Discover Southborough

Southborough lies in the scenic surroundings of the Kentish High Weald National Landscape. Its local character encompasses designated natural spaces as well as buildings and memorial sites with clear historical connections.

Nature and trails in Southborough

Southborough Common lies on the northwestern edge of Southborough, in the Borough of Tunbridge Wells. The site has three self-guided circular trails. The “Secrets Circular” is the longest and leads to ten points of interest. Its name and the number of stops give you a clear point of reference when comparing this circular trail with the other two self-guided routes.

Because of its woodland paths, Southborough Common is considered less suitable for visitors with pushchairs or wheelchairs. If you are travelling with a pushchair or wheelchair, bear this limitation in mind and check the trail conditions before your visit.

Southborough Pit and Barnett's Wood are also designated natural sites, but with different designations and areas: Southborough Pit covers 1.06 hectares and is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); Barnett's Wood is a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) covering around twelve hectares. The area figures show the difference in size, while the respective designations distinguish the two sites.

Buildings and local history

A post mill operated at the Windmill Site from the 1790s onwards. It ground local farmers’ grain into flour. A raised, level platform marks the site; the mill is believed to have stood on it. The mill’s use and the platform therefore represent two aspects of the site’s history: processing grain and the presumed location of the building.

The Colebrook or Southborough Viaduct dates from 1845. Its 26 arches, which vary in height, are made of red brickwork. Compared with the mill, which operated from the 1790s onwards, the construction date places the viaduct in a later phase of Southborough’s technological past.

The Southborough War Memorial was erected in 1921 in memory of 207 men from Southborough and High Brooms. Saint Thomas Church is a Grade II listed building from the Victorian period, or the period before the First World War. While the memorial commemorates people from two places, the church offers a different historical perspective: its period of construction and listed status.

The designation Southborough, the Common is also associated with a specific date: the area has been designated a Conservation Area since 23 June 1972. The construction year, commemorative year and designation date help distinguish the different historical connections.

Salomons Estate and Museum

Salomons Estate brings together designed landscapes and architecture. The grounds include formal terraced gardens amid informal lawns, as well as lakes and woodland paths. These features were laid out from the mid-19th century onwards, south and west of an early 19th-century house; the house was later extended. Thus, different construction and development periods meet here: the house predates the creation of the landscape features, and later extensions are also part of its history.

The gardens and parkland at Salomons Estate are suitable for walks, subject to current access conditions. Check the current access conditions before your visit. The Salomons Museum, founded by Vera, Lady Salomons, preserves original photographs, scientific instruments, personal letters and motoring artefacts spanning nearly a century of innovation. Its focus is on the people and events that shaped the “mansion of many marvels.” If you are planning a museum visit, check current visiting arrangements in advance.

Discover more destinations: Ulcombe, Dover, Hythe, Teynham, Greenhithe, Farningham, Kingsnorth, Camber.

For the broader travel overview: Kent.