Ide Hill Society

19/10/2026

Ide Hill Society Talk: Ide Hill Beam Bending Station
Date/Time: Wednesday 21st October at 7.45pm in the Village Hall

Talk by Peter Wade on the secret WW2 history of the Ide Hill Beam Bending Station and the part Ide Hill played in disrupting German air-raids.

https://www.idehillsociety.org.uk/ide-hill-society-events-2026/

Wednesday 18th February at 7.45pm in the Village Hall Talk by Sebastian Pennels on the fascinating history of Ide Hill Football Club. (NB. Please note that this talk is not affiliated with Ide Hill Football Club.)

19/10/2026

Visit our website to find out more about World War 2, Ide Hill Am******on Park. Article just uploaded.

https://www.idehillsociety.org.uk/the-ide-hill-ammunition-park/

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29/09/2026

Talk: Wednesday 30 September at 7.45pm in the Ide Hill Village Hall

Wednesday 30 September at 19.45 in the Village Hall
Nick Rushby from the Archbishop’s Palace Conservation Trust (APCT) will be giving a talk on the fascinating history of Otford Palace, which is tucked away near to the centre of Otford village.
Land in Otford was gifted to the Monastery at Canterbury by King Offa in 791. Subsequently the Archbishops of Canterbury were Lords of the Manor of Otford. In 1515 Archbishop Warham built one of the largest palaces in England on the site. The palace fell into disrepair in the Seventeenth Century and only a portion remains today. Nick’s talk is entitled ‘Otford Palace: Past, Present and Future’.

https://www.idehillsociety.org.uk/ide-hill-society-events-2026/

05/08/2026

EVENT: Ide Hill Society guided walk: Edenbridge Historic Town Trail
Saturday 8th August 2026 starting at 2pm.

Edenbridge has a long rich history sited as it is at a crossing point of the River Eden. Our tour essentially follows the straight line left by the Romans on their London to Lewes route and will include many buildings that date back centuries.

One architectural gem is the Eden Valley Museum itself, which was built towards the end of the 14th century and is where our walk will start and finish. The museum is easy to find as it is located on the High Street.

There is good free parking in the market car park, which is accessed via Forge Croft Road next to Boots, and is just a short walk to the High Street and the museum.
The walk is free and will last about an hour.

If you are interested in joining us, please register your intention to attend. The museum will split the group if necessary, depending on the number of us who wish to attend.

EMAIL to confirm booking: [email protected]

https://www.idehillsociety.org.uk/ide-hill-society-events-2026/guided-walk-edenbridge-historic-town-trail-saturday-8th-august-2026-starting-at-2pm/

Edenbridge has a long rich history sited as it is at a crossing point of the River Eden. Our tour essentially follows the straight line left by the Romans on their London to Lewes route and will include many buildings that date back centuries.

11/06/2026

EVENT: Guided Tour of St Martin’s Church in Brasted, Saturday 13th June, 2026

The first Ide Hill Society outing of 2026 is happening on Saturday 13th June at 11am to 1pm, and will be a guided tour of St Martin’s Church in Brasted.

Some of you may remember our guided tour of Brasted Village back in July 2024, led by Roger Rogowski. We learnt so much of interest about the village that many of us drive through without any knowledge of its fascinating history. This return outing will again be led by Roger, who this time will focus on its parish church, St Martin’s.

The oldest parts of St Martin’s Church date back to mediaeval times although it was substantially rebuilt in the nineteenth century to a design by the renowned Gothic revival architect, Alfred Waterhouse. It has subsequently undergone major rebuilding work following bomb damage during the Second World War and following a catastrophic fire in 1989. Roger will share with us many interesting stories about St Martin’s history to include the fact that a church was established on the site in Saxon times, that Brasted very nearly had its own leaning tower; and its rectors included a remarkable survivor of the struggle between Catholicism and Protestantism during the Tudor period; a favourite of Oliver Cromwell; a slave owner and an eminent theologian who published several religious works in various Asian languages. During the talk and our subsequent walk around the churchyard, we will look at the pieces of evidence that remain from the Saxon and mediaeval churches. An optional guided tour of the churchyard will follow.

Alternatively, for those who wish to skip the churchyard tour, there will be an opportunity to relax in the church or follow their own self-guided tour to find out more about its history and architectural features. The tour will begin at 11am. The tour of the church and the optional tour of the churchyard are estimated to last about 2 hours.

If members wish to go for refreshments afterwards there is The Stanhope Arms or The White Hart nearby.

We recommend a donation of £6 to the church or £10 to include the guidebook. Cash or card (they have a Sumup machine). There is no need to pre-book as the church can accommodate 150 people! So, if you wish to join us and learn more about this church, please just turn up. Non-members are welcome to join us.

