Tonbridge has been known for producing gunpowder, shoemaking, brickworks, for being at the forefront of schooling (Tonbridge School was founded in 1553), the famous ‘Tunbridge Ware’ decorative wood, and for being a financial and commercial hub in Kent. The more important the town became, the more money was put into its transport infrastructure, meaning that road links were built connecting Tonbridge to all the other major towns in the south east, including Maidstone, London, Brighton, and Chatham. things to do Everyon