insideKENT Magazine Issue 72 - March 2018 | Page 42

TOWNSPOTLIGHT
Spotlight on
SEVENOAKS
Sevenoaks is a special kind of place. An ideally positioned commuter town
WITH A STATION – THE FIFTH BUSIEST IN KENT – THAT HAS TRAINS RUNNING DIRECTLY INTO LONDON
(TAKING AROUND HALF AN HOUR TO DO SO) AND ROAD LINKS THAT INCLUDE THE M25, M20 AND A2/M2,
WHEN YOU LOOK MORE CLOSELY, YOU REALISE THAT BEYOND ITS PRACTICALITIES, THERE IS A BEAUTY
TO THE TOWN AS WELL. PARKS AND GREEN SPACES ABOUND, AND THE HIGH STREET IS AN INTERESTING
MIX OF BUILDINGS FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ERAS. THERE’S WILDLIFE TOO AND LOTS OF IT; THE
DEER IN KNOLE PARK ARE PARTICULARLY WONDERFUL, AND SEVENOAKS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FAVOURITE
FOR FAMILIES OFFERING SOMETHING FOR ALL AGES AND ALL INTERESTS. BEING LOCATED IN A PRIME
POSITION ON THE NORTH DOWNS, IT’S ALSO AN AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY, WHICH
MAKES IT ALL THE MORE ATTRACTIVE.
St Nicholas Church
Ightham Mote
HISTORY IN BRIEF THINGS TO DO
Seven oak trees, proud and strong, growing on The Vine – an area of green just
outside the town centre. That’s what you would have seen in you visited Sevenoaks
(or Seouenaca as it was then known) in AD 800. Beside the trees was a small chapel.
And that was about it, really. But, that chapel was a sanctuary, a place where pilgrims
could rest their weary heads, and along with the weary came the sick and the dying,
so it wasn’t long before two hospices were built. The Stag Theatre
This community arts
centre, proudly looked after
by Sevenoaks’ locals, is a
combined cinema and
theatre and boasts a long
history of enticing the
most famous and
interesting of performers
to grace its stage. With two
screens showing the latest
blockbusters, a café, an
exhibition space for talks
and indoor markets
among other things, this is
a great example of how
community spirit can
create something
wonderful.
Apart from it becoming a strategically placed market town, not much else is known
about the town between this first mention of the chapel and trees until 1432 when
William Sevenoke (or Sennoke) – who had been found on the steps of the chapel
and raised by the town, taking its name for his own – founded the now world
renowned Sevenoaks School, along with the adjacent almshouses. Sevenoke became
mayor of London (interestingly, he was Dick Whittington’s predecessor), but never
forgot where his life began and the school was his thanks to the people and the
town for his start in life. Not long after this, the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas
Bourchier, built Knole House in the large estate he had bought in 1456 and the
house – as well as the beautiful park – are still enjoyed by Sevenoaks’ residents
(known as Sennockians) today.
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Ightham Mote
About five miles outside of
Sevenoaks is Ightham, and
within this pretty little
Kentish village is Ightham
More. This is another
National Trust property
(there are many in this area
of the county), and is a
medieval moated manor
house which is lovely to
visit to enjoy both the
house and the gardens it is
sited in. The house is Grade
I listed and some parts of
it are Scheduled Ancient
Monuments, so it is very
special indeed.