Less than an hour from London, Tonbridge and Malling offers a diverse range of locations.

Stretching from Walderslade in the northeast to Tonbridge in the southwest, the borough covers an area of 92.7 square miles and is set against the backdrop of the North Downs.  Though Tonbridge and Malling’s villages and towns are steeped in history, the borough has a mixture of traditional and modern locations.

Leybourne Lakes and the Kings Hill developments are vibrant, modern communities, which have recently attracted the gritty psychological drama of Cape Wrath for Channel 4.

Leybourne Lakes has undergone a huge transformation in recent years, turning a former gravel works into a country park that is a sanctuary for wildlife as well as a popular destination for families and sports enthusiasts alike and an award winning housing development.

The old airfield at Kings Hill has seen no less of a change and now provides its new residents with a vibrant new place where they can live, work and shop.

Tonbridge and Malling is a very rural area and boasts many more parks and open spaces for the public to enjoy water sports, picnics and walks.  These include Manor Park Country Park in West Malling, Trosley Country Park on the crest of the North Downs and Haysden Country Park, to the west of Tonbridge.

The borough is very proud of its history and has some beautiful traditional country estates and castles, including Grade 1 listed Bradbourne House, now part of EMR, which boasts original Tudor features as well as Queen Anne brickwork, all set in 20 acres of land.

Tonbridge is a modern town that lies in the shadow of its magnificent castle by the river Medway, the castle grounds are now used recreationally and play host to the festival of music and fireworks and theatre productions.

West Malling also has much to offer with its quaint streets, historic buildings and thriving community - this historic town boasts an array of shops, a farmers market, excellent pubs, quality restaurants and wine bars.

At Easter the little village of Stansted played host to Eastenders, where we saw Dot and Jim visiting the Kent of their youth!

Dot and Jim filming in Stansted © Kent Film Office

And the view from the bridge to the village of Aylesford is probably one of the most photographed vistas in Britain.

A view of Aylesford from the river © Kent Film Office

There is still a lot more to discover about Tonbridge and Malling, including the National Trust’s Ightham Moat and Old Soar Manor, Hop farm with its gigantic oast houses and traditional shire-horses and the Neolithic tomb at Kits Coty.

From traditional to modern Tonbridge and Malling will have a location that is just right for you.

Links

• For more information on Leybourne Country Park visit www.tmbc.gov.uk/cgi-bin/buildpage.pl?mysql=1272
• For more information on Tonbridge Castle visit www.tonbridgecastle.org
• For more Information on Bradbourne House wisit the Kent Film Office Locations Database at www.kent.gov.uk/filmoffice