Tales of Tunbridge Wells audio trail
Royal Tunbridge Wells, West Kent
Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0
A free app that guides you round 30 historic sites in Tunbridge Wells, from the Chalybeate Spring to the Forum, using short recordings made by historians, shopkeepers, clergy and residents in 2019. It follows the town's story from the spring's discovery in 1606 to today, and works just as well from your sofa.
Highlights
- Thirty stops across the town, each with audio and pictures
- The Pantiles dipper telling stories of royal visitors
- Behind-the-scenes talk at King Charles the Martyr
- GPS shows the content for wherever you are standing
Good to know
- Leaving GPS on in the background drains your battery quickly
- A printed Heritage Walking Trail leaflet, following burgundy plaques, is also free
- Made by The Amelia, Kent County Council and Visit Tunbridge Wells with lottery and arts funding
Getting there
Tales of Tunbridge Wells audio trail, Royal Tunbridge Wells town centreParking: Use the town centre car parks.
Get directionsChecked on 30 October 2026 against visittunbridgewells.com, apps.apple.com. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
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More things to do in Tunbridge Wells
Nearby
Image: The PantilesThe Pantiles
The Pantiles is the Georgian colonnaded walk at the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, created after the discovery of a chalybeate spring in the early 17th century gave the town its name. Today it is lined with boutique shops, cafes, restaurants and bars, and is known for its jazz nights. It is free to wander and makes an easy couple of hours on any visit to the town.
Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0The Chalybeate Spring
The iron-rich spring that a passing nobleman, Lord North, stumbled on in 1606 is the reason Tunbridge Wells grew into a spa town at all. It sits on The Pantiles, restored and flowing again, and is a short, free stop on any walk around the old town.
Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0The Forum
The Forum is a small, independent live music venue in a former public toilet block on the Common, a few minutes from Tunbridge Wells station. It hosts touring bands, local acts, tribute nights and club nights, and runs a second room in the basement of the Sussex Arms on The Pantiles.