Lamberhurst, Kent

Lamberhurst is a village and civil parish nestled in the borough of Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It includes the hamlets of The Down and Hook Green and had a population of 1,706 according to the 2011 Census. The village’s name, meaning ‘lambs’ hill or wood’, dates back to around 1100 AD.

Historically, Lamberhurst was a centre for the Wealden iron industry, active since Roman times, and later became known for hop-growing and English wine production. The parish once straddled Kent and East Sussex until boundary adjustments in the late 19th century placed it fully within Kent.

The village lies in the valley of the River Teise, near the Bewl Water reservoir created in the 1970s. Its conservation area boasts many 17th- and 18th-century buildings, alongside the longstanding Strict Baptist Church. Nearby are the ruins of Bayham Old Abbey and the 14th-century Scotney Castle, both significant historic sites managed by English Heritage and the National Trust respectively.

St Mary’s Church, a Grade I listed building half a mile east of the village, features stained glass by John Piper. The A21 bypass, opened in 2005, skirts the village to the east, while the nearest railway stations are Frant and Wadhurst, about three miles away on the London to Hastings line. Local bus services are operated mainly by Autocar.