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Benenden

—

Kent


See
links
Benenden
—
Kent
Village
Diary


Page Links

 * Benenden Parish Council
 * Benenden Village Trust
 * Benenden Neighbourhood Plan
 * Planning applications
 * Area map
 * Notes and queries
 * Allotments
 * Bed and breakfast
 * Bell ringing
 * Benenden Girls School
 * Benenden Hospital
 * Benenden Players
 * Businesses
 * Charity - Gibbon and Buckland
 * Church - Catholic
 * Church - Iden Green
 * Church - St George's CofE
 * Churchyard burials directory
 * Church - The Vicar's Letter
 * Collingwood 'Cherry' Ingram
 * Councillor - Local
 * Cricket
 * Hall - Village
 * Hall - Iden Green Pavilion
 * Hall - Memorial Hall on the green
 * History of Benenden by Ernie Pollard
 * Hole Park House and Gardens
 * Jean Maridor - War hero
 * Landscape of Benenden
 * Local history book
 * MP
 * Merry and Bright club
 * Mr Noah's Nursery School
 * Pre-school Playgroup
 * Primary School
 * Primary School PTA
 * Scouts and Cubs
 * Tennis Club - Iden Green
 * Trollope's Bird Notes

 

Local sites

 

 * Biddenden
 * Cranbrook
 * Goudhurst
 * Marden
 * Staplehurst
 * Tenterden
 * Tunbridge Wells

Email us

 





 * Nascent village allotments January 2024

 * Winter sunrise over Little Coggers

 * View from the belltower of St George's

 * Benenden Primary - sporting renewed green roof

 * Bunting for VE Day 2020

 * Winter solstice sunset over Benenden

 * Primary School Nativity in days gone by

 * Benenden green winter scene

 * Benenden Girls School

 * Local bluebells

 * Benenden Catholic chapel

 * The old village school

 * Benenden Hospital

 * Weald of Kent Morris at the fete

 * St George's Church

 * Sunset over Benenden School

 * April cherry blossom

 * Autumn grazing sheep in Iden Green

 * Late winter sunset across church

The parish of Benenden includes Iden Green, East End, Standen Street and
Dingleden with around 1900 residents (as well as 550 girls at the independent
girls school). There are about 840 homes in the village across the 6,700 acres
of rural landscape that comprises of 32 ancient 'dens'.

Despite its beautiful unspoilt setting the village has nearly a hundred
businesses that provide employment for many hundreds of residents and those who
'commute' into the village.

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NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN

As with many English parishes Benenden has developed a Neighbourhood Development
Plan. This is based on a development by a team consulting with the local
community.

After nearly six months considering evidence, and including a full day public
hearing and the finally accepted report went to referendum in the village on
February 3rd 2022.

The plan was accepted by 80.5% of those who voted (665 votes) and rejected by
19.5% (161 votes). There was a voter turnout of 56% compared to the average
turnout in UK Neighbourhood Plan referendums at 32%.

TWBC has formally recognised the plan as having the same legal footing as all
the planning rules and guidelines with which TWBC Planning must comply.

The vision is "The Parish of Benenden in 2035 will be a thriving, peaceful and
rural place to live, work and rest. It’s village feel and historic beauty will
have been preserved through sympathetic and managed growth. We will have
retained our existing major employers. Farming and other small businesses will
be encouraged. We will offer everyone the chance to be part of an inclusive and
vibrant community."

Read more about it on the dedicated Benenden Neighbourhood Development Plan web
page

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NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL

At the centre of the village is the primary school. However the old school
buildings on the village green are now replaced to transform the children's
education. The new school is in the field adjacent to the Glebe Field and the
Recreation Ground. The planning permission was granted in January 2013 and
September 2019 saw the handover to the school and the use by the children of the
village.

The children are now enjoying their splendid new school that looks glorious with
its revitalised green roof. It is proving a worthy successor to the traditional
school building on the village green.

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 * New primary school autumn 2019

 * New primary school autumn 2019

 * New primary school autumn 2019

 * New primary school autumn 2019

 * New primary school autumn 2019

 * 1 year old primary school autumn 2020

 * 1 year old primary school autumn 2020


THE VILLAGE YEAR

There is a cycle of events that provide the heart to village life that we all
look forward to returning to when the C-19 pandemic has passed...

 * January provides opportunity for Wassailing
 * February is panto month - Oh yes it is!
 * March is time for the village spring clean
 * April sees the Grange cherry blossom
 * May sees the start of summer and local Morris sides dancing
 * June the traditional village fete takes place on the village green
 * July has the Benenden tennis tournament
 * August and September see the harvests being brought in
 * September swings to open air Jazz and Blues at Iden Green
 * The autumn spring clean spruces up the village
 * November sees the splendid village fireworks and Remembrance Sunday
 * December is filled with glorious Christmas festivities

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BENENDEN LIFE

There are many opportunities to meet up with fellow villagers (as seen by the
list of links on the left hand side of the page) - events for all ages and
interests.

Throughout the summer the cricket team plays on the green providing a
quintessential Kentish scene - visitors can take in the Bull and have a stroll
around the historic village church.

The parish has a splendid war memorial where the loss of the armed forces
personnel during the two world wars are remembered (see this page for full
details).

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BENENDEN'S LANDSCAPE

Ernest Pollard and Hazel Strouts have written a major piece of work about the
village -'Benenden Landscape' - read more about it and get a freecopy from this
site by clicking here. You can also find 8 walks around Benenden described on
that same page.

As recorded in Michael Davies' splendid and extensive 'Benenden - A Pictorial
History' the village was one of the few places in the area known as the Weald
(of Kent) that was named in the Domesday book. Benenden has largely escaped the
development sprawl that has overtaken many a local village and is fortunate in
retaining a some small independent shops and a thriving pub

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SOME BENENDEN EVENTS FROM YEARS GONE PAST ......

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee was celebrated with great enthusiasm across the
village in June 2012 - you can see a list of what we did here.

The Queen's Golden Jubilee was celebrated over Monday June 3rd and Tuesday June
4th 2002 with the ever popular Iden Green Fayre and the family day on Benenden
Green. Click on the picture of the Benenden Primary School maypole dancers for
more images of the Golden Jubilee.


As part of the village's millennium celebration the new village sign was
unveiled on Saturday 26th August 2000. - Click picture of the sign to see more
about the unveiling of the sign.

Over that same weekend there was a wonderful flower festival held in and around
St George's Church. Click the picture to see more about the Flower Festival

Events

The website is currently under maintenance so there are no updates to the March
2024 diary

Merry and Bright Club

Tue 28th May, 2pm

Teaching in Africa by Sue Fisher
Click for details

Benenden Church Fete

Sat 15th Jun, 12pm

Our traditional village fete
Click for details

Merry and Bright Club

Tue 25th Jun, 2pm

Garden Party
Click for details

Merry and Bright Club

Tue 23rd Jul, 2pm

Croquet afternoon at The Coachhouse
Click for details

Merry and Bright Club

Tue 27th Aug, 2pm

At Benenden Bowls Club
Click for details

Merry and Bright Club

Tue 24th Sep, 2pm

Cream Tea at Benenden School
Click for details

Merry and Bright Club

Tue 22nd Oct, 2pm

Cranbrook Windmill by Terry West
Click for details

Merry and Bright Club

Tue 26th Nov, 2pm

Scottish Visit by Rev David Commander
Click for details

Merry and Bright Christmas Party

Tue 17th Dec, 2pm

Come and celebrate with friends
Click for details

See full list of events

This site created and (c) Tim Dwyer 2024 - timdwyer@benendenvillage.org.uk