| Benenden | |
|---|---|
  Benenden Location withinKent | |
| Population | 2,375 (2011 Census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TQ807329 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Cranbrook |
| Postcode district | TN17 |
| Dialling code | 01580 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°04′03″N0°34′42″E / 51.0675°N 0.5782°E /51.0675; 0.5782 | |
Benenden is a village andcivil parish in theborough of Tunbridge Wells inKent, England. The parish is located on theWeald, 6 miles (10 km) to the west ofTenterden. In addition to the main village,Iden Green, East End, Dingleden and Standen Street settlements are included in the parish.[3]
The parish church is dedicated to St George, and is a 19th-century building on the site of a medieval building destroyed in a fire.[4]Benenden School, a private girls boarding school is located to the north of the village.
The place name of Benenden (pronounced Ben-en-den) derives fromOld English meaning Bynna's wooded pasture.Bynning denn became Benindene (1086) Binnigdaenne, Bennedene (c1100) Bynindenne (1253) then the current spelling from 1610.[5][6]
TheWealden iron industry existed in the area from before theRoman period, but evidence of twoRoman roads built to take the iron from the Weald have been discovered, as well as other finds from the period such as a Roman settlement at Hemsted, now Benenden School.[7] The evidence of one road, that betweenMaidstone andBodiam at Iden Green, is in the form of a pavedford.[8]
TheDomesday Book surveyors remarked thatBenindene was one of only four places in the Weald to have a church; although like most of the other such, the buildings of the settlement were scattered.[9] From the 14th century places such as Benenden became of industrial importance. The Wealden ironmasters continued what the Romans had done; and the other major industry,cloth-making, also helped to make the village prosperous. By the late 18th century, however, both industries had moved to the industrial north, and Benenden's prosperity was at an end. Benenden had four mills at various times. Wandle Mill, awatermill on theRiver Rother; East End Mill, apost mill at the site later occupied by the chest hospital, demolished c.1870; and a pair of mills to the east of the village, one of which,Beacon Mill is still standing.[10]
In 1860Gathorne Hardy, later to become the 1st Earl of Cranbrook (1814–1906), a prominent politician, rebuilt the house inHemsted Park, one of the Tudor buildings; in 1912Lord Rothermere made further alterations. It now housesBenenden School
In 1907 a consortium oftrade unions andfriendly societies established a chest hospital in Goddard's Green Road, Benenden[11] for the treatment oftuberculosis. Today the hospital is an independent organisation, for most medical and surgical specialities and mainly treats members of TheBenenden Healthcare Society as well as some NHS and private patients.
On August the 3rd 1943 French PilotJean Maridor intercepted a GermanV-1 flying bomb flying in the direction of Benenden. Having made repeated attempts to bring it down he finally destroyed it at such close range that the resulting explosion tore the right wing off his aircraft resulting in a fatal crash close to Benenden school, at that time being used as a wartime hospital. Maridor's remains were found with the wreckage. Maridor was buried near London and repatriated to France in 1948.[12]
The village hall was funded by Lord Rothermere and opened in 1977.[13] It has an asymmetric timber frame design by Sykes Ellis Partnership.[14]
A girls'private school,Benenden School is located to the north of the main village. The school's alumnae includePrincess Anne,Lettice Curtis,Sue Ryder andRachel Weisz.
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