The Hadlow Art Trail

When I was first asked to put together a walking trail for Hadlow's South East Open Studios event in 2022 I didn't hesitate to say yes, my previous walks had only ever skirted round the very edges of the parish, so it was the perfect excuse to discover a new walking route and learn a bit more about Hadlow.

After the success of the previous years, I am pleased to be working with these local artists once more, whilst welcoming some new artists to the trail for 2025.

Walking, much like art, encourages you to slow down a little, look at things differently and question what's in front of you, so whether you are an art connoisseur or a casual walker with a curious nature, then this is a great opportunity to interact with some incredible artists, whilst exploring the village they call home.

 Begin your walk at Broadview Garden Centre, Hadlow. The garden centre is currently closed, but its gardens still remain open for the public to enjoy.

Take the time to explore this beautiful space and you will discover four hectares of plots that have been designed, planned and maintained by staff and students from Hadlow college.

Sweeping borders lead off into different themed gardens, with each one showcasing the talents of its designers. One minute you could be in a classical Italian garden, the next you are whisked off to the Far East, as you wander a zen like oriental creation.

Ponds, lakes and fountains are amongst some of the water features, whereas wild meadows and woodland scenes offer the visitor a wilder, more natural experience. There’s plenty of room to picnic, but do take your rubbish home with you.

By June these beautiful gardens will be a riot of colour as the borders reach their vibrant peak, showcasing the full range of their designers palette. The true beauty of these though is that if you return for a visit later in the year you can expect to see completely different displays, reflecting the changing seasons.

Upon leaving Broadview Gardens, turn left up the driveway and follow this to the end where you will come to a wooden gate. Please do not detour from the public footpath path, as the college grounds are private property.

Go through the wooden kissing gate and then continue along the driveway, passing brown and green equestrian yard before climbing the low stile.

Turn immediately right and follow the path between the horse paddocks and the barns. Please do not feed the horses as this can make them poorly!

When you come to a gap in the hedge turn right, following the path across a stream and then continue past a garden belonging to Bourne Mill Cottage, a delightful white House that dates back to Georgian times.

In keeping with the theme of this walk, this grade 2 listed building was once the residence of Bernard Hailstone, a respected English artist who made a name for himself during the second world war.

Schooled at Judd, in nearby Tonbridge, Hailstone later went on to study at Goldsmids College, London before joining the auxiliary fire service at the beginning of world war two. The auxiliary was a volunteer brigade, made up of 28,000 men and women, it was formed in the years before the war to provide support for the country's 2500 firefighters and officers.

When bombs began to rain down on London during the blitz, Hailstone was present to not only fight fires, but also to capture the scenes of devastation that he had witnessed. His paintings and sketches of the war torn city, and his brave colleagues soon gained recognition, and he was later appointed an official war artist.

Hailstones work took him many miles from rural Hadlow, as he painted scenes on the swollen waves of the Atlantic, and then the sun kissed shores of the Mediterranean. Later on in the war he travelled to South East Asia, where Britain sought to reclaim Burma and Singapore from the Japanese. It was during this campaign that he painted Lord Louis Mountbatten, a respected military officer and member of the Royal Family who later went onto become the chief of the armed forces. Fans of 'The Crown' will know him well!

It was this gig that led to the beginning of Hailstone’s later career as portrait painter. In the years following the war he went on to portray members of the royal family including her majesty Queen Elizabeth II, various celebrities, and also prime minister Sir Winston Churchill.

Continue across the next bridge and then walk through the car park of Bourne Mill.

If you have followed some of my previous walks and the accompanying blogs, you will already know the rich history of milling on the River Bourne. There were once 12 watermills along this river, including this one here in Hadlow. You can read a little more history about one of the old paper mills on The Paper Trail, a beautiful route that starts further upstream in Dunks Green.

The mill here was a corn mill that dates back to the 11th century. The stream you have just crossed would have turned a huge water wheel that would have been used to power the grinding stones that crushed the corn. It was operational until just after the second world war after which it began a new chapter in its history.

Having been bombed out of London, clothes manufacturers Carr and Westley found themselves relocating to Hadlow (via a brief spell in St Ives, Cornwall.) The company gutted the mill of its old machinery and replaced it with a raft of sewing machines and cutting tables. Out went the millers and in came the seamstresses as clothing production began at Bourne Mill.

