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Historic sites

The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells

United Kingdom Kent Royal Tunbridge Wells

The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells
Photo: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

An elegant Georgian colonnade in the old spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, built around the Chalybeate Spring, whose iron-rich water was discovered in 1606 and made the town a fashionable resort. In summer a 'dipper' in period costume still serves the spring water.


Today the Pantiles is lined with independent shops, cafés, restaurants and bars, with music and markets in summer. The town also has large green commons and parks. It's a good base for the castles and gardens of the Weald of Kent, the 'Garden of England'. Trains from London Charing Cross take about 50 minutes.

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