TONBRIDGE & MALLING DISTRICT
STATELY HOUSES, CASTLES & TOWERS
Kent is home to various stately homes, country houses, castles, and towers, some of which have intriguing stories of hauntings throughout history. Notable figures like Sir Winston Churchill and Charles Darwin are linked to some of these locations. Additionally, there are lesser-known treasures that hold their own surprises.
Here is what has been found so far in the Tonbridge District
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Please note that not all of these sites are publicly accessible, as some may be located on private property. Be sure to check in advance and obtain permission if necessary. Do not trespass!
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If you know of any sites that are missing or have heard reports of paranormal activity at any stately homes Castle & Towers not mentioned here, please get in touch. Thank you.
ST LEONARDS TOWER
ST LEONARD'S ST, WEST MALLING ME19
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
The following story was reported in a local newspaper, the Gazette:
"At the end of the 19th century, Thomas Abery, West Malling's blacksmith, also ran the Joiners Arms in Gas Works Lane. One of his lodgers at the time was an Italian of dubious aristocratic origins who extracted a promise from Thomas to care for his incurably ill daughter if she could be transported from Italy. Although the girl never arrived, the Italian gentleman was so grateful for the offer of help that he instructed Thomas to go to St. Leonard's Tower at midnight, where an apparition would appear to guide him to a casket of valuable jewels that would be left as a gift.
At the stroke of midnight, while his family waited on the road, Thomas Abery entered the tower, and the apparition appeared as promised. However, just as the treasure's whereabouts were about to be revealed, Thomas panicked and fled, never to return.
Mrs. Alice Geoffries, 87 in 1970, was one of the children waiting on the road that night for her father to return with the jewels that would bring the family fame and wealth. She remembered how her father had described the apparition as white and so terrifying that he couldn't wait long enough to receive directions to the treasure. Yet she remained convinced that the jewels were still hidden somewhere.
Her daughter, Mrs. Madeleine Friend, also believed that the jewels were still hidden and spent considerable time in 1970 searching the tower for any trace of them. However, the jewels have remained elusive to this day.
These events at the castle have given rise to a local legend about the tower.
It tells of an ancient tale regarding a figure seen leaning out of the window of St. Leonard's Tower, believed to bring disaster to those who see him.
This legend has been tested several times, but reportedly, all the witnesses who have seen the figure died shortly after.
This series of events has reinforced the legend of the tower. The root of the legend seems to revolve around the secret of the hidden jewels, which could have been a trick or a tale crafted by smugglers to deter people, allowing them to hide their stashes there.
A paranormal investigation has taken place on the tower grounds, including the use of a Ouija board. During the session, communication was established that suggested the figure is actually a demon, tasked with claiming the souls of those who desire everlasting riches.
**HISTORY**
St Leonard's Tower was constructed in the manor of West Malling, likely between 1077 and 1108. However, the exact date of its origins is uncertain. Early theories suggested that the tower was part of St Leonard's Church, which was first mentioned around 1120.
One theory is that the tower was built by Gundulf, the Bishop of Rochester from 1077 onward, who owned the manor and established Malling Abbey, a nearby nunnery. The tower may have served as a bell tower for the church, which remained until the rest of the building was demolished in the 18th century.
After the abbey's founding, which granted Gundulf some lands around West Malling, St Leonard's became the administrative centre for the remaining estates held by Gundulf. It was given to the nuns a few years later, shortly after he died in 1108. Given this context, it is likely that only Gundulf had both the time and motivation to construct such a keep during that period.
At some point in the post-medieval period, the tower was deliberately damaged to render it unusable for military purposes, a process known as slighting. This likely occurred toward the end of the English Civil War. The land was then in the hands of Sir John Rayney of Wrotham Place, a Royalist who joined the Royalist forces against Sir Thomas Fairfax at the Battle of Maidstone on June 1, 1648. Although no skirmishes were reported when Fairfax and his troops passed through West Malling to camp at East Malling Heath the night before the battle, Rayney's properties in West Malling may have been targeted, as local Royalists gathered for battle at Penenden Heath. The tower would have served as an effective lookout during any conflict.
There seems to have been an effort to destroy the tower by damaging the stair turret at its base, possibly using gunpowder. However, this attempt failed due to the robust design of the spiral staircase. Subsequently, instead of demolishing the entire structure, the upper storey of the tower was removed, leaving it roofless.
Numerous studies of St Leonard's Tower have been conducted since the late 18th century.
In 1783, the antiquarian Francis Grose noted that the tower was commonly known as the Old Jail. He recorded a local tradition suggesting that the abbey used the basement as a dungeon and the upper floors as a prison for minor offences.
During this time, the tower was also used for drying and storing hops, likely in preparation for their transport to local kilns.
The artist J. M. W. Turner visited and sketched the tower around 1791.
1840 French antiquarians visited and commented on the building's significant age.
About 1863, a hole in the west wall, created during an attempt to destroy the stair turret, was filled in with a new entrance.
In the 21st century, English Heritage manages St Leonard's Tower, and its exterior is open to visitors.
The building is protected under UK law as a Grade I listed structure.
TONBRIDGE CASTLE
CASTLE STREET, TONBRIDGE, KENT. TN9
**PARANORMAL ACTIVITY**
Paranormal Investigations have occurred here, and guests have reported experiencing footsteps and unusual noises in the tunnels.
Visitors have seen dark shadows in the great hall and detected the smell of stale beer. Some individuals in the cellar have reported feeling strange sensations. In contrast, others have experienced a sense of being watched during their investigations.
Ghostly apparitions and haunting screams have also been heard by visitors within the castle and on the grounds.
