Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society

02/09/2026

02/09/2026

Pre-booking required.
The Elevated Decimus Burton Walking Tour
Trinity Theatre, Church Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1JP
Up until the 1820's, Tunbridge Wells was pretty much focussed around the Old High Street and The Pantiles. That all changed when Decimus Burton designed and executed the Calverley Estate at the top of Mount Pleasant. This is the story.

Decimus Burton was the young architect who, in the 1820s and 1830s, planned and realised a new 56 acre residential and retail estate at the top of Mount Pleasant in Tunbridge Wells to rival the delights being enjoyed down the hill in the famous Pantiles. This Walking Tour will look at the substantial legacy of his masterplan as well as taking in other sights along the way.

The walk will start at the Trinity Theatre in Church Road, Tunbridge Wells and finish a five minute walk away. Sorry - no dogs! (unless you live in Calverley Park villas).
Contact for the day: David Woosnam 07950 200031

Tours to be held on
Saturday 12 September 1400-1530
Wednesday 16 September 1400-1530
Saturday 19 September 1400-1530

A maximum of 20 people per tour.

Pre-booking is required so please use the SignUp booking website link at SignUp.com
You will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp and SignUp dos not share your email address with anyone.

If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact David Woosnam on 07950 200031 or email David Woosnam and he can sign you up manually.

Links to the SignUp page may be found on the national site : https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/the-elevated-decimus-burton-walking-tour-1.html
Or
https://www.tunbridgewellsheritageopendays.org/
This is via the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society website .
Members of Decimus Burton Society may also be interested.

01/09/2026

Our September members meeting will start at 7.30pm, 10th September at Tunbridge Wells Bridge Club, 40 London Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1DL

'The Husseys of Scotney' - an illustrated talk by Helen King, Collections and House Manager at Scotney Castle, who will focus on the significance of the Castle's collection, the Picturesque movement, and the work of Christopher Hussey who inherited Scotney in 1952 with his wife Betty, and who left the property to the National Trust. Scotney is considered one of the best examples of a Picturesque garden, and the mansion and Old Castle sit within a designed landscape. The collection is on track to be one of the five largest within the National Trust, and, as an Accredited Museum, it tries to vary the display and tell stories of the inhabitants.

13/08/2026

Summer 2026 newsletter is now out.

Contains details of Forthcoming events
Views on planning- Camden Park, Friendly Societies Hall & Torrington.
Letter from our Chair Brian Lippard
Articles about Camden Road, The Pantiles and Heritage Open Days HOD Tunbridge Wells

12/08/2026

Loving this interesting photography submitted by our David Sandford.
Pinhole effect
Sunlight on the Old Mission Hall , Hill Street
Tunbridge Wells.

07/08/2026

Have your say.

We are asking for residents' views on the future of the borough. What are your priorities for Tunbridge Wells?

Take part online at twbc.online/consultations

The Tunbridge Wells Local Plan 2020-2038 (adopted by the Council in December 2025) includes a commitment to starting a Local Plan review within six months of adoption of the Plan (set out within Policy STR1 The Development Strategy policy).

We are now beginning a review of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Local Plan setting the framework for how the borough will grow and prosper over the coming years. The Local Plan Review will cover the period 2029 - 2044 and be undertaken in accordance with the Government’s new plan-making Regulations which came into effect in March 2026. The Plan shall be referred to as the Tunbridge Wells Local Plan Review 2029.

The Scoping Consultation is the first public consultation in the preparation of the new Local Plan and seeks early views from different people, stakeholders, statutory bodies and other organisations on what the plan should contain and how future engagement should be carried out in preparing the Local Plan at each stage. This is as required by Regulation 20 of the new plan-making Regulations. The different stages of Local Plan preparation and related timings can be viewed in our Local Plan Review Timetable.

06/08/2026

News just in today, The Pantiles is for sale, as well as the rest !

06/08/2026

05/08/2026

03/08/2026

Civic Society Garden Party, Warwick Park, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.