Technology may have moved on over the last 80 years, but the company continues to produce clothes here and maintain a policy of recruiting staff from Hadlow and the surrounding local areas.

Walk up the driveway with care until you come to Carpenters Lane.

Cross over with care and then turn right following the pavement past the Rose and Crown pub. It’s definitely a local pub, but one that offers up a warm welcome to passing walkers.

Continue along the road for approximately 350 metres and you will come to a cluster of apartments named ‘The Maltings’. In a past life these listed buildings were once a core part of the village brewery.

You could be forgiven for assuming these are former oast houses, but they are actually malt houses. Whereas oasts were used as a kiln to dry hops, the malt houses were used to convert grain into malt.

This is a complex four step process which requires the Maltster to manipulate grains such as barley to the point of germination, using a carefully controlled system of heat and moisture. Once the grain germinates, the process is artificially cut short, at which point it becomes malt.

The process doesn't stop there though. The malt is then roasted; an art in itself which sees the maltster toast the grain at varying temperatures. The length of the roast affected the flavour and colour of the end product, which would then influence the taste of the brew it was used in.

The earliest of the two malthouses here dates back to around 1859 with the second being added in 1871. At the time the brewery was producing enough beer to supply 68 pubs. Although beer was only brewed in Hadlow until 1949, the malthouses remained active for nearly another twenty years.

When the brewery eventually closed these old buildings no longer served a purpose. Time wasn’t kind to them and without an owner to maintain them, they were left to ruin, polarising opinions in the village, as some locals thought they should be demolished, whereas the romantics and historians that their heritage warranted protection. Thankfully the buildings were awarded a listed status in 1979, protecting their future and keeping Hadlow’s brewing heritage alive, albeit in the form of these apartments which they were converted into in 1990.

Just before the Maltings turn right into the cul-de-sac and follow the pavement until you see Bourne Grange studios on your right. This is the first of the open studios on your walk and a very special one at that!

Bourne Grange is a converted oast house, showcasing the talents of three local artists, including print maker and photographer Shelley Rose.

Shelley's collection of abstract silk screen prints will mesmerise the viewer as he takes inspiration from quantum physics and the origins of the universe.

This is a unique opportunity to see the studio of an award winning artist whose work has featured in both the Royal Academy and the British Museum.

Also exhibiting here is Hildegard Pax, a gifted artist that specialises in the medium of glass. Hildegard's work has recently been featured at The Cube Gallery in London and has previously been exhibited at The Royal Academy, as well as affordable art fairs on both sides of the Atlantic ocean.

Her pieces on display here will include some colourful wall art and her magical dichroic glass jewellery.

The third and final artist here is Karin Keidel-Henderson , a Kent based jewellery maker who trained as a master goldsmith in Germany. Karin creates unique and timeless pieces and finds her inspiration in the forms and colours found in our local nature using semi-precious stones, silver and gold.

Upon leaving Bourne Grange studios, turn right and then walk to the end of the road, where you will emerge onto Hadlow High Street.

Cross over the road with care and you will find Weathered and Worn, a delightful vintage homeware shop with its very own coffee shop. Whether you are browsing the eclectic selection of stock, or enjoying a light bite from their menu it's well worth a stop at this little gem of an independent. Weathered and Worn are open between 09:00-16:30 on Saturdays but are closed on Sundays.

After leaving Weathered and Worn, turn right along the high street and continue for approximately 80 metres. You will see Natal House, the next open studio on your right.

The highlight of this studio is the opportunity to explore studio owner Lucy Prescott's gorgeous sculpture trail, a walk within a walk that gives visitors the chance to explore both Lucy's pretty garden and the artwork she has created.

In addition to Lucy there are five other artists exhibiting here including Georgina Bays, a 3D artist that specialises in ceramics. Her work is both functional and contemporary, and draws inspiration from her travels to Spain and Italy.

New to this years Open Studios is silversmith Andy Young and artist Angel Young. Andy is based in Tonbridge, but his handmade jewellery draws inspirations from his travels, which have included Asia, Africa and The Yukon. Angel Young who will be showcasing some beautiful oil paintings and watercolour skteches.

