{"id":"69394e547202e9abd62bd0b3","title":"Rolvenden Short Circular","path":"walks/routes/recommended/rolvenden-short-circular","contentMarkdown":"# Kent Ramblers: Walk 80\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_080.jpg)\n\n![map 080](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/map_080.jpg)\n\nVolunteer\n\nDistance:          2.8 miles (1h 20m)\n\nOS Map:           Explorer 125 (Start at TQ845313, Rolvenden Church)\n\nOn street parking is available close to the church.\n\nImmediately to left of white weather boarded house at junction of A28 and Maytham Road take path into churchyard.  Pass war memorial on right, and past church bear left.  Take second path on right emerging through wooden kissing gate (if kissing gate is metal you turned tight too soon so turn left along field edge to correct gate).\n\nTake path heading away from gate following High Weald Landscape Trail, gradually bearing left across fields to gate. Follow path into woodland, passing on left grounds of Great Maytham Hall. Continue, path becoming fenced, to another gate. Go through, turn right (leaving High Weald Landscape Trail here) and walk along edge of field to corner, through gate and downhill through trees to stream. Cross footbridge then go uphill to gate. Follow right-hand edges of two fields passing pond on left. Through another gate, turn left then right around pond.  Go ahead across field to waymarker post and turn left.\n\nContinue to stile, go straight ahead across next field, cross another stile then bear gradually left down to bottom corner of field.  Go through gate and over stream into lane.\n\nTurn right along lane to A28, turn right along edge of main road for about 80 metres then take byway on left through gate.  Go straight ahead, following path beside fence to gate. Go through and follow right-hand edge of field to another gate. On far side turn right, immediately going through another gate. Follow path uphill passing Elphees on left and pond on right.  Soon after pond at kink in field line go over stile ahead and follow left hand edge of field, bearing first right and then left to gate in corner.\n\nThrough gate, now joining High Weald Landscape Trail, turn right along field edge to gate.  Cross next field diagonally to corner.  Cross footbridge, stile and then second footbridge.  Turn left until field widens then bear diagonally right to metal kissing gate at far corner onto road.\n\nImmediately go through adjacent metal kissing gate on right and cross field diagonally to gap in hedge.  Bear left along edge of school field and down access track to main road.  Turn left back to starting point.\n\n## Points of Interest\n\n### Water Tower House\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P080a.jpg)\n\nYou will catch glimpses of a \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twater tower that was converted into a house as a project \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfeatured on an episode of the Grand Designs television \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tseries.\n\n### Great Maytham Hall\n\nThe Hall was once the home of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tauthor Frances Hodgson Burnett. The gardens are said to \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\thave been the inspiration for her book The Secret \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGarden.\n\n### Rolvenden\n\nThe C M Booth Motor Museum is \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttucked away behind an antique shop in the High Street, \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tboasting a unique collection of Morgan 3 three-wheel \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcars. The Star Inn in the village is a Grade II listed \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbuilding and was formerly the village poor house.\n\n### Rolvenden Windmill\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P080b.jpg)\n\nThe post mill visible on this \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twalk may be the oldest windmill in Kent of which \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tanything remains, perhaps the original mill that was \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tshown standing here on a map of 1596.  It was a \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcorn mill, last used around 1883 to 1885 and virtually \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tderelict by the end of World War I when parts were \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tburned for firewood by troop stationed in the area.  \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tIt was restored in 1956, paid for by a Mr & Mrs Barham \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tin memory of their son who was killed in a road \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\taccident.\n\n### Saxbys\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P080c.jpg)\n\nT-shaped restored C16 or earlier \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttimber framed building with plaster infilling, the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tground floor rebuilt in red brick.\n\n### Public Transport\n\nRolvenden is served by the 297 \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbus from Tunbridge Wells to Tenterden which runs every \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcouple of hours except on Sundays when there is no \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tservice.