Tonbridge park

[Isthereroomforanother]

Hello!

Coming into Tonbridge in the next week or so to look at some houses. I don't really know the area at all and wondered if you could help ? I've read that Tonbridge park is brilliant - thought I could take my toddler there to burn off some energy! Was wondering if the playground part of the park is in walking distance of the high street and which car park to use to access it?!

(I've looked on a map but am somewhat map-istically challenged and, frankly, don't have a clue!! If someone kind could just say, park here and walk to pizza express, blah, blah, blah would be very very grateful!!)

[pudseypie]

If you follow the signs to the swimming pool and park in that car park (you have to pay to park I think) then walk to front of the swimming pool and head to the right over a little bridge then you are in the park. The playground is great and my toddler loves it. It's a bit of a trek IMO from the high street, but just follow the swimming pool signs and park up there, it's a massive car park.

[Isthereroomforanother]

Thank you so much, really helpful. Is it the Lower Castle Fields car park do you know? Just that I really don't have any knowledge about the area and am relying on tomtom to get me around! Is the swimming pool signposted from around the high street area? So Sainsburys- esque end or Tonbridge school end?

As you can tell, really need to learn about the area fast!!!

[pudseypie]

Hmm not sure of the name of the car park but it is the school end of the high street and is definitely signposted for the swimming pool. It's on the left hand side as you go through Tonbridge away from Sainsbury end. You go down some long windy streets to get there and then the car park is on your left hand side. Alternatively at the Sainsbury end there is an excellent soft play we go to a lot called Wear M Out. It's past Sainsbury on Sovereign Way, turn right at next roundabout and then it's about 1 minute drive on the left hand side with blue fencing. It's £5 per child.
Are you moving from far away?

[Isthereroomforanother]

Fabulous information, thank you so much! Soft play sounds great.

We're moving from Surrey, so not horribly far away.

Do you like Tonbridge? Any recommendations for good places to live?

[pudseypie]

I don't actually live in Tonbridge but in Tunbridge Wells which is right next to Tonbridge. Dh works in Tonbridge and we go there for soft play a lot. It's only 15mins drive and that's mostly traffic!
IMO Tunbridge Wells is nicer but you get more for your money house wise in Tonbridge and T Wells is still accessible for shopping and meals out etc. The commute to London is easier from Tonbridge. Hildenborough is really nice, just the other side of Tonbridge, have you looked there?

[flatpackhamster]

Plenty of good bits in Tonbridge, both North and South. The two 60s estates to the North have good areas to them which will be reflected in stark price differences, the same applies for the roads in S Tonbridge.

Agree with Pudseypie that TW is 'naicer'. Better shops and facilities. But Tonbridge's train connections are far better, and the traffic is marginally better, and the council is slightly less batshit insane than TW's one. Ours might be planning to hand over 1/3 of the town to Sainsbury's but at least it isn't trying to demolish the theatre and library and put luxury flats on the site.

[Isthereroomforanother]

Thank you both for information. Really helpful. Commuting is essential so will def be Tonbridge rather than TW.

Interesting property come on in Longmead Way, N Tonbridge. I know it's all relative but any thoughts on that sort of area/ road??

[flatpackhamster]

Long Mead doesn't have a good reputation.

[Alias78]

Hi. Myself and DH are also looking to move to Tonbridge. We can't afford T.Wells or Sevenoaks but housing is more affordable in Tonbridge and the commute is good.

We're looking more in the south, near the station, so Sussex Road, Douglas Rd etc and also Norfolk Rd, Barden Rd etc. Are these roads considered nice? We just want somewhere that's quiet and safe really. Somewhere we can walk home from the station after dark. We're currently in SE London with our DS1 (5 months) and want somewhere a bit safer and more spacious for him to grow up.

[flatpackhamster]

Is there going to be ANYONE left in London?

[Wilsons31]

Tonbridge is fine. A good option if you want more room and less hectic pace of life. We moved here a couple of years ago for similar reasons. Sevenoaks and Tun W both considered generally to be more affluent/attractive but TW is another 15-20 mins into Ldn and has its own iffy parts anyway, like anywhere. In Svnoaks you'll pay far more for far less. Tonbge has lots of great amenities - park, playing fields, pool, river, golf centre, rugby, football etc etc. The Bordyke area towards the north and Dry Hill roads around Tonbridge School are the most attractive looking bits. The rest of town is functional and has everything you need but not much extra. Don't expect a Thai supermarket or anything of that ilk! Train to Ldn is very expensive but service and speed (45 mins) cannot be beaten given the distance involved. I recommend the town but it is a bit of a culture shock leaving London that you should prepare yourself for. Virtually no one in their 20's lives here. It's a different demographic. Lots more Oaps and teenagers - logical really. Very nice people but a very different feel. None of that is meant negatively. The only real negative I see is that, whilst the secondary schools are excellent, they are mostly super-selective grammar schools so to get in to them your kids need to not only pass but actually out perform other kids from all over the place in the 11 plus exam. Proximity to the schools is not the primary selection factor, not even close. Combined with that (state) primary schools in town aren't as good as those in nearby villages (or svnoaks/TW). There are a couple of excellent primaries in Svnoaks and TW (Riverhead and Claremont) but you have to live within 100yards to get into those and house prices reflect that. Otherwise about 10% of kids get in to the grammars (which are what attracts many people in your situation to the area) - so if it's important to you that whole thing is a headache that everyone worries about but few openly talk about. Similar story wherever you live though.

