Since being founded a year ago, the Community Hub has gone from strength to strength. It is based in the Langton Pavilion Cafe, which continues its much-valued café and other services. The following has been extracted from a report to Speldhurst Parish Council by James Bowdidge, the Chairman of the Langton Green Village Society:

• The dance classes for the Down’s Syndrome group, have proved extremely popular. Michelle, the leader, is keen to expand the number and range of classes and we are discussing this with her. BBC Radio Kent featured one of the December classes, interviewing Michelle, Sarah Wheatley (the founder) and her daughter, as well as Councillor Curry
• “Sing with Ellie” – the toddler singing group takes place every week. 
• The walking group holds regular meet ups - at least once every two weeks. 
• Members of the ladies yoga and dance classes meet every week for coffee after their class. 
• The swap and share bookshelf has proved very popular
• The Christmas Community Lunch took place on Monday 16th December, supported by a fantastic group of volunteers, and by the Village Society; children from Langton School sang carols, a traditional Christmas meal was served and gifts were donated for the guests. We also donated £400 from the event to the Fordcombe families left homeless by the Chafford Farm fire and collected a hamper for each family.    The January Community Lunch will take place on Monday 20th January
• Thrive Langton has significantly increased its activities and use of the Hub during the autumn, including a range of art classes and activities, mental health film screenings and a talk on diabetes and Christmas wreath-making classes
• “Baubles and Bubbles” – was a paint-your-own Christmas baubles event, with local artist, Louise Dean, and was a great success.
• The Christmas Fair was held on Friday 22nd November, to raise awareness, support local charities and to promote local businesses. It was a very popular event, well attended and raised money for local charities
• There will also be pop-up stalls on various days in the New Year, helping local businesses and charities

Some fundraising events are planned for the New Year to help support the Hub and it is hoped these will involve Thrive. We continue to build our relationship with LGCSA and waived one of our evenings so they could hold their trustees meeting, on 11^th December.

The extension of the Pavilion Hire Agreement runs to 31^st July 2025.

James Bowdidge, the Chairman of the Village Society, making a presentation to Church Wardens Emma Stevens and Sally-Ann Gathern on behalf of the villagers of Langton Green,  for the invaluable support they give to All Saints Church and the village

Lyn Dollimore making a presentation on behalf of The Village Society to Mark Dooley for his particular dedication to the maintenance of the hanging baskets by The Grange

The undergrowth on some Tunbridge Wells Borough Council land by The Grange had spread across the pavement and presented a hazard tp pedestrians. So a working party of residents, led by Sue Brimlow, got out their hedge cutters, spades. brooms and black bins and cut it back, revealing a nice hitherto-hidden stone wall.

Saturday 6th July

Even the weather could not dampen the spirits of the organisers (Mark Gamble and his dedicated team of helpers), our enthusiastic villagers and very many others who participated. The turnout of doggies was also exceptional. Many thanks to everyone. What a great village we have.

The following are just a few of the photos that were taken.

In spite of the clouds, the tea, coffee and cake tent did a roaring business, as did the bouncy castle in the background

The Peasant Farmers tent proved the usual success, as demonstrated by the hungry, but quickly served, queues that soon formed

See your village from the sky

From your Village Society

This "planet" image was taken by a drone flying above All Saints Church. The two links below each opens a 360 degree rotatable image of Langton Green and its wide surroundings; one from the West and one from the East. The images can be zoomed a little by using the mouse wheel.

From your Village Society

Each year your Village Society plants more daffodils

Langton Green lies just two miles from Royal Tunbridge Wells in an area of outstanding natural beauty. As a consequence, the village enjoys all the benefits of an active village community of around 2500 people, yet is within easy reach of the delights of the famous spa town, with its easy access to the City (train journey of around 55 minutes), the coast and the M25 motorway network.

Langton Green has a long history dating back to the 1300s where, just like its neighbour Tunbridge Wells, royalty used to come to stay and to live. The first Princess of Wales – Joanna, the Fair Maid of Kent and mother of King Richard II, is reported to have lived at The Hollonds in the village around 1353. In the second half of the 19th Century, Princess Louise, the 4th daughter of Queen Victoria, lived at Dornden in Langton Green for ten years with her husband, the Marquis of Lorne. The Queen visited them in 1876. Prince Andrew of Yugoslavia lived here (also at The Hollonds) in the 1950s and the village was also the home of Prince and Princess Weikersheim in the same period. So perhaps a claim should be made for our village to be called ‘Royal Langton Green’?

Decimus Burton has had an important influence on the village, designing at least two houses of great significance. The Hollonds is one (mentioned above) and Holmewood House is the other, now a well-known independent girls and boys school.

THE LANGTON GREEN VILLAGE SIGN

This website was created, and is maintained, by the Langton Green Village Society for the benefit of the village. If you have a news item or event which is about, from or happening in the village, you may contact us here.