Tenterden & Rolvenden

Tenterden and Rolvenden, in the Ashford district of Kent, sit in the High Weald. The town of Tenterden centres on a long High Street of timber-framed buildings and independent shops. The place name recalls the town’s former role in cloth production, where tenter frames were used to stretch finished cloth; that history is visible in old property lines and street names. The Kent and East Sussex Railway terminates at Tenterden Town, running a heritage steam service that draws regular visitors and links to a small museum. Small Hythe, a short distance from the town, contains a National Trust house associated with actress Ellen Terry and a collection of theatre artefacts.

Rolvenden lies a few miles west of Tenterden and includes the hamlet of Rolvenden Layne with its pond and cluster of cottages. The village church and lanes show layered development from medieval times, and farmed land and woodlands surround the settlements. Public footpaths and bridleways connect fields and remnant woodland, used for walking and riding, and small local markets and community events reflect ongoing village life.