\n\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_080.htm on 2025-12-11 09:20","contentHtml":"<h1>Kent Ramblers: Walk 80</h1>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_080.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/map_080.jpg\" alt=\"map 080\"></p>\n<p>Volunteer</p>\n<p>Distance:          2.8 miles (1h 20m)</p>\n<p>OS Map:           Explorer 125 (Start at TQ845313, Rolvenden Church)</p>\n<p>On street parking is available close to the church.</p>\n<p>Immediately to left of white weather boarded house at junction of A28 and Maytham Road take path into churchyard.  Pass war memorial on right, and past church bear left.  Take second path on right emerging through wooden kissing gate (if kissing gate is metal you turned tight too soon so turn left along field edge to correct gate).</p>\n<p>Take path heading away from gate following High Weald Landscape Trail, gradually bearing left across fields to gate. Follow path into woodland, passing on left grounds of Great Maytham Hall. Continue, path becoming fenced, to another gate. Go through, turn right (leaving High Weald Landscape Trail here) and walk along edge of field to corner, through gate and downhill through trees to stream. Cross footbridge then go uphill to gate. Follow right-hand edges of two fields passing pond on left. Through another gate, turn left then right around pond.  Go ahead across field to waymarker post and turn left.</p>\n<p>Continue to stile, go straight ahead across next field, cross another stile then bear gradually left down to bottom corner of field.  Go through gate and over stream into lane.</p>\n<p>Turn right along lane to A28, turn right along edge of main road for about 80 metres then take byway on left through gate.  Go straight ahead, following path beside fence to gate. Go through and follow right-hand edge of field to another gate. On far side turn right, immediately going through another gate. Follow path uphill passing Elphees on left and pond on right.  Soon after pond at kink in field line go over stile ahead and follow left hand edge of field, bearing first right and then left to gate in corner.</p>\n<p>Through gate, now joining High Weald Landscape Trail, turn right along field edge to gate.  Cross next field diagonally to corner.  Cross footbridge, stile and then second footbridge.  Turn left until field widens then bear diagonally right to metal kissing gate at far corner onto road.</p>\n<p>Immediately go through adjacent metal kissing gate on right and cross field diagonally to gap in hedge.  Bear left along edge of school field and down access track to main road.  Turn left back to starting point.</p>\n<h2>Points of Interest</h2>\n<h3>Water Tower House</h3>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P080a.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p>You will catch glimpses of a \n\t\t\t\t\t\twater tower that was converted into a house as a project \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfeatured on an episode of the Grand Designs television \n\t\t\t\t\t\tseries.</p>\n<h3>Great Maytham Hall</h3>\n<p>The Hall was once the home of \n\t\t\t\t\t\tauthor Frances Hodgson Burnett. The gardens are said to \n\t\t\t\t\t\thave been the inspiration for her book The Secret \n\t\t\t\t\t\tGarden.</p>\n<h3>Rolvenden</h3>\n<p>The C M Booth Motor Museum is \n\t\t\t\t\t\ttucked away behind an antique shop in the High Street, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tboasting a unique collection of Morgan 3 three-wheel \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcars. The Star Inn in the village is a Grade II listed \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbuilding and was formerly the village poor house.</p>\n<h3>Rolvenden Windmill</h3>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P080b.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p>The post mill visible on this \n\t\t\t\t\t\twalk may be the oldest windmill in Kent of which \n\t\t\t\t\t\tanything remains, perhaps the original mill that was \n\t\t\t\t\t\tshown standing here on a map of 1596.  It was a \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcorn mill, last used around 1883 to 1885 and virtually \n\t\t\t\t\t\tderelict by the end of World War I when parts were \n\t\t\t\t\t\tburned for firewood by troop stationed in the area.<br>\t\t\t\t\t\tIt was restored in 1956, paid for by a Mr &amp; Mrs Barham \n\t\t\t\t\t\tin memory of their son who was killed in a road \n\t\t\t\t\t\taccident.</p>\n<h3>Saxbys</h3>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P080c.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p>T-shaped restored C16 or earlier \n\t\t\t\t\t\ttimber framed building with plaster infilling, the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tground floor rebuilt in red brick.</p>\n<h3>Public Transport</h3>\n<p>Rolvenden is served by the 297 \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbus from Tunbridge Wells to Tenterden which runs every \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcouple of hours except on Sundays when there is no \n\t\t\t\t\t\tservice.</p>\n<p>Automatically migrated from <a href=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_080.htm\">https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_080.htm</a> on 2025-12-11 09:20</p>\n"}