Last weekend I took a trip to Tonbridge in Kent, and grabbed some photos as I wandered around town before the Tonbridge vs Dulwich Hamlet football match.
There’s not a lot to see around the station, but a short walk north rewards you with views over the River Medway.
Looking over the river is the remains of Tonbridge Castle, which dates back to 1088.
Taking a boat trip.
Created by Tonbridge sculptor Peter Hills and erected in 2004, this stone memorial bears the legend, ‘In proud memory of all Tonbridge men and women who have given their lives in serving our community during war and peace’.
The new memorial in front of the castle wall.
The 500 year old Chequers Inn has been described as, “one of the finest examples of a Kentish timber-framed building that can be found today.”
Street signs.
Old London & County Bank building.
High Street architectural detail.
Boarded-up building on Bank Street.
Ghost sign, Bank Street.
Tonbridge is home to several independent educational establishments, including the prestigious Tonbridge School (above).
Founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd, Tonbridge School is as posh as they come, being a member of the Eton Group.
The fees are among the highest of all the independent schools in Britain in terms of Boarding, at £35,163 per year, compared to Eton’s £34,434 or Harrow’s £34,590.
The roll call of notable Old Tonbridgians is as long as you might expect, including a host of MPs, writers, musicians and, most interestingly, occultist Aleister Crowley.
School crest.
High Street shops.
Close to the football ground I came across this guy walking these three, lion-sized dogs.
The splendid architecture of The Castle pub, which was sold in September 2013 and has remained closed ever since.
According to a local newspaper report, it will “categorically” not reopen as a pub, which seems a shame.
And finally, a splendid example of 1970s typography.
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