Historic towns and villages in Kent

Not to be confused with the large city of the same name in Yorkshire, Leeds, Kent is a village near Maidstone. Leeds is famous for lovely Leeds Castle, a moated medieval fortress dating to the 12th century.
Leeds, Kent, England

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A small hamlet near Eynsford, Lullingstone packs a lot of history into a small space. First, there is Lullingstone Roman Villa, one of the best-preserved Roman residences in Britain. Nearby is Lullingstone Castle, a 15th-century fortified manor set in superb gardens.
Lullingstone, Kent, England

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Heritage Highlight: Lullingstone Roman Villa and its mosaics

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Lydd is the most southerly town in Kent, located on high ground that was once an island in Romney Marsh. Indeed, the parish church is often referred to as the Cathedral of the Marsh.
Lydd, Kent, England

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Heritage Highlight: All Saints church, with possible Roman beginnings

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A village near Folkestone, Lyminge boasts a lovely Saxon church dating to at least 975 AD. But the history of Lyminge goes back much further, at least to the Roman period, when a villa was built close to the site of the current parish church. Queen Ethelburga of Northumbria founded an abbey here in about AD 633.
Lyminge, Kent, England

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Heritage Highlight: St Ethulburga's church, dating to the 7th century

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With a history stretching back to Roman times, Lympne has a lot to offer visitors. The Romans built a port at the base of the cliffs here, and also built a road, known as Stone Street, running along the cliffs to Canterbury. At the foot of the cliffs is the fortress known as Studfall, or Stutfall, Castle, built by the Romans to guard to port.
Lympne, Kent, England

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Heritage Highlight: 15th century Lympne Castle

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A popular town on the River Medway in north-east Kent, Maidstone is an administrative centre and the foremost market town in the county. The remains of a 14th-century archbishop's palace built by the Archbishops of Canterbury stand beside the parish church. The remains of the palace banqueting hall still stand.

Maidstone, Kent, England

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New Romney is the largest town in Romney Marsh, with a population around 7,000. It was one of the medieval Cinque Ports, a league of coastal towns granted special privileges by the crown in return for providing coastal defences against foreign invasion.
New Romney, Kent, England

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Heritage Highlight: St Nicholas church

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A pretty little hamlet on the River Rother, at the time of the Domesday Book survey Newenden was once one of only two villages in Kent with the right to hold a market. There was a pre-Roman hillfort near the current village, but the earliest reference to Newenden is in AD 791 when King Offa of Mercia granted the manor to the monks of Christchurch Priory in Canterbury.
Newenden, Kent, England

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Heritage Highlight: The parish church boasts a wonderfully carved late Saxon font

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A beautiful, historic village astride the River Medway, Penshurst is famous for sumptuous Penshurst Place, an Elizabethan manor set in superb gardens. The village lies on the northern edge of the Kentish Weald, roughly 6 miles south of Sevenoaks, and is mostly contained within the High Weald AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).
Penshurst, Kent, England

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Heritage Highlight: Penshurst Place, one of the best Elizabethan manors in England

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The village of Pluckley is known for two things; one of which it is rather proud of, and the other most inhabitants wish would go away. The first is that the attractive little village was the film location for the popular television series The Darling Buds of May. The second is a rather unwelcome reputation as the most haunted place in Britain. The Pluckley ghosts are the stuff of legend.
Pluckley, Kent, England

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Heritage Highlight: All the old houses have arched windows outlined in white - all the better to bring luck.

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