RUSTHALL & DENNY BOTTOM
Locality: i.e. Where are these places?
Those of you who have stumbled across this site by accident may be wondering where on earth Rusthall and Denny Bottom are.
Well, basically they lie a mile or so west of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England; roughly halfway between London and the south coast. Click on the map on the right to zoom in.
Maps © Copyright Ordnance Survey
This site began with Denny Bottom, as locals can probably tell by the concentration on Toad Rock and its immediate surroundings, but has broadened out to include the rest of Rusthall as material comes in. Feel free to EMAIL if you have any ideas because the site mostly takes shape through people's responses and suggestions.
There is a Rusthall Village Association for anyone who is interested in getting involved. Its aim is to give residents a voice in how they would like the village improved, and a channel to pressure the local Council to make (or not, of course) changes. Anyone interested to know more can contact Jennifer Blackburn (acting Chairman) on 01892 546520, or by email:
jennyblackb@googlemail.com.
Alternatively, click on the NEWS link at the top of the page for the Association's ONLINE NEWSLETTER.
The anonymous looking road at the top of the page was once the main Coach Road of this part of the Weald when it was still all wild, tangled forest. A superhighway of several centuries ago, to service which the Red Lion was originally built in the 15th century at Lower Green, a few bends straight ahead and out of view. Another survivor from those times is Two Yews Cottage (right and on the far side of the crossroads in the picture above) which is possibly the oldest building in the Tunbridge Wells area, sitting as it does beside the old Coach Road. Click on the picture of Two Yews for more. It'll open in a new window that you can just close to return here.
One attraction of Rusthall is that it has an astonishing range of shops and services for a village of this size, plus a restaurant, cafe and a couple of takeaways. These are enough for most residents' daily needs, but if they want more, Tunbridge Wells is only a mile or so away, and from there it's only an hour to London on the train. There's a regular bus but many locals prefer to walk to the town anyway, which you can do mostly through woodland. And that is another charm, because despite all its amenities the village is surrounded by woods and common land.
It's ideal dog-walking territory because pick any direction and you'll soon find yourself in countryside or woods. One way is Rusthall Common leading to St Pauls Church (above left), Happy Valley, the Beacon Hotel, High Rocks and many other places.
In another, beyond the Red Lion, you'll find Shadwell Woods leading to Speldhurst. While in a third direction we have the wonderful and surprisingly little known treasure of Hurst Woods, one of the prettiest bluebell woods around, which in the 1980s was rescued by the Woodland Trust from becoming a housing estate. Click on the picture on the right for a set of photos taken there.
For the energetic there’s a lovely circular walk through Hurst Woods to Speldhurst and then back through Shadwell Woods to Lower Green in Rusthall, with several pubs along the way should you need refreshment.
Click on the magic lantern on the left for a slide show
of recent photos of Rusthall Common and Happy Valley taken by a variety of people, or on the right for one by Allan 'Jif' Peters of other views. All were taken within about a half-hour walking radius of the centre of the village.
Click on the button below for a page about Denny Bottom.
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