Barden, Norfolk and those roads right by the park flooded badly this week. First time in 50 years but Tonbridge is built on a flood plain so check the environment agency maps carefully before you commit or take your chances.

[Woodelf]

Tonbridge definately the best out of all the places to live esp for commuter. Have lived myself in Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Riverhead and now after 20 years back to Tonbridge! Primary schools are all fine- in fact my son attends Long Mead as he's year 2 and the schools were all full up when we moved. In spite of people saying it's the worse one in Tonbridge my son gets lots of great teaching there where the whole school knows each other- I think he's getting a better education there than he might have done in the bigger/nearer/more popular school... Floods been v bad here as you might have seen on the news-needless to say if you don't live right down on the flood plain you'll be fine. We are at the Bordyke end and in spite of having a river at the bottom of the garden have stayed dry!!

[Alias78]

Thanks for replies. Been busy over Christmas so just checked back.

Yes I've seen news on floods! How far south of the station has this reached? Also, is the area around Slade primary school flooded?

With regards to secondary schools, if DS could get into a grammar that would be great, however the non-selective state schools still look far, far preferable to the rough secondaries where we are now.

[Wilsons31]

Not very far. Mainly the area between the park/river and the station. Barden rd suffered most, also Holford, Danvers, Avebury, bit of Norfolk rd maybe. Plus a lot of the ground floor car parks in the new build flats to the east of the high st - sovereign way etc. Would expect the slade was fine as it's up the hill a little behind the castle. Hawden rd to the north by the park prob less dry. Swimming pool badly affected. Twitter #tonbridge floods and you can see pics etc.

Should repeat it's the worst/only flood of significance since the 60's. Not a regular event. A flood barrier at Leigh by the A21 was built to prevent major flooding after that point.

[Alias78]

Thanks Wilson that's really helpful

[Magsisgoinghome]

I'm following with interest. My DD is only 8 and in Yr4, but obviously we are already looking towards Secondaries. I agree with Alias78, the non-grammar/selectives seem quite good? Or am I being daft here? I've looked at Hillview Girls, which is a Performing Arts College with an excellent Ofsted report and also what seems to be not bad academic results. I obviously haven't visited yet, so no idea about the school really, but on paper it seems fine! We will be looking at renting south of the station, planning to move sometime in the next 6 months. I'm very worried about finding a Primary school place though! How is St Stephen's? Is it really as bad as the Ofsted report suggest? Thanks!

[Mawi49]

We moved to Tonbridge from Wiltshire In August 2012. We looked at all areas incl TWells and Sevenoaks, West Malling and everywhere in between but in the end decided onTonbridge because of the schools and amazing train link to Lindon for hubby. I have one daughter in Weald of Kent and the other at Hillview. Very pleased with both schools and at how well they have settled. Obviously Grammar slightly more pressured than Hillview Teaching is fantastic in my opinion. Hillview just received a 'Good' at recent inspection but AI believe that is to do with the new criteria and it is harder to achieve Outstanding.

We rented in Central Tonbridge and almost purchased a house in North Tonbridge.(we had to pull out due to survey). In hindsight it was the best thing that happened because we now love in South Tonbridge and both daughters walk to school, hubby walks to station so no car or bus required for us. North Tonbridge house do have slightly more space/somewhat leafier, however if it is location and convenience your after then you cannot beat South Tonbridge

[Mawi49]

We moved to Tonbridge from Wiltshire In August 2012. We looked at all areas incl TWells and Sevenoaks, West Malling and everywhere in between but in the end decided onTonbridge because of the schools and amazing train link to Lindon for hubby. I have one daughter in Weald of Kent and the other at Hillview. Very pleased with both schools and at how well they have settled. Obviously Grammar slightly more pressured than Hillview Teaching is fantastic in my opinion. Hillview just received a 'Good' at recent inspection but AI believe that is to do with the new criteria and it is harder to achieve Outstanding.

We rented in Central Tonbridge and almost purchased a house in North Tonbridge.(we had to pull out due to survey). In hindsight it was the best thing that happened because we have now bought in South Tonbridge and location is excellent. Both daughters walk to school, hubby walks to station so no car or bus required for us. North Tonbridge houses do have slightly more space/somewhat leafier, however if it is location and convenience your after then you cannot beat South Tonbridge

[Magsisgoinghome]

Thank you so much Mawi
I'm so happy to hear good things about Hillview school!

[Agushia]

HI :) We're looking to move to Kent next year and looking at Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Cranbrook and local villages. We have daughter in Y1 now so school catchment is very important for us. What you ladies recommend? We live in north west London, really want better life quality with bigger house and garden :)
in which place you can get more for your money in terms of buying a house within catchment area. Thanks for your comments ;)

[Cadence28]

Hi all, we are moving to Leigh Village Near Tonbridge. We were curious about local recommendations for playgrounds or good walks/bike rides for small kids.

[lilmishap]

As already mentioned the Castle/Racecourse Park is ace it's my sons favourite due to the flippin squirrels by the castle that get very close to you, in Tunbridge Wells we love Dunorlan park for the boats as well as the general loveliness of it!
As for walks and bike riding you really have loads to explore, the walks between and around Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells are lovely for bike riding kids with not too many stiles to carry the bike over. There are a fair few to choose from.
We always seem to end up in the woods but that's cause my boys like mud, sticks, and walking up the many streams!