What's the difference between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells?

Tonbridge Castle. Photo: Laura Reynolds

Are Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells the same place?

No. They are two separate towns in Kent, which sit about five miles apart, depending who you ask and where you're measuring from. And technically, that's Royal Tunbridge Wells to you.

Why is this important? Well, if you're not from the area, it's probably never made that much of a difference to your life. The only time you're likely to give it brain space is if you're planning to visit one of them, in which case you definitely want to input the right one to your sat nav/buy a train ticket to the right place. But other than that, it probably won't affect your daily life that much, so store the info away for future pub quiz reference, and feel free to be on your way.

But as someone who grew up in Tonbridge, it's a constant bugbear of mine when people confuse the two. It never used to happen that often, and when it did, I'd laugh it off claiming that Tunbridge Wells was the posher of the two. A few months ago, I found out that someone I've worked with for more than six years has incorrectly believed me to be a Tunbridge Wells dweller all this time (the fact that the mistake came out when we were comparing the Wetherspoons branches of the separate towns tells you all you need to know about my office...).

View over Tunbridge Wells. Image: Shutterstock

Over the last few months, I've been typing 'Tonbridge' into the search bar on Twitter a couple of times a week, mainly to track Covid-19 stats and news in my area. And what a mistake that was. It's clear that most people consider the two to be the same place, with misnomered references to 'Disgusted of Tonbridge', shortening Tunbridge Wells to simply 'Tunbridge' or, in my opinion the most heinous crime, conflating the two into 'Tonbridge Wells'. 

Annoying, but easily ignored, until last night when 'Kexit' kicked off, Tunbridge Wells was trending nationally on Twitter, and SO MANY PEOPLE were not grasping that Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells are not the same place. I tweeted a gentle reminder, and so many people liked the tweet that I thought it worth reiterating the sentiment in a blog post.

Who was 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells'?

Ugh. Tunbridge Wells is a beautiful spa town with royal connections, fascinating history, and a wealth of culture (well, in normal years...). Yet most of the rest of the country only know it for the 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' stereotype of wealthy, conservative, middle class people writing letters of complaint to newspapers. The origin is debated, but the lazy stereotype has stuck - and spread its reach to nearby Tonbridge, when people mistakenly lump them together.

What's the difference between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells?

Tonbridge High Street. Photo: Laura Reynolds

If you find yourself standing in an anonymous Kent town, unsure whether you're in Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells - well, first of all, consider drinking less - but also, there are a few ways to decipher your location.

1) Can you see a castle? If so, you're in Tonbridge, ogling the motte and bailey wonder of Tonbridge Castle. Unlike its northerly counterpart, Tunbridge Wells doesn't have a castle.

2) Can you see a Waitrose? If so, you're in Tonbridge - though I dare you to ask for directions to Waitrose if you're in Tunbridge Wells. The high-end supermarket has been a point of contention between the two towns for years, given that the traditionally posher Tunbridge Wells doesn't have one, while the people of Tonbridge have a large Waitrose right in the centre of town. A couple of years ago, a tiny Waitrose opened in a petrol station on the outskirts of town, but it did little to quell the middle-class urges of Tunbridge Wells dwellers. Apparently, Richard Osman's recent book The Thursday Murder Club has fanned those particular flames, by making reference to a Waitrose in Tunbridge Wells, though I've not yet read it myself.

3) Can you get to lots of places on the train? If so, you're in Tonbridge. It's the busiest railway station in Kent, with trains operating in multiple directions, to Paddock Wood or Tunbridge Wells in one direction, and London or Redhill in the other. By contrast, Tunbridge Wells station has a single line running through it - travel north to London, or south to Hastings.

4) Are you in a fancy Wetherspoons? If so, you're in Tunbridge Wells. Though both towns boast a sizeable 'Spoons (and Tonbridge 'Spoons has a garden), the The Opera House in Tunbridge Wells is a thing of beauty, retaining the gallery seating and many of the features from its original function.

5) Did you walk up a huge hill from the station? That'd be Tunbridge Wells.

6) Can you see a train? Actually, this is where we'd probably need a flow diagram. If it's a full-size steam train, you're probably at the Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells. If it's a smaller, sit-on train offering rides to the public, you're at Tonbridge Model Engineering Society.

7) Can you afford to buy property here? (No, me neither). Tunbridge Wells is often thought of as the posher of the two, with property prices to reflect it, but its position as the larger of the two towns means that it has a wider range of properties, so there are more affordable properties too. By contrast, Tonbridge became the most in-demand town in the whole country for house hunters following lockdown - which probably means I've been priced out.

I jest, of course. Both Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells have their own merits and are wonderful towns in their own right - so much so that I've written about the  reasons to visit both Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells as part of my day job. My heart is with Tonbridge though.

How did Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells get their names?

Sunrise over Tonbridge. Photo: Laura Reynolds

Tonbridge - the smaller and older of the two towns, was originally spelt Tunbridge (or Tonebridge, as far back as the Domesday Book), and named after a bridge crossing the River Medway in the town.  

Then, in the 17th century, the Chalybeate Spring was discovered in what is now Tunbridge Wells, and the town grew up around it, the name positioning it as the well belonging to the closest existing settlement, Tunbridge. It was the existence of Tunbridge Wells that gave Tonbridge its modern spelling - there was too much confusion between Tunbridge and Tunbridge Wells, so the older town was renamed Tonbridge in the 1870s.

Why is Tunbridge Wells 'Royal'?

Royal Tunbridge Wells is one of only three towns in England to be given official Royal status. It was awarded its regal moniker in 1909 by King Edward VII, to acknowledge the enjoyment its spa waters had given to members of the Royal Family over the years. I've still never seen the Queen out shopping on The Pantiles - though Lulu did film a Morrison's Christmas advert there one year, and that's basically the same thing - right?

Where is Tonbridge Wells?

Tonbridge Wells doesn't exist. Pick either Tonbridge, or Tunbridge Wells, and stick to it.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.