When deciding where to live, there are a whole host of factors to consider, from proximity to local amenities and medical facilities, to schooling options and commute times. You also might want to think about the vibe of an area, what house prices fit your budget and what types of property are available. Tunbridge Wells is a lovely town, with lots of characterful properties, and Deborah Richards, Founder and Managing Partner of Maddisons Residential, gives her insights into what each area of the town has to offer potential house buyers.

The Pantiles and High Street

Also known as ‘The Village’, living in the heart of Tunbridge Wells has a lot to offer but it does come at a price, with property prices – at the time of writing - reaching £700 per square foot. Popular with Londoners due to its close location to the mainline train station, beautiful architecture, and range of amenities, it is the most expensive part of town for a reason.

In this area you can find a lot of wonderful Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian properties, which will either be:

  • on the smaller side, with no garden or parking but unquestionably pretty
  • medium sized homes with courtyard gardens, or modern properties popular with families with driveways and gardens, such as those found on Farmcombe Road
  • larger, expensive properties with landscaped gardens and off-road parking, priced in the range of £2 million

High-end apartments are also found in this area, where rents might favour commuters or retirees, looking to downsize.

There is plenty to do in this part of Tunbridge Wells, from summer Jazz nights on the Pantiles, with its newly renovated spring, to shopping on the thriving High Street with its lovely independent shops, world famous jewellers G Collins & Sons and Gail’s Bakery for coffee and pastries. For those green open spaces, there are plenty, with The Grove and Calverley Park (great for children) offering beautiful greenery and the latter is home to various festival style events held throughout the year.

There are also great schools in the area, such as Claremont primary school and The Mead private school.

St James’s

Further out to the east of Tunbridge Wells you have St James’s, a very dense residential area comprising of beautiful Victorian villa style accommodation, stunning architecture and lovely park spaces of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park, which is perfect for younger families and dog walkers, who can stay refreshed by visiting the café and coffee shop in the middle of the park.

A convenient area for commuters, properties are a short walk away from High Brooms mainline station for those needing to travel to London. It is also close to the town centre, with an easy to walk to Camden Road which has a great community vibe with lots of independent cafes and restaurants.

The area also has the large and popular St James' primary school which is currently getting some new developments, and the smaller St Barnabus primary school.  

St John’s and Culverden Down

Situated to the north of the town, this area is very popular with families due to the three coveted grammar schools of The Skinners School, Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys and The Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School, plus the two comprehensive secondary schools of Bennett Memorial Diocesan school and St Gregory’s Catholic School just within walking distance.

There are lots of residential Victorian properties with attractive architectural features and nice gardens to be found here, although in many cases with the semi-detached properties you will sacrifice off road parking. 1930’s style housing is predominant around the St Augustine’s Catholic and St John’s CofE primary schools, and there is a lovely family community in the area. 1960’s style housing and cosy bungalows can be found around Bishop’s Down primary school and Rose Hill private school.

The area also offers things to do, with St John’s Park and wildlife meadow nestled in the centre, with St John’s Yard bar, lots of eateries and even several escape rooms. Plus a few independent shops and local branded supermarkets and petrol stations serve the local community. Being situated in the north of the town makes it easy to drive out of town towards London on the A21, as it cuts out all the town centre traffic!

Hawkenbury and St Peter’s

Hawkenbury is another family area with some lovely properties, that are great for families. Berkley Homes just built the Hollyfields estate with the brand-new St Peter’s primary school which has an Outstanding Ofsted rating and is within walking distance, meaning your children’s friends will probably only be a few doors down. Outlying parts have larger detached properties filtering off Forest Road, and St Peters has smaller Victorian houses great for a starter home.

It’s got a lovely community, a One Stop convenience store and Fullers Family Butchers, plus the stunning Dunorlan Park which has vast open spaces, a boating lake full of wildlife, with pedalos  you can ride on during summertime, a play area and café that is open all year round.  

Other areas to note

Broadwater Down is situated south out of the town centre of Tunbridge Wells, offering slightly larger properties, where you can get a bit more for your money, St Mark’s primary school and it is still within walking distance to the Pantiles and the Spa Valley Railway. Rusthall is also lovely, with a great high street and housing offering, and Langton Green is another lovely village also with a school.

The most expensive roads are just off Major Yorks Road, to the south west of the town; Neville Park and Hungershall Park although being fairly central have a countryside feel to them, as they are situated next to The Common towards the High Rocks and the lovely Beacon pub and restaurant.

When it comes to choosing which area of Tunbridge Wells you want to live in, it really depends on your current and future needs. If you are looking to buy or sell your property in the Tunbridge Wells area then  please get in touch, as we would love to help.