Events are held here, so if you're interested in an investigation, check out the Events in Kent page.
**HISTORY**
Following the Norman Conquest, Richard Fitz Gilbert was granted land in Kent to guard the crossing of the River Medway. He constructed a simple motte-and-bailey castle in Tonbridge, moving 50,000 tonnes of earth to dig the moat and build the motte. When William I died in 1087, his Anglo-Norman inheritance was divided between his two eldest sons: Robert Curthose became Duke of Normandy, while William Rufus became King William II of England.
For the Norman magnates, most of whom owned substantial estates on both sides of the English Channel, this division was problematic, as they foresaw the difficulty of serving two masters.
Led by Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, a rebellion erupted against William, supported by Richard de Clare, a descendant of Fitz Gilbert. The King dispatched a force to attack in response, and Tonbridge was besieged. Richard was present within the castle and surrendered after being wounded during the two-day siege. He was permitted to retire to a monastery, and Tonbridge Castle was subsequently burned.
Before 1100, the de Clares accepted William II. They regained control of the site at Tonbridge, replacing the wooden structure with a stone shell keep. However, the new castle attracted the envy of the church. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, attempted to lay claim to it and sent a summons demanding that the then-owner, Roger de Clare, Earl of Hereford, pay homage to him to retain the castle. Roger was not pleased and famously invited the Archbishop's messenger to eat the summons, complete with its wax seal!
Tonbridge Castle was attacked again in 1215 by King John. At the time, the owner, Richard de Clare, Earl of Hereford, was one of the barons responsible for upholding the provisions of Magna Carta. However, England entered civil war when the charter failed to bring peace. The King took control of Kent and seized Tonbridge Castle, which remained under Crown control until Henry III returned it to the de Clare family.
Richard de Clare, the third Earl of Hertford, or his son Gilbert, built the twin-towered gatehouse. Construction took 30 years and was completed in 1260. It shares many similarities with the gatehouses at Caerphilly Castle, which Gilbert constructed between 1268 and 1271.
The de Clares also supported the rebel cause during the Second Barons' War, which began in 1264. The Tonbridge owner, Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, allied himself with Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. In response, Henry III attacked Tonbridge, seizing the castle and the town, along with Gilbert's wife, Alice. Undeterred, Gilbert played a significant role in the Battle of Lewes (1264), where Henry III was defeated and captured.
Gilbert de Clare switched sides the following year and supported Prince Edward at the Battle of Evesham (1265), where Montfort was killed and Henry III was released. After this, the Tonbridge site returned to the family, and work began on the gatehouse.
The Great Seal of England was temporarily kept at Tonbridge Castle during Edward I's visit to France.
In 1295, a stone wall was built around the town.
Several owners of the castle met untimely ends. The de Clares were known as fierce warriors who fought in many battles during the medieval period. The first Richard was killed during a siege in Normandy, his grandson died in Wales, and the last of the heirs, Gilbert de Clare, perished at the Battle of Bannockburn.
After Gilbert de Clare died, Gilbert's daughter inherited it; she had married, so it passed to the Stafford family.
Her husband became embroiled in domestic politics, leading to the castle (along with the Earldom) passing to Hugh de Audley.
It then went to Lord Ralph Stafford, who added the Stafford Tower and Water Tower.
Tonbridge Castle remained with the Stafford family until 1520, when Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, was executed by Henry VIII. It has frequently changed hands between the Crown and its owners throughout history.
Kings have fought and were entertained at Tonbridge Castle, while archbishops quarrelled over its guardianship.
Notably, Henry III's niece and Edward I's daughter were mistresses of the castle. During his reign, the gatehouse was considered "as strong a fortress as few be in England."
The castle was unoccupied between 1521 and the late 18th century, except for a brief period during the Civil War. During that time, it was fortified and garrisoned. Thomas Weller, who owned the castle, was a Parliamentarian and joined other local gentlemen from West Kent to oppose unrest in Sevenoaks in 1643. There was a three-hour skirmish on the outskirts of Tonbridge at Hilden Brook, where the river crossing became a battleground. However, the castle itself was not contested, but the Roundhead garrison caused significant damage to the grounds.
In 1646, Parliament ordered the castle slighted, and Weller was instructed to dismantle its defences, making it unfit for military use.
Later, John Hooker, the castle's subsequent owner, sold stone from the castle to construct locks on the River Medway.
In 1791, his son, Thomas, removed additional stone from the ruined walls, which contributed to the completion of a mansion in 1793 that now adjoins the gatehouse.
What remained of the once-magnificent fortress eventually became a private home before serving as a military academy and a preparatory school.
In 1899, the local council purchased the site, converting the mansion into offices and transforming the grounds into a public park.
Tonbridge Castle served a military purpose during World War II as part of a defensive line against a potential German invasion. It had Anti-tank defences, a machine-gun emplacement, and two pillboxes built into the 13th-century wall. General Edmund Ironside devised these efforts to slow a German invasion of mainland Britain following the defeat at Dunkirk.
Both the castle and the mansion are now Grade I listed buildings.
In 1999, the Gatehouse at Tonbridge Castle closed to visitors to begin work on a £375,000 millennium project. The project involved replacing the missing floors on the ground and first floors and repairing the spiral staircase in the East Tower. As a result, a circular tour of the gatehouse became possible.
In the renovation, additional rooms were added: an education room primarily for school and group use, and provision for an exhibition space for the local community and a second venue for civil marriage ceremonies. The gatehouse reopened to the public in September 2000.
Additionally, the castle marks the starting point of the Tudor Trail, a 6-mile path to Penshurst Place.