- Edenbridge, Kent
infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Edenbridge
static_
static-image-caption= The old town
latitude= 51.1993
longitude= 0.0691
population = 7808 [ [http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=795525&c=edenbridge&d=16&e=15&g=459009&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 National Statistics] Census 2001 ]
shire_district= Sevenoaks
shire_county =Kent
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Tonbridge & Malling
post_town= EDENBRIDGE
postcode_district = TN8
postcode_area= TN
dial_code= 01732
os_grid_reference= TQ445465
london_distance= 37.8miEdenbridge is a
town andcivil parish in the Sevenoaks district ofKent ,England . The town's name derives fromOld English language "Eadhelmsbrigge" ("Eadhelm's Bridge" in Modern English). It is located on theKent /Surrey border on the upperfloodplain of theRiver Medway and gives its name to the latter's tributary, the River Eden. Edenbridge has a population of around 8,000. Edenbridge recently appeared in The Daily Mail Top Ten UK Property Hotspots. [ [http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/mortgages/article.html?in_article_id=413226&in_page_id=8 This is Money] ]History
The old part of the town grew along a section of the otherwise disused
Roman road fromLondon to theEast Sussex coast at the point where it crossed the river. In theMiddle Ages , it became a centre of theWealden iron industry . There are manymediaeval timber buildings in the town, one of which houses theEden Valley Museum .With the coming of the railways the town expanded and the community of Marlpit Hill, north of the original settlement, is now part of the town.
Mills
Edenbridge has had four mills over the centuries, Haxted Mill and Honour's Mill on the River Eden, Christmas Mill on a tributary of the Eden, and a windmill to the south of the town. All four mill buildings survive, but now converted to other uses.
Railways
There are two
railway station s serving Edenbridge. The earliest, on the South Eastern Railway (SER) route from Redhill toTonbridge , was opened onMay 26 ,1842 . The station, simply named Edenbridge, is located in Marlpit Hill. To the west of that station the route crosses what was once theLondon, Brighton and South Coast Railway main line from London toEastbourne , opened onJanuary 2 ,1888 . The crossing of the two lines takes place at a mid-break in the Edenbridge Tunnel on the SER line. Here lies the second station, named Edenbridge Town. The line serving it is now truncated atUckfield . There is no connection here between the two routes: Edenbridge is not a junction; one existed four miles (6 km) to the west of Edenbridge Town at Crowhurst, but that junction no longer exists.The town
The 13th century church dedicated to St Peter and St Paul contains a set of windows in the east wall by
Sir Edward Burne-Jones . Edenbridge is twinned withMont Saint Aignan inFrance . The bypass that was built in the early 2000s to relieve traffic pressure on the old, narrow High Street is named Mont St Aignan Way. There are Lloyds, Barclays, Natwest and HBOS banks in the town. Major retailers that are present in Edenbridge include Boots, Co-op and Somerfield. With the Co-op's recent takeover of Somerfield it is doubtful that there will be two Co-op's in the town and another retailer is expected to take over the site.The parish
Within the parish boundary is the hamlet of Marsh Green.
References
External links
* [http://www.edenbridgetown.com/index.shtml Edenbridge Town website]
* [http://www.villagenet.co.uk/sevenoaks-weald/villages/edenbridge.php Brief history of Edenbridge]
* [http://www.edenbridgetown.com/local/churches/st_peter_paul.shtml St Peter and St Paul parish church]
* [http://www.evmt.org.uk/index.htm Eden Valley Museum (located in Edenbridge) website]
* [http://www.edta.org.uk/index.htm Edenbridge and District Twinning Association website]
* [http://www.edenbridgedirectory.co.uk The Edenbridge Directory - Free local magazine]
* [http://www.marlpithill.co.uk Marlpit Hill community web site]
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