A one-time Cinque Port,
Tenterden today lies 10 miles from the sea but has
retained its Kentish charm and is still dominated
by the distinctive tower of the 12th
century St Mildred’s Church. Arguably one of the
county’s most picturesque towns, it was originally
nothing more than a forest clearing. It eventually
rose to fame as a centre for the wool trade and
profited from Edward III’s decision in the 14th
century to ban the export of raw wool and use
foreign craftsmen to teach Englishmen the skill of
producing finished cloth. Despite its relative
affluence a number of local people joined Wat
Tyler’s Peasant’s Revolt.
