Bidborough is a village and civil parish

Civil parish

In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...

 in the borough of Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells (borough)

Tunbridge Wells is a local government district and borough in Kent, England. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells.The district was formed on 1 April 1974, by the merger of the municipal borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells along with Southborough urban district, Cranbrook Rural...

 in Kent

Kent

Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, north of Tunbridge Wells

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...

 and south of Tonbridge

Tonbridge

Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...

. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 958.

The village has an active community of residents, well represented across all ages, and village life revolves around the well-ranked primary school, the 'Hare and Hounds' pub, the historic 11th century church of St Lawrence and nearby community hall. The village has its own amateur dramatic group, 'BADS', which puts on productions twice a year, as well as a youth group, Women's Institute and a gardening association. The village also has its own garage, shop and used to have its own Post Office but unfortunately closed in 2008.

Parish sports facilities are good, and the village boasts a tennis court, a bowls green and two recreation ground areas, which are available for cricket and five-a-side football.

Bidborough has many families who have lived there for generations. For example, the residence of 3-2 St. Lawrence Ave. has been home to only one family, the 'Ohim-Browns'. However, the village attracts a growing number of London commuters with young families, combining as it does proximity to Gatwick airport, fast rail connections into London and easy access to the M25 with all the benefits of living in rural Kent. The highly rated local grammar schools of Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells, alongside the many prestigious public schools in the area, also make the village an attractive prospect for those who can afford it.