Kent Ramblers: Walk 61

Points of Interest

Brenchley

Brenchley originally prospered through the cloth trade, then became a centre for the iron industry and later hops.

Orchards, once in decline, are now seeing a substantial revival and you will pass many recently planted apple trees on this walk.

Castle Hill

There are the remains of a medieval ringwork castle as indicated on the map. Ringwork castles were typically built in the 11th and 12th centuries as alternatives to Motte and Bailey castles ' the choice being based on topography and geology rather than wealth or status. A typical ringwork consisted of a simple earth bank, often topped with a wooden palisade, surrounded by a ditch (from which the earth had been taken to create the bank). At this site the main bank was around 70 metres wide and there was a second, smaller bank outside the ditch. There would have been wooden buildings within the defences.

Furnace Pond

Water from this pond once pond once powered one of the largest iron works in the Weald employing over 200 men. In 1614 its owner, John Brown, was granted the monopoly of making iron and brass guns for the navy.

Public Transport

Brenchley can be reached by public transport from Tunbridge Wells ' service 297 runs every couple of hours but not on Sundays.

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