Tonbridge
Coordinates: 51°11′55″N 0°16′35″E / 51.1987, 0.2764 Tonbridge shown within Kent
Population	31,600 (2001)
OS grid reference	TQ591468
District	Tonbridge and Malling
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TONBRIDGE
Postcode district	TN9 (South), TN10 (North), TN11 (East)
Dial code	01732
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Tonbridge and Malling
European Parliament	South East England
List of places: UK • England • Kent

Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 31,600 in 2001. It is located on the River Medway, approximately four miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 25 miles south east of London. Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 565 pixelsFull resolution (856 × 605 pixel, file size: 219 KB, MIME type: image/png) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... Tonbridge and Malling is a local government district and borough in the English county of Kent. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of English administrative division used for the purposes of local government. ... coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the former Yugoslavia[1], the Soviet Union and European institutions such as the Council of... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The TN postcode area, also known as the Tonbridge postcode area[1], is a group of postal districts around Ashford, Battle, Bexhill-on-Sea, Cranbrook, Crowborough, Edenbridge, Etchingham, Hartfield, Hastings, Heathfield, Mayfield, New Romney, Robertsbridge, Romney Marsh, Rye, Sevenoaks, St Leonards-on-Sea, Tenterden, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield, Wadhurst, Westerham... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... Kent Police is the police force covering Kent in England, including the unitary authority of Medway. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... Kent Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Kent covering a geographical area south of London, to the coast and including major shipping routes via the Thames and Medway rivers. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... As of 1st July the NHS Ambulance Services Trusts of Kent, Surrey and Sussex are being joined together to form a new South East Coast Ambulance Service . ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... For the local government district, see Tonbridge and Malling Tonbridge and Malling is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... This is a list of cities, towns and villages in the ceremonial county of Kent, England. ... The market town is a medieval phenomenon. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total 130... coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Rivers in Kent, showing the Medway. ... Royal Tunbridge Wells (often called simply Tunbridge Wells) is a Wealden town in west Kent in England, just north of the border with East Sussex. ... Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, halfway (30 miles) between the City of London and the English Channel. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

History

It belongs to the administrative borough of Tonbridge and Malling (population 107,560 in 2001). The town stands at a point where the Saxons built a bridge across the River Medway. For much of its existence, the town remained to north of the river, since the land south was subject to extensive flooding. One part of the town is still called 'Dryhill'. Look up Borough in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Tonbridge and Malling is a local government district and borough in the English county of Kent. ...

Tonbridge was recorded in the Domesday Book 1087 as Tonebrige, which may indicate a bridge belonging to the estate or manor (from the Old English tun), or alternatively a bridge belonging to Tunna, a common Anglo-Saxon man's name. In the late 1800s, the 'Tonbridge' name was actually known as Tunbridge: old maps prior to this date show it as such, as do an 1871 map and contemporary issues of the Bradshaw railway guide. In the late 1890s/early 1900s, this was changed to Tonbridge by the Royal Mail as it caused confusion with Tunbridge Wells, a much more recent town. The latter has always spelt its name that way. A line drawing entitled Domesday Book from Andrew Williamss Historic Byways and Highways of Old England. ... // Invention of the Jacquard loom in 1801. ... George Bradshaw (July 29, 1801 - August, 1853) was an English cartographer, printer and publisher and the originator of the railway timetable. ... The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the Mauve Decade, because William Henry Perkins aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion, and also as the Gay Nineties, under the then-current usage of the word gay which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no... // Public flight demonstration of an airplane by Alberto Santos-Dumont in Paris, November 12, 1906. ...

An 11th Century castle was built here by Richard Fitz Gilbert, a nobleman in William the Conqueror's invading army. The town was besieged by William Rufus, soon after his accession to the throne, the lord of the manor having pledged allegiance to William's brother, Robert. It was afterwards taken by King John, during his conflict with barons and was subsequently besieged by Prince Edward, son of Henry III. On this occasion the besieged garrison burnt the town rather than see it fall. The town and Tonbridge Castle were rebuilt after this and in the 13th century became an official residence and records repository of Edward II. At that time, Tonbridge was intended to be a medieval walled town. Walls were never built however, probably because the castle's large bailey could have easily accommodated the town's populace in times of strife. A surrounding bank and ditch known as The Fosse was erected, although only traces of this encircling defence now remain. The historic core of the town still contains a large number of working buildings dating from the 15th Century. During the Civil War the town was on the Parliamentarian side and a Royalist attempt to take it was repulsed. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Known as de Bienfaite, de Clare, and de Tonbridge. Accompanied his kinsman William the Conqueror into England, and was rewarded with no less than one hundred and seventy six lordships and large grants of land in England, including the right to build the castles of Clare and of Tonbridge, in... William I of England (c. ... William II (called Rufus, perhaps because of his red-faced appearance, or maybe his bloody reign) (c. ... The title of Lord of the Manor arose in the English medieval system of Manorialism following the Norman Conquest. ... Robert II (called Curthose for his short squat appearance) (c. ... This article is about the King of England. ... Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272) was crowned King of England in 1216, despite being less than ten years of age. ... Tonbridge Castle is situated on Castle Street, Tonbridge Following the Norman Conquest, Richard Fitz Gilbert was granted land in Kent to guard the crossing of the River Medway. ... Edward II, (25 April 1284 – 21 September? 1327), of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until deposed in January, 1327. ... Places In the United Kingdom: Bailey, Lancashire Bailey is the name of one of the British Sea Areas The Bailey, the historic centre of Durham, England In Canada: Bailey, New Brunswick Bailey Corners, Ontario Baileys Beach, Ontario Baileys Brook, Nova Scotia In the United States of America: Bailey... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... The English Civil War consisted of a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians (known as Roundheads) and Royalists (known as Cavaliers) between 1642 and 1651. ...

