Alex's Guidebook

The Pantiles is a Georgian colonnade in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. Formerly known as The Walks and the (Royal) Parade, it leads from the well that gave the town its name. The area was created following the discovery of a chalybeate spring in the early 17th century and is now a popular tourist attraction The Pantiles today includes a variety of specialist shops, art galleries, cafés, restaurants and bars as well as a Farmers market held outside every other Saturday. Throughout the summer jazz bands play outside on the bandstand attracting hundreds of people, every Thursday evening. You’ll have a VIP view of the jazz from the balcony of 48A.

The two commons at Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall, linked by Langton Road, are my favorite part of living in Tunbridge Wells. Literally opposite 48A, there is free public access to over 256 acres of hilly, often heavily wooded terrain with a large number of open spaces. These much-loved commons are famous for their large sandstone outcrops such as Toad Rock and Wellington Rocks, and also feature cricket grounds, lakes, ponds, woods, heathland and the remains of the old racecourse. The Rocks are perfect for children to explore and play. A number of churches and Victorian buildings and pubs surround the commons, adding to its charm as the perfect place for a long walks, ball games and picnics. The commons was originally lowland heath with very little tree cover until the end of the 19th century, when grazing died out, and tree cover increased, obscuring some views over the commons. After the hurricane in 1987 much of the heathland was regained, creating the patchwork effect the commons benefit from today. Although human activity has shaped the appearance of the modern commons, they are unusual for open parkland in that they have never been landscaped, providing an important and unusual refuge for wildlife within a semi-urban area.