Granted its Royal Charter of Incorporation by King Henry VI in 1449, Tenterden (with its shipbuilding yard) became a limb of the Antient Town of Rye, in return for helping Rye to fulfil her obligations to the Crown. The port of Tenterden was at Smallhythe, where ship-building became a major industry and ships as large as 400 tons, carrying 250 men, were constructed.

St Mildred’s Church, with its pinnacled tower, served as a beacon for ships coming up the river and it remains a beautiful landmark for miles around.

High Street, Tenterden

Today, Tenterden is a prosperous country town, graced with a tree-lined High Street full of mostly, locally-owned shops, restaurants and cafés. Known as the ‘Jewel of the Weald’, Tenterden’s beautiful architecture includes white-painted weatherboarding, tile-hung fascias and the unique ‘mathematical tile’. The Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway runs a scheduled service to Bodiam Castle, some ten miles away. Nearby, the town’s well-stocked Museum traces Tenterden’s fascinating history.