It has even made an appearance on TV
All over Kent you can find wonderfully charming villages, bursting with history and character that are well worth exploring for a unique day out. Few boast scenery quite like that on offer in Appledore, however.
This quaint village sits within the district of Ashford, on the northern edge of Romney Marsh, 12 miles south west of Ashford town. With ancient churches, a cosy pub and an eye-catching mix of both old and new Kentish properties, it is little wonder this destination has been named among the county’s most scenic.
Specifically, VisitKent named Appledore among the Garden of England’s “most Instagrammable villages”. Dubbing it “the quintessential lovely Kentish village”, VisitKent praised the village for its green open spaces, as well as its picture-perfect cottages.
Holding a population of just over 800, according to the latest data, this quaint village overlooks the Royal Military Canal, an historic landmark that stretches 28 miles between Seabrook, near Folkestone, and Cliff End near Hastings. The canal was originally constructed in 1804 as a form of defence against possible invasion during the Napoleonic Wars.
While the exact origin of the name Appledore is largely contested, it is likely that it may have come from the Saxon word for an apple tree. The village holds a number of distinct landmarks, such as the St Peter and St Paul Church of England, which has a history dating all the way back to the 13th century.
The church had to be largely rebuilt following a devastating French raid in 1380, with the north chapel and west tower being the main surviving sections. Some of the roof timbers survived and you can even see fire marks on the tower arch to this day.
Another of the village’s impressive landmarks is Horne’s Place Chapel, a Grade II-listed mediaeval timber-framed house, with its own private chapel. For those with a love of history, the chapel is open to view but the manor itself is now a private residence.
Finding a private chapel from the mediaeval period is very rare, making Horne’s Place a particularly unique landmark to visit. Nearby, you will find footpaths that provide some fantastic opportunities for a stroll along the Royal Military Canal, where you can see a number of pillboxes built during the World Wars.
If during your visit you need to stop for some refreshments, perhaps in the form of a crisp pint, then head to The Black Lion pub for some quality R&R. Known locally for its traditional pub lunches and lovely fireplace, this family-owned freehouse also hosts pizza and wine evenings every Tuesday, curry nights on Thursdays, alongside its usual selection of classic British grub during the rest of the week.
The spot has proven a real hit with past guests, holding a TripAdvisor rating of 4.4 stars from more than 400 reviews. One recent visitor said of their experience: “Exceptionally friendly team. Great food, the bread and butter pudding was exquisite. Local beer, a massive plus. Overall excellent, thoroughly recommended.”
Alternatively, you could head to Miss Mollett’s High Class Tea Room which has also received a huge amount of online praise. Miss Mollett’s specialises in cream teas, offering a range of delicious cakes, savoury snacks and hot drinks to enjoy and received a TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award in 2022.
A recent reviewer said: “Lovely tea room. It’s decorated beautifully – like you’d imagine an English Tea Room to be. We both had a cream tea, which was absolutely delicious. The selection of cakes looked amazing and the lunch menu looked fabulous. Will definitely re-visit when in the area again.”
Appledore has made appearances in a number of literary works also. The village was the setting for A. A. Milne’s famous verse poem, ‘The Knight Whose Armour Didn’t Squeak’, with Milne himself living just 29 miles away in Hartfield, Sussex.
Milne is perhaps best known as the creator of beloved children’s character Winnie the Pooh. Alongside this, the fictional village of Plummergen, which appears in the ‘Miss Seeton’ series of crime novels written by Heron Carvic, is based on Appledore.
The Ashford village also features in the original series The Darling Buds of May from the 1990s which has recently been reimagined in the popular ITV series The Larkins, which was filmed heavily in Kent.
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