A quaint suburban village, nestled next to the Kent town of Longfield, Hartley is a popular neighbourhood amongst families. They’re drawn to it for its plethora of green space, spacious post-war houses, and its tight knit community. While there might not be a ton of shops in the neighbourhood, there are multiple recreational facilities that have plenty to offer. Locals love spending time at the Hartley Country Club, which allows residents to not just compete over a tennis match, but also play cricket, petanque, and later catch up over a meal at the clubhouse. Some residents even enjoy the Eureka Naturist Club for clothing-optional recreation. Sitting on 23 acres of beautiful Kent countryside, this club allows members to swim, enjoy the spa, as well as the endless woodlands. When these upscale clubs become too much, there’s always Ash Road nearby. A quiet high street, it offers locals a warm place to drink a pint at The Black Lion. With all of these amenities, it’s no surprise that residents feel so at home in Hartley.

Having started as a manor of just 15 small families, Hartley grew into a settlement of nearly 150 people by the 14th century. Through the 17th and 18th centuries though, the population grew as more farms popped up. Some of the farm cottages from those days still stand today. Locals stroll by Hartley House and Yew Cottage on a daily basis. Many homes have been built since then though. The 20th century saw an increase in housing development in the area. Specifically, much of the village was built up after Smallowners Ltd purchased large portions of the area in 1911. Their business was responsible for building many of the homes and shops in the neighbourhood. One could argue that Hartley hasn’t changed much since then, having retained its old rural character.

The original manor in Hartley, back in the 11th century, was owned by a woman. While this might not seem notable today, it was extremely rare to see female manor owners back then.

Despite many residents in Hartley being regular commuters, the neighbourhood does not have its own rail station. Locals don’t mind the short drive over to the Longfield though. Some even enjoy driving all the way to work!

The borough of Sevenoaks has been mandated to provide 10,000 new homes in the coming years. To fulfill that requirement a number of sites had been earmarked for major development, including one in Hartley. A local compaign group, No Hartley Expansion, was successful in removing the site from the council’s list of proposed lands. Another site in nearby New Ash Green has also been removed by the council following concerns over impacts on the Green Belt, traffic and oversubscription to public services. While new development in the area is rare because of the protected status of the Green Belt, some new build proposals have been succeeded. Manor Gardens in New Ash Green is a new development that has converted a 40,000 sq. ft office building into 49 apartments with the addition of 4 new build houses to the rear of the 2.5 acre site and retained office space within the historical Manor House.