Nestled in the Medway Valley, northeast of Tonbridge, lies the villages and civil parishes of Hadlow and Tudeley, in Kent. Just south of London, this area is home to fascinating history stretching back thousands of years. Indeed, archaeological evidence suggests humans have occupied this area of Kent as far back as the Stone Age! Owing to its pastoral landscape, houses in this area are often grand country manor houses with significant acerages and significant prices, often marketed for over £2 million!

Hadlow’s history is long, with the first written reference to the village recorded in 975 AD in the ‘Textus Roffensis’, which describes the steady population growth of the locale - implying that the village had been thriving long before this time. This is also shown with still standing St Mary’s Church, which was also recorded in 975 AD. Here it was recorded as ‘Haeselholte’, whilst in the 1086’s Domesday Book, the village was recorded as ‘Haslow’. Similarly, it is clear from records and archaeological evidence that Tudeley’s history pre-dates the Domesday Book by sometime, although it was also recorded in 1086 as ‘Tivedele’. However, its thought that the settlement could possibly date from the Romano-British period - as evidence of bloomeries and iron-smelting have been uncovered in nearby regions!

Whilst a rural community; the Hadlow locale had one industrious claim to fame: beer. The Hadlow area was renowned for its prolific breweries that thrived in the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s thought that by the 19th century 15% of the land attached to Hadlow were hop gardens!

Although these two villages are on top of one another - they are actually serviced by two different councils. Hadlow by Tonbridge and Malling District Council, and Tudeley by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. As such, they two areas have vastly different local plans and policies. Owing to the ruralised and secluded nature of both communities, development in the area has often been slow and stagnant. However, a controversial policy map indicated by the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has allocated provisions for the construction of 2,000 homes on Tudeley’s Green Belt land. This has been met with fierce and organised opposition from local residents, but the plans are set to go ahead.