Exhibiting at Natal House for the first time is glass artist David Smith. David specialises in fused and slumped glass, creating pieces with interesting textures for both indoor and outdoor display.

The final artist at Natal House is Hilary Shields. After a career in the pharmaceutical industry, Hilary tapped into her creative side at an educational course, which led to her love of glass. Her pieces are functional yet beautiful, making them perfect for within the house or garden.

If you visit on the weekend you will be able to enjoy a tea cake, and snacks served in the gardens here.

Upon leaving Natal House turn right and walk along the High Street, passing the gates of Hadlow Castle.

You can garner a little taste of how the exterior of the castle would have looked, by observing the present day gates. Excessively ornate, with patterned arches, turrets and spires; the design of the house was believed to have been influenced by Strawberry Hill and Fonthill Abbey, similarly opulent residences that reflected the romantic gothic style that was popular during this era.

Like so many grand houses learnt during the post war years, time stands still for no-one. After an extended period without an owner to fund its maintenance, the house was left to crumble. It was eventually deemed irreparable and demolished in 1951.  

Along with a handful of former servants' houses, the old stables, and of course the famous tower, these gates are all that remain of the castle. It was only thanks to the efforts of Bernard Hailstone (and the money raised from his portraits) that these remnants were saved. 

Continue along High Street and then cross the High Street using the pelican crossing. Walk onwards and then on your left you will see Walnut Tree Cottage - the third studio of this trail.

This studio is housed in the grounds of a beautiful 17th century cottage, one of many listed buildings that preserve the character of this historic village centre. The cottage and its walled garden used to be the residence and workshops of the village wheelwright. The open studios exhibition will extend into the garden and the remaining workshop building.

Here you will find the works of three artists, whose works include oil painting, sculpture and jewellery.

Taking a more traditional approach to art is Martin Ingham. Martin is an experienced painter that works mostly with oils, exploring architectural and landscape themes. Some of Martin’s work has included Hadlow Tower and other local landscapes, that walkers may recognise.

The second artist at Walnut Tree Cottage is Susan Page. New to the Hadlow Art Trail, Susan is a talented sculpture that specialises in ceramics. Her beautiful pieces focus on endangered wildlife, as well as domestic and wild animals - a nod to her background in veterinary science. Through her work Susan aims to bring these threatened animals into our visual world, whilst raising awareness to the issues facing them. Each of her beautiful sculptures are built by hand, before being twice fired.

he final artist at this studio is Silversmith and artist Victoria Wainwright. Victoria, also known as viksilver works with silver and cold enamel. For the past twelve years she has also taught art, including pen & wash, watercolour with the Kent Adult Education service and has now set up her own classes and courses in West Malling sharing her passion for art with her students - whose own creative energy inspires her.

Whilst visiting Walnut Tree Cottage - be sure to look out for the arched window in the gable. Eagle eyed walkers may notice that this matches the one at Bourne Mill Cottage, earlier in the walk. The windows were both liberated from a bombed house in Blackheath by Bernard Hailstone.

Upon leaving the studio, retrace your steps back down the High Street, cross the pelican crossing and then double back on yourself, before turning into Church Street. Home to some of the village's oldest and most beautiful buildings. Walking down this road feels a little like stepping back in time.

One building worth keeping an eye out for is Church Place, a handsome old house that was once a pub called the Kings Head. It may look genteel now with its neatly balled hedges and immaculate paintwork, but in its a former life as boozer, it was an arena for bareknuckle boxing!

Legend has it that Tom Sayers, a prize fighter and hero of his day once trained here, but I suspect this is a rumour that many Kentish pubs can put claim too, as his brutal fights took him all over the county.

At the end of the street you will come to Hadlow church of St Mary’s. 

The earliest recorded churchgoers were worshipping here in 975. Back then the parishioners were Saxons and the church was made of wood. When the Normans came to Hadlow around 1018, they rebuilt this church with stone.  Since then it has been much tinkered with, as the building has grown and adapted over time, reflecting the population of the village.

Should you wish to explore the churchyard, there are a few points of interest, including a fabulous view of the tower, and an overgrown mausoleum belonging to its creator, Mr Walter Barton May. 

Located in the far left-hand corner of the church yard you will find an oast house shaped memorial dedicated to a band of 30 hop-pickers whose lives were taken by the river Medway back in October 1853. I've told their story a few times on my local walks, but for those of you not familiar with their tragic tale, I'll share this once more.

