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Situated in sight of the north downs yet just twenty miles from Charing Cross, Sevenoaks is a historic Kent market town that offers a rural lifestyle with good transport links, excellent schools, boutique and market shopping and of course, plenty of desirable properties!
The town owes its name to the meaning of the Saxon word ‘Seouenaca’, the chapel of the seven oaks, known from the early ninth century. In 1902, seven new oaks were planted at The Vine cricket ground to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII and although six had to be replaced after the great storm of 1985, the tree that has become known as ‘King Oak’ survived and still stands today.
Sevenoaks has a lively and friendly community. The recently refurbished leisure centre with swimming pool and gymnasium is close to the town centre. There are also public tennis courts, a football ground with all-weather pitch, a rugby club and bowls at Hollybush. The eco-park close to the town centre has a small children’s playground and trails through to Knole Park. There are two excellent golf clubs close to town and Nizels Health Club is just on the outskirts.
There is a very good modern library which boasts an art gallery and a museum and The Stag theatre stages regular productions and screens the latest cinema releases.
Sevenoaks benefits from several excellent state schools. Riverhead Infants' School (ages 4-7) is OFSTED outstanding and feeds Amherst School (now an Academy) (ages 7-11) which is also OFSTED outstanding. Sevenoaks Primary School (ages 4-11) is OFSTED outstanding. Lady Boswell's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (ages 4-11) is OFSTED outstanding. St Thomas' Catholic Primary School (ages 4-11) is OFSTED good. Knole Academy (ages 11-19) is newly created and pending an OFSTED report.
There are a number of grammar schools in the nearby towns of Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks is home to some of the country’s most established public schools, including: Russell House School, Sevenoaks Preparatory School, Sevenoaks School, Solefield School, St Michael's Preparatory School, The Granville School, The New Beacon and Walthamstow Hall.
With quick and easy access to the M25, M20 and A21, Sevenoaks is surrounded by good road links that make getting to Gatwick, Heathrow, Eurostar at Ashford International or just Bluewater shopping centre easy and convenient.
There are six trains to London between 7 and 8am and ten trains between 8 and 9am, with an average of four per hour thereafter. Journey time to London Bridge is 26 minutes, London Waterloo East 28 minutes, London Canon Street 32 minutes and London Charing Cross 34 minutes.
Buses run frequently from the centrally located bus station to Bromley, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Bluewater.
Sevenoaks offers the shopaholic a broad choice of temptation. With a new Waitrose at the top of the High Street, a Marks & Spencer in Bligh’s Court and a Tesco Metro at its centre, as well as a Tesco Superstore in nearby Riverhead and a newly refurbished Sainsbury’s on Otford Road, food and grocery shopping is well catered for. In addition, Saturday sees a regular market with artisan breads, pies, fresh fish and shellfish, fruit and vegetables to tempt you further. We also boast an award winning butcher, chocolatier and cheese monger.
Boutique shops are something of a specialty, with many unique and individual stores as well as recognised High Street names adding to the Sevenoaks shopping experience. And there’s always our friendly pubs and excellent choice of restaurants to take refuge in afterwards.
Forming the town’s eastern boundary, Knole House is one of the country’s most important and complete historic houses. Operated and managed by the National Trust, the estate boasts 1,000 acres of park and woodland with walking trails that are home to 600 Fallow Deer.
Riverhill Himalayan Gardens sit on the town’s Southern edge was recently featured on Channel 4’s Country House Rescue and boasts extensive gardens and an exotic plant collection with many recent additions and renovations.
Sevenoaks boasts a number of notable historic buildings, especially at the south end of the High Street. St Nicholas Church dates from the 13th century and boasts John Donne, the preacher and poet as probably its most famous rector.
Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve is a 175 acre S.S.S.I (site of special scientific interest) and was one of the first in the country to be opened. Entrance is free of charge and there are a wide range of lake and woodland habitat to explore.
Notable people connected with the town include John Donne, H. G. Wells and W. H. Davies. Diana, Princess of Wales, went to West Heath School in Sevenoaks.
Nearby towns and villages include Riverhead, Dunton Green, Knockholt, Otford, Shoreham, Kemsing, Brasted, Westerham, Seal, Borough Green, Ide Hill, Sevenoaks Weald, Penshurst, Hildenborough, Tonbridge and Royal Tunbridge Wells.
BT infinity superfast fibre optic broadband with speeds of up to 33.7Mb is due in 2012. BT Total broadband with speeds of up to 8Mb is available now.
Source: BT