In 1740, the River Medway was made navigable to Tonbridge, allowing such materials as hops and timber to be carried down river to Maidstone and London. Some of the buildings and the wharves are still recognisable today, downstream of the bridge.

Later, the town and its surrounds became famous for the production of finely inlaid wooden cabinets, boxes and other objects called Tunbridgeware. Another speciality is the production of cricket balls. Tunbridge ware is a form of decoratively inlaid woodwork characteristic of the spa town of Tunbridge Wells in Kent in the 18th and 19th centuries. ...

Tonbridge today

A map of Tonbridge from 1946

The town is home to several remaining Grammar Schools, including The Judd School, Weald of Kent Grammar School and Tonbridge Grammar School (formerly Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls). Tonbridge School, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde, is a nationally respected private boys' school in the centre of the town. A number of Tonbridge's secondary schools have specialist status, including Tonbridge Grammar School for Maths and ICT, Weald of Kent Grammar School for Girls, a specialist school for languages; the Judd School for Music with Maths, the Hayesbrook School for boys, a specialist sports college, and Hillview School for Girls, which has recently been awarded a Performing Arts Status. Hugh Christie Technology College is also renowned in the area for its IT expertise, and for allowing students to take GCSEs in year 9, rather than the usual year 11. Further education is also available at West Kent College and there is also a small campus of the University of Kent. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 559 pixelsFull resolution (1691 × 1181 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 559 pixelsFull resolution (1691 × 1181 pixel, file size: 1. ... Grammar school can refer to various types of schools in different English-speaking countries. ... The Judd School is a voluntary aided grammar school in the town of Tonbridge in Kent, England. ... Weald of Kent Grammar School is a grammar school in Tonbridge, Kent for girls aged 11-18 and boys aged 16-18. ... Tonbridge Grammar School is a state-funded Mathematics and Computing specialist grammar school in Tonbridge, United Kingdom. ... Tonbridge School is a British independent all boys boarding school in Tonbridge, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde. ... Hugh Christie Technology College is an 11-18 Technology College utilising new technologies to create a personalised and engaging curriculum, and is based in Tonbridge, Kent. ... West Kent College (formerly West Kent College for Further Education) is a college of Further and Higher Education based at Brook Street (satellite photomap), Tonbridge. ... The University of Kent is a plate glass campus university in Kent, England. ...

The many primary and secondary schools in the Tonbridge area provide a high quality of education, with several regularly appearing close to the top of county and national ratings lists, and this has been an incentive for many when moving to the town. It also means that teaching is a major source of employment in the town, and that thousands of pupils commute daily into the town especially by train.

Major industries include light engineering, distribution and services. A monthly farmers' market sells a wide variety of locally produced food and drinks, together with more exotic imports.

The Police Station is the local command station and is located on Pembury Road.

The town has largely retained its 'market town' atmosphere and has many attractions to visitors and residents alike, including the well-maintained Castle Gatehouse, a large country park and activities based around the river. Sports facilities including an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, a leisure centre and a large sportsground are all located close to the town centre. Many of the facilities are provided or subsidised by the local authority.

Most of the town's shopping facilities are clustered around its high street, which runs for about one mile through the town centre. There has been increasing criticism from local residents that there is a relative abundance of restaurants, estate agents, banks and 'cheap' shops, and a lack of major high street retailers. However, there are far fewer empty high street premises than in the mid 1990s, and the town inevitably suffers from its proximity to large shopping centres such as Maidstone and Bluewater. Recent proposals to improve edge-of-town shopping facilities, particularly from supermarket chains, have met with stiff opposition from town centre retailers. Bluewater interior This article is about a shopping mall. ...

There are future proposals to dual the A21 at Castle Hill and thereby improve the connection to Tunbridge Wells and Pembury where a new regional hospital is to be constructed. Pembury is a large village in the county of Kent in the south-east of England, UK, with a population of around 6000. ...