It was coming to the close of the hop picking season, the six to eight weeks of the year between September and October, when summer begins its long kiss goodbye and nature offers up her harvest. This was a time when thousands would descend on Kent each year, pouring out of the city and into the county's hop gardens.

Entire families would make this annual pilgrimage, some hopping on a train from London, but others travelling from afar. For many it would be a working holiday, yet for others it was a way of life. 'The strangers' were often treated with suspicion by locals, but amongst their own, there would be singing and laughter that lasted well into the night, as the pickers played as hard as they worked.

That October had been wetter than normal, the Autumn rains had come early and the river was swollen, seeping out onto the floodplains that surround Hartlake Bridge at Tudeley. Picking was possible in the rain, but it was slower and harder as the hops became slippery. 

The rain had stopped by the time the pickers laid down their tools and emptied their bins, but the sun was starting to set and dusk was falling as the workers' wagon plodded its way through the country lanes, carting the pickers back to their campsite. 

As the hoppers crossed Hartlake Bridge, one of the horses pulling them through those cold flood waters lost its footing and shied away, causing its fellow mount to spook. As the wagon swayed its wheel veered into the side of the bridge,causing the rotten structure to give way, and tipping its passenger into the cold swirling currents below.

When the screams stopped, the wailing began as the travelling community came to terms with their loss. In total 30 men, women and children lost their lives that night, with 16 of the victims coming from one family.

Long after the fingers were pointed and the bridge was replaced, their tragic tale lives on in the form of songs and stories that were passed down through the travelling and hoppicking community. Should you wish to visit the bridge, you will find this on one of my earlier walks 'Orchards and Riversong'.

Once you have left the church turn right and follow the path alongside the churchyard until you emerge into a housing estate. 

At this point turn left again and when you reach the junction with Court Lane, turn left once more and continue for just under 100 metres until you come to Court Cottage, the final studio on the Hadlow Art Trail.

Here you will find the work of five very different artists, each of whom specialises in a different medium. With so much talent on display, there is sure to be something that appeals to every visitors tastes.

First is Ray Taylor, another local glass artist. Ray first began experimenting with glass artistry in 2004, before undertaking a Masters degree at the renowned Welsh School of Architectural glass in 2010 - commuting from West Kent! Ray’s work includes a mix of stained glass and glass art that have been created using contemporary and traditional processes. This year Ray will be showing a range of fused glass items.

The second artist here is ceramicist Tim Harker. Tim's career as a professional potter began in the 1970's, whilst also working for over 30 years as Ceramics Technician and Tutor at Chelsea College of Arts. For the past 20 years he has worked with crystalline glazes, a fascinating & unusual area of Ceramics that is not widely known. Tim designs and hand throws the forms that show these striking glazes to best effect.

The third artist exhibiting here is Carole Robson. A graduate of St Martins School of Art, Carole went onto forge a successful career as a freelance illustrator - her commissions included book covers, magazine articles and various gardening books. Now based from her studio in Laddingford, Carole specialises in mixed media and watercolour paintings. Inspired by the orchards and fields of Kent, Caroles works will resonate with our regular walkers, as she looks to celebrate ‘the ordinary and everyday in nature’.

New to this year’s trail is artist Gillian Smith. Working with mixed media, painting and textiles, Gillian’s art is inspired by the natural world. Featuring British wildlife such as Barn owls, robins, foxes and deer, her works bring a walk in the countryside to life and are sure to make a connection with anyone that enjoys nature.

The final artist at Court Cottage is Julie Taylor. Julie works with 3D low-relief paper to create some incredible mixed media wall sculptures that have been inspired by geological formations. Layers of paper, minerals and metals are carefully combined to create an unusual but attractive effect. Julie’s craftsmanship is in keeping with her background in theatre design.

Upon leaving the studio turn right up Court Lane, then right into the Forstal before turning left. Walk to the end of the cul-de-sac and you will see a path that runs between a hedge and some houses.

Follow this for 250 metres and when you reach a fork in the path, take the path to the right and go through the metal gate. 

As you walk along the edge of the field you will enjoy views across this rural landscape back towards Hadlow Tower.

