{"id":"69394e487202e9abd62bd0ae","title":"Brenchley Mile Oak","path":"walks/routes/recommended/brenchley-mile-oak","contentMarkdown":"# Kent Ramblers: Walk 61\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_061.jpg)\n\n## Points of Interest\n\n### Brenchley\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P061a.jpg)\n\nBrenchley originally prospered through the cloth \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttrade, then became a centre for the iron industry and \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tlater hops.\n\nOrchards, once in decline, are now seeing a \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsubstantial revival and you will pass many recently \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tplanted apple trees on this walk.\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P061b.jpg)\n\n### Castle Hill\n\nThere are the remains of a medieval ringwork castle \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tas indicated on the map. Ringwork castles were \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttypically built in the 11th and 12th centuries as \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\talternatives to Motte and Bailey castles ' the choice \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbeing based on topography and geology rather than wealth \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tor status. A typical ringwork consisted of a \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsimple earth bank, often topped with a wooden palisade, \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsurrounded by a ditch (from which the earth had been \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttaken to create the bank). At this site the main \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbank was around 70 metres wide and there was a second, \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsmaller bank outside the ditch. There would have \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbeen wooden buildings within the defences.\n\n### Furnace Pond\n\nWater from this pond once pond once powered one of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe largest iron works in the Weald employing over 200 \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tmen. In 1614 its owner, John Brown, was granted \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe monopoly of making iron and brass guns for the navy.\n\n### Public Transport\n\nBrenchley can be reached by public transport from \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTunbridge Wells ' service 297 runs every couple of hours \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbut not on Sundays.\n\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_061.htm on 2025-12-11 09:19","contentHtml":"

Kent Ramblers: Walk 61

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Points of Interest

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Brenchley

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Brenchley originally prospered through the cloth \n\t\t\t\t\t\ttrade, then became a centre for the iron industry and \n\t\t\t\t\t\tlater hops.

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Orchards, once in decline, are now seeing a \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsubstantial revival and you will pass many recently \n\t\t\t\t\t\tplanted apple trees on this walk.

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Castle Hill

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There are the remains of a medieval ringwork castle \n\t\t\t\t\t\tas indicated on the map. Ringwork castles were \n\t\t\t\t\t\ttypically built in the 11th and 12th centuries as \n\t\t\t\t\t\talternatives to Motte and Bailey castles ' the choice \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbeing based on topography and geology rather than wealth \n\t\t\t\t\t\tor status. A typical ringwork consisted of a \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsimple earth bank, often topped with a wooden palisade, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsurrounded by a ditch (from which the earth had been \n\t\t\t\t\t\ttaken to create the bank). At this site the main \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbank was around 70 metres wide and there was a second, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsmaller bank outside the ditch. There would have \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbeen wooden buildings within the defences.

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Furnace Pond

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

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Public Transport

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Brenchley can be reached by public transport from \n\t\t\t\t\t\tTunbridge Wells ' service 297 runs every couple of hours \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbut not on Sundays.

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Automatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_061.htm on 2025-12-11 09:19

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