Famous people and events

Tonbridge made national and international headlines in the summer of 2004 when it staged an open-top bus parade for Dame Kelly Holmes to celebrate her double Olympic gold success. Over 40,000 people were estimated to have packed Tonbridge town centre and lined the route from nearby Hildenborough, roughly equivalent to the combined population of both, and more than twice the numbers who attended the subsequent parade in central London for all of the medallists. shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE (born April 19, 1970) is a retired English middle distance athlete. ... The ceremony for the lighting of the flame is arranged as a pagan pageant, with priestesses dancing. ... Hildenborough is a village and rural parish in the District of Tonbridge and Malling, Kent, located two miles north-west of Tonbridge and five miles south-east of Sevenoaks. ...

The 2007 Tour de France passed through the centre of Tonbridge on 8th July, as part of the first stage (London to Canterbury). The riders climbed Quarry Hill at the south of the town, a Grade 4 and first King of the Mountains climb of the Tour. For a list of Tour de France winners, see Detailed list of Tour de France winners. ... The King of the Mountains is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race. ...

The boxer Sir Henry Cooper also lives in the adjoining village of Hildenborough. The cricketer Frank Woolley was born in Tonbridge in 1887 and many famous people were educated in Tonbridge, including Bob Woolmer at Yardley Court and the members of the famous pop/rock band Keane at Tonbridge School. Are number of people are named Henry Cooper: Henry Cooper (boxer) Henry Cooper (U.S. Senator) Henry Cooper (VC) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Frank Edward Woolley (27 May 1887 - 18 October 1978) was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Robert Andrew Woolmer (14 May 1948 – 18 March 2007) was an international cricketer, professional cricket coach and also a professional commentator. ... Keane are an English piano rock band, first established in Battle, East Sussex in 1995, taking their current name in 1997. ...

Securitas depot robbery

Main article: Securitas depot robbery The Securitas depot robbery was a robbery which took place in the early hours of 22 February 2006, between 01:00 and 02:15 UTC in England, an operation that succeeded in stealing the largest cash amount in British crime history. ...

Tonbridge was also the location of the largest cash theft in British criminal history. On 22 February 2006, over £53.1 million was stolen from the Securitas Cash-handling Depot in Vale Road to the east of the High Street. The robbery is currently under investigation, a large amount of the money has been recovered, and several people have been charged. is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Securitas depot robbery was a robbery which took place in the early hours of 22 February 2006, between 01:00 and 02:15 UTC in England, an operation that succeeded in stealing the largest cash amount in British crime history. ...

Communications

Tonbridge railway station is an important railway junction with lines to London, Ashford, Hastings and Redhill. The town is served by the A21 trunk road between London and Hastings and is close to the M25 motorway. Tonbridge railway station serves the town of Tonbridge in Kent. ... The town of Ashford is spanning the confluence of the River Upper Great Stour, River East Stour, Aylesford Stream, Whitewater Dyke, Ruckinge Dyke and the resulting River Great Stour, in the borough of Ashford, located just south of the North Downs, in Kent, United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see Hastings (disambiguation). ... Redhill is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead, Surrey, England and is part of the London commuter belt. ... The A21 is a major road in England running from Lewisham in southeast London to Hastings, East Sussex. ... The M25 motorway looking south between junctions 14 and 15, near Heathrow Airport. ...

Miscellaneous

• Tonbridge is twinned with the towns of Le Puy-en-Velay in France and Heusenstamm in Germany.
• Tonbridge has its own famous athletic club, Tonbridge Athletic Club, being Kelly Holmes former Athletic Club.
• Tonbridge has its own football team, the Tonbridge Angels.
• Tonbridge has its own Rugby union club, the Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Football club. The TJRFC (TJ's) is a very healthy club, (possibly 200+ participants) including a successful minis section that play Tag Rugby.
• The town has its own wildlife hospital, The Fox Project.
• During the summer months there is a Touch Rugby club.
• The 2007 Tour de France cycling competition passed through Tonbridge, having started in London.
• Tonbridge has its own dinghy sailing club, the Tonbridge Town Sailing Club

Sign denoting twin towns of Neckarsulm, Germany Town twinning is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links. ... Saint Michel dAiguilhe Chapel Le Puy-en-Velay (Lo Puèi de Velai in the Auvergnat dialect of the Occitan language, pronounced [lu/lə ˈpœj də ˈvəlaj]) is a commune of south-central France, préfecture (capital) of the Haute-Loire département. ... Heusenstamm is a town in Germany with a population of approximately 19,000 in 2003. ... Tonbridge Angels are a football club in Kent, England. ... A rugby union scrum. ... Tag Rugby is a game played by teams of seven players. ... Image:Touch rugby chile. ... Stages in 2007 The 2007 Tour de France is the 94th Tour de France, taking place from July 7 to July 29, 2007. ...

External links

• History of Tonbridge Churches
• Pembury Road Baptist Chapel
• Tonbridge Air Training Corps Squadron
• The Rotary Club of Tonbridge est 1924
• Tonbridge Tourist Guide - Heart of Kent