The tower was built by Walter Barton May, son of Walter May and grandson of Walter Barton. 

Walt Junior had grown up seeing the gothic castle around him being built, so perhaps he wanted to make his own mark on the estate, or it may have just been that he had more money than he knew what to do with and saw this as a way to show off his extravagant wealth.

One rumour that stood the test of time with locals was that he had built the tower to spy on his estranged wife! Their marriage had broken down around the time that the tower was built and his wife had moved back to her parents home at Fish Hall - a manor house between Tonbridge and Hadlow. 

History books don't solely deal in facts though, so all of these ideas are purely speculative. What we do know for sure though is that the tower is the tallest folly in the UK, measuring 8 feet taller than Nelson's Column. It can be seen from all over the surrounding countryside and is easily spotted on many of our local walks.

Its high vantage point meant that it was used as a lookout during World War 2 by the Royal Observer Corps used to keep tabs on incoming enemy aircraft.

Although the tower survived the war in one piece, it fared less well in the great storm. After the 1987 'hurricane' it suffered so much damage that its iconic stone decorations were removed and placed into storage, along with the lantern - the very top of the tower.

It was touch and go whether it was ever going to be restored, but following a campaign form a local action group, the tower was compulsory purchased by the council who then sold it to a heritage charity that brought it back to its former glory. Currently the tower is used as a unique holiday accommodation.

Continue along the edge of the field until you reach a metal kissing gate. Go through this and you will emerge into a pretty stretch of woodland. This is particularly scenic in the Spring when the bluebells and other wildflowers carpet the ground either side of the path.

Turn right walking downhill through the woods until you reach a large field. A blank canvas that changes its appearance over the four seasons of farming that take place here.

Walk along the edge of the field for approximately 200 metres and then turn right, crossing over a ditch and following the path alongside a wooden fence.

The path leads you over a bridge as you cross the River Bourne, lazily flowing beneath the wooden planks.

In the distance to your right will be able to pick out Bourneside Farm, an attractive farmhouse that dates back to the late 15th century.

Continue on this path until you see a chain gate in the hedge to your right. Go through this and turn left, walking up the driveway, before exiting via the sidegate onto Blackmans Lane.

Turn right and follow the lane with care. This is generally a quiet road, but please walk in the direction of oncoming traffic and listen out for cyclists and other road users.

When gaps appear in the hedgerows you will be able to enjoy beautiful rural views that have been enjoyed for centuries.

Back in the 1400's this land was a tenement belonging to the Blackmans, hence Blackmans Lane. The tenement was divided up into smaller plots, farmed by individual families that paid their dues in pork. The going rate back then was one pig per five acres. Things weren't as simple though as some families owned more land than others, resulting in payments made in half pigs and quarter legs. Thankfully all of the studios and refreshment stops featured on this walk take cards, so don't fret if you forgot to bring your pork with you!

As you continue along the lane you will see Hadlow College Farm at Blackman’s on your right - home to Hadlow Colleges rural regeneration centre. It was originally built to help the next generation of farmers identify and confront the issues of sustainability and climate change that the agricultural industry faces.

Constructed in 2010 this pioneering Passivhaus project transformed an old calves shed into one of the UK's first sustainable educational buildings. Its prefabricated components were manufactured in Austria from sustainable timber and then shipped here to Hadlow, where the iconic design was assembled in just three days, in the middle of this working dairy farm. The centre uses a number of energy saving features and a ground source heat pump to heat the building when required, which means its typical carbon usage is just 10% of a modern building of the equivalent size.

Continue to the end of Blackmans Lane and then turn right onto Tonbridge Road.

Turn right and follow the pavement until you come to the pelican crossing. At this point cross over and then turn immediately left into the grounds of Hadlow College.

Follow the public footpath until you reach Broadview Garden Centre marking the end of your walk.

Thank you for walking the Hadlow Art Trail and for supporting local artists. If you have enjoyed this walk then please tag your pictures on Instagram using #walktonbridge.

Before setting off on your walk we recommend that you check the opening days and times of the different studios on the South East Open studios website.

Printed guide books with info on all of the artists taking part in South East Open Studios from 06-22 June can be picked up in local libraries, at the main Sainsbury’s supermarket in Tonbridge as well as Tonbridge Railway Station and various local venues in and around Tonbridge.