Within the Tanbridge district of Surrey, nestled on the Kent, Surrey and London borders, sits the village and civil parish of Tatsfield. Flanked by the rolling pastoral landscapes of the North Downs, Tatsfield’s built environment is proliferated by large country homes, single-storey bungalows, and luxury detached properties!

Tatsfield, similar to many villages and parishes in this area, was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book - a survey of Britain’s landscape ordered by William the Conquerer following the Norman Conquest. Part of the Tanbridge Hundred, the land was owned by the Bishop Odo of Bayeux who following the conquest owned over 570 settlements in Britain! He was also very likely the commissioner of the famous Bayeux Tapestry dated to the 11th century. During the 14th century the manor at Tatsfield was also home to Rhodri ap Gruffudd, the brother of the last native Prince of Wales, with his sons also being born at the manor!

Geographically, one of Tatsfield’s most interesting qualities is its height - the highest point of the village is 230 metres above the surrounding locales. This is why in 1929 the BBC built the Tatsfield Receiving Radio Station, owing to its prime location. This is also why Tatsfield became the home of British espionage. Double agent Donald Maclean, part of the Cambridge Five spy-ring, took up residence in Tatsfield during the Cold War in the 1950s exploiting the proximity of the radio station, using the radio signals to pass on governmental secrets to the Soviet State. The current homeowner, during recent rennovations, even found bullets and notes attributed to Maclean in the floorboards of the home!

In 2023, Tatsfield put forward their vision for their neighbourhood plan, focusing on the period between 2017-2033. Part of the vision plan is acknowledging the unique design and architectural characteristics of homes within the Tatsfield locale; ensuring that new developments adhere to the design vernacular and semi-rural landscape. However, the Tanbridge Council has recognised the urgent need for affordable and mixed-use housing across the borough, and the local parish council is currently surveying the land and needs of the immediate residents to formulate a new and sustainable housing project in the area!