Pantiles
Encyclopedia
The Pantiles is a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
colonnade
Colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building....
in the town of Royal 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...
, 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...
. Formerly known as The Walks and the (Royal) Parade, it leads from the well that gave the town its name. The area was created following the discovery of a chalybeate spring in the early 17th century and is now a popular tourist attraction.
The Pantiles today includes a variety of specialist shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. A tourist information centre is located in the Old Fish Market building in the centre of the Pantiles.
Chalybeate spring
The chalybeate spring is situated at the north-eastern end of The Pantiles at 51°7′35.95"N 0°15′31.08"E. The spring is overlooked by the Dipper's Hall. The waters are rich in ironIron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
giving them a unique taste.
Tourists can sample the spring water which is served by costumed 'Dippers' every summer.
1606-1659: Discovery of the wells
Dudley Lord NorthDudley North, 3rd Baron North
Dudley North, 3rd Baron North was an English nobleman.He was the son of Sir John North and of Dorothy, daughter and heiress of Sir Valentine Dale. He succeeded his grandfather, Roger North, 2nd Baron North, at the age of nineteen...
, a distinguished courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
during the reign of King James I, discovered the waters in 1606. Having lived a fashionably excessive lifestyle, he retired to the countryside (in nearby Eridge) in an unsuccessful attempt to repair his health. Travelling through woodland on his return to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he discovered the waters and decided to try them. He found his health completely restored and lived to the age of 80
With public interest aroused, Lord Abergavenny cleared the area of brushwood, sank wells and surrounded them with stone paving and railings. The waters subsequently attracted other visitors, who also claimed their health to be restored. Although few in number, due to the lack of accommodation nearby (at this time, the nearest being in Tunbridge (now 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...
), some 5 miles to the north), the visitors were of a high calibre. They included Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
, wife of King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, six weeks after the birth of her son (later to become King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
) whose party camped in tents at Bishops Down due to the lack of nearby lodgings.
Originally referred to as Frant Wells, they were later renamed Queen Mary’s Wells, in honour of Queen Mary II
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
and were only later given the present name of Tunbridge Wells.
The Upper and Lower Walks were created in 1638, when an existing bank of earth stretching south-west from the wells was levelled and planted with a double row of trees. Wooden buildings were constructed on both sides of the Walks.
1660-1738: Post-Restoration
The wells were neglected and almost forgotten during the English civil warsEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. It is following the Restoration, that several improvements were made to the immediate area, including construction of an assembly room and bowling green. In 1664, following a dangerous illness, the queen (Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
) was ordered to drink the waters, increasing their popularity.
In 1687, a fire destroyed the wooden buildings located on either side of the Walks. The buildings were later rebuilt with the colonnades which give the Pantiles its distinctive character today. By 1697, coffee houses had been developed in the area.
1739 onwards: The Rusthall Manor Act
Signed in 1739, the Rusthall Manor Act ensured that the Walks, the Wells and the Dipper's Hall would be freely accessible to the public. It also prevented the building of any further buildings on Tunbridge Wells Common.Background to the name 'Pantiles'
- In 1700 the Upper Walks were paved with pantiles.
- On the 1738 mapMapA map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
the area appears pretty much in its present form. - In 1793 the pantiles were mostly removed and substituted with stone flagging – the region was then called The Parade.
- In 1887 the old name was revived.
The pantiles used to pave the Upper Walks should not be confused with roofing pantiles
Pantile (roof material)
A pantile is a type of fired roof tile, normally made from clay. It is S-shaped in appearance and is single lap, meaning that the end of the tile laps only the course immediately below...
. The paving installed here comprised one-inch thick square tiles made from heavy wealden clay, so named because they were shaped in a wooden pan before firing.
Most of the Pantiles is listed: mostly built early to mid 19th century. No.7 is c.1660; 39-41 was formerly the Gloster Tavern; The Corn Exchange and Royal Victoria Hotel are both early 19th century.
Events
A farmer's market is held on the Pantiles every other Saturday, selling local produce. The Pantiles also hosts various festivals during the year including a food festival, a music festival featuring local bands, a fashion market and an open air art exhibition.During the summer, the Pantiles hosts a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
season, featuring free evening outdoor jazz concerts where musicians play on the historic bandstand
Bandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
.
Cultural references
The Pantiles was used as a filming location for the 1967 musical Half a SixpenceHalf a Sixpence (film)
Half a Sixpence is a 1967 British musical film directed by George Sidney and choreographed by Gillian Lynne. The screenplay by Beverley Cross is adapted from his book for the stage musical of the same name, which was based on Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul, a 1905 novel by H.G. Wells...
starring Tommy Steele
Tommy Steele
Tommy Steele OBE , is an English entertainer. Steele is widely regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star.-Singer:...
and Julia Foster
Julia Foster
Julia Foster is a British actress.Foster's credits include the films The Bargee with Harry H. Corbett, Alfie with Michael Caine, Half a Sixpence with Tommy Steele, and Percy with Hywel Bennett...
. In 2007 it was used in a Christmas television advert for the Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
supermarket chain starring the singer Lulu
Lulu (singer)
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
. This caused some local grumbling because Morrisons had only recently closed their Tunbridge Wells store. Morrisons returned to the Pantiles for their 2009 Christmas advert starring Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...
and Denise van Outen
Denise van Outen
Denise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...
.