We look forward to seeing you there. We are planning another local outing on Saturday 8th August. More details will follow in due course, but we thought you might like note the visit date in your calendar.

The first Ide Hill Society outing of 2026 is happening on Saturday 13th June at 11am to 1pm, and will be a guided tour of St Martin’s Church in Brasted.

10/04/2026

Announcement from the Parish Council:

The Parish Council has scheduled an Extraordinary Council Meeting (ECM) on Monday 13 April 2026 at 7:30pm in Sundridge Village Hall.
Meeting: Sundridge with Ide Hill Parish Council Meeting is on Monday 27 April 2026 at 7.45pm.

As this is an ECM, residents may make representations only on items listed on the agenda. The next Full Council Meeting is on Monday 27 April 2026 at 7.45pm. Residents are always warmly welcome to attend and observe council meetings.
AGENDA
1. To receive apologies and reasons for absence.
2. To receive declarations of personal, prejudicial and disclosable pecuniary interests on items on the agenda and updates to members’ register of interests. Members to update their Register of Business Interest forms
3. A Public Open Session. Members of the public will be welcome to address the Parish Council with any local concerns they have. Please note this item will be limited in time at the discretion of the Chairman.
4. To consider, and approve if appropriate, which agenda items are sufficiently confidential as to warrant exclusion of members of the press and public under the provisions of The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.
5. To discuss and agree next actions and allocation of resources, if appropriate, in relation to the land at the junction of Penn Lane/Church Road.
6. To confirm the dates of next meetings

Document available from:http://www.sundridgewithidehill-pc.gov.uk/_UserFiles/Files/_Agendas/208828-13_April_2026_SWIH_Extraordinary_Council_Meeting_Agenda.pdf

Sundridge with Ide Hill Parish Council

08/04/2026

Update: Land at Church Road Sundridge, planning investigation
Latest update on planning investigation by

The SDC Page was updated at 5.30pm, Wednesday 8 April 2026

Visit SDC website for update

Updates on the planning breach at land off Church Road Sundridge

08/04/2026

Update: Land at Church Road Sundridge, planning investigation
Latest update on planning investigation by

The SDC Page was updated at 5.30pm, Wednesday 8 April 2026
Visit SDC website for update:

Updates on the planning breach at land off Church Road Sundridge

04/04/2026

Sundridge with Ide Hill Parish Council's recent post:

The Parish Council is aware of significant concern among residents in both Sundridge and Ide Hill regarding unauthorised development currently taking place at a property at the junction of Penn Lane and Church Road, Sundridge.
The Parish Council, alongside local residents, has raised these concerns with Kent Police, Laura Trott MP, and Cllr Nigel Williams (Kent County Council and Sevenoaks District Council). As the development is being undertaken by the property owner, it falls under the jurisdiction of planning enforcement at Sevenoaks District Council (SDC).
We have been informed that SDC’s Planning Enforcement Team intends to take action on Tuesday 7 April 2026. Members of the Parish Council are extremely disappointed that no further action will be taken before this date due to the Easter bank holiday period, and we fully recognise and share the concerns being expressed by residents.
In light of this situation, the Parish Council encourages residents to raise their concerns directly with the relevant authorities:
• Call the SDC Emergency Line on 01732 227000
• Contact the Chair of SDC, Cllr Roddy Hogarth – [email protected]
• Contact your District Councillor, Cllr Nigel Williams – [email protected]
• Email the SDC Planning Enforcement Team – [email protected]
• Contact your MP, Laura Trott – [email protected]
The Parish Council and its Clerk remain fully committed to ensuring that all development within the Parish is carried out lawfully and with the appropriate permissions from Kent County Council and Sevenoaks District Council. We will continue to do everything within our powers to seek a satisfactory and timely resolution to this matter.

To see original post, visit: https://www.facebook.com/SWIHPC

Parish Council

04/04/2026

A recent post from Laura Trott MP:

I’m very sorry to report that, once again over a Bank Holiday weekend, an unauthorised development has been deliberately started — this time at the junction of Penn Lane and Church Road in Sundridge.
As soon as I was notified I contacted the district council to report the incident and ask for all possible action to be taken. The police have also been made aware
This situation underlines again why we must see a change in the law. Flagrant breaches such as this should never be able to apply for retrospective planning consent.
Residents who follow the rules are understandably frustrated and angered when others show such disregard for planning law — and they are absolutely right to feel that way.

Posted on: https://www.facebook.com/lauratrott7oaks

MP for Sevenoaks, Swanley and the Dartford Villages

Promoted by Laura Trott, West Kent Conservatives, Suite 2, Paddock Wood Business Centre